The Republican journal., 1896-05-28
The Widow, the Pig, and the Bear.
Maine Story from the New York sun.


GREENFIELD, Me-, April %. After the
assessors came around in April, Mrs. Nan
Houston, widow OF this place, went to
Old Town and purchased two shoats. A
down east shoatis pig that is six months
old, but has failed to grow for the last
five months, SO that it does not differ any
from sucking pig, except that it is older
and has had more experience. She started
out to get one shoat intending to pay
about So for it, but when she found she
could buy two for only 50, a trade was
expended on boards for pig yard fence.
The shoats were brought home and put in
the new yard u week ago. and two days
later Mrs. Houston had given them but
termilk bath and trimmed up their hoofs
so they looked three months younger.
I he night alter Mis-. Houston had
washed her pigs in buttelmilk she went
to led carly. She was awake at dawn
studying out how she could do washing
make soap and clean house at the same
time, when sharp squeal came up across
the goosebeny bushes from the direction
OF the pig-yard, and was waited in at her
window. a pig was squealing, more in
anger than i'll pain, and III among the
swinish complaints was grunting growl,
which her trained ear at once recognized
as the utterance OF a veXed bear
Creeping out 10y way OF the barn,
where she secured a three tined pitch
fork, she reached the hog yard in time
TO see a bear dash across the enclosure,
carrying one OF her shoats in its mouth and
closely pursued by the other PIC. The
bear reached the fence sat up to climb
over il, and was poisiDg Tor leap when
the free pig grabbed it behind and held
on. Twice the bear tried to jump the
fence, and twice the PIG held it back
Then, tuning upon its assailant, the bear
dropped the pig from its mouth and ran
about the yard, Swapping and striking at
the other pig.
1t was now time for Mrs. Houston to
move up her forces. At a point when it
was doubtful whether the pigs would be
killed by the bear or the bear would drop
dead from anger and vexation Mrs.
Houston and her pitchfork appeared and
turned the tide Of battle in favor of the
pigs. The yard was bounded on three
sides by the barn and out buildings, leav-
ing but one side where the bear could
climb over. Stationing herself on this
side, Mrs. Houston jabbed her pitchfork
into the bear every time it went by chas-
ing the pigs.
BY the time she had delivered five or
SIX thrustS, the bear concluded it did nGt
care for pigs very much, and sat down.
Then the pigs developed an appetite for
bear on the hoof, and began to chase their
visitor about the yard, giving Mrs. Hous-
ton an excellent chance to use her pitch
fork. She had pitchforked the bear three
times in the second innings, and had the
weapon up for another thrust, when the
animal leaped the fence in front OF her,
and striking her ON the shoulder, threw
her to the ground. There she lay in the
mud while the bear and one of the pigs
passed over her. BY the time she recover
ed herself the bear was half a mile away.
and the ply was irving to get back with
its mate. She let the pig in, put up the
fence and went back to bed.
For two days Mrs Houston was so
clusty that nobody dared to speak to her.
The third morning Il neighbor came up
from the woods and told her he lad lust
found dead bear down by the back pas
tUre bars. Attel The skin was taken of
the calc9>s was found TO be filled with
holes mace 10y some long, sharp instru-
ment, When Mrs. Houston saw the
Wounds she knew they had been made
With her pilchIolk and was happy That
attelnVUn She gave both pigs another but
telmiik bath, and went about the house
singing Gospel hymns until bedtime.