The Saint Paul globe., 1897-09-27
BEARS AT PLAY.
SIashing Match Where the Little
Bear Turned the Laugh.

SIashing Match Where the Little
Bear Turned the Laugh.
The attention Of a man from the Knob
country was called this week to the peculiar
ity that bears have Of slashing tree trunks
in the spring and fall as mentioned in a re-
cent article, and his opinion was asked as
to the possible cause of this habit, says
Milford Pa.) special to the New York Sun.
He declared that it wasn't habit, but
custom.
Bears does it cause they're holdin'
slashin' Matches" he said. There amt no
kind O. doubt o. this, cause I've see 'em at
it more than there is toenails on a hull drove
O. bears. l remember one O. these slashin'
in it, an four of 'en was all-thumpin' Knob
country bears, an that's as much as sayin'
that they was about as big as bears gifts to
be anywheres. Four of 'em was thumpers,
an one of 'em bear not more'n half
as big as t'others. When see the bears first
I wondered where in Sam Hill that little runt
of bear could a come FROM
The Knob country don't grow no setch
pigmy bears as that UNI 1 says
"Fust along I wondered what all that gath
erin o. bears was for, but soon see. They
was there to have slashin match. an was
testin' their high-scratchin' powers on big
chestnut tree. The four big fellers done their
slash1n' an the fourth one left the mark
half foot higher than the highest mark
his score sumpin' like eight foot nine inches
from the ground. Then the little feller he
skipped up as if he was goin' to enter the
match an beat the hull caboodle of 'em
an come blame nigh Dustin right out
laughin' an spilein' all the fun, to see the
airs O. that runty bear. When he come up to
the scratch the big bears was tickled as much
as was an they jist laid down an rolled
an hollered till the tears tumbled down their
chops as big as beans!. Then one of EN-
got up an grabbed the little feler an lifted
branches of the tree an held him there SOS
he would make his mark, an much as to
say, There, you cunnin' little cuss! Well
give you show an let you beat usH
But the little bear hadn't sot out to have
it just that way, an wriggled out Of the
big bears clutch an give him punch in
the bread basket that doubled him up like
a jackknife. That made the big bears roll
an holler more than ever, but the runty
chap didn't pay no 'tention to em at all
Sweet gingernuts! l says. That little
bear acts as If he mowt be Knob country
bear after allp -
The pigmy bear stepped up and stood on
his hind feet close by the tree Suddenly he
gave scrooch down till he was most like
UP along the trunk O. that tree as if vol
cano had busted out inunder him, an he
swatted the bark and splinters off the tree
till the splinters flew, first with one claw
an then with t'other. The first swat marked
the tree more than foot higher than the
boss big bears highest scratehin', an the
little bear was still goin' up, so with his
tother swat he left his score foot higher
than his first one. He plunked back to the
ground onto his hind feet as square as if
he'd been cat.
90 There amt kind o. doubt about itv
1 says. That bear is Knob country born
and bred
"Soon as he lit on the ground he strutted
round among his fellow bears like banty
rooster in barn yard o. 'shanghighs. An
you jist ought to them big felers laugh
t'other side of their face! They give one
look at the little feller's score an turned
tail an made tracks into the woods so
blamed quick that 1 didn't git chance to
put ball into o. 'em. L could have
plunked the little chap all right, for he
stayed there an took his turn a-rollin' an
a-hollerin', but I'd hated myself till my dyin'
day if I had
Yes; that's what bears slashes them trees
for. Slashin matches. I've em at it
time and time ag'in, but that match betwixt
the four big bears an the runty one, back
in the Knob country, beat any I ever did
see,'