The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-21
(By D. W. McIver,)

avoid notoriety and not to attract public attention, in company with Mr. w. w. Thompson of Birmingham, who IS brother of Congressman Thompson, left Montgomery Saturday night on the usual south bound Louisville and Nashville train, travelling In the regular passenger coach like common people. We were moi recognized on the train as anything out of the ordinary travellers and there was no evidence of any curiosity having been excited at all, and we reached Mobile in due time safe and sound. We were bound for the hunting preserves of MT. Howard Douglas, in Washington County. who is former Montgomery man. and who is now and for many years has been a member of the Democratic State Exec utive Committee, being widely known and very popular in the State.
 At Mobile arrangements had been made for the party and the private car of General Counsel Russell of the Mobile and Birmingham Railroad was placed at our disposal. We attached our car to tn regular morning 5:57 train for Birming- ham, and 1t was fortunately so early in the morning that no one seemed to notice the circumstance except one lonesome looking fellow who looked like broken down politician who had seen better days but was now out of a job. He cast passing glance at us, with our guns and camp equipment and cautiously approach ed ahking what 1t all meant; but he was told that 1t was Colonel Russelrs car and that the Colonel had just returned from a trip and the car was being hauled out to a siding That seemed to satisfy him and he le1t, not dreaming that he was in the presence of such disnataries. In | few minutes before we started Dr. w. H. | okAk | ed asking what 1t all meant: but he was l was learned that he was going our way. He was soon made aware of our pres ence and was admitted to the private car. We pulled out of Mobile and reached Il Carson without incident it being on the | Sabbath the car was left on the side track and Rev. Mir. Slaughter. the
 Methodist circuit rider appearing. 1t was decided to attend divine worship. but the church was so far away and conveyances not being convenient we spent the day in the car quietly and with as little worldly thought as possible under the cir cumstances. The people gathered about | the station gazing at the car with some curiosity, but the curtains were kept down and they were not allowed to approach near enough to disturb us We went on out to Mr. Douglass in the afternoon. where we found Major w. J. Milner of Birmingham, who proved most pleasing | acquisition to the party. We were royal ly received and happily entertained with genuine rural hospitality being fed with | red, sweet two year old country hams, homemade, and by the way MT. Doug las never has to buy any meant, having
 e good supply on hand now. not having
 killed any this year; and also were given all the game of the forest and everything | that ts ua1talIv raiaad on farm and All home made at that.
 A light rain was falling the next morn ing but we went on out for bear going
 to the club house four miles away and
 taking the boat there for Bear Lake. We
 were accompanied by Bill Shoot and
 Buck Hollier, two old battle scared bear
 hunters, and several dogs of the neigh
 borhood that had done noble service and
 had always found anything from bear
 and deer to a field rat. One of the dogs old Tige, was so old that his teeth had fallen out but his nose was intact, his
 smelling qualities were unimparied and il was thought there was but one more good
 hunt in him. Reaching the landing op
 posite Bear Lake--a dense cane thicket
 we jumped out one at a time, the ut
 termost care being taken not to have us lose our footing an1 fall in the water ol
 get our feet muddy, although 1t was rain
 ing steadily and the old sticky mud
 when 1t got hold of a shoe never turned
 loose until 1t was worn of. As soon
 as the party landed safely the feathers
 and one of the feet of a wild turkey
 were discovered where he had been de- | voured the night before by bear or a l tremendous wild cat-the latter equally | as dangerous and even more ferocious
 than the bear and Buck Hollier said he did not want old Tige to tackle wild
 cat for If he did there would be no sort of a chance for him. He wanted old 1 Tige to end his noble and famous caree:
 with bear. That was exciting and with
 that enc )uraging sign we set the dogs
 looee and entered the canc. With oul | back bent to a bow shape we elbowed our way through the thick canebrake | MT. Douglas frequently cutting the big | canes in two with his big knife thai
 obstructed our path, making a way for u: | to get through. We vent on that way
 for a mile and soon reached sight of tht
 lake. As soon as we got in sight drove of Mallard ducks took their flight. fol
 lowed by several very large and beau
 tiful white cranes. The dogs were run
 ming about in the cane, and after a whil,
 old Tige's big. sonorous voice announced
 that he smelt bear, or words to that eff
 feet. Bill Shoot and Buck Hollier wer,
 wild with delight and of they bounded
 almost forgetting their distinguished
 principals. so filled were they with tho
 thought that they were about to see a
 bear once more and hear old Tige trai
 him. In this latter they were gratified
 for old Tige just turned himself loose
 followed by the different toned voices
 of the other dogs. both old and young
 Old Tige ci led around the head of the
 lake and as he approached the water old Bill was heard to give a yell, so filled
 with pleasure that we knew he had seer
 a bear or signs thereof, and we rushed
 to the spot. As I reached the place the
 guides were wringing their hands and
 almost took the skin off of my arms get
 ting me to the place to show me fresh bear tracks. I saw the point of a big
 paw that had been just put down in | the mud and I was told to prepare to
 meet the big beast and engage him in | battle. That was coming un-
 comfortably close and began | to get weak in the knees. and to turn
 white under the gills. but Buck and Bill | laughted at me so that I soon screwed
 up courage and started out after them. | promising to fight to the death but they
 afterwards promised to tie the bear for
 me If possible and then could shoot him
 in a tender spot without any great dan-
 ger. But after going several miles it was l decided that on account of the rain and
 old Tige's feeble condition the chase had
 to be abandoned and after making a lt- | ter for old Tige upon which he was ten. derIy carried. we went back to the boat
 feeling we'll repaid in having seen a real
 bear track and being convinced that old | bruin still resided in Alabama. When we | he