Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1902-10-22
HOW THE TENDERFOOT
MET THE BEAR.


these days finds himself treated with
kinder consideration than he has any
reason to eXpect-far kinder, in fact,
than any real woodsman would accord
him elsewhere around the southeast
corner OF the Adirondacks. This is
not due to any natural defect in the
Wheelertown woodsmen. They have
just as hearty contempt for the ig-
noramus as all other good woodsmen
have, but since Abner Chase came
from Buffalo last spring they are will
ing to give even tenderfoot with a
shiny outfit a chance TO show what's
in him before they turn him over to
the professional guides,
Mr.. Abner Chase brought more joy
to the community than any tourist
that has fished Little black Creek dur
ing the last three years, for he was
confessedly the tenderest tenderfoot
that ever combined experience with
silver-plated outfits. He couldn't tell
spinach from turnip tops nor corn
from quack grass, but he said he was
ambitious to learn the woodcraft,"
and when he expressed entire conf
dence in the ability" of Wheelertown
backwoodsmen as instructors" they
calculated" they'd learn him some
thing, sure"
So far as the arts of fishing for trout
and applying tar oil TO keep off pNniies
and deer flies were concerned, Mr..
Chase was carefully and sincerely in
structed by Mr.. Bob Allen, with whom
he boarded; but when on the third
day after arrival he said he wished
he could have a handto-hand con-
fict with bear after the Norwegian
STYLE" and then explained that in the
Norwegian style of conflict the hunter
used a knife only, the boys thought
they'd give him run for his money
in a way that would make him and
them remember for years to come.
They admit now that it was a low
down trick to plan for any tourist, but
still they aren't sorry they did it.
Because bears are scarcer than they
used to be, and because they know
well that men carry guns of marvel
Gus powers, the chance of arranging
a personal meeting between Mr.. Chase
and bear was too remote for consid-
Grafton. But Ben GratriX, who lives
half a mile north of the Wheelertown
schoolhouse had a big, shaggy, black
mongrel dog-an ugly brute-that the
boys thought would serve instead Of
Ursus, and they told Mr.. Chase they
-, III oh
to try.
Accordingly, Bob Allen and Bud
North took the uenderfoot into the
woods, one afternoon, and with big
rag we'll soaked in fish oil dragging
behind him OF the end of rope they
led him to and fro for four hours and
finally stopped in front of the big hol-
low birch that stands beside the old
reservoir trail, near the abandoned
Pardy clearing. Then they all went
homo for the night, but just before
daylight the next morning they got
Chase out of bed and sent him alone
up the trail to take a stand in the hol-
low birch and wait for bear to come
along in search of the bait they had
been dragging the day before.
Mr.. Chase had no doubt that a bear
would come, for the boys assured him
they had seen abundant signs, and
that the bait was sure to draw. He
accordingly prepared himself with
care for the occasion. He wore a fine
leather coat which, as the boys had
been careful to learn, cost $18. On his
head he put scarlet cap, because, as
he explained, the Indians always wore
red handkerchiefs around their heads
Corduroy trousers and twelve-dollar
hunting shoes completed his dress,
and for a weapon he carried carving
knife whetted to a razor edge.
Meantime Ben Gratiz, Jr., lad of
II, had gone up the trail leading the
dog, and to his delight he was having
much trouble in doing it. For the un-
fortunate beast had teen kept without
food since the morning before, and
just before starting for the woods he
had been allowed TO smell of but not
to taste comfortable piece Of meat
flanked by bread and potatoes covered
with gravy. Young Ben had gone up
the trail to point half a mile or so
beyond the old hollow birch to wait
till sunrise, and then to release the
dog. 1t was absolutely certain that
the dog would go tearing down the
trail, bound for its breakfast, and the
Wocdsmen hoped the tenderfoot would
jump out and try to stop him. They
knew the dog might get hurt in such
an encounter, but they calculated on
his plunging between Chase's legs, CIV
ing him a nip, and then flying on.
They had to snort as they thought of
the way the tendefoot would come
limping in, with eyes bulging, to tell
hcw the bear ehawed him and then
fed.
Having seen Mr.. Chase disappear up
the old trail the boys made haste to
do the chores on the Allen farm, and
then with Mrs. Allen and the chill
dren following, they started for the
woods, just at sunrise. They we're ex-
10 ,..a. @l,o 400,