Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-06-08
| Sociable Bear
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l 1lNGO, the DeSL, mOSL accomplished
ID and most human bear that ever
lived in Maine, is dead, the victim OF
greedy hunters rifle, and his thick
glossy pelt hangs high in Bangor mar
ket shop, waiting for purchaser. The
death of Bingo has caused sorrow to
many VINO dwell in the wild region about
Seeboomook Falls, and well it might,
for to these mourners, he was, both in
youth and in middle age, sociable
neighbor and appreciative friend.
Melville Doughty, better known as
long Mel" feels especially sad over
the loss of his furry friend, for from
long experience in forest life and close
contact with wild things, he knows that
it is 100 to l that he will never again
meet with such knowing and sociable
sort Of bear as the late departed.
Seems if they might abound some
thin else to shoot in all this country
up here, 'cept that one good, decent
BAR" mournfully remarked Mel, as he
sat on the deacon seat at McLean's
camp and added the smoke of his corn
cob pipe to the general fog. why, that
bar was as good a neighbours ever had,
en- I've ben Twin in these parts more'n
80 year.
HE was left an orphan when he was
lust little cub, an found him one day
a-suckin' Of his paws at the aidge O. the
tote road to the falls, Brought him home
an give him some mush an molasses,
an he sot right up like any child an In
syed it. too. When he got some size on
him be quit stayin' round the camp SO
regular, an used to go out foragin' on
his own hook. Then he went to DENIM 4,
like any bar, which was only nat'ral,
but he always was neighborly, an never
seemed to forgit what I'd done for him.
Member the time we'll when he fit
iucifee that got into the camp an would
have ct up nay little girl-ft him an
licked him to shoestrings, too, by gosh.
Pulled the same young one out OF the
lake when it got in over it's head, an
did a lot Of other good turns that I'll
never forgit. Did good many chores,
too. around the place. Do you good to
see that bar weed my onion patch-jest
rasped them weeds outen the ground
with his claws, like patent harrow. All
he asked for his trouble was dish O.
mush an melasses. Bars Is terrible
fond O. sweet stuff But Ripgo, he was
an honist b'ar-never stole anytniR'.
He'e set all day side of keg O. molasses
an never put paw into it.
Summer time, Binge used to go up
above the falls an I'LL himself with
raspDerries, an our little girl would
go long With him, When he'd got his
own fill, hvd turn to an all the little
girls pail-could do 1t Quicker'n seat,
Ever see a bar pick berries? Well, Sir,
when it comes to that kind O. business,
YOU an amt in it with the slowest bar
that ever wore fur. Nat'ral talent with
'em.
"Bingo, he hada't no faults but one.
He did like likker. Some one q9wn to
McNultys camp learnt him that. He
went down there one Christmas an sot
q while with the boys, who were havin'
of a great time, A Frenchman had come
over the line few days afore that with
q kag o. morson-that there white rum
the Canucks have-an' 1t was passin'
round pretty free that Christmas day.
one o. tae fellers, Jack Kelley, I'm Ban
gor, he says, There's Bingo-what's the
matter with giyin' him ball gut O. that
kag?' So they poured some out in 2 big
tin dipper, an give 1t to Bingo, an cuss
me if he didn't swaller it downs though
it'd ben molasses syrup. Pretty warm
in the camp, with big fire a-blazin', an
fust thing they knew that morson begun
to work on Bingo. Fore anyone could
move, that there bar up an grabbed the
kag put it to his head an gnlped down
bout a quart Then, mister, things be-
gun to hum.
There was a Frenchman in the crew
named Paul Larsen, who thought he
could rassle some, an he'd ben shown
off that afternoon while Bingo was in
camp. THROWN everyone he Goqe to.
Bingo. he 'membered this, an when the
nersop begun to bile up inside O. him
an he got 10 feelin' real good an kinky,
he Jest raced over TO where Larsen was
a changin' Of his pants an grabbed him
round the belly with both paws. Lar
sen he yelled for the bar to let go, but
Bingo he jest grinned-he could grin an
Iaff like anyone buman-an' twisted that
Frepchman off'a his feet like he was a
child throwin' him on the aat @ his
back with slam that made his teeth
rattle.
"Then the crowd they yelled an LATED
At to raise the roof, an Bingo, KNOWN
that was pluase, he jest danced jig in
the middle o. the floor, kicked over all
the seats and ripped blankets on n
hunks an fin'y chased the cook out 10
the wangan, cause the cook was 2 man
he didn't like. Hit him over the nose
oncet. cause he stuck his head in the
cook-house winder.
0Well, sir, the cook he yelled bloody
murder, an shut the door o. the wangan
camp after him with bang an polted
it inside. Bingo, he jest sot there in the
snow, a-waitin' for the cook TO come OUT
an ali the camp crew couldn't bulge
him. They might a-done 1t with an ak