Evening journal., 1899-10-09
BEAT THE HUNTERS.

lvN range OF mrs, tuc nlgncst OF winch Is
known as Blue HILL or Croydon mountain
This peak is nearly 5000 feet in height, tow
cring IN friendly rivalry to its neighbor,
the historic kearsare, not 30 miles away.
In the fall OF the opening year Of the cen
tury the people Of an the towns around
Corydon mountain joined in a great hunt for
bear whose des,ructiveness had caused
them a great deal OF trouble Scarcely a
farmer in the whole section but had expert
enced a loss ii his sheep fold, pig pen or
barnyard, and it was determined to hunt
Bruin to the bitter end. The bear was be-
keved to be an unusually large and fero-
cious animal, hence the feeling against.him
was aggravated quite as much by fear as
by the desire TO punish him.
An through that clear October day the
sound Of horns and the barking Of dogs
startled the echoes of the wooded hills.
People in the valleys heard the repeated
signaling, but their listening ears could dis
tinguish nothing to indicate the success Of
the hunters.
High up on the eastern slope Of the noun
tain was the Andrews homestead (which com
prised an ordinary 00acre lot, with the farm
buildings erected by Mr.. Andrews. The
settler had died a year or two previously.
and the work devolved upon Jerry, boy Of
l5 sturdy and eckle.faccd, and somewhat
large for his years. Jerry had not gone out
with the hunters, the sowing Of a piece Of
rye compelling him to remain at home.
The pioneer boy was destined, however, TO
meet with an adventure much more exciting
than any that befell the hunters.
Jerry finished sowing his rye late in the
afternoon, and as the sun was still an hour
or two high he went across lots to visit sew
eral traps he had set for mink in the upper
/ pasture. lie examined his traps, finding an
/ imprisoned mink in one, and started home.
ward just as the dusk was beginning to creep
down the mountain.
He directed his steps through the lower
pasture, wherein was inclosed the farm
stock, they having been shut of from rang
ing the higher pasture since the depredations
Of Bruin had become 80 alarming
He could hear the familiar tink-a-ling Of
the cowhell as he hurried in search of the
cattle in the thickening gloom. He found
them, grouped in bunch tossing their
horns and acting in a strange manner. jer-
! rvs first thought was of the presence Of O
bear, and he hurriedly looked over the herd
to see if any were missing. To his dismay
he could not find favorite yearling
Jerry was no coward, but be had no weap.
on with him, nor anything that would an.
swer for one except the heavy hoe which
he had used to dig around the stumps in
the rye field. With this in hand, he started
off in search Of the heifer
He tried to think that perhaps the crea
ture had wandered away By herself, and this
idea was strengthened when he found some
tracks which he thought were hers near 0
piece Of marshy ground that bordered the
woods The tracks led directly into the
forest, and the pioneer lad, thinking only ol
I discovering the missing yearling plunged IN
to the underground.
It was so dark that he could not see oh
jects distinctly, and the darkness was rapid
ly increasing; but Jerry hurried on ovei
rocks and logs and through briers ang
brakes. Suddenly he paused, but only Ter
moment. There, not ten feet from him. ,'bl
the side Of fallen tree, was d dark obiec
that be took to be the wandering heifer
, Impatient at-the steps she had caused him
the boy rushed forward and struck the rc
clining animal a sharp blow upon the rib
with the hoe.
Instantly there was low, surly growl
and there rose up to confront the lad, no
the missing heifer, but the tall, menacinl
form Of huge black bear, whose jaws wer
all besmeared with blood
The pioneer lad now thought discretion
the better part Of valor, and, making out
low bough before him, he seized hold Of j
and swung himself up into the tree. III
hoped the bear would not follow him, bu
he was disappointed With a sort of
snort and a growl the enraged beas
crawled to the trunk and began slowly q
climb the tree
3 As it happened, the tree vas an immens
oak. and Jerry hurriedly clambered to th
topmost branch, where, clinging 10 the forl
Of a limb, he awaited the approach Of hi
enemy.
The bear worked his way up among tn
! branches with the skill Of a sailor in III
shrouds He seemed determined in-his ad
vances, and Jerry began to edge off as IA
as he dared, for the limb to which he wa
e cinging. began to bend under his weight
Z Bruin crawled nearer and nearer.
q Jerry scarcely dared to breathe. He ha
r a huge jacklnife in his pocket that the vii
i lage blacksmith at "the corners" had mad
D for him that very season for use in skin
ming minks and muskrats The boy no'
u drew this, and, opening the long, keen blade
n prepared to defend himself as best he could
p He was all grit and had not a thought q
I surrender in his mind
y Now the bear was very near him. he coul
n feel the brute's warm, sickening breath i
e his face Supporting himself with one hanC
l. he struck forward a strong, quick blow wit
his right. He aimed directly for the eye
o but instead the sharp blade cut deep, ugl
Il cash in the great black snout.
y That portion Of a brute's anatomy is a
+ ways more or less sensitive, and Bruin
y was peculiarly so. The suddenness of tn
It attack Disconnected him, and, shifting fierce
t ly, the great beast drew back. In cham
e ing its position the bear CHANGED TO thro'
IT its weight upon decayed limb. i snappe
e like pipestem, and the next instant th
II heavy carcass descended through th
e branches and struck the gFound below wit
e a deadening thud.
Waiting a few moments to see if the be'
a stirred, and hearing nothing but a sligf
7 groan, Jerry carefully descended the tire
e His first act was 10 secure his hoe. The
d he approached the bear, and, finding thi
a the animal could not stir, having appa
It emily broken its back by the fall, the be
It belabored the narrow, cruel head till it WI
Ie a mass Of bruised and bleeding flesh.
The plucky boy had hardly struck his lal
=. blow when a dog barked close at hand, an