The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-18

evinced a certain resourcefulness ana
ingenuity: at least. the proposition
panned out well at first. The bear wa
apparently not conscious of my weight.
or else thought IL a part of h scheme
or delivery, for IL at once struck a
sharper trot. and began TO go at =
pretty stim pace. holding the barrel M
at an angle in front OF IT,. 1 wanted 10
get to Butte. / found that | could guide
the bear by kicking lightly on the edge
Of the barrel upon either side as i wish
ed IL to change it's curse IL was a fat
bear. and it's hair was long and. bar
ring the novelty Of my situation, 1 could
not call myself uncomfortable. The
bear was treating me right. and eNi-
IDENTIFY thought / was taking IT of
somewhere to get help. Now and then
IL uttered a sort OF soft cooling sound.
similar To the purring of a cat, though
unlike any sound | have ever known a
bear to make at any other time.
The trouble with me was that / was
not satisfied with a good thing. /
bethought me Of my hammer. n the
idea flashed across my mind that I
would kill the bear with the hammer,
and thus go on record as the most orig
inal bear slayer that ever was known
in history. ! might have known bet
ter. for even had the bears head been
exposed I could perhaps not have sue
ceeded i'm my purpose. As it was, l dill
no more than make a mere dent i'm the
mass of fur and fat against which l
aimed my blow.
The effect of this blow was not what
! could have wished. The bear gave a
roar in the barrel. He evidently did
not think that he was being treated
right. In desperation I struck again.
this time as far uD on the neck as l
could get. l must have struck a spike,
or at any rate / knocked something
loose, for all at once the bear gave a
rench and a grab with his hind paw.
and m came the barrel. with me stlll
more than a mile from home. / had
ridden more than a good mile down
the mountain before ] had made my
mistake and | was then near what Is
now the Race Track.
1t was a mistake. l sprang to my
feet, and literally lit running" ! went
across the level toward town at the
best speed ever covered i'm that valley.
though I got no mark for the record. I
was about two jumps I'm front of the
bear, but | could not gain. | could hear
him painting and Chufiing and bawling
close behind me. and | knew IL he ever
got up To where he could reach a leg,
the battle would be To the strong. I
presume | would have been called the
pace maker. though really this title
belonged to the bear. for all | tried to
do was TO go as fast as he lid.
| managed to keep up only by sum
moning all nv energy. ! was cheercd
by one thought. IL occurred to me that
perhaps the bear had no more occas-
ion to run tina | had. and that perhaps
he too "a tired. I ever imagined that
| gained on him at times. and when
this seemed true | slackened my pace
and fell back a couple Of inches, in
order To give myself q rest. | did not
like 20 fall back too far.
When ! reached the edge Of town as
il was then. at the crossing OF Main
street and Park. there was not "a soul
i'm sight, and on the whole ! am now
glad Of that fact. As l swung UP Main
street. I saw a clear path ahead Of me,
"A sort of speedway, as IL We're: but (
could see no place where the race might
be expected TO reach a finish. ] did not
dare 10 try TO attempt to get in
to n door, because the bear was
too close. Not knowing what TO
DO. I continued up Main street with
out any definite plan I'm view. |
tried 20 yell for help. but my mouth
was 50 dry I could not fetch "A sound.
7 have never seen Butte more infre-
quented. II seemed To- me hat / had
not a friend left on earth.
In this latter supposition I was
wrong. II happened that just at that
time. Judge Davis was shutting up his
Office at the First National bank, an
other man stood by him. and the judge
apparently was about to go home-or.
anyhow. To go way for a while. He
stood for a momen on the steps. with
his hands i'm his pockets. looking at MS
as we came along. "Well, I'll be -"
said he. by that time I was past him.
/ turned 20 the left abruptly from Main
street. resolved To run again in front ~
the bank. | scrambled through what
was then "A gully back of the Davis
bank. came Out again on Main street
near the corner of Broadway. started
up Main, and having circled the block.
I passed again i'm front Of What is now
the First National. When I passed
I there the first time l heard Judge Davis
ask i'm his quiet way. us he after you?"
| could only nod my head. | was too
mad 10 speak anyhow. II seemed 10 me
perfectly plain that the bear was after
me. But l heard his voice in the dis
lance remark "Oh. hol" and the next
time I came around, Judge Davis wits
not i'm sight. I thought l was for
saken. but a moment later | heard 4
rot ring out, and heard n scutiling I'm
the dust behind me that told me l was
safe. JUDGE Davi had stepped back
into his office for his rifle. and his aim
was fatal. I was barely able t. thank
him before / sank into a state Of COM
plste exhaustion.
When I started out on this recital I
J remarked that ! did not care to be re
- WJ III
fAN {LA Nh