The Washington herald., 1910-01-09

back to the scene Of the tragedy, per-
viding if the bear was killed they was
TO get some bear steak for their trou-
bic, Yves ne promised them all the bear
meat they wanted being as he said all
he keered for was the pelt, so back
Yves started at the head of the perces-
shion which was composed of Constable
Seth Dewberry with his rifle, Len
Brown, our expert carpenter who caf-
RED a axe, Bill Hepburn, our stalwart
and artistic blacksmith, was armed with
heavy sledgehammer, and Eph Hig-
gins, our accommodating postmaster,
who closed up the P. O. and brought
up the rear with an iron post hole dig
| ger
! When they arroye at the scene of the
crime they found The bear still dend up
but growing very threatening. The bear
hunters all collected around the hole OF
the den and the question hatchery ariz
as 10 who would FIRE the fatal shot. Wes
said that being as he had often shot
bears il wasn't no novelty to him TO
shoot one, so he held out the rifle TO
Seth Dewberry, our lion-heaIted town
constable, and told Seth this might be
the only opportunity he would ever have
TO shoot bear, so TO go ahead and take
advantage OF il Seth declined with
thanks-he said that If he was called
upon to shoot a desperate criminal dead
in his tracks and thus uphold the males
ty of the law. he would not hesitate a
instant. but when It come 10 sticking
the muzzle OF the rifle into bears den
and shooting q pore old defenceless
bear who hadn't never harmed nobuddy
he didn't have the heart to do 1t,
| Just then Bill Hepburn stepped up and
said 10 give him that rifle and he would
shoot that bear right through the gizard.
Bill said he was not afeard of any bear
that wore hair and walked on its two
or four feet, so he grabbed the rifle
and stepped up to the hole, while the
others stood back and waited with bated
breath. Yves hollered at Bill not 10 shoot
the bear through the gizard, but TO shoot
| it right betwixt the eyes, which was a
fatal spot Bill he cooked the rifle, took
careful aim, but just as he pulled the
trigger his foot slipped and he shot
against a big rock at the side of the den
and the bullet bounded back and whizzed
past his head within an inch of his ear.
While the shot didn't touch the bear
it stirred him I'D and he made a rush
outen the hole with a roar OF rage. What
follered simply beggars descripshion.
The bear rammed into Bill, who was
standing in front of the hole, striking
him with its head right in the stunt
lex. Bill went over backwards, while the
rifle was knocked outen his hands and
struck Lem Brown, who was standing
there with his axe raised, and the axe
! fell and hit Bill a turrible wallop on
the top Of the head, which if it had been
the sharp end would have cleeved his
skull ike as not
Seth Dewberry, who was standing &c
one side with his revolver cooked, wher
5 the bear rushed forth got so nervou;
he pulled the trigger accidently ant
: come within 2 inches of shooting hisseli
in the foot As for Eph Higgins, he elm
tree, but when he got up about eigh'
foot. the limb he was holding to broke
] and he fell, striking his head on a stone
S and rendering him hors de combat for ;
5 few moments.
As for the bear he lit out down owe
the bluff and up tother side and into th'
woods like streak of creased lightning
T As soon as Bill Hepburn could picl
< hisself up he went up to Lem Brown anC
r shuk his fist under LENS nose and as
/ him what he meant by hitting him owe
: the head with axe like that Lem apol
ogized, saying he done it axidently anC
: was offul sorry. Then Bill cooled down
The bear hunters who went with We
was good deal disappointed not to &c
e any bear steak and returned to Bling
|, vile in deep disgust. None of them ain
t got very much to say about their bea
c hunt