The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1910-09-22
JUCCLED BY BRUIN
A Boys Remarkable Adventure
With a Pet Bear.
WHIRLED ABOUT LIKE A TOY.

After the Unique Performance Was
Over Seventy six Stitches In the /
Lads Scalp and Rolls of Surgical T
Plaster on His Shins Saved His Lite. I
Ben was pet black bear four years |
old and as good natured and friendly
as If his ancestors had never had bad |
regulations. There Is only one occn
sion on record. says his owner MIR
William H. Wright, In his biography
of Ben IN BLACK Bear" when even to
appearances did Ben misbehave him
self.
The circumstances being examined.
however. the animal came off with his
good name virtually untouched. Ben
had been left In his shed as usual
Later in the day a crowd was seen
about the door ] hurried home TO
find most of the women of the neigh.
borhood wringing their hands and call
ing down all kinds of trouble on my
head
At first ! could make neither head
nor tail of the clamor. but finally gath
cred that that bloodthirsty. savage
and unspeakable bear Of mine had
killed boy. and upon asking to see the
victim was told that the remains
had been taken to neighbours house
and a doctor summoned.
This was pretty serious news; but.
knowing that whatever had happened
Ben had not taken the offensive with
out ample cause. unclaimed him and
put him In the cellar of my house. well
out Of harms way. before looking fur
Their into the matter. Then | went
over to the temporary morgue and
found the corpse-it was one Of the
Urlin boys-sitting up on the kitchen
floor. holding a sort of tmpromptu re-
ception and. with the exception Of
Ben. the least excited Of any one con-
cerned
| could not help admiring the young
ster's pluck. for he was an awful sight.
From his feet to his knees his legs
were lacerated. and his clothing was
torn to shreds. and the top of his head
-redder by far than ever nature had
intended-was covered with blood. As
soon as | laid eyes on him ! guessed
what had happened.
1t developed that the two Urlin boys
had broken open the door of the shed
and gone in to wrestle with the bear
Ben was willing. as he always was
and lively match was soon on
whereupon. seeing that the bear did
not harm the two already In the room
another of the boys joined in the scuf
he Then one of them got on the
bears back.
This was a new one on Ben. but ht
took kindly to the idea and was soor
galloping round the little room will
his rider Then another boy climbed
on. and Ben carried the two of then
at the same mad pace. Then the thirt
boy got aboard. and round they al
went, much to the delight of them
selves and their cheering audience ii
the doorway.
But even Ben's muscles of steel hat
their limit of endurance, and after
few circles of the room with the thre
riders he suddenly stopped and rolle'
over on his back.
And now an amazing thing happen
ed. OF the three boys suddenly tun
bled heller SHELTER from their seats on
happened to fall upon the upturne
Jaws of the bear. and Ben. who 70
years had juggled rope balls. cor
sticks and miniature logs, Instant
undertook to give an exhibition wit
his new implement
Gathering the badly frightened bo
into position. the bear set him whir
ing. His clothing from his shoe top
to his knees was soon ripped to shred
and his legs torn and bleeding. HI
scalp was lacerated by the sharp claw
until the blood came. His cries ros
to shrieks and sank again to moani
But the bear. unmoved. kept up tn
perfect rhythm of his strokes.
Finally the terrified lookers-oD In tn
doorway. realizing that something ha
TO be done If their leader was not
be twirled to death before their eye
tore rail from the fence and with
few pokes IN Ben's side induced bill
to drop the boy. who was then dragge
out apparently more dead than alive
The doctor took seventy six stitcht
In the lads scalp and put rolls Of su
gical plaster on his shins. So squal
and true had Ben juggled him that N
a scratch was found on his face or {
) any part of his body between the to
of his head and his knees. He eve
) tually came out of the hospital I
worse for his ordeal. but | doubt II
. ever again undertook to ride bear
How She Won Out.