The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-01-29
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{ Surprising Act Of a Bear. ;
A sIEEEMAHoNIHc MANS TALE OF J
ciRcUMSTAHTIAL EVIDENCE.
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nemahoning way, ''you never could
have induced him to judge a man on
circumstantial evidence, after what he
saw up along the headwaters once.
And that's what makes me shy Of cir
cumstantial evidence myself. / didn't
see this thing that my remarkable IA
Their saw, the principal reason being, /
suppose, that IL happened some years
before / was born, and"
:" Pears TO me as If n little thing like
that hadn't ought to make no differ
ence to you. Sinnemahone," said the
man In the red. blue. pink, purple, yell
lowand green Mackinaw jacket. Pears
10 me that il ought TO be jest as easy
for you TO set here an remember things
that never happened before you was
born as II is for you 20 set here the way
You do an remember things that never
happened sence you was born. Pears
to me so, Sinnemahone."
"Perhaps you're right, Mackinaw,"
said the man from over Sinnemahoning
way, blandly. but have you no regard
for my remarkable father. Reuben Pet
tibone? If / should set my extaor.
binary memory TO work recalling ante
natal happenings, what use would there
have been of Reuben Petitioners living?
Have you considered what a hole would
be punched in the past history Of the
storied Sinnemahone il Reuben Petit
bone had not lived and brcathcd, and
seen and done things. there and there
abouts? / thank you for extolllng my
memory, Mackinaw, but remember,
beg OF you remember Reuben Petit
bonel
"No; I didn't sec this thing 10 which
] refer. but Reuben Pettibone did, and
the incidents Of this ono Of his many re-
markable experiences he handed down
TO me early in life 70 point a moral and
adorn tale.
"'You may get ketched ON tho jury
some day, Praxteles.' he said, so re-
member this and play shy on circum-
stantial evidence. It'll never DO To
hang n man on
"And so have always been shy Of cir
cumstantial evidence. because OF this
thing that my remarkable father saw
up along the headwaters and told me
about There had been long prowling
In that part Of the Sinnemahone a bear
OF enormous size and acuteness lie
had outwitted every hunter and trap
per who had pitted himselfngainst him,
and a man down In the West Branch
country had had for ten years q stand
ing offer of 500 for that invinciblc
bears hide.
Tons Of ammunition were wasted.
"The hunters were all more than
eager TO lay this great bear low, rs
much as for the satisfaction and fame
OF doing 1T as for the 500 in the coin Of
the realm the West Branch man was
ready TO put up for the wise old fellows
hide. Reuben pettibone NJ last evinced
some personal interest in the bear. and,
having a few days 70 spare one winter,
he sauntered up the headwaters for
the purpose Of fetching the coveted an
imal back home with him. There would
be fun in circumvcnting a tricky beast
such as that, Reuben unused, but more
IN noting the chagTin OF the unsuccess-
full hunters and trappers. ] may as
well say that my remarkable father
didn't get the bear lie was foiled.
But he learned lifelong lesson.
There was n hunter native to the
headwaters whose name was Samson
jun. Samson Juif was a man Of such
disagrceable why's and questionable
methods i'm the woods that nobody
would hunt or camp with him. lie was
pitifully unpopular, Mackinaw, all
though his jacket had only one color.
Every other hunter on that spread OF
waters was in perpetual state Of wor
riment for fear that Samson Juff
might some day strike the untold luck
of gathering in Slippery Abncr that be
ing the name the supernaturally clever
bear had come 90 be known by. No
matter who else might happen TO be
the fortunate man TO capture the great
prize, his success would be rejoced in;
but II Samson Juff should happen 10
be the man there would be universal
disgust and grinding OF teeth, and such
cursing as might stop the run Of sap In
every tree along the Sinnemahone.
"Samson Juif had a cabin two
or three miles from where Reu-
ben Pettibone put up his camp that
winter Reuben became acquainted
right away with number OF other
hunters. md when they learned who he
was their chins fell.
"'Reuben pettibone my remarkable
father frequently overheard them say
20 one another. slippery Abners sands
o. life Is ruunin' their last grains out
now. boys We mowt rs well pull up
an quit!'
"But they didn't, and they told my
remarkable father something more
about the bear and the quest for him.
There was etiquette among the hunt
ers In regard to Slippery Abner.
Eager rs they all were to bring him
down. II one hunter got on the trail of
the bear. no other hunter inter
fered with him, or Joined in the chase
unless requested 60 by the original dis
coverer OF the trail, the idea being that
the one who started first should have all
the honor and profit OF bngging Slip
perry Abner II he could. This was n