The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1907-02-15
Seleet Story.
A BADLY SHOCKED BEAR.

The word electricity brings prophetic
! CLEAN to the eye of the economist. And
before he finishes his discourse he is almost
sure to speak of the day when improved
} transmission will make it possible to convey
the incalculable power of California S
mountain torrents to cities that will spring
up as if by magic along the broad, fertile
valleys below.
. One partial fulfilment of the economist s
dream may now be seen in the seventeen
mile transmission line that connects the
cascades of Hatchet Canon with a bustling
little town in the San Joaquin Valley.
From the powerhouse at the cascades the
electric current flashes throug h three SHIN
mering wires which follow the canon for a
distance of five miles, and then cross a
rugged mountain spur to the plain below
) But the mind of Dan Maloy, the COM
panys' lineman, was not burGened with con-
siderations of the great economic era which
his calling might herald, or, indeed, with
considerations of any kind, unless we may
except glad consciousness that his SIX
feet of Drawn and muscle were sufficient
to meet any of the emergencies that the
day could have in store for him. His JOY
Gus GOOD health was such that the prospect
of long, hard trip from the cascades over
the ridge in raw, drizzling rain did not
retard his blithesome step or repress his
buoyant whistle.
i % m III
tain. the merry toiler found pole that
seemed to need inspection. Sitting down
in the lee of huge oak, he fastened on
his climbers. Before ascending, however,
it occurred to him that there was no use OF
working on an empty stomach, and open
inc his lunch basket, he began eating din
ner.
Not twenty-fv yards from him there
was family party also lunching, of which
he was unaware until he started after a
drink from the spring that tinkled merrily
in nearby brushy gully. Then he dis
turbed an old bear and her two cubs, all
of whom were eagerly feasting on the car
casS of sheep.
Now an intrusion at meal-time, especi
ally if the meal is of raw, bleeding meat,
and the bear old and cross and burdened
) with the care of two precious little ones, is
most offensive breach of ursine etiquette,
and was in this case the cause of an lmme-
diate and furious rush.
The lineman scrambled up the trail from
the spring, bu4 glance over his shoulder
; assured him that he was no match in race
with this tawny creature. He had hazy,
story. book idea that people pursued gener-
ally found safety in climbing a tree.
"Right in my line,'' he thought, max
ING dash for the big oak under which he
had eaten his dinner.
What was his surprise, on gaining what
he considered safe perch to see the bear
shining" up after him with the alacrity
of squirrel. The young lineman scram-
bled out to the end of his limb.
As he slid recklessly down over the
bending outer boughs, it occurred to him
before dropping to hang till the bears ap-
proach bent his branch nearer the ground,
thereby lessening his fall few feet and
giving her that much more distance to
descend.
His artifce nearly cost him his life.
He dropped to the ground at what he con-
sidered the strategic moment, but the
branch, following the release of his two
hundred pounds, destroyed the delicate
poise of his pursuer. She struggled wildly
a moment for her balance, overtoppled
with sudden lurch, hung for a moment
at the end of long, hairy arm, and found
cred with wrathful roar to the ground.
Nothing saved Dan but the final clutch at
the limb and his advantage in striking
squarely on his feet.
In the moment thus accorded him he
sprang for the nearest pole, fortunately
only few feet off. and climbed it in a
panic Just why he made for the pole he
5 never knew, unless, indeed, because it was
l the nearest thing at hand and "right in
his line -
T Anyway, he found himself hanging on
the under side of the cross-arm, entirely
5 out of breath and wildly wondering what
next to do The bear was ascending the
!, pole, cumsily because it was rather slim
for her ample hugging capacity, but surely,
nevertheless.
Dan drew himself up, and finally sat
astride of the cross-arm among the deadly
live wires By this time the bear had
reached the telephone-line strung on each
side of the pole, about eight feet below the
ineman
But here the bear received her first
real repulse. She was afraid of the wires
they looked too much like a trap. How
ever, after long, angry glare at the fig
ure astride the cross arms, she waived this
point, and making a few cautious dabs
with her paw, began to ascend again.
But mechanical difficulties now inter-
fered The wires stoutly resisted her pro-
gress; besides, the tapering pole afforded a
very poor hold for the upward struggle.
While she was wrestling with this di-
lemma, the two baby bears came rolicking
up. squatted on their launches while gaz.
ing with expectant relish at the fresh meat
perched on the cross arm, then clambered
eagerly after the mother. 1t looked to
Dan Maloy as if he were freed by whole
bear family.
But at the moment of the gloomy rev.
erie, and just as the old mother bear sue
ceeded in wrenching off an insulator there
by enabling her to wriggle under one wire
, and over the other, Dams face lighted up
with swift relief 1t had occurred to
him that damp bear on wet pole would
be most excellent conductor for electric
ity.
He began fumbling in his pockets, and
in few moments produced small roll OF