Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-12-09
A BAT STORY.
Pennsylyania Man Was Obliged TO
Fight for His Life.

Ponnsylvanin Nun Was ODhAon W
Fight for His Life.
Jacob Bricker of Rauchtown had
quite n unique as we'll as thrilling en-
perlence the other day, which he ~ at
loss to account for, but has no desire
to again repeat, says the Phlladelphla
Times. Mr.. Bricker is laborer, ana
on the day in question, feeling SOME
what indisposed, did not go to work.
He was lounging in his house When he
heard peculiar noise In the thiru
story or attic. Surprising at 1irst lhal
the noise was created by mice ana rats
frolicking about, he paid little atteh-
ton to it, but the continued ana III
creasing discordant screeching. COM
bined with the swish of wings and an
everlasting pit-pat, as made ny oitos
flying against something, aroused
Bricker sufficiently to institute an IN
vestigation. Alone he went to the at
tic and was at once nonriuseu ana as-
founded to see the small room lltefally
black with bats, flying helter-skelter
and ai:ack;!,s every inanlmate oD)ect
in sight. When Bricker first saw the
bats he had no thought CT selt-protec-
ton from danger, hut imagined they
would fr!,hten at his approach ana
leave But in this he was mistaken.
Hardly hal he gotten fairly into the
room until the bats, in perfect sWarms,
flew at him. Their sharp claws ana
stiff wings as they flew in his face ana
alighted on his hands made many pain
full abrasions, and it was with difficulty
the man was enabled to secure snort
,, stick, luckily lying near, with when
to defend himself. Striking right and
left, Brickcr went for the mouse-like
birds, and with every stroke dull
thud on the floor told Of one less bat.
But the birds were in for fight, and
the more killed the more it appeared
came at the man. Just how long the
struggle continued Bricker has no idea
of reckoning. 1t could not have been
more than five minutes, but to him 1t
seemed like an hour or more. Finally,
when the swarm of bats began to grow
manifestly smaller under the sure
stroke of Brokers club, they began to
scatter, and with one parting screech
took hasty leave. Covered with blood
on face and hands, and suffering no
little pain, Bricker took survey OF
| the room, aud for the first time real
lied the execution he had been able to
do. The floor was covered with dead
and disabled bats, the latter still
screeching, Topping about and endeav-
oring to get away. These were dis
patched as soon as possible aud with
out any mercy, and then the man made
count of the dead birds. He found
ffty-three in all, and he is positive that
fully twice that many escaped. The
bats entered the attic through an open
window, but where they all came from
| is mystery. There are a number of
caves in the immediate vicinity, but
they have mostly been explored and
very few bats ever noticed. And then
the time of their visit being made in
daytime is another strange occurrence,
as bats habituai;y fly at night, or after
twilight begins to fall. However that
may be, and come from where they did,
Bricker had tifty-three bats to show
for his fight and prove the strange oc-
currence, and to anyone who may think
it a small thing to be attacked by these
small birds he is ready to bring assur-
ance that it is not, and can prove 1t
| by his badly scratched face and hands.