Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-03-15

'SAANSa' -ASthouNalls Hc Ntul ONST
the ground and took his precautions
meanwhile copiously explaining the
rules and regulations OF the noble
sport of bearing hunting. Suddenly
in the midst of his discourse a loud
roaring was heard
The Councillors looked at each other
in relief and the Governor grew slight.
ly pale
The bear!" he murmured
There was cracking of broken
twigs, heavy tread, and from an
opening in the trees appeared bear,
real bear with long and shaggy
coat and ferocious claws.
The youngest Councillor looked
about him in triumph.
Didn't I tell you so?' commanded
the Governor. Leave me alone to
face the enemy!"
The enemy paused. For an enemy
he seemed strangely peaceful. He sat
still on his launches and looked about
him. Just then low whistle sounded
from the direction of the youngest
Councillor.
Dear me, it is never wise to do
that" cried the Governor, lust see
what will happen"
AS he spoke the bear raised his
head and then continued to move for
ward, but in what strange manner
Erect upon his hind legs, he almost
seemed to be dancing
Exactly as thought" cried his Elk
cellency. in trembling voice, "he is
most dangerous now!"
"Ha-hum!" murmured Rajah Por, to
the youngest Councillor, a trained
bear!"
"Hush!" replied the Councillor in a
whisper, "Barnum's circus is in Sydney
City just now! Was it not glorious
idea? But don't let the Governor
hear us!"
The Governor could not have heard.
He had reached the critical moment
when he required all his courage and
presence CT mind. He raised his gun
to his shoulder The bear continued
to approach.
: Bang! went his Excellency's gun.
The bear paused, undecided. Bang,
l bang! The bear fell motionless.
l Good" murmured the youngest
? Councillor enthusiastically. He is a
' wonderfully trained bear. At one shot,
: he comes forward; at two, he falls:
a at three" He stopped abruptly
, the Governor was rushing toward his
;. victim, his face aglow with unexpected
| success.
: "Hurrah!" he cried
: Suddenly his Excellency's voice
: froze in his throat The bear, consid
5 ering that he had remained PROSTATE
! as long as the rules required, rose to
his hind feet and proceeded with the
i third figure
Delicately grasping his Excellency
: around the waist, he began to waltz
briskly. In spite of himself the Gov.
ernor was obliged to keep time His
, face was convulsed. Queer cries from
his parted lips. AS if to tranquilize
him, the bear gently licked his cheeks.
1t was too much. In not one of his
books on sports had the Governor ever
read that 1t was the custom of bears
to waltz with their hunters and to lick
their cheeks. Had it been a case of
fighting an Infatuated ANIMAL his Elk
cellency would not have been embar-
raised. AS it was, he tainted
On page 237 of the official report
prepared by his Excellency the Gov.
ernor at the conclusion Of his last
: journey may be read the following:
THE immense forest which sur
rounds Sydney City is inhabited by
the most ferocious wild beasts. have
myself experienced their terrors dur
ing a bear hunt in which barely
: escaped alive.
THE animal, of size rarely equaled
in its immensely. fell to the ground,
pierced by two balls from my rife AS
| approached to give him the last
r stroke of the knife, he drew himself
up in one supreme effort.
II owe my present existence only to
: the fortunate presence of mind which
prompted me to throw myself upon
} the ground and simulate DEATH AS is
well known, bears do not touch dead
t bodies.
Captured by my companions, the
enormous animal was offered in my
. name to the Barnum menagerie, where
l IT may now be admired by all for its
e great size as well as its unusual intel.
ligence. Recovered from the wounds
e dealt which apparently have left nc
S trace, it has learned with surprising
e rapidity the tricks and exercises com.
mon to circus shows. To-day he lies
e down, performs his toilet, dances
Stimulates death. and waltzes as if he
y had never done anything else in mis-
lifo