The Negro world., 1900-06-02
Rode AStride a Big Bear
None Ever Knew Whether steed OF Rider
Was Worse scared.
HnIp You ever ride bear?' asked


~ Bill Ellis one night ns We sat
down at the camp fire after hunting
all day
NO, I suppose not" he continued
without whiting for me TO reply. Lots
of folk haven't. In fact. I'm the only
feller | ever heard of that ever did. All
the ridin' Is generally the other way.
Bear seldom carry outside passengers.
But Old Clubfoot packed me one day In
great shape. That old shrpent used 10
range these hills aud II there was any.
thing he liked II WAS lead lie was
regular trnyelln' lead mine. He was so
dangerous never hnnke red after hts
pelt. but one day | nearly ran over lf71n
and he came for me- so that there was
unthin' to do but shoot. | fed him
some lead right in the gizzard and oil
he done was TO gnlp as II u was good,
aud come right ON with his mouth
wide open for some more, ! nceommo-
dated him right In the mouth, too, but
one of his big white teeth flew Into
splintcrs that whizzed up into the air.
l had a Sharps ride and just as went
20 load II again the cartridge stuck In
the chamber and cpaldn't shut H.
disappointment seemed 20 make the
old euss only The madder and on he
came. bent for a full breakfast
II suppose you'd have pcrspircd, as
they say In polite talk. didn't have
time TO get a pore open. for luck was
on my side and was only a few yards
from live oak, was young and prpt-
~ quick and swung myself in iifX
onto big limb. ! felt rip In my pants
ns I whirled over and, after pettin'
well out Of reach. | felt there and there
was three or four slits six inches long
whore his claws had Just missed hS cas-
In. You may laugh all YOU please about
folks that work with the seat of their
pants. hut " II hadn't been for the dry
goods boxes down AZ the country store
You wouldn't be cntertaiuin' me with
your ear tonight,
~ ernwled along to the trunk of the
tree and began To wonder how was to
get the rifle up Old Cluhtoot was
there with his big paws clawin' down
bark only two feet from my toes and
tryin' 60 get up. His breath felt like
NHF NNtttil hl u ANNNAhNAihf NAiN HAN fttH
would almost have done for head.
light. he was so mad had seen mad
bear before. when they had foot
caught IN trap. but never saw such
ragin' fury as this old scamp had when
he found | was just beyond his reach
aud the trunk Of that tree too straight
and smooth for him Ca climb.
"Jnst as began 10 think of Sunday
school hymn suitable for saved sin
ner. felt bite. Then there was an.
other aud another and somethin' crawl.
In up my sleeve and ON my neck and up
my ankles and more bites by the see
ond. with the smell of ants gritln'
mighty powerful, Then YOU bet did
perspire In no time. Did you ever try
an ant bite2 How many bites from one
Of the big red. or black ants do ycu
suppose II would take TO kill man
And how long do YOU suppose Il would
takes A horse stung by enough bees
l. dead be fore amy pisen can possibly
reach his yitals. \ man dropped in
billn' water would be dead before amy
heat could ever reach his lnnarts. Its
the shock To the nerves what does the
business. and before the fifth bite was
well In my nerves WIS gettin' terrible
shook up. Then ! saw the tree was
full of eur and lines Of hundreds of big
red ants runnin' up the trunk. No use
TO mash EN-. for a hundred'll come 10
the funeral of everyone you mash. II
wasn't half "a minute before some still
small voice inside whispered that
would have To get out ot that tree. for
u was certain the ants would xiii me
aud with more sufferin' probably than
was likely TO get at the hands of the
bear.
"Non'd been mighty smart and
slipped down the tree on the opposite
side from the bear. wouldn't yous
That shows what YOU know about
bear. You can have 50 feet start and
he'll climb your back stairs la Just
IA seconds | wasn't that variety ~
squash. II Was over s0o yards 10 the
next tree and that was a low otie.
where he might claw me down even
II ! was lucky enough 10 reach IL \
grizzly siandin' on his bind legs Is
mighty high aud his duFued claws add
another foot onto his long arms. aud
when he siFetches Them out you've
no idea how they reach Al he's got
iodo II to get one hook into your meat
and you're his'n. There was only one