The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-07
INTERESTING BEAR FIGHT.
IFrom the New York Sun

the New 1OIk
att has always been my lot,'' said the
man with the sandy whiskers, address
ing the other members of the club, ito
witness fights and struggles of every
sort, kind and description. My presence
seems to inspire in all creatures of the
lower kingdom the desire to engage one
another in mortal combat. If I stop TO
look at a cage of monkeys, they show
signs of enmity toward one another and
soon a glorious free for all fight occurs.
You know 1 used to travel around
quite some before 1 took to hitting the
bowl, and when was in the Rockies
saw some pretty fierce scraps. The
worst I ever saw was between a goat
and a bear. You think the goat didn't
have a show, Ell? Well, there is a dill
ference i'll goats. The animal of which
I am speaking was a devil. He belong
ed to a fellow whose name was Mike.
and Mike was the only one that could
come within four yards of him. | never
saw any living creature so full of ag-
gressiveness and fight. He looked for
trouble with his feet His horns were
his strongest weapons, and any low
down tactics that he didn't have at his
hoof's ends aren't worth learning. He
had a record of smashing every fence
within radius of ten miles, and every
child in the place had at some time
been momentarily deprived of his wind
at the horns of this beast.
lone day the brute disappeared. He
could not be found anywhere in the viii
lage. The joy of the children was great,
but Mike set great store by Billy, in
spite of his pNgnacious nature. He
came to the conclusion that he had
taken to the woods, and suggested that
l should accompany him on a searching
expedition. There was nothing to do
in the village but to play pool on a
table that was about as level as a
ducks back, so I allowed that I would
like to go along. We set out the next
morning at about o'clock, and when
we had gone about five miles into the
woods we saw Billy chewing up bushes.
mike went after him with a rope
and the firm intention of tying to a
tree and throwing few things into
him that would make him repent of
his waywardness. Mike was advancing
cautiously. when he suddenly gave a
yell and skinned up a tree like an ape.
l looked up and saw a large grizzly
bear coming straight for US. I made a
dash for the tree next Mixes, and then
we found the time to cusS at each other
for not having brought gun.
1.-THE bear saw the goat and made
straight for him. But Bill scented dam
ger His nose quivered and his beard
Going to be trouble. Bruin adopted his
usual tactic and advanced on his hind
scared by a thing like that. and he gath
cred himself together and charged There
emerged from the bunch with trium-
plant CLEAN in his eyes. But he had sew
bear regained his wind he was up and
willing, and he charged like a steam en-
CINE. Billy lodged, but when he got
away there was goodly part of his
flank in the bears claws. Both animals
were now thoroughly enraged. and each
was careful. They circled around until
Mr. Bruin could think of nothing better
to do than to repeat his hind leg act.
But this again proved to be his downfall.
Billy. advanced with a dancing approach
and delivered a fierce butt and belly blow.
The bear went down and this time Billy
improved his time.
while Bruin was recovering his wind
the second time, Billy jumped about a
yard in the air and landed sqdarely on
the bears side with his legs rigid If
ne had been a little heavier he would
have finished his opponent right there.
But he wasn't and his triumph was short
lived. The bear arose and once more re-
turned to the charge. This time he was