Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-12-16
BAEELED The BEAR.
Exciting Domestic Event in the Early
Days of Vermont.

Two of the first English settlers in
the town of Addison, VT, were John
Strong and Zadok Everest Early in
the fall of 1776 Strong and Everest had
to go to Albany for provisions, Pioneer
women seldom worried, but for some
reason Molly Strong felt uneasy after
her husband had gone. She and her
sons got in a good supply of fuel and
did the chores early.
When they came back to the cabin
the baby was crying for his supper,
and Mrs. Strong gave him a cup OF
warm milk and sat him down in front
of the fireplace. She had just swung
the kettle of samp from the fire when
she heard a noise. Looking round, she
saw the blanket that served for door
swing aside as a great bear thrust her
head into the room. The children
screamed, and the bear backed out in
haste, but Molly Strong knew that she
would return.
Quick, children" she said as she
caught up the baby. Climb the ladder.
Let sister go up first, now Johnnie,
now Frank-hurry, hurry!'
When the others were safe in the loft
Mrs. Strong climbed up with the baby
and drew the ladder after her. She laid
it across the hole, and then she and
the children sat down and waited. The
floor Of the loft was made of round
poles laid closely together. but not
fastened. 1t was dangerous to move
about on it.
Peering down through the pole floor,
they listened and watched for the bear
fn har
moving round the house, and once a
big paw crashed through the oiled pa
per at the window hole. Finally she
came to the door and, after blinking
uncertainty at the fire walked in. Two
cubs followed her. The old bear pres
emily upset the pan of milk on the ta-
BILE, and the cubs began to lap it up
eagerly.
I'D like taste of that myself"
Frank whispered.
$50 would l." Johnnie replied. I'm
awful hungry"
Next, the bear found the pudding
kettle and took mouthful of the boil
ing samp. Jumping back with n cry of
pain and rage. she broke the pot with a
swift blow of her paw, and then sat UP
on her launches. growing and whin-
ing and began to dig the pudding out of
her mouth. The cubs sat and watched
her in grave wonder.
That was too much for the children,
who burst into laughter. Instantly the
bear gave loud roar and rushed to-
ward the hole with the ladder across
1t. Mrs. Strong gave hurried orders:
Get me a pole, Frank, quick! Now,
get another. Punch her If she tries to
climb up. Be careful. Don't fall
through
The baby, awakened by the noise,
began to wall, and Mrs. Strong sooth-
ed him with one hand while with the
pole in the other she warded off the
bear. The little girl clung crying to
her mothers skirt, but the boys each
had long pole and prodded the bear
through the rungs of the ladder The
big brute finally shuffled off toward the
door. She pulled down the blanket and
tore it into shreds; then she went out,
followed by her cubs.
She's gone" Johnnie said. DO you
think she'll come back, mother?"
IT expect she will, son, but we can
manage her-if we keep awake"
Il won't go to sleep." groaned john
mic. I'm too hungry!''
Nevertheless, the silent wait in the
dimly lighted loft made them all
drowsy. and before the bear returned
Mrs. Strong knew by their heavy
breathing that the children were
asleep. 1t was near midnight when the
bear came in and renewed her efforts
to reach the loft. Mrs. Strong raped
her sharply with her pole, and there
was roar that brought the boys to
their feet.
Dazed and only half awake, Johnnie
ran across the loft. His foot slipped
into gap between the poles, and as he
fell other poles spread apart. Down he
went into the room with the bear and
her cubs. The bear did not see him fall,
but she faced about at the noise and
started toward him.
Quick as a flash, Mrs. Strong brought
her pole down on the nearest cub and
pinned him to the floor. The bear turn
ed to rescue her squealing offspring,