The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1907-11-08
BUT1ERW|CK'S BEAR

Tell Charley i am going TO bring
with me a dear little baby bear that
I bought from an Indian"
On the night which had been fixed
by Butterwick for his arrival. he
he did not come. and the family were
very much disappointed. Charley.
particularly, was cut up because he
couldn't get the bear.
On the next evening. while Mrs.
Butterwick and the children were sit
ting In the front room, with the door
open into the hall. they heard some
body running through the front yard.
Then the front door was suddenly
burst open, and q man dashed into
the hall and upstairs at frightful
speed.
Mrs. Butterwick was just about to
go up after him to ascertain who 1t
was, when large. dark animal of
some kind darted in through the
door, and with an awful growl went
bowling upstairs after the man. II
suddenly flashed upon the mind of
Mrs. Butterwick that the man was
her husband, and that that was the
little baby bear.
Just then the voice of Butterwick
was heard calling from the top land.
ing:
Maria! for Heavens sake get out
OF the house as quick as you can, and
shut all the doors and window-shut.
ters."
Then Mrs. Butterwick sent the
boys into Partridge's, next door, and
she closed the shutters, locked all
the doors, and went into the yard to
await further developments. When
she got outside she saw Butterwick
on the roof, kneeling on the trap
door, which he kept down only by
the most tremendous exertions
Then he screamed for somebody to
come up and help him. and Mr.. Part.
ridge got ladder and Ratchet, and
some nails, and assembled. Then
they nailed down the trap-door, and
Butterwick and Partridge came down
the ladder together After he had
greeted his family, Mrs Butterwick
asked him what was the matter, and
he said:
why, you know that little baby
bear l said I'd bring Charley? Well
I had him in a box until | got off the
train up here at the depot. And then
! thought I'd take him out and lead
him around by the chain. But the
first thing he did was to fly at my
leg, and when jumped back ran
/ l. l.
me up in about minute. That in
fernal Indian must have fooled me
He said it was a cub only two months
old, and it had no teeth. I believe
it's full-grown bear"
II then became a very interesting
question how they should get that
bear out Of the house. Butterwick
thought they had better try to shoot
him, and he asked a lot of the neigh
bors to come around to help with
their shotguns. When they would
hear the bear scratching at one OF
the windows they would pour in a
volley at him, but after riddline
every shutter on the first floor, they
could still hear the bear tearing
around in there and growing
Then Partridge said maybe a
couple of good dogs might whip him
and he borrowed bulldog and a set
ter from Barney Maginn and pushed
them through the front door They
| listened. and for half an hour they
could hear a most terrific contest rag
! ing,
Then everything became still, and
few moments later they could hear
the bear eating something and crack
| ing bones with his teeth.
At last Butterwick thought he
would try strategy. He procured q
| huge iron hook with a sharp point
to It, tied it TO a rope and put three
or four pounds of fresh beef on the
hook Then he went up the ladder
opened the trap-door In the roof
and dropped in the bait. In a few
moments he got a bite, and all hands
manned the rope and pulled, when
out came Partridge's bulldog, which
had been hiding in the garrett But
terwick was Disguised. but he put
on fresh bait and threw In again
and in about an hour the bear took
hold and they hauled him out and
knocked him on the head.
Then they entered the house. In
the hall the carpet was covered with
particles of dead setter, and in the
parlor the carpet aud the windows
had been shot TO pieces, while the
| furniture was full OF bullet-holes
The bear had smashed the mirror
torn up six or seven chairs. knocked
over the lamp, and demolished all the
crockery in the pantry. Butterwick
| gritted his teeth as he surveyed the
ruin, and Mrs. Butterwick said she
wished to patience he had stayed in
Colorado However. they fixed things
| up as we'll as they could, and then
Mrs. Butterwick sent into Partridge S
for Charley and the youngest girl
When Charley came he rushed up to
| Butterwick, and said:
"Oh, pap! where's my little baby
| bear?"
/ Oh Il