The sun., 1910-02-06
EUN FOR BEAR,
L FOX AND DEER
Tables Turned on the Hunter IN
the Woods Back of
Lackawaek.

MArAAEoRAs. Pa. Feb, B.-~I didn't
want the bear" said Warren X. Ridgway.
ex-Sheriff. ex-Trsasursr. ex-Register. ex-
Recorder. ex-Clerk Of Pike county. Penn
sylvania. The buck had counted on
getting later. But I did want the pheass
ants. and II could have got my hands on
the fox just then I'd have choksd II black
70 the face and thrown It's carcass TO the
crows; and the bear got the pig.
Il had some company out at my lum-
bering place back Of Lackawaok and /
told EN- I'd 20 out and get some bear or
venison or pheasants for dinner, which
ever they cared 70 have.
"Or all OF EN- said.
They said they'd d rather have pheasants
than anything else. 30 shouldered my
shotgun. and taking only birdshot with
me went out to get TIE pheasants. Six
they said would be enough. 30 / only
took six cartridges.
Il soon got Ave Of the birds and was
looking around to bag the sixth when
blame impudent bear gotup out OF some
down trees not more than twenty yards
ahead Of me. and the way 1t looked to me
made faces at me, knowing OF course
that I was out just for birds and didn't
have my bear dogs with mo.
-Now was a little late in getting my
quota OF birds owing to the fifth bird had
marked down having thought to fool mo
by not getting up. knowing that wouldn't
shoot it except on the wing. which forced
me to 60 out Of my way to flush another,
80 I was considerably hct up, and
when that bear got up In front OF me with
that aggravating sneer on his face It
was more than could stand. and for
getting that only had that one cartridge
left for the sixth bird exclaimed:
"'I'I just spoil that mug Of yours.
Mr. Bear. anyway
And I blAzed away with that last
charge Of birdshot. spoiled the bears
mug all right. but at the same time
spoiled the bears temper. The bear
paved the birdshot out Of his eyes and
nose and mouth. and before / was half
through laughing at the comic way he
did 1t he rose out Of that tangle Of down
trees and came for me like a log raft
broke loose on q forty foot flood.
Then for the first it struck me that i
didn't want that bear. but at the same
instant II struck me too that there was no
question but what the bear wanted mo.
Remembering that had company for
dinner, didn't want to 90 back all mussed
and scrambled up by disputing the bears
space that lay between me and a nine foot
stump OF TO my right, and got to the top
of It some way, Just as the bear arrived
ahd grabbed the heel Oh OF one OF my
boots
an that r,Ish Of mine TO get TO the top
Of that stump the strap over my shoulder
that held my game pouch came un-
buckled in some way and the pouch
tumbled to the ground. 1t had my hve
time didn't pause 70 pick It up. so the fox
that came trottins along that way just
after achieved the summit Of that stump
saw nothing In the way OF HIS helping himr
self to thoss nice plump birds, which he
ting on his way with Il. birds and ali.
THAT certainly did everlastingly pro- |
woke me. and the Just fate that overlook |
that thieying fox saved it from the ven
geance that l would have yndoubtediy |
"A big buck had been hanging around |
In those woods all fall. and he was 50 |
smart that do what We might we never |
could get sight Of the old chap except |
to see him kick up his heels at us so far out |
Of reach that we might as well have tried |
to shoot a hole through the moon as to |
get a shot in on him. OF course never |
knew how that buck knew that the bear |
had me treed on that stump. with not |
even birdshot in my gum. but ne got
dancing around from side to side OF the |
top OF the stump TO keep out OF the way |
Of the bears toenaiis as he slapped them |
up against the edges OF Il I saw the |
buck come prancing along through the |
the stump. not ten feet away. and there |
he stopped and watched me doing jigs |
on top OF It, and by the way he'd snort |
every little while and stamp his feet and !
shake himself l knew ding well he was |
enjoying the fun to beat the oars.
SWell Of course this conduct OF the |
buck provoked me still more. and |
vowed IL ever got safely away from |
there those woods never could continue |
to hold both me and that buck, and
might as well say night now that they |
some OF the folks back up Laokawack |
had a way Of turning their pigs loose |
to feed in the woods. and sometimes |
pig would wander good ways from
pened the day the bear induced me to |
seek the refuge Of that stump. or just |
how the skirrnish Of wits between the |
bear and me would have had it's finish |
can't say. l was getting some weary |
OF dancing around up there in the air |
with only about twelve inches or SO Of /
footing to dance on when q pig, a Moe, |
fat, plump spring shoat, came leisurely 1
out OF the brush right into the opening |
Wner0 i was uAnCin8 undef the 0lreCLlOn
OF the bear. with the buck as pleased
audience.
-As it came out into the opening the Dig
saw the bear II turned and went tearing
back into the brush. The bear had seen
the pig. though. at the same time. Pig
had more attraction for bear than man
had, and the bear dropped down from
Its fun with me and went shambling away
on the trail OF the pig.
i lost no time in getting down OF Of
that stump, and then the buck went bound
ing Oh into the woods like the wind As
was heading away from tho spot heard
the pig give one all pervading squeal on
down toward tho hollow, and know the
bear would have porkfog dinner.
"As l was tearing along through the
woods swearing venGeance against thiev-
ing fox, vindictive bear and aggravatiuR
buck I came suddenly to little ledge
that rose from ono side Of q swale and
was startled to Gee my game pouch lying
near the edge OF Il. fast on hemlook
root ] looked over the rock and there
down along its side hung the fox with tho
strap tight around It's neck