The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-13
BEAR sLAsHING MATCHES.
One Particularly Lively ono Described By
MAN from the Knob Country.

MAN from tho Knob Country.
MILFORD. Pa. Sept. 11.-The attention Of a
man from the Knob country was called this
week to the popularity that bears have Of
slashing tree trunks in tho spring and fall, as
mentioned in a recent article in THE Sun, and
his opinion was asked as to the possible cause Of
this habit. He declared that 1t wasn't a habit.
but a CUSTOM.
Bears docs 1t cause they're holdin' slashin'
matches" he said. There amt no kind O.
doubt O. this. cause I've see 'en at it more than
there 8 tocnails on a hull drove O. bears. l re-
member one O. these slashin' matches par
tic'larly. There was five o: EN- in it. an four
OF 'em was a~ll-thumpin' Knob country bears. an
that's as much as sayin' that they was about as
big as bears gifts to be nnywheres. Four of 'em
was thumpers, an one Of 'em was q bear not
more'n half rs big as t'others. When 1 see the
bears first l wondered where in Sam Hill that
little runt of a bear could a como from.
1.-THE Knob country don't grow no setch
pigmy bears as that uni l says.
"Fust along / wondered what all that geth-
erin O. bears was for. but 1 soon see. They was
there to have a slashin' match, an was testin'
their high.scratchin powers on a big chestnut
tree. The four big fellers done their slashin'
an the fourth one left his mark half a foot
higher than the highest mark any o, t,other Hns
eight foot nine inches from the ground. Then
the little Teller he skipped up,as II he was goin't to
o snI a ian FS ann sp Gi e At h't the f H"s! to see e't the
the scratch the big bears was tickled as much AS
! was. an they list laid down an rolled an hol-
Tered till thu tears tumbled down their chops as
big as beans! Then one of EN- got up an
grabbed the little felier an lifted him up till his
he d most reached the branches o, the tree, an
as much as to say. There, YOU cunnin' little
cuss! Wen give you a show an let you
But the little bear hadn't sot out to have it
just that way, an he ,wriggled out O. the big
bears clutch an give him a punch in the bread
That made the big bears roll an boiler more
than ever, but the runty chap didn't pay no
"'Swcct gingernuts.' 1 says. That little
bear acts as If he mowt be a Knob country bear
THE pigmy bear stepped up and stood on his
hind feet close by the tree. Suddenly he gave Q
scrooch down till he was most like a ball. and
then he give u spring. He shot up along The
trunk o that tree as il a volcano had busted out
thunder him; an he swatted the bark and
with one claw and then with t'othor. The first
swat marked the tree more than a foot higher
than the boss big bears highest scratchin'. an
the little bear was, still goin, up. SO with his
tother swat he left his score a foot higher than
his first one. He plunked back 70 the ground
onto his hind feet as square as IL he'd been a
"'There amt no kind o. doubt about it, I
says. That heari is Knob country born an bred!
round amongst his fellow bears like u banty
rooster in "A barn yard o shanghighs.. An you
jis' ought to seen them hig fcllcrs 'augh on
t'other side OF their face! They give one look a,
the little Ieller's score an turned tail an made
tracks into the woods so blame quick that ]
didn't git a chance to put q ball into one OF EN-.
] could have plunkcd the little chap all right.
for he stayed there an took his turn a-rulIin' an
a-hollerin', but I'd a hated myself till my dyin
day il ] had.
YES; that's VIII t bears slashes them trees
Cor. Slashin' matches. I've seen 'em at it time
an time agin. but that match betwixt the four
! big bcars an the runty one. back in the Knot
country. beat amy l ever did see.."