Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1904-07-14
FED BEAR MATCHES
A TRUTHFUL TRAVELLER TELLS
HOW HE WHIPPED EPHRAIM.
Blazing spIlnters of Wood Too Much
Even for the Courage of the Terrible
Grizzly-Rest Of the Story is Not
Vouched For.

He was venerable and intelligent
man and had been a great traveller,
and he kindly undertook to while away
an idle hour by telling a reporter of
the true inwardness of California life
in the foothills Of the Sierra.
"As to your question about griz-
zlies," he said. "I'll tell you my first
and rather remarkable experience with
one of those varmints. l was kid,
not yet twenty, and new to the.region
of the Sierras, having come from the
east but few months before. On
moonlight night early in April was
gently meandering home on muleback.
was unarmed with the exception Of
pocket knife, for had foolishly lent
my pistol to friend early in the day.
had almost reached the ranch, hav-
ing only short stretch Of ground to
pass. 1 had heard the settlers allude
respectfully to old Ephraim. They
said he was fiercest in the spring,
after his winters slesta. He's always
an ugly customer, and after man has
had a wipe or two from his talons
there is seldom enough left Of that
man to tell the tale.
ION this evening l speak Of l was
dead tired. as I had been riding all
day. | had almost fallen asleep on
my mule, when-my word! how that
mule did jump! Standing ahead, as
large as life, on the bank Of little
brook, was big grizzly. He grinned at
me and growled in a way calculated
to agitate the nerves of Ajax. the fel-
low who defied the lightning, much
more those Of a tenderfoot, as / was
then.
Il had heard enough to know that II
l turned tail, that is, the mules tail,
! could leave Ephraim behind me; but
on the other side Of him was home,
and l had my share of grit even then.
l had heard Of the notion entertained
by some people that man can mas
ter the most ferocious wild creature
by looking him IN the eyes and ad-
vancing straight upon him. Even a
greenhorn would back out Of such an
experiment with Ephraim, the most
ferocious Of all wild creatures.
Suddenly l remembered had in
my pocket a large COX filed with fric-
ton matches, those made with plenty
Of birthstone for use in strong wind.
An idea occurred to me, and patted
and encouraged the mule, who trem.
bled so that thought she would drop
down under me, and urged her boldly
right in the face of old Bruin. When
within a few feet suddenly struck a
dozen matches and threw them right
into his open Jaws. Never was there
more sudden change from malignant
ferocity to the most abject cowardice,
The huge brute actually covered and
shook with terror equal to that Of
the mule herself.
This was something altogether out
side Of his experience. suppose he
thought he had struck a prairie fire on
muleback. Even the mule saw the sit.
uation and gained courage. She adj
vaneed, and kept continuous shower
of burning matches. Luckily a rather
strong wind blew from me and carried
away the fumes. In fact, this is what
brought the varmint to me, he having
winded me. To cut things short, old
Eph turned tail and ANONYMOUSLY fed.
Now, stranger, l might proceed to
relate further how stuck to the heels
of that old grizzly, and kept setting
fire to his fur until he was entirely
burned up; but in this skeptical age
It may be well to suppress some of
the facts Of the case, for fear of being
doubted. Liverpool (Eng.) Mercury.