The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-15
SPARED FOB HIS LIFE.
A Lunberman's Hot Battle With
. Pu9nacious Bear.
Rruin WAS Handy with Hh Paws ana
Gave the yeasurssoae W0oA-
man More Fight Than
He Wanted.

He Wanted.
Some time this spring-nobcdy has
yet been able TO fix the date-John
Moran, 1um5erman, Of Ashland, Ne,
laet a bear In the woods and held .
short conference with the same.
Along in April. when the maple sap
had gone aloft to make new summer
suits for the trees aud the bluebirds
were taking sky baths to put fresh tints
on their wings, Moran was going into
the woods to store away his sugar.
troughs He was . mile or so from
home, jogging along VITA his ak over
his shoulder and his dinner pail dang
ling from the ak handle, when q sharp
turn in the path brought him UP
against great hemlock tree which the
wind had blown down.
Moran was feeling uncommonly we'll
that morning. and, rot wishing to
make a wide detour around the tree,
he put his hnnd on top Of the rough
bark and made ready for a high vault.
With caution born of experience,
he looked to see where he would land,
and, as his head peered above the log,
something heavy and hairy shot up
from the other side and hit him square
" across the ear. AS soon as he had
collected his wits enough to look about
bin, he found he was under a small
spruce tree two rods back from the
log, and saw his dinner, consisting Of
fresh roast pork and daughnuts, scat
tered about on the dead leaves in q way
that made him feel sad.
Rubbing his eyes. he gave another
look, and saw a large bear sitting up
against the side OF the log and over
ha1ling his dinner with the air of an
epicure. With his right paw the bear
held up one of Moran's doughnuts to
his eyes, and with its left paw it was
gathering in all Of the roast pork in
sight.
Moran's only weapon was . light,
sharp OK. with a tough ash handle.
Armed with this he approached the
bear boldly, and did not step until
just outside paw range. Then be made
several swift passes with his ak to
learn how many boxing lessons the
bear had taken, and was not over
pleased to find that he had met wood
land boxer of great promise. Every
time he tried blow with the edge Of
the AK the bear countered on the side
or handle and avoided a serious wound.
Eventually he struck with the fat of
the Ak, and was pleased to see the bear
cut its paw half OF in the counter.
The bear hit so hard that it might
ducked adroitly at the moment death
was imminent.
Meran's next blow was given with
the force of a catapult, and was aimed
straight for the bears skull. With
left upper cut the bear not only di-
verted the AK, but pulled it from his
hands and sent it flying far into the
woods. 1t was now a man against
lame bear, and Moran knew that the
Odds were all in favor of the bear.
While Moran was feeling in his pockets
for jackknife the bear again applied
the doughnut to its eye and examined
its manned paw.
such q cold-blooded monster with a
jackknife. So he went around the tres
and started for his sap camp, which
was only 90 or 30 rods beyond. He was
pleased to see the bear following him
at . distance, and fairly shouted with
elee when he reached the camp and
found his two-edged wood az hanging
above the bunk. In q few minutes he
had stripped 10 his trousers and under
shirt, and, swinging his ak aloft, he
made dash for the enemy.
The bear ducked and Jumped ahead,
passing under Moran's arm and facing
about for the next play. Two quick
feirts were parried with professions.
skill, and then came a sweeping blow
straight down from above. The bear
held out it's well foot, and the ax-handle.
drove ii nearly to the ground. Lean
irg forward, the bear pushed up on
tie handle, and the upper edge, glano-
ing from its teeth, entered the flesh
that held the bears nose to its upper
jaw, cutting cords and tendons until
the keen blade was hidden In the fur.
Moran hardly knows what happened
next. He heard the bear growl IN pain,
and saw the skin on the front of the
head furl up and roll back, like the
hood Of an overcoat. Then Q bears
h-ad, bony, skinless and griunipg,
emerged from the mass of hnir. and the
bear was after Moran baldheaded II
was a long. hard run over the windfalls.
through the suamPs. and up and down
btu. Every time Moran looked back
he saw that grinniny skull. and the
terror put wings on his feet as he fed |
for home, leaping among cradle knots
md yelling at every bound. When be
reached the house he was so grateful for |
his escape that ne never thought 20 |
look for the bear, but just barred the
door and swore In q language that was |
even to his own family. |
St Louis Poet-Dispatch.