Birmingham age-herald., 1895-03-29
CROCK FULL OF FUN.
HOW MAX RANSOM LEARNED THIS
 TRAIT OF THE BLACK BEAR.

Doesn't Shoot Black Bears Now.
 1T don't care what anybody says or thinks" said Max Ransom of this city, an obseryant sportsman and one who thinks twice before he shoots, "but am convinced that the predomnating trait in the character of tho great American bear is a longing for fun. mean the black bear. The grizzly bear and all his near rel atives, or, as some say, his descendants, such as the silver tip and the cinnamon bear, have DO sense of humor in them.
 But the black bear, judging, as I do, from a personal experience, Is simply look ing for something to hnvo fun with when he goes out. I had killed quito number of bears before had this little experience, but I have never killed one since or at tempted to kill one. wouldn' t haye.the blood of a bear on my hands for anything. Seems to me I'd feel as if were a fnur- derer. mean black boar. of course
 ''Tho way I happened to change my mind about black bears and their disposi- tion was this: Two or three of us were up in Pennsylvania one fall deer hunting. One day, after standing on runway for two or three hours, and judging that the dogs had taken the deer in another direc- tion, put my gun down and walked away a short distance to a barberry bush to pick some of the tart berries. A frost had knocked the berries all off the busH and they lay thick on the ground beneath 1t. stopped down and was enjoying the re- freshing mountain fruit when felt some- thing tap me on the shoulder. 1 looked up, and there, towering above me and with a grin on It's face as near as grin ho n hnman. stood bear at least five feet tall, being on his hind feet, looking down at me, his fore paws hanging limp against his chest. It was the bear, of course, that had tapped me on the shoulder.
 Now, hero was situation. l couldn't get at my gun. I had knife in my pocket, but with that universal belief had always had that the bear Is fierce, ugly and pugnacious beast that wanders about with his eye constantly skinned for some one that he can pitch into and scat- ter about and chew up didn't think 1t would be wise for me to rise from the base of that towering bear, right into his clutch, you might say, and defy him with a knife. Tho bear seemed to be waiting for me to do something. I was in squat ting posture and really couldn't make up my mind what to do. So I remained just as was, trying to think what ought to be done under the circumstances. guess the bear must have got impatient, for be reached down and tapped me on the shoul- der again. It was just gentle tap, as if he were simply calling my attention to something or other. Then made up my mind. thought I might throw myself quickly forward, get to my feet, cut and run and make a circuit among the trees, supposing all the time that the bear would be chasing mo until could get back to where my gun was. Once there, I would have no further apprehension as to the re- suit. I
 ''So made surge forward, but before my head had scarcely changed its position the bears paw closed on my shoulder. In an instant he ierked me to my feet, turned me square around and there I stood, face to face with him, he with paw on each of my shoulders I thought my only chance now was to get my knife in action before the bear finished me, and careful ly slipped my hand in my pocket and got the knife. I was stealthily passing my other hand over to open the knife when the bear calmly reached down with one paw, snatchAl it out of my hand and threw it awhy. From tho position the bear was in I might have given him tremendous kick in the stomach and dou bled him up so could have got to my gun before he got over the effects of the kick but I didn't think of it, and I'm glad now that didn't wouldn't have known then what thero really is in bears and would have gone on killing them in cold blood.
 After the bear threw my knife away he took off my hat looked it over and then put it on his own head in a rakish way He was more than grinning now-he was actually laughing, and his eyes twinkled mischievously. The next movo he made was to unbutton my hunting coat and take it off of me as slick as could be. This he threw off to ono side and then took off my vest. He laid the vest on the coat.
 ' 'Heavens!' I said to myself This bear is going to strip mo so he can chew me up better.
 After taking off my vest the bear pushed mo down on thetwo garments and deliberately and expertly drew of my boots Then he sat down opposite me and drew the boots on his own feet. After he had dono that he yanked me off the coat and vest and tried to put the vest on him self It was too small, but he got the coat on all right, and then he was sight that made me tumble right down there and howl It was the funniest thing I ever. saw. My mirth seemed to please the bear,' and hedaDeed around like a tipsy rafts- man, cutting all sorts of fandangoes and pigeon wings. guess this lasted ten minutes, and was sore all through from laughing, when suddenly the bear stop ped, cooked his head on one side and lis tened a moment Then he stripped my coat off and tossed it to me, and sitting down pulled off the boots and gave them back. To take of the hat and hand it over was only the work of second, and then the bear hurried away into the brush and disappeared. He had hardly got away before along came my companions with