Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-08-26
FACING A GRIZZLY.
HOW A BOY KILLED AN ANGRY BEAR
WITH A BLOW OF AN Ak.

b1Svv ~ 0SI NIGkGO NV AtN0hI O6Rh
WITH A BLOW OF AN Ak.
BIS Brave Act Saved the Life of One Of
His Companions The Geology Glass
Found Something In the Rockies It
Wasn't Looking For.
It was in September-and the Colo
RADIO sun had done its duty and made
Phil as brown of face and stout of limb
as any of us-that the geology class,
consisting Of the professor and ten pu-
pills, made an excursion into the range
with the object Of taking a practical
lesson among the limestone beds at the
back of Lincoln park
Away we went-feeling very hilar-
ious at the idea Of making an independ-
emit expedition, even with Blinkers for
a Notwithstanding over rocks and
fallen trees, chasing squirrels and chip
hunks, throwing stones at birds and
rabbits, and behaving generally just
like what we were-a parcel OF school
boys.
Presently we emerged from the trees
and came out upon another little open
parklike stretch of ground. Half way
across it our attention was suddenly at
tracted by stir among some high grass,
and out jumped little, dark colored,
short legged animal, which looked like
a woolly pig-if there be any such
thing in nature.
Away it scuttled, and away we all
went, with shout, in pursuit.
Phil happened to be some distance
behind at the moment, being busily en-
gagged in digging tarantula's nest out
of the ground with his knife; but as
soon as he saw what we were doing he
came racing after us, shouting: "Look
outl Look outl It's az
We did not hear what, we were max
ing so much noise ourselves.
But the little animal, whatever it
was, was too quick for us and disap-
peared into some willows while we were
still 20 yards behind. The next moment
the willows waved and bent and out
bounced great she bear-a grizzly!
With yell of dismay we all turned
and, scattering like flock Of sparrows
when a cat jumps into the midst of
them, fled for the nearest trees. Blink
ers, quite forgetting that he was the
general of the little expeditionary force,
made such use of his long legs that he
was safely up tree before any of the
rest of US had reached one.
As for me, never reached one at all.
In turning to run tripped over the
az, and though was up again in all in
slant the check made me the last of the
fugitives.
The chase was very soon over. In si1
jumps, as it seemed, the great beas
caught me, and, with one blow Of he,
paw on the middle Of my back, sent me
face downward, to the ground, with ev
cry atom of breath driven out Of my
tfdy.
This last circumstance was a goot
thing for me; could not have moved {
muscle if had wished to. Consequent,
the bear supposed that was dead, ant
instead Of tearing me up into small
pieces, as I expected, she began shifting
me all over and turning Inc about with
her claws
- aenly, however, she ceased ant
/. /, and I heard Blinker
up II LIS aree call out, go backl 70,
can't do any good. You'll only ge
yourself killed too" From which con
cluded that Blinkers and the bear hat
one thought in common; they both sup
posed me to be dead.
was beginning to recover my breatl
little by this time, and in my anxiet.
to see what was going forward I made
slight movement with one arm, ant
in an instant the bear had that arm be
tween her teeth. 1t hurt me SO horribly
that I tainted, and all that happened
afterward I gathered from the othe
boys
Phil, when he saw me knocked down
instead Of climbing up tree like tn
rest, ran back to where I had dropped
the ak, and, picking it up, advanced t.
my rescue.
It was a mad thing to do, there Is n,
doubt about that; but Phil did it-ant
without thought Of his own danger
It was in vain that Blinkers called II
him to go back; he did not seem to hear
but kept coming on slowly, with hi
eyes fixed on the bear, and the ak he'll
in readiness to strike.
The bear dropped my arm and ad
vanced a step, standing across my body
growing and turning up her lips unit
all her great white teeth were exposed
but still Phil came on. At six feet dis
tance he stopped. The bear took a ste]
forward, and then another. and then
with all the strength of his body doubled
by the intense excitement of the mo
ment, Phil struck at her with such fore
and precision that he split her skull
clean in two.
But, even in dying, the bear succeeded
in doing some mischief.
With a last convulsive effort sh
struck out, and, with her great claws
tore away the front Of PhiPs coat, YES
and shirt, and made three deep cuts al
across his chest from the left shoulde
diagonally downward Another incl
and Phil must certainly have been killed
AS it was, he stood for moment sway
ing to and fro, and then fell forward
upon the dead body of the bear. "Griz
ely Phil, - by Sidford F. Hamp. in st
Nicholas.