The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-06-03

~ ~ NSh
days in fitting out Deacon Withal's
boys with Sunday suits.
Peggy looked upon that pig as an i'm
portant item, and could not part with
II without a struggle. On hearing its
CRIES, she gave pursuit, blowing a great
TN dlnner-horn But the bear got away
with the pig despite the racket.
To the theft of the pig was added
the slaughter of the Nerrick gander.
Ills beautiful, white. snowy feathers
and one big red foot alone remained
to tell the story Of his unhappy fate.
Following this occurred an incident
that reused the neighborhood to hunt
the marauder. In haying time. after
shutdown n evening, bod, with his
sister Zilph and her little terrier, Jim,
set out to find the cows, and had not
come home as usual. After hunting
Tor some time, they heard the bell off
in the edge of a rough, swampy tract
BY that time the bear had come to
the conclusion that the odds were too
great to contend against, for a pair Of
big steers were careering about with
tails in the air, now and then making
dashes with lowered heads. A great
long-horned ram would deliver a sound
ing blow when the steers left an open
ing. At last the pOnderous horns
fiercely butted the bears stomach, when
she had reared to strike the sheep, and
sent her heels over head into a deep
pool in one corner of the yard.
This, with Dod's sudden and noisy
attack, put bruin in a panic: and re-
linquishing her hope to feast on young
mutton, she crawled through a broken
fence and ran off across the potato
field toward the nearby woods, just as
Wink and Mr.. Mickey arrived on the
scene.
They found one sheep badly lacerated
and another with her fleece nearly
pulled off. Mr.. Mickey was SO thankful
because the bear had been discovered in
season to prevent any further damage
that he did not pursue his inquiry as
to why bod and Wink were there at
that time of night.
OF hemlocll scrub. and with it's wild
jangling came the hoarse bawls and
deep grumbling Of the cattle. Some
thing was wrong.
bod and Zilph, running with all
speed, soon came in sight of the herd,
and perceived to their horror that a
bear had %grappled one of Dod's grizzly
yearlings-one Of a pair he had hoped
to exhibit at the county fair in the fall.
The wild beast was tearing and clawinS
its PROSTATE victim, which it had deX-
~terously cast in between q hemlOck
stub and some big rocks. The other
cattle, instead OF running away, kept
circling round, uttering threatening
cries.
bod siezed a branch of dead hemlCck
and rushing ~courageOusly upon the
bear, shouting with all his might, while
Jim parked furiously. Assaulted in the
rear so unexpectedly, the bear at first
took to his heels. But she was reluc-
tant to give UP her prey; so she turned
and faced bod with srinning teeth and
ugly eyes, looking sreedily toward the
PROSTATE yearling, beside which bod
was brandishing his club and shouting.
The boy saw that it was the old white
face again.
bod told Zylph to run for help. The
cattle, now fairly routed and fright
ened, bolted toward home before her.
The boys brave front disconnected
the bear, and at first she made no move
ment forward, but shuffled back and
forth in great Impotence, growing
and showing her teeth. But soon Dod's
threatening shouts and wild brandish-
ings began to lose effect.
The bear began to edge closer. Then,
at his masters command and encour-
agement, jim sailed forth, made a little
detour, dashed slyly up to the enemy's
and grabbed her heels.
The bear turned god tried again and
again to scoop in little Jim with q
sweep of nee great paw, but the willy
at last one sharp nail lore through his
ear, and he retired hastily beneath a
scrub hemlock and was silent. Then
in the gathering dusk the zeal turned
once more to bod and the yearling.
bod was in a panic. To leave the
already bruised yearling to be torn and
tortured by the cruel bear could not
be thought Of. Yet the ugly glow in the
bears eyes warned bod of danger.
He could no longer hear the tinkle
of the bell. The COWS had reached the
yard. A bird began singing off a little
way in the woods. and bod could hear
the weep, yeep. yeep! tYawp, yawp!"
Of a wandering flock of belated turkeys
slowly vending their way homeward
before an exasperated and noisy small
boy on the next farm.
Suddenly loud shouts broke over the
ridge above bod. and his father and the
hired man came running into view.
Then the bear took to her heels and
disappeared into the scrub.
The yearling was pulled out of the
hole and driven home. a good deal
bruised and torn about the tanks.
The next morning several men
started out to hunt the creature, but
not a sign was discovered. Then a trap
was sci. But she was all together too
knowing to be taken in" although
she managed to secure the bait-a