The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-02-24


home and Immediately became a center
OF interest for the surrounding coun-
try. In a few days she was married.
and she says that she and her hus-
band sat on the bearskin while she
wrote this interesting account Of more
startling encounter than usually
comes 10 a BRIDE She relates the en-
counter herself as follows:
IT was the only thing could do.
Il was the bear or me. and did not
propose TO supply a meal for that bear
II ! could help Il. nor was | going 70
let Mrs. Bruin make comfortable
dinner on my pet dog. which had been
my companion on many a stroll before.
II was a curious circumstance which
brought about my meeting with the
bear and really for a few seconds ]
heartily wished that bear and her cub
a thousand miles away. Then ! real
lied that there was to be no fooling
with that red-eyed. stoggy monster.
angered by the death OF her cub. and !
Just did some OF the quickest work with
the gun and knife that ever dld or
ever expect 10 DO. ] had started out
that morning 10 shoot rabbits. as ! had
done a hundred times before. and car
ried my usual weapon. 22-caliber
rife. and a good sized hunting knife In
my belt. somehow rabbits seemed
scarce that morning. and ! was wan
iering along a ridge about mile from
ny home when heard a peculiar ohok-
Ing sound just over the crest Of the
ridge Al the same time noticed that
ny little fox terrier. which always ae-
,ompanied me. was missing. Thinking
that he was In trouble. hurried in
The direction OF the sound. As I pushed
he bushes aside l heard my dog bark
and the bark was answered by a groWl
There. not ten feet away from where
stood. was a huge bear. standing
erect on her launches and guarding a
tiny cub from that little FOX terrier Of
mine. The cub was no bigger than the
log. but the bear looked a. big az an
Oh. had never before met q bear In
All my wanderings about the woods
As stepped through the bushes into
the open In which the bear stood Il was
question as to which was the most
surprised. the bear or I. Il was then
that for a moment wished I was
home. Without stopping TO think Of
the small ealiber OF the rife I carried.
raised my gun and. taking aim al
the head OF the big bear. fred. She
sat perfectly rtill for a second. and
then. suddenly dropping on all fours
ran on through the thick underbrush,
with my dos yelping after her. The
cub. being left alone. lost no time In
scrambling up a tree and looking down
NJ me. In a few seconds my dog re-
turned and began barking AZ the FOO,
u the tree In which the cub had taken
refuge. To quiet the dog fired at the
,ub, and brought Il down AZ the hrs,
shot. but not before Il had set M
A squealing that could be heard half q
mile Oh. Then knew there was
trouble ahead for me. for the old bear
would surely return 10 see what was
the matter with her cub. was no,
mistaken. for IN a minute heard a
crashing and cracking among the
bushes which Indicated that Mrs. Bear
was losing no time IN getting back.
decided 10 30 home quickly. but I wa,
going TO have that cub. ! had Just
started 10 pick Il up from where Il Eel
when the old bear broke through n,
bushes and was almost upon me. Ihat
only time 10 give her two quick shot
when she mads a reach for me. knock
ing my gun one way and me the other
I stumbled and fell over a small lol
and that would have been the end o
me had not my little dog Just thel
taken an active interest In STAIRS. IA
began nlpplng and barking al tn
bear and 20 took her attention ava,
from me, giving me a chance to rls
and get Al the long huntlng-knife II
my belt. had a chance to set ava
then, but a. my dog seemed TO b
getting the worst Of the battle de
elded 20 give the bear Just one sta
with my knife, I struck her a bl0v
back Of the shoulder and Il was give
with such good will that think Il va
the cause OF her death, for she starte
to run hut did not 80 more than hft
feet when she fell. with the knife stil
sticking In her. TIE old bear was dead
80 was the cub. My poor little do
was dying and then for the first tim
realized that was hurt When n
bear struck me she tossed me againI
a tree and the force OF the fall ha
broken my collar bone. made m
way home az best could and had m
wounds dressed and friends went on
and brought In the bear The big on
weighed 500 pounds. found that m
first shot had broken her Jaw an
the other two had entered her breas
hut none OF them was fatal Il was n
! knife that killed her. for the Ion
blade had penetrated nearly 10 n
heart and severed several arteries. Tia
was my hrat bear hunt and. from m
experience, I DO not wish for anothe
The skins OF both the blg and litt
bears were dressed and they make yer
comfortable rugs. But whenever I loo
= at them. even now, l think that the
cost me the life OF my faithful ltt
, FOX terrier and would willingly 81,
. them 10 have the brave little fello
I back again"