The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-09-07
BEAT THE HUNTERS.
nj THE eastern part Of New Hsmp


the historic ktarargs. not 10 miles swsy.
Ia the fall Of The opening year Of the cen.
tuy the people Of all the towns around
C0Tydon mountain joined ln a great snnt for
8 bear whose dcsiFuctiyenea had caused
them q great deal Of trouble. ScArcely
farmer 10 the whole section tut lad rNpsri.
cnlri q lols BE- tatyp fold, pig pcn or
harvard, aud u WEB determined TO hunt
Bruia to the bitter end. The bear waa he
heycd to he a. uau,uslly large aud fere-
eious animal, a,Dcc the feeling agaiRS him
vas aggravated quite as much by fear as
BY the desire to punish lin.
All through that clear October day the
sound Of hugas and the barking Of dogs
startled the Cchucs Of the wooded hills.
P,opr In the valleys heard the repeated
sgna ing, lat their listening ears could dis
tinguish nothing 10 indicate the success OF
the hunters.
High up On tie eastern slope Of the noun.
tain was the Andrews homestead which com.
prilrd al ordinary o0hcrc lot, With the farm
buidings erected by MIR. Andrews. The
settler had diCd a year or two pre-, iously,
sud the wolk dcyolvcd upon Jerry. a hoy uf
H. sturdy aud irrcke taccd, aud somewhat
large Tor his years. Jerry had not gone on,
With the hunters. the rowing II a piece Of
rye compelling him TO remain at home.
The pioneer hoy was destined, however. TO
meet With an adventure much more exciting
than ANY that bciell the hunlefs.
Jerry fnishSd sowing hi. rye late in the
afternoon. and ~ the sun was still an hour
or tuo high he went across lots 10 visit sev.
eral traps he had sft for mink IN the upper
pasture. lie examined his trap.. finding az
imprisoned mink ia one. and started homo.
ward just az the dusk was beginning 10 creep
down the mountain.
Ne directed bis stcps through the lover
pasture. wherein was inclosed the farm
stock, they having been shut of from rang
ing the higher pasture since the dcprcdstious
OF Bruin had become 10 alarming.
lie could hear the familiar tiGk.a.linE OF
the cowbell a. he hurried w search Of the
cattle in the lhickeninE gloom lie found
them, grouped ~ a bunch, tossing their
horns and acting an a strange manner. der
D's first thought was Of the pr5seH''e Of
hear, and be hurnedly looked over the herd
to zee Il any were missing. To his disuky
he rould not h1d iayorite yeariing.
Jcrry was no coward. but he had no ueap
On with him, nor anything that would an
swcr for one except the heavy hoe which
he had nscd 10 dig around the stumps in
the rye 6eld. With ibis in hand, he started
OF in search OF the heifrr.
lie tried 10 think that perhaps the crva.
ture had wandered away by herself, aud this
idea was strengthened when he found some
tracks which he thought weIc hers near q
piece Of marsliy ground that boulerrd the
A D. 4 H.. a. al
forest. aud the pioncer lad, thinking only 81
discovering the missing yearins, plunged in
90 the underground.
Il was so darn that he could not see oh
jccta distinctly. and the darkness wss rapid.
ly increasing: Int Jerry hurried on over
rocks aud logs and through bnerH and
brakes Suddenly he paused, hut only for a
moment. There. not ten feet from him. by
the side ri a fallen tree, was dark object
that he took to be the wandering heifer.
Impatient at the steps she had caused him,
the boy rushed forward and struck the re.
cliHing animal a sharp blow upon the riba
with the hoe
Instantly there was low, surly growl,
and there rose ny to confront the lad, not
tlr missing hcifcr. but the tall, mcnacing
form Of = huge black bear. whose jaws were
al bcsmrarrd with blood.
The pioneer lad row thought discretion
the better part Of ya.ur. anu, making out
low hough before him. he sciz5d hold Of il
and swung himself up into the tree. He
hoped the bear would not follow him. hni
be was disappointed With ,0rt ut a
snort and Ftowl the cnragcd beast
crawitd to the trunk and began slowly TO
climb the tree.
As 4 happened. the tree was an immense
oak. and Jerry burr,Iy clambCrcd TO the
topmosi branch, whore, clinging 20 the fork
o. limb, he awaited the approach II his
enemy.
The bear worked hrs way up among the
branches with the -kll Of sailor "a the
sirouds lie seemed determined 10 his ed.
prccs, and Icrry btg1u to tdgr on ~ far
- hc dared. for the limb 10 which he was
ciGging began 10 bend under hi. weight.
Drum ofaWlod nearer and nearer.
Jerry scarcely darrd TO breathe lie had
q huge ia1kkniic IL his peel ct that the VII
lage blacksmith at ''tka corners" had made
for lin that very season for Tee lu skln.
u.Hg minks and mu,kmts. TIE hos now
drew l,i.. and, opening ,he long keen blade.
prepared TO defend himself as best be ecu d.
lie was ali grit and had not thought Of
surrender In his mind.
Now the bear was very near him; lac could
feel the hruie's warm, sickening breath in
his face. Supporting himself with one hand.
he struck forward strong, quick blow with
bis right. lie aimed directly for the cyea,
In, instead the sharp blade oul deep. uely
cash in the great black Snoul.
That portion Of a hrute's anatomy "a al
ways more or less scusitiv'. aud lirmn's
vas peculiarly 20. The Fuddsnnc.s Of the
attack Disconnected him, and, Fnifling fierce.
y. the great beast drew back H. chang,
irr its position the bear chanctd 10 throw
i's weight upon dscsycd limb It snapped
like pipestcm, ard the next instant the
heavy carcass descended through the
branches and struck the ground below with
a dsadcRinR ihud.
Waiting a few moments 10 ses u the bear
stirred, and hearing nothing but q slight
groan. Jerry carefully descended the tree.
lis first act was 10 secure his hoe, Then
he approached the bear. and. finding that
the animal could not stir. having appsr.
enlly broken its back by the fall, the boy
belaborcd the marrow, cruel head til IL was
a mass Of bruised and bleeding flesh.
The plurky boy had hardly struck his last
blow when dog hafked close al band, and
4 tsw moments afterward half dozen inen
walked up TO the SPOT. They were party Of
the hunters returning frnm the hunt. and
several Of them derry knew.
well, my lad, you have beat us al, /" said
one VI the men, his NEAREST neighhor below,
after he had heard the boys story. We
have hunted all day for this fellow, and
con'dEt find hair nor claw Of the brute.
Yn" dcscrve farm. Jerry. fer imagine ear
harnyaris and pig pens viii be safe enough
now"
They found the mangled carcass Of Oh.
young heifer a few rods away. but Bruin's
akin ard the bounty paid by the state more
than compensated Jerry for the loss. For
msny q year sfterwsrd be was the hero Of
that rrgion, and old men now living can re-
member ha'ing him pointed out to them ~
a. II. 4 T.. -