The Forrest City times., 1896-10-16

This incident of itself would have been sufficient excitement and glory for one day, but circumstances made ny desperate encounter with the bear only a prelude to dangers that capped the climax of a most eventful days ex- perience.
 Consequently this is not so much Of a hear story ss the introduction might suggest.
 l lived OH farm in the northern part of Maine in that year, and spent what time could in the woods. hunting game and setting traps for all kinds of furry animals. My experience in woodcraft dated back several years, and, though merely youth, I knew a good deal about hunting wild game. l was pas sionately fond of the sport, and an ex- pert with the rife.
 Bears abound in the Maine woods at certain seasons of the year, but gen orally they are small brown and black bears, not much larger than big dog. l had the utmost contempt for many of these creatures. But one hot day, late in the summer, I discovered one that commanded my respect and made me very anxious to kill him.
 l was seated on fallen tree in the thickest part of the woods. eating my lunch and cooling my parched lips with the water from gurgling stream near by. Suddenly crash among the bushes about a dozen rods away attracted my attention.
 
 Looking in the direction whence the noise proceeded. I saw an enormous black bear standing upon his launches. eating blackberries. He was scooping them in by the quart, stripping the bushes with his huge claws, and cram ming them into his mouth as if half starved. As watched the animal de- sire to bring him down took posses sion of he. I felt sure that I could send bullet through his heart from my position.
 My rife was loaded and stood against neighboring tree. l took it cautious ly, cooked it without attracting the at tention of the bear. and aimed it at the creatures heart. l could hear a low growl almost simultaneously with the report of the rifle, and then l re- alized that had invited danger.
 The bear was only wounded and was rushing toward me with the most say age expression upon his face that I ever saw on any animal. l just had time to take aim again and send another bullet at the infuriated beast. But even this did not check his headway. He came staggering along with blood in his eyes and with heavy paw upraised.
 l dropped my gun and took out my long hunting knife. l realized that had only one chance in ten, but would fight hard for that one chance.
 Everything seemed blurred for an in- stant. I saw the black body of the bear towering over me, ready to strike me down. In my right hand held the knife firmly. ready to give a violent lunge at the right moment.
 But the blow never fell. The bear staggered and tottered before me, and dropped at my feet in its death agonies. The two heavy bullets had performed their mission satisfactorily.
 All would have been well with me had l been active in moving beyond the reach of the struggling animal, but in his yio- lent movements Bruins heavy paws came in contact with my left leg, and, as if realizing that he had caught his rn,r- derer. he began to claw and tear ehe skin and flesh. He lived only half min ute after falling, but in that time he had given me flesh wounds that would re- member for several months. The flesh was torn in places almost to the bone, and the whole leg rendered almost use less.
 My pleasure at killing the big bear was partly cooled down by my sad plight. l was five miles from home and my jour ney through the woods would be slow and laborious. The pain soon became excruciating, and I started up to get home before my leg grew stiff and oramped.
 l spent about two hours in covering one mile, and then l seated myself on the ground. faint and exhausted. was i'll