The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-07-24
TWO BOYS AND A BEAR.
BY WILL S. GIDLEY.

When 1 was a boy I lived on small
farm near the Adirondack wilderness,
or the north woods, rs we always called
it. and many were the enjoyable days I
spent in company with my father and
brother Frank, two years older than
myself, in whipping the mountain
streams for trout or following the trail
OF a deer through the forest.
When l was u and Frank 10 We were
expert handlers of the roo ano reel, and
fair marksmen. both with shotgun and
rifle. and it was at this period in our
lives that an evens occurred which
thoroughly tested our courage and skill
with the latter weapons.
It was the early part of October.
Father had gone to Albany with a load
OF grain, and was not expected back
until the next night. Frank and I had
been engaged ir cutting corn during
the forenoon, and We're just quitting
work for dinner when one of the neigh
bors, 4 Mr.. Jordan, came driving along
the road on his way home from the
grist mill, and sung out:
'HalloO there, boysi Seen anything
of stray bear anywhere around here
this moTnin'?''
We both gave a jump. STRAY bear"'
echoed Frank Why, has anyone lost
q bear2"
Mr.. Jordan laughed. well, no." said
he; 7 haven't heard that anybody has
lost q bear, but the cTitter has strayed
OFF out Of the woods and lost himself,
apparently which amounts to the same
thing. He is an old whopper, about as
big as a meetin' house-sC everybody
says that's seen him-but. of course
when feiler sights his first bear, his
estimate as to the size of the animal
IS liable to be a trifie wild, specially
= the bear turns in and chases him
q, ways"
why. has he been chasing any
body?" inquired Frank, somewhat anx-
iously.
$50 they claim. Jim Perkins says the
bear chased his hired girl out of his
stump lot when she started across it
TO go home yesterday afternoon, and
Bill Jones Swears that the same bear
bounced out at him when he was comm
along the Lower Swamp road, just be-
fore dusk last night, and follered him a
good share of the way home. keepin'
right close behind him-and Bill amt
such a poor runner, either, not when
he is encouraged by havin' a big bear
lopin' along behind him.
We'll, boys, I'll have to be a-joggin'
along; but Ia recommend We to keep
yer eye peeled for bears. and if the
crttter shows UP. do as the rest Of the
folks We done that have seen him
take leg bail for safety. Ye1l always
find that is the best plan TO foller.
boys. when a 300-pound bear sits af-
ter yei'
Mr. Jordan drove on, leaving Frank
and me looking blankly at each other.
Frank was the first to speak
We'll, Tom" said he, after some mo-
ments' reelection. lit begins to look as
If we might have some fun yet before
father gets back"
Fun echoed I. ct can't see that I
see any fun in the idea Of being chased
by a bear.
Perhaps not, responded Frank,
with an air of superior wisdom, not
>-lmingled with boaStfulness. 1.-The
Iun comes in when the boot is on the
other foot. I don't propose to wait for
that bear to chase me; my idea is 10
chase him.
But suppose the bear and you can't
come TO an agreement on that point"
suggested l. According to Nj. Jor-
dams story, the bear has been doing
ell the chasing that has been done so