The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-21
CRABS suDDUE a BLACK BEAR.
1t Wns HugSing john shreve Under
the Electric Lights.
From the New YORK sun.

From the New York sun.
Lorraine. N. almost everybody IN
Lorraine has been hunting to-day the
hear that attacked John Shreve last
night right on Westfield avenue, in
the glare of the electric light. Front
gates are kept locked, and all the chii-
dren are under strict orders not 10 go
out of the yards until the bear mas
been caught. To-night's mass meeting
of the sewing circle was postpoheu
because it was to be held this week at
the home of Sister Jones, who nVes
off the road, and the members oloh
want to walk cross-lots with lhelr
sewing on account of the bear.
The men folks are out in force. fol-
lowing the trail of the bear and OF the
soft-shell crabs that saved Jonh
Shreve's life. Shreve had been crab
bling in the Railway, and was coming
home with netful late last night
when the bear caught him wltnln
hundred feet of his home in Westheld
avenue.
II had pust passed an electric light
said Shreve to-day, when l heard
rustling in the corn field on the sac
of the road 1 supposed at first tnat
it was just a gang of Jersey postolnce
thieves on their way to WORK anu
didn't think anything more ABOUT II
till half a minute later, when the rus
Ting stopped and big black pea,
loped out of the corn field ana stoou
right before me on the sidewalk
II lodged around him and started
to run for my house. He came aiter
me full tilt A bear looks slow when
he's in a cage, but he isn't. L knew
the bear was gaining on me at every
lump. Then l felt him breathe ~
was like one of those southwest winus
in dog days.
Finally. I felt paw on my leg anu
then I knew l was done for unless L
turned around and made a fight. Inc
minute 1 turned the bear went up
on his hind legs and grabbed me
around the waist.
81 didn't have any weapon, put my
arms were free, and, in lucky IN
slant, 1 thought of the crabs IN my
net bag over my shoulder. They We're
all alive. / pulled out one ana put
it round on the bears back, put III IL
didn't get a good hold. / heard the
shell click when it fell on the side
walk. In sort of wrestling round to
get a firmer grip on me the bear
stepped on the crab and squashed IT,
But those crabs were my only hope
so l took out another, and reaching
around the bears body l found place
where the hair was kind of thin, ana
planted the crab right there. 1t got
good nip and hung on.
1.-The bear growled. A nipping III
lust one spot wouldn't make him let
go of me and he kept squeezing tighter
/ had my presence of mind with me
and calculated that l could stand the
hugging for about five minutes more.
II knew l had only dozen craps
left, so l worked carefully and took out
one crab at a time so as not to drop
any 1 distributed 'em all over the
bears back and held on to each one
till 1 felt sure he had nipped.
"Out of the dozen l guess ten got
bite into that crittur's hide and hung
on and kept nipping together. About
the time 1 got the sixth crab located
the bear began to weaken his strange
hold on me and to waste his breath
bowling. / hardly had time to plant
the last crab before the bear quit
dropped down on all tours and streak
ed for the cornfeld again. I guess the
crabs stayed with him, for / hearu
him growl all the way across the corn
field and into the woods.
IF ! had those crabs back I'd let
'em go alive into the Railway again.
l feel so grateful"
John Shreve Is one of the well-knoWn
citizens OF Lorraine, and there isn't
a soul here who doesn't believe the
bear story or who would dare hint that
shreve invented IL just as an excuse
for coming home without any erabA