The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-11-05
MADE THE BEAR DRUNK.
EFrom the New York SUM


A party OF Massachusetts sportsmen
who We're in this city this week on their
Crawford Pond in the Katahdin iron
works region of Maine, told of an ex-
perienee. with a bear belonging to the
owner. Of the camp, with whom they made
their home during their two weeks visit.
This bear was caught in a trap last spring
Joint The hunter did not kill the animal.
but got a rope around his neck and led
stockade with a little house in one corner
of it, pitched an old stub of tree in the
center of the yard, hitched the bear to
it. and this place has since been bruin'
The bear was very savage at first, but
soon became so tame that he would eat
from the hand of the trapper and would
allow one to pat and caress him. He has
ing Crawford Pond during the past sum-
mer. A young Harvard College student
was at the camp in August, and he got
so friendly with the bear that they used
to have wrestling matches. The bear
having lost one of his paws, and he was
unable to get 8. very good hold about the
difference; he could throw the young man
every time, and the minute the wrestler
take the other paw and begin to claw
his clothes. The young man stood such
treatment all right until one day the bear
scratched his face and thereafter he kept
away from the animal.
The Massachusetts, sportsnen were
obliged to remain close in camp one day
during their visit on account of a heavy
rainSfOrm. Iney played casino ana auC-
tion-pitch until they were tired of the
sight of the cards, and one of them, on
seeing the bear perched on the stub of
the tree in his yard thought of a scheme
which would produce some amusement.
Lets get the bear drunk said he to
his companions. i've got a quart of old
rye whisky in my pack, which brought
in case some of you fellows were sick
None of you have been, and as none of
you ever take anything, I'd just as leave
give it to the bear as not
It's mean to waste good stuff in that
way, said another member of the party.
but I didn't buy it, and as far as fun
goes I'm in for anything
A ten-quart pail, three quarts of Indian
meal, a quart of molasses and the whisky
The meal moIasses and the whisky were
mixed together in the pail and then all ad-
journed to the bears home. The pail with
its tempting lunch was set out to the bear.
He ate it and Tapped the pail out SO clean
that it didn't have to be washed, and
then the sportsmen waited for results
In about hour the bear was the most
intoxicated animal that ever was seen in
the Maine woods. When the liquor first
taken with athletic fit, and he jumped
around and rolled over like clown in a.
circus He tried to climb the tree stump,
but its trunk seemed to be bigger to him
than ever, and after getting up a few
feet from the ground he would lose his
grip and fall end over end into the yard.
The sportsmen watched his antics and
laughed until their sides ached. Finally
old bruin became sleepy and numbered
off into his cubby house. The next morn>
ing the first man in the party to go out
of doors walked over to see how the bear
was feeling. He looked into the little
house and saw sight which made him
feel sorry. There lay the bear with his
head the good forepaW and the stub
of the other one laid over his Uranium.
He seemed to say in the look which he
gave the man, How sick I ami" For
two days he would not eat or move out
fully looked over all feed that was set
before him before eating 1t.