The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-05-06

LUX OUIt WE EE Albumin
enough, but crawling into a thicket after
a grizzly bear is not-well, conducive to
undue hilarity. I had crawled on black
bear in caEebrakes, but a grizzly is "dif-
ferent. " 7 knew that, for this was not my
first, but heretofore the odds were in my
favor and not that of the bear. I would
not have entertained the proposition for a
moment had I not the utmost confidence
in that quiet, grizzied, leather faced old
partner back there on the rock.
1 had gone probably rs yards when I
saw him, a huge 'she'' silver tip. He was
possibly 25 yards ahead, under a tall juni-
per across a bit of open ground under the
bushes. He was sitting contentedly on his
launches, reaching up his great, hairy
paws, pulling the branches down and
stripping the berries into his jaws.
I waited until he reached for another
Dough, which necessitated throwing his
head up and back then drought the base
of his skull directly between the hind
sights and fired. l saw him clap one big
paw to the back of his head, whirl as if on
a pivot, drop on all tours, and With a hor-
rible growl charge for the little smoke
cloud. I did not wait any longer. I did
the pivot act myself and ran toward the
sun, yelling: Look out! Look out! We're
a-comini We're a-cominF' / did not stop
to consider either grammar or pronuncia-
ton. Somehow my return passage through
the bushes did not seem at all difficult,
and as / neared the bowlder Paystreak
spoke as calmly as directing n of the
miners where to drill a hole:
ssTo the right, son; dodge around the
bowlder. He's right after YOU"
I obeyed. The mex instant l heard a
rifle shot and turned just in time to see
Paystreak leap off to the left as the now
infuriated bear sprang on the bowlder. l
fired at his great shaggy flank, and like
IN echo of my shot came the report OF
Paystreak's rifle. The bear must have
recognized in me his original tormentor,
for he jumped from the rock directly to-
ward me. I fired quickly and-ran.
dodge around that bush and double
back, son; dodge and double back to me"
shouted Paystreak, following, for he knew
that it was useless to shoot into that shay
gy rump. Come to think of it. he acted
as if he was a bit excited then, though I
did not notice it at the time. started to
obey, but as l doubled l stepped on a
loose, round stone, and down l went, roll
ing completely over on the short side hill.
/ had a glimpse of the hairy monster, with
gaping, bloody jaws, almost over me;
wondered il he could kill me with M
blow of that powerful forearm; then
something glittered in the sunlight, l
heard a ssehug,n a fierce snarl, then Pay
streak's CHEEKY voice:
Sup and shoot, SON! Up and shoot, If
you kinle / revived Instantly, and, catch
ing up my rifle, scrambled to my feet to
see the bear staggering toward Paystreak,
who was backing off, struggling with
a refractory cartridge that had become
iammed in the side. I fired, not at any
particular spot, but at tho bear. He
turned on me, and I began backing just
as nv partner threw another cartridge in
the breech. He raised his rifle, aimed
quickly, but steadily, and fired. The
grizzly Strengthened to his full height,
towering seven or eight feet, swayed for a
moment, Their crashed down into a bush,
quivered a moment and was still. Pay
streak sat ON a rock, grinned, wiped the
perspiration from his face with his old cot
ton bandanna, then drew out his old black
pipe.
ssHow did you surn him when he was
just on me? did not hear your shot?" /
asked. He arose, walked around to the
other side of the bear and pointed to the
buckhorn hilt of a knife between the third
and fourth ribs.
sDidn't fave time to take another step;
jes' had to sock it to him far as l could
reach. 'Twasn't quite far enough for ard,
but 1t did the business" | only held out
my hand.
ooh, pshawl That's all right, pard,'
he said as we shook" heartily. 'Twasn't
much to do though I low twas sort OF
~squeainish for a mint"