The record-union., 1895-02-07
BRUINS BoxING-MATcH.
The Bear Did Not Understand the
Laws of GraYitation

The Bear Did Not Understand the
Laws of Gravitatfon.
"A couple of Us were splitting slabs in
the MadaWaska woods along in the fall,
when, all of sudden, the head of the
maui flew off, an this 'ere one did. Bill,
however-Bill Goodin was the name of
the fellow with me-wasn't so lucky as
you were IN getting out of the way. The
maui struck tree, glanced, and took Bill
on the side OF the knee. 1t keeled him
over so he couldn't do any more work
that day, and had to help him back to
the camp. Before we left [ took a bit of
cod-llne out of my pocket, ran il through
the eye OF the maui, and strung the maui
up to a branch so it would be easier to
ind when L wanted it.
ut was maybe week before went for
that maul-a little more than a week,
should say; and then, it being of a Satur-
day afternoon, when there was no work
to DO, and BilPs leg being SO much better
that he could hobble alone, he and
thought we'd stroll over to where we'd
been splitting and bring the maui in to
camp.
When we got pretty near the place,
and could see through the trees the maui
hanging there where we left it, Bill all of
sudden grabbed me sharp by the arin
and whispered Keep stillv
hat is it" said l. under my breath,
looking all around.
Use your eyes if you've got any,
said he; and | stared through the
branches in the direction be was look
ing. But there was trunk in the way.
AS soon as moved my head bit, l saw
what he was watching. There was fine,
young bear sitting back on his launches,
ana looking at the maui as if he didn't
know what to make of it. Probably that
bear had once been hurt in trap, and so
had grown suspicious. That there maui
hanging from the limb of a tree was
something different from anything he'd
ever seen before. Wondering what he
was going to do, we crept little nearer,
without maxim any noise, and croucned
down behind spruce bush.
1.-The bear was may be a couple of wards
from the maui, and watching it as if he
thought it might get down any moment
and come at him. a little gust of wind
came through the trees and set the maui
swinging bit. He didn't like this, ana
backed off few feet. The maui swung
some more, and he drew off still further:
and as soon as IL was quite still again,
he sided around 1t at a prudent distance
and Investigated it from the other side Of
the tree.
"'Ihe blame fool is scared of it, whis-
pered Bill, scornlully; let's fling a rock
at him!'
No said I, knowing bears pretty
well; let's wait and see what he's going
to do
We'll, when the maui bad been pretty
still Tor minute or two, the bear ap-
peared to make up its mind it didn't
amount to much after all; he came right
close up TO it as bold as you like and
paved 1t kind of inquiringly. The maui
swung away, and, being hung short, it
came back quick and took the bear
smart rap on the nose.
'Bli! and L both snickered. but the
bear didn't hear us. lie was mad right
of, and with snort he hit the maui a
pretty good cuff; back it came like
creased lightning, and took him again
square on the snOut with a whack that
must have made him just see stars.
Bill and could hardly hold ourselves:
but even if we had laughed right out /
don't believe that bear would have no.
tIced US, he was so mad. \ on know a
BEARS snout is mighty tender. Well. he
grunted and snorted and rooted around
III the leaves bit, and then went back at
the maui as II he was just going to knock
1t into the other side Of Tomorrow. He
stood up TO it, and he did hit it so hard
that 1t seemed to disappear for half
second. 1t swung right over the limb,
and, while he was looking for it. it came
down on the top of his head. Great
Scott! how he roared! And then, scratch
ing his head with one paw, he went at il
again with the other. and hit it Just the
same way he'd hit it before. | tell Won.
Bill and L pretty near burst as we saw
that maui fly over the limb again and
come down on the top of his head lust
like the first time. You'd have Thought
1t would have cracked his skull; but g
bears head is as hard as they make them.
This time the bear, after rubbing his
head and his snOut, and roofing some
more in the leaves, sat back and seemed
to consider. In a second or two he went
up to the maui and tried to take hold of
it with one paw; of course it slipped
right away, and you'd have thought it
was alive to see the sharp way it lodged
back and caught him again on the nose,
1t wasn't much Of whacll this time, but
that nose was tender enough then! And
the bear got desperate. He grabbed for
the maui with both paws; and that way.
of course, he got it. With one pull he
the cod-line and the victory was
6. d. Roberts in st. Nicho-
las.