Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1908-01-31
MAJOR sroNnR.s BEAR.

While Major stoner was living in
JohnstOwn, and Eot long after he
commenced housekeeping. a large
bear came into his wheat field, doing
no little mischief. To destroy this
grain destroyer he erected q staging,
and watched repeatedly for him, but
his vigilance was all In vain, and the
wheat, when ripe, was harvested. AS
the corn began to fill in the ear, bruln
again thrust himself upon the hos
pltality OF the major. His bearship
soon found, however, as have some
more worthy though less courageous,
that the charities Of the world are
granted grudglngly to strangers. For
severa; evenings after his first en-
trance the husbsndman vainly sought
an interview with his unwelcome
guest, with malice aforethought
ranking In his breast. death intent
absorbing all his thoughts. and
rife loaded with two balls resting on
his arm.
At length. in one of his nightly
watchlngs, he heard his dusky VS.
ears, aud although the night was
dark. he approached sufficiently near
to gain an indistinet view of him,
and instantly levelled and fired, At
the report Of his rife, agreeably to
concert, q large watch dog. confined
In the house, was let out by Mrs.
Stoner. and as the interloper re-
treated from the corn, was soon yelp-
ing at his heels. He leaped a fence
into field where lot OF fax had
been spread, and after pursuing for
some distance the dog returned home.
in the morning blood was observed
on the fence where the animal had
s.ss-fissss ssssd8 chat
I n wounded he would not return. In
agine stoner's surprise, therefore, the
very next day, when q neighboring
woman came running his house,
near which he chaaeed e At work,
to tell him that the / . had come
back, and was then In .er orchard,
but short distance or
Leaving the dog confined in his
dwelling, to be let out Il he fired.
armed with his rife he ran to the
orchard. He was not long in getting
a shot, and soon the dog was at his
side. The bear, badly wounded. was
overtaken by Growler at the roots OF
a dry tree. and several times, as the
fotmer tried to ascend. the latter
pulled him back. Without leaving
hid tracks after he fred. the sports-
man, as was the custom. ioaged an
othar charge IN ms rife. To his
cba ctfn bo Ssand that the stopple to
bl- swcer horn was broken of, and
1 he was obliged to cut hole in the
horn 10 obtain a charge of powder.
This oecasioGed come delay in load.
ing, and by the time he had finished
his dog was crying most pltaously
Not pleased with being so uncere.
moniously drawn back, the bear
turned upon his adversary, and sue.
ceeded in getting paw of the latter
in his mouth
A dog in distress never fails tc
bring down the vengeance Of its own.
er upon the object causing it: and
hurrying to the tree where was en-.
acting the tug OF war, he thrust the
muzzle Of the piece into bruins 1
mouth to pry open his Jaws and lib. /
crate his canine friend. Not alto.
gether pleased with the interference (
the grain and apple cater struck
blow at the intruder with one OF his
monstrous pevs, tearing on one Iee
OF his pantaloons. and leaving the
prints OF his nails on the flesh. The
end of the gun being still in the ami,
mails mouth, he discharged It and
blew out his brains. The yell of the
dog attracted the attention of several
neighbors. and Just as StoneF fred a
second time, Lieutenant Wallace and
his hired man Hulster, arrived at the
scene of action. armed with pitch.
forks.
The bear proved to be very large,
and had one white paw. On exam.
lining, to learn the cause, it was found
that one OF the bullets fred at him
In the eornfeld had passed through
the centre Of a forefoot while in an
erect position, AMI the animal had
sucked it until the inner part was as
white as snow.-The Trap9eIs Of New /
York