The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-03-22
BEARS AND HORSE FIGHT.
Jim Bell's Wild Animal was Backed
to win, aud he did.

ters, trapperS ana tarneel iooosoi,
were congregated about Simpson S
store, the only place Of business within
8 90 miles, when I arrived last Satur-
day, says correspondent writing from
Simpson S Corner. Having curiosity
to learn the cause Of the odd combina-
ton, I inquired Of long-limbed, red
headed, butternut hunter.
"Wal, stranger, there goin to come
off right away the gosh durndest tight
you ever say right here at the cor,
ners.
sWho are the contestants and what
arc they going to fight for?''
"Thar ain do who bout 1T. Its
old Jim Bells stalyun that's goin to
lambaste Jam Carter's two big bars,
an letmc tell you, stranger, it will be
a fight to member for mauya year, an
1 m bettin on the stalyun.
"A horse to do battle with two full
grown bears? Why, my friend, the
bears ought to De able to tear him to
pieces in a jiffy.
"Say, stranger, it's parent you don
know that hoss. Why, that stalyun
is the biggest devil this side of ole
Nautchalah. Thcre amt no livins
critter on four legs can down him.
That stalyun's $ wiped out half dozen
bars, killed a painter an near bout
cleaned out the creek of men and crit
ters the last year. Hes dang'u as
din mite. an nobody can handle him
'ceptin ole jim boy, Jack. an how n
thunder he does It nobody knows.
Sum folks say he hypn tizes the boss.
NIebbc he does; anyway, he's the only
human that can handle him. y
Where can I find this terrible ami
mal?"
Right over there in that pen, re-
piled my informant, pointing to a big
stockade Of heavy timbers short dis
tance down the creek.
When I climbed up and stood upon
wide shelf or string Of logs which ex-
tended entirely around the 60-foot
stockade and looked over at the occu-
pant Of the pen I was forced to con-
fess that the hunter had not cxaggcra-
ted. at least so far as the horse was
concerned. The animal I looked upon
was wild stallion Of the mountain
breed. common in the highlands of
North Carolina.
Although not above II! hands in
height. he was certainly the most Vi
cious and savage-looking brute of the
equine species I had ever looked at.
He was black as a coal with ilong
name and tail and with limbs of per-
feet symmetry and but for the man
ner in which he rolled his eyes and
curled his lips above his long. glisten-
ing teeth as he snapped at the people
on the shelf. making them dodge
down out Of reach, he would have
been a perfect beauty. AS it was. his
actions showed him to be devil in
carnate
had scarcely taken all this in when
four men came up leading two tremen-
dous bears. either Of which would
have tipped the scale at 400 pounds.
The crowd followed close behind and
almost before the men had opened two
small gates at the bottom of the stock
ade to let the bears in human belt
cucircled the stockade. The bears
were let in at opposite sides. and al
most in flash there began the most
terrific and bloody battle [ had ever
seen.
I have witnessed in the Old North
State and in the mountains battles be-
tween catamounts and bulldogs. [
have seen panther pittcd against
dogs. bears and catamounts and once
witnessed battle royal in Texas. in
which two big bears and a panther
foughta drove Of pcccarics butin COM
parison to the fight which followed
all of the above seemed placid as
schoolby play.
The bears had barely time to straight
en- up after their entrance before the
black stallion gave snort Of rage and
bounded toward the big bear. which
stood almost below ny feet Bruin
saw him coming and rose to#his hind
feet his@littlc yellow eyes swapping
with rage and hunger. The horse was
too quick for him. however, for before
the bear could strike with hispowcr-
full arms the stallion reared up.=drovc
both forcfcct squarcly into tic bears
/ face and neck knocking him six feet
away.
Wheeling like lightning. lie cnraged
stallion gathered to kick. but before he