Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-09-13
HOW THE TENDERFOOT
MET The BEAR.

these days finds himself treated with
kinder consideration than he has any
reason 10 eXpect-tar kinder. in tact,
than any real woodsmaa would accord
him elsewhere around the southeast
corner OF the Adirondacks. This Is
not due 10 any natural defect in the
Wheelertown wocdsmen. They have
just as hearty contempt for the ig-
noramus as all other COCA wcodsE,en
have but since Abrsr Chase came
from Buffalo last spr:cg they are will
ing to give even { tenGerfoct win
shiny outfit a chance 10 show what's
in him before they turn him over 10
the professional guides.
sir. Abner Chase brought more joy
10 the community than any tourist
that has fished Little black Creek dur
ing the last three years, for he was
confessedly the tenGerest tecderioo,
that ever combined experience with
silve--plated outfits. He couldn't tell
spinach from tu.Eip tops nor corn
from quack grass. bar he said he was
ambitious 10 learn the wooacraft,
ard 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 fer trout
and applying tar oil 10 keep OFF punhies
and deer flies were Concerned, Mr..
Chase was carefully and sincerely in
structed by Mr.. Bob Alien. with whom
he boarded; but when on the third
day after arrival he said he wished
he could have a nand-to-hand con-
flict with a 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 a run fer his money
in a way that would make him and
them remember for years 10 come.
They admit now that il WIS low
down trick 10 plan for any tourist. bu;
still they aren't sorry they did ii.
Because bears are scarcer han they
used % 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 a bear was TOO remote for coas!d-
Grafton. But Ben GratriX. who lives
half mile north of the Wheelertown
schooihouse. had a big. shaggy. black
mongrel dog-an ugly brute-.hat the
boys thought would serve instead or
Ursus. and they told Mr.. Chase they
guessed they could give him chance
10 try.
Accordingly. Bob Allen and Bud
Nc:ih took the ,enderfoot into the
woods. one afternoon, and with a big
rag well soaked in fish oil dragging
behind him at the end OF rope they
led him 10 and fro for four hours and
finally stopped In froat OF the big hol-
low birch that stands beside the old
reservoir trail, near the abandoned
Pardy clearing. Then they all went
hone for the night. but just before
daylight the next morning they got
Chase ont of bed and sent him alone
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 tina. 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 fine
leather coat which, as the boys had
been careful 10 learn. cost SIS. On his
head he put scarlet cap. because. as
he explained. the Indians always wore
red handkerchiefs around their heads.
Corduroy trousers and twelve-Gollar
hunting shoes COMPLETED his dress,
and for a weapon lie carried q carving
knife whetted 10 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 I'm
fortunate beast had Teen kept without
food since the morning before. and
just before starting for the woods he
had been allowed 10 smell of but not
TO taste a comfortable piece of meat
fanked by bread and potatoes covered
with gravy. Young Ben had gone up
the trail TO a point half a mile or so
beyond the old hollow birch 10 wait
till sunrise, and then to release the
dog. II was absolutely certain that
the dog would go tearing down the
trail. bound for its breakfast, and the
woodsmen hoped the terderfoot would
jump out and try to stop him. They
knew the dog might get hurt in such
an encounter. but they calculated on
lis plunging between Chase's legs, Civ
ing him a nip, and then flying on.
They had 10 snort as they thought of
the way the tendefoot would come
limping in, with eyes bullying, to tell
how the bear chawed 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 were en-
pecting to meet the dog any moment
after reaching the woods trail. but il
did not come. They were approach
ing the last bend In the trail before
reaching the old birch, and Mrs. Allen
was saying she believed the dog had
taken a short cut through the woods,
poor thing. when Chase came around
the bend. He was plainly running for
life, but the moment he saw the wo-
man with the children he stopped