The sun., 1896-09-06
BUBBLES ELUSIVE BEAR.
TWICE HE THOUGHT HE HAD IT
BUT HE HASN'T SEEN 1T YET.
II Stripped His Best Apple Tree, Ate Four
Patlrpis or Blnckberries, Played with
the telegraph Wires, seuttied Up
Chimney, nnd Its End Far OGns Ever.

| lt stripped Hin Hest Apple Tree, Ate fou'
PailrsIs or Elnckberries, Played with
tho telegraph wires, seuttied Up 9
Chimney, and Its End is as Far OGas Ever
BRADLEY, Me-. Sept 5.-whilo Tom Buzzel
was down at Bangor attending the fair a beat
climbed his pumpkin sweet tree and stripped of
about Ave bushels of apples Those that were
not eaten up were bitten or bruised so badly that
nobody would buy them, As BuEzell had on
gagged to sell these apples for 80 cents n bushel
he felt rather sore over his loss and resolved TO
catch that bear II he lost two weeks in harvest
time. He hunted day and n half without find
ing trace of bear. and without shooting any
thing bigger than n lean hare.
| AS BuZzell was returning to dinner Monday
noon he met two boys who had been out black.
berrying and had been frightened by bear.
| According to their story, they were coming
through the pine woods below CostiRan when
| they heard n great noise among the telegraph
| wires of tho Western Union line which follows
the Maine Central Railroad from Bangor TO
| Vanoeboro. The wires would rattle and sing,
as IL somebody was clicking them with q ham
| mer. After half q minute one wire would
wabble wildly and then become slack with a
| snap. As the amateur hunters have habit OF
| using the glass insulating caps for targets,
| and as the company had offered n reward for
evidence against the offenders. the BOYS left the
highway and followed the track. Ten rods be-
| low they discovered the cause OF the noises they
had heard. A small but active bear had climbed
| q telegraph pole and was trying to BIKE of the
insulators. The boys did not stop to see how
the bear succeeded. but hurried away as fast as
their bare feet would take them. leaving two
we'll filled pals of berries behind.
BuZzell not only believed what the boys told
him. but he took them homo and gave them
good dinner on condition that they should go
back with him and help him kill the bear. Buz-
zell. knowing how fond bears are of sweet
apples, believed the bear which the boys had
seen was the one that had despoiled his pump
kin-sweet tree, and that the animal had climbed
the telegraph pole under the delusion that the
right. Upon the rough cedar bark were
marks of claws and tufts Of black
% the tin Gssk ps whsh 5G%
the boys claimed. They were full of blackbcr-
that worth six when the
seeds and a little dark fluid were all they con
tanned. The bear. not relishing The flavor OF the
apples which grow on telegraph poles, had come
down and got lunch fro N the pals. After that
1t had gone into the woods.
blac kberres for n dinner, and having guided
Buzzsll to ,he telegraph pole TO NO purpose. felt
to get more berries, leaving BuzzelI to hunt
alone. They worked rapidly, for about two
had been before the bear dinea; when IS soms. Ss
thing crashed among the brush back of the
blackberry patch. The boys held fast to their
pals and listened. Presently they heard the
brush cracking as IL walked upon by some
heavy animal, and a moment later a bear hob
berries for Himself II the Soys hSS been s1 p,ss ess
frightened, or II they, had used more care in
without trouble: but their haste made noise.
and the noise caused the bear to look up See
his last interview with similar Dishes. the 'bF beaFF
gave chase. For the next half mile 1t was
Ss d bSr VIII haH to one in favor Of
which went down hill toward the river. giving
them considerable adv vantage; but their heavy
the time the highway was gained the bear was
not more than twenty rods behind.
They were on the old Air Line turnpike which
the Federal Government constructed from Old
Town TO Houlton at the time Of the Aroostook
much travelled highway. and tho hotels and
GROCERIES which stood as milestones along its
Of Ike steam engine ali trade was ans snd
most OF the houses are now deserted. and have
sSe Il ruin Ely 1Sds s ahead Of the boys
building which fifty years ago was famous all
over Maine for The potency Of its liquors. For
but four or i've years. ago It's owner owner
boarded up the windows and left II for the bats
paddock from the front door fcw weeks before |
and knew they would be safe il they could
bear coming up fast. they burst in the door in
time to place their pals IN closet behind the
the bear came through the door they had the
ladder half way TO tho chamber floor and
Lying on their faces and tanning themselves
with their hats the boys watched the bear. II |
came In. gazed at them for n moment and then |
IL sat up on Its Launches ana looked Mt the boys
ss n asking them where they had put their
It found where the berries were. and began to
scratch at the closed door The door was OF
moving about the bear hit against the front
doc and shut II with bang. Though the bear |
house. it did. not seem to be worried at at ali,
@ Snt Kept tb,. 5SiinE @ away 1 at the closet door
covered. While the bear was eating up the |
blackberries the boys showed up a chamber win |
dow. and knocking off the boards. ran out the |
ladder and hurried home loaded with wonder |
ful news They were not intending to tell Buz-
zell ANYTHING about their prisoner, preferring
met them on the road and soon pumped tho |
details from their reluctant memories. and paid
each each Of the the boys 81. provided they would tell
:, The weary BOYS trndged back 70 the Miles
tiously. Inside were two denred tin pals and a |
lot OF stains whore the bear had eaten his sup |
ktchen, dining room and ali @ over k tho house,, hioa
without find ing the bear. The cellar door was |
"nd was oSse IN
boys had isft 1t when they escaped. The tin
Pss sSTsd s so Bazze aSS ssnr not n1a ",s
what the boys had told him Iiy ali |
the rules Of logic the bear should be in tho |
house' put iroh ol buZIell y senses |
the bear was not there. 1t was his plain duty |
TO whip the boys and recover his money. While |
he heaitated the boys made "A closer study OF tho |
situation. BY chance one look ed into the great |
Buzzell's eyes.
Tn, bears gone up tn chimbley," said the |
boy with confidence.
Bu2zle also SAW bear tracks In the ashes and |
found bears hair on the jambs OF the hne lie |
climbed to the roof of the house like n cat, and |
lighting n half bunch Of matches threw them |
down the chimney. When the matches had
gone out h' made remarks not TIT to print
The hear had gone out through tho great !
chimney. leaped TO the roof and hurried away |
to the woods for more black berriep BEFORE
BuZZell had relieved his congested feelings
enough TO come down the boys had gone home,
carrying their money and berry pals. |