The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-08-02

'iVh VI Aht ticloStu pasture anu lllllnp'
diately the two cows appeared, run.
ming in terror to the shed, followed
by five of the cossets. One sheep was
missing. and on hastening to the pas
ture, Wassell ana Pelagla found where
the coset had been killed. They passed
and came In sight of the bear eating
the sheep, among willow clumps near
the brook. They say that It gave vent
to several hideous roars when it per-
ceived them, and came shufllng toward
them. its front covered with bits of
CORY wool.
The young Doukhobor and his sis
ter beat hasty retreat. and thence
forth the family were in great trou-
bic and perpleXity. They dared not
turn their cows and sheep out to feed,
and were obliged to cut fodder for
them. Worse still, the bear, having
tasted mutton, was not long content
to leave the cossets undisturbed in
the shed near the house.
Fearing an attack Wassell had cut
poles and strengthened the shed as
much rs he could, driving large stakes
into the ground and laying Il close
wall of poles between them; but when,
one night not long after, the bear was
minded TO taste mutton again, it came
and tore down the fence with a noise
that struck terror to the hearts of
the peaceful immigrants. The below
Ing of the affrighted COWS seeking es-
cape from the shed added to the alarm.
and together the family passed a bad
ight,lamenting the loss of their stock,
yet not daring to venture forth in de-
fence of it.
When morning came they found that
the cows and four of the sheep had
escaped to the bushes along the lake
shore, but tnat one sheep had been car
ried off by the bear.
Except three other Douihobor fam
lilies, living at Il little distance. there
was no one to whom Wassell could
apply for aid and these neighbors
were as much at Il loss as the Romigs
how to deal with the beast of prey.
For time they could think of moth
Ing better than to make the fence
stronger, and tried hard to do so; but
the bear, now with n raging appetite
for mutton broke into the shed re-
peatedly. till but one cosset remained
of the little flock
The fence having proved quite incap-
able of resisting the bears prOdigious
strength, they bethought themselves
of protecting the shed with n deep
ditch around 1t. In digging this, the
industry of the entire family and their
neighbors was strikingly eXmplified.
They eXcavated in two days trench.
or moat, in the deep, black soil, ten
feet in width and nearly as deep, en-
closing the shed on all sides.
The ditch had nearly perpendicular
sides, and the bottom soon became
miry. and a foot or more of water
was collected il it, TO carry fodder
and water to the cows and sheep in
the shed, Wassell was obliged TO
cross on log which served as a tenn
porary bridge.
Mother SOspatra heard the bear
about the place during the following
night, and in the morning they saw
that 1t had worn path around the
outside margin of the ditch; but it had
not succeeded in crossing it.
The next night the beast walked
round and round the house, and as
the poor people were in great fear
lest 1t should burst in their door they
"a Ill
AT sight of the CLEAN through the lit
tie window, the bear made off. Plain
ly, it had walked round the cow-shpd
n great many times that night: and
the next morning Wassell saw where.
IN one place. the earth beneath the
top turf had caved into the trench
under the brute's weight.
This gave the young Doukhobor Il
hint that the creature might probably
he entrnpped, and he now made his
hrst offensive movement against the
bear by getting down into the trench
and digging away the earth under the
top turf for Il considerable distance
The path which the bear had trodden
was thus undermined on one side and
the consequence was that on the sue
ceeding night the beast actually tum
Died III to the trench. Pelagia had
been awaRe and looking out. and the
others were speedily reused by the
bears roars. Being very heavy. II
sank into the mire to the depth of its
legs.
The night was dark. ana to tho
bears growing were added the fright
ened lowings of the COWS; the hubbul
was indeed so great that the familS
dared not stir forth When dan
dawned Wassell ventured to approach
the ditch, and then saw that the enc
my's prospects of getting out wer,
bad. The beast was wallowing il
sticky, black mud; and although /
made prodiglous efforts to Chamber up
the soft earth yielded to its claws
and 1t was unable to gain the top o
the excavation.
Wassell kept at distance ana non,
of the women left the house that day
lest the bear should suddenly yet on
and, in its fury. rush upon them
Only toward night did Wassell venture
TO throw bundles of fodder across tin
trench to the cattle: he dared not tr,
TO cross with water for them, ana wa
in much perpleXlty.
During the night following. llttl
bear, ms large as a pug dog. came Z
the trench, attracted probably by th
| rOars of the old one and pithar fa