New-York tribune., 1901-02-10
BEARS AND BOBCATS IN MAINE.

THEY APPROACH CIVILIZATION RATHER Too FA-
MIILAT,LY To PLEASE THE FARMERS.
Lewiston correspondence of The Boston Adver-
tiser.
'Zeker' is fairly driving the oxford County
'Zekel is the amiable black bear that dwells IN
great abundance up that way. lie isn't dan
gerous. Zekel was never known even 10 make
faces at any one that walked upright on Nv"
legs like himself. The fact IS, 'Ze1el is too we'll
fed TO be cross; and Zekel's well fed condition
makes the farmers mad. 'ZekeI has attained
his prime condition their fat sheep.
There are more black bears in oxford County
10 the square mile than in any other ia
Maine The residents Of the county call them
selves Hears so noted IS the county for It's
bruins oxford is land OF hills and crassy
little mountains. rising abruptly from the river
meadows Almost every farm has it's rocky
steeps-a hill humping from the level of some
back pasture Zekel lives up in his den the
mountain and finds il easy to drop down on the
years ago the bear bounty I'm Maine de-
clared off. NOW the farmers Of oxford are pilinS
bounty hc restored
They say that the bears ar fairly eating them
w Thr critters have stolen fat sheep they
nave broken into the cellars through the bulk
heads. and have extracted the best vegetables
They have even bursted the butter crooks. and
some mornings when the man Of the house has
gone downstairs % see what has been happening
the language that n has used has been Of the
sort that isn't tolerated ordinarily in purtaniCa
oxford County.
Al the last session Of the Legislature the
bounty on Wildcats was also lifted. II
in order for some Of the people down in Wash
iugton County 10 follow along behind tn, farm
ers Of oxford and request If the State that a
price b. placed back on the head Of the
"loucivee."
Mrs. Harriet Raeley. Of WhitneyviIe viI
however take care of herself cn the hobcat
question even without the State law. She was
sitting in her kitchen the other e. ening waiting
for the men folks To come home. All at
Llr he "A At fb.4N NyiU D..
Was no curtain there. She looked and against
the glass was pressed the furry face Of a bob
\ bobcat has n curiously blank countenance
His ears stick UP straight in inquisitive
fashion. but his eyes simply saucerlka
without expression. The cat sat perfectly qui,
and stared at Mrs. Bagley without Winking
There wasn't even the hutter of his eyelid.
Those great round eyes Glttered in the frozen
night. They glared and they stared at the
woman. who sat and starad back at him. AZ
first she had the uncomfortable notion that he
would pretty soon make spring and come
through the glass, but he seemed content TO sit
and look At her.
She recovered her self-possession a little. and
commenced to make motions 10 drive him away
His eyes only grew a bit larger. if that were
possible, and still he looked her without
winkinS. In a little while Mrs. Baglty grew
nightly offended ~ this close and bold scrutiny
She had been reading the fashion page in her
weekly paper. and now tO her life sha
couldn't get Interested in the latest style %
skirts. 1t was too much for any woman 10
bear
So she went along 10 the wood box and Sc
lected big chunk Of birch. The cat never took
his eyes off her. His gaze followed her when
she boldly went to the kitchen door raised the
latch and threw the door open. When the lamp
light stIcamed out into the night down jumped
the hobCat and started 10 straddle off. But Mrs.
Bag!ey aimed her birch stick in such deadly
fashion that She hit him ON the head She didn't
80 out 10 see what had happened To him. but
when the men folks drove up hour later there
V as dead bobcat in the yard.