Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-03-13
.BAFFLED The BEAR
Exciting Domestic Event In the
Early Days Of Vermont.
TALE OF AN ALL NIGHT SIEGE.

q Quick Retreat by Tho Inmates and
. Display Of Presence Of Mind.
Two OF the first English settlers In
the town Of Addison, VT, were John
Strong and Zadok Everest. EARLY In
the fall of l7TG Strong and Everest
had 70 go to Albany for provisions
Pioneer women seldom worried. but
for some reason Molly Strong felt un
eusy after her husband bad gone. She
and her sol 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 suppe
and Mrs. Strong gave him a cup Of
warm milk mud 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
sew the blanket that served for a 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. childrenF' she said as she
caught up the baby. "Climb the lad
der. Let sister go up frst. now John.
ME, nov Frank-hurry, hurryT'
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
aud the children sat down and waited.
The door 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
to come back. They could hear her
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 Ia.
BILE, and the cubs began to lap It up
eagerly.
I'D like a taste of that myself"
Frank whispered.
so would l." Johnnie replied. "Tm
awful hungry"
Next. the bear found the pudding
kettle and took a mouthful Of the boil.
ing samp. Jumping back with n cry
OF pain and rage. she broke the pot
with n swift blow Of her paw. and then
sat mp on her launches. growing and
whining. and began to dig the pud.
ding 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
hear CAV a loud roar and rushed to-
ward the hole with the ladder across
1t. Mrs. Strong gave hurried orders;
Get me Il pole. Frank. quick! Now.
get another. Punch her II she tries to
climb up. Be careful. Don't fall
through"
The baby. awakened by the noise, be
gan to wall. and Mrs. Strong soOthed
him with one hand while with the
pole In the other she warded of the
bear. The little girl chung crying to
her mothers skirts. but the boys each
had II long pole aud prodded the bear
, through the rungs of the ladder. The
big brute finally shufied Off toward the
door. She pulled down the blanket
|, and tore 1t into shreds: then she went
out, followed by her cubs.
"She's gOner' Johnnie said. "Dc
| you think she'll come back. motherf"
, 81 expect she will. son. but we car
manage her-if we keep awake"
. 81 won't go to sleep!' groaned John
q ME. I'm too hungry"
! Nevertheless. the silent wait in the
dimly lighted loft made them al
a ' drOwsy. and before the bear returned
Mrs. Strong knew by their heavy
' breathing that the children were
asleep. II was near midnight wheI
! the bear came in and renewed her eff
i forts to reach the loft. Mrs. Stronl
J raped her sharply with her pole. ant
there was a roar that brought the boy
2 to their feet.
Dazed and only half awake. Johnnie
ran across the loft. His foot slippeC
q Into Il gap between the poles, and as b,
fell other poles spread apart. Down III
went into the room with the bear nn'
= her cubs. The zeal did not see hin
fall. but she faced about at the nois'
q and started toward him.
Quick as a fash, Mrs. Strong brough
n her pole down on the nearest cub ant
a pinned him to the floor. The bea
turned to rescue her squealing on
spring. and Frank drew his brother d
y into the loft unframed.
No injury to herself could hav
' weakened The old bears courage lk
the attack on her cub, and althoug
at intervals she slouched In and out o
/ the cabin, she made no further a
q tempt to reach the loft AS 1t grey
light Mrs. Strong, watching throug
the chinks In the wall, saw her lea
her cubs across the clearing into tn
woods.
AS o as she thought 1t safe sh
lowered the ladder and the family cam
down. They saw no more Of the bea
n and when Mr.. Strong came home b
1 made the cabin c with a doc
49,.