Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-09-13

you see his coat was all ripped and
bloody?'
No. Bob hadat seen that; neither
had Bud. ami they were going on with
their bowls when Chase came walking
back around the bend
All right" he shouted. He fled
into tho woods when he saw the club.
but that's more than ,hc other would
have dane
This, would cave amused the boys as
much Is his previous words but for
the fGc; that hey could see now that
his coat was ripped and bloody, as
Mrs Allen lad said Moreover, his
corduroy trousers were slashed and
bloody. too, his scarlet cap was gone.
and there was row Of deep cuts from
the op OF mis- head down through his
right ear to mis- shoulder.
"Lcrdy. will you look at that?" said
Ven. Why. man alive. what's hap
rened? Ye're al chawed up
Way. yes said Chase. as they
gathered around him. II believe | am
cut up bit. You see. the affair did
ed: ! didn't anticipate seeing a flock
of bears. you know.
Il took my stand il the hollow tree,
as you instructed ne 10 do. and | as.
sure you ! hadn't waited more thar
two minutes when TWO small bears
came from the thick brush on the oppo-
site side of the trail. enc right behind
-, oil
me and were almost in reach when the
one behind hi. the other in the heel.
and the next instant they were. All,
up against each other and smuggling
away like prize fighters you know, il
] may use the vernacular.
They were quite young. and it
seemed almost pity 10 do Il. but l
supposed | should not have ano aer
chance. so | attacked them. By ra-
pid movement | grasped the nearest
one by the neck, and al The same zine
plunged the knife Into the other. Then
! tried to knife the one | held. but its
struggles were most extraordinary,
assure you. and had TO give 1t three
dis. met thrusts.
like a baby. and while | was striving
TO control ii there was a crash in the
brush and out came the mother bear
with her lips drawn back and teeth
proiruding.
Il don't recallect, ali. precisely all
that happened. then, for she was very
much more active. you know, than any
one would imagine. But the worst of
il all was that as | gave her the last
thrust The knife became fastened in
some way so that | could MOI with
draw il. and just then saw another
bear with a bushy tail coming down
the trail, and lis mouth was open.
too.
1T was quite embarrassing. assure
you. but | remembered seeing a slend-
cr tree down this way which thought
] might climb further than the bear
could. and / was running for that when
| met YOU
Il hope the lady will pardon my ap.
rearaace." lie continued. as he drew
the bow of his necktie from behind his
neck and wiped some of the blood from
his face with a handkerchief. Its
unusual, assure you, to find myself
in such predicament."
Finding that Chase was exhausted,
but no, seriously hurt, the parry hur-
ried up the trail to the old bircl.
There hey found young Ben Gratr.x
standing, with his eyes bullying. beside
a dead mother bear with two deal
cubs close at hand. And the carving
knife in the last and fatal thrust had
pierced between two joints of the ole
bears backbone, where it was held
fast, as Chase mad said.
He didn't know a bushy tailed dog
from a bear" said North, as he tried
10 withdraw the knife from the old
bear. but a tenderfoot who'll mix
into 4 mill like that has got the max
ing OF a-good sportsman
That opinion mas been adopted by
all who have heard the story, and
while they remember how this ten
.ierfoot faced a mo. ne" bear in fight
for he- cubs the Wheelertown woods
men will give the tourist due consid-
Grafton until he has had chance TO
slcw his metal-John S. Spears, in
the New York Times.