The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1916-06-08
STALkED BY
A GRIZZLY
BY NJ. QUAD
Copyright. 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate


hunter a well known character named
Tom Larsen. He had hunted grizzly
bears in old Mexico, New Mexico, Utah
Idaho, Nevada and Montana. One
night by the campfire he told us the
following:
Down In the lowlands. where was
taking "A rest after hard winter.
millionaire from Boston. who had come
out on some railroad business and
brought an arsenal of guns with him
10 XIII game, offered me $500 for the
pelt Of grizzly bear. The victim must
be big one, with fur in good condi-
tion and teeth and claws All right.
After reaching my hunting ground
spent two days cutting down trees
and building me stout cabin. I
would make this cabin my headquar-
tiers and hunt the country for thirty
or forty miles around.
The grizzly Is not clean animal.
He gives out a bad odor The cave
wherein one has passed the winter out
smells a Chicago Strengthening house.
1t was the scent of a grizzly that came
TO my nostrilS on the evening Of the
second day Of my arrival.
Il continued 10 scent that grizzly for
half an hour, but could not get sight
Of him. He circled around me three or
four times. and | am sure he came
within 100 feet of me. and then he
moved away SO silently that not twig
rustled, Being tired out with my days
work, | went to sleep at an early hour.
but along toward midnight / awoke all
OF sudden and sat up on my bed OF
boughs. 1t was not so dark but that |
made out an object sitting in the door
way which was not there when turn
ed in. A Whit of the rank odor reach
ed my nostrils, and | knew that that
object was Old Ephraim come back for
another look at me grabbed for my
gun, but he was off like II shot
About > O'Clock the next afternoon
as | sat smoking my pipe in the door
way that grizzly odor suddenly came
to me again. arose to my feet and
looked carefully around me, but was
unable to see anything of brun. Sud
denly he gruwlcd from the depths of a
thickct. II seemed to me that he want
ed me TO know that he was near. 1t
was IA growl full of menace. and for
moment | thought It would he follow
ed by his appearance. hut he did not
show himself. When he moved away
1t was as silensly as on previous occa-
ei9ns
After my morning meal went
down 70 Il little cove where | had hob
blcd the mules al i my horse that they
might browse around and not stray too
far, found them huddlcd together
and trembling in fear They had
caught the smell of Old Ephraim, and
perhaps he had shown himself. but
why hadn't he Inflicted an injury?
Here was pres, hut lie had passed it
by As | struck away from the cove.
feeling mighty uncomfortable about
the actions of that bear | determined
to be more than ever witchful for his
presence There was no breeze ut all.
and We stood an even chance regarding
the scent question | walked ns softly
as any Indian. and every minute or
two / halted 10 peer about me After
two hours had neither seen nor heard
anything suspicious Then took a
rest against big bow lier ard figured
that my enemy had dropped me for
good
The next minute | was gazing into
the eyes of that old bear He had been
hidlug behind the bowlder and walked
out Of his hiding place as cool as YOU
please and like ar o,d friend 1t was
a sudden Jolt for rtc. but | did not lose
my nerve. My rifle VAS leaning against
the bowlder beside me. and | reached
for 1t. but before | could bring il up the
bear uttered Il groWl SO full of menace
and murder that it gave me a chill. | /
dcsisted IN my efforts and faced him
squafely and the hard CLINT in his
eyes gradually softened dared not
move away. and he seemed 10 have
no desire f. do ST himself How long
did We face each other? Well. il might /
have been three. five or ten minutes. |
did not have watgh 10 keep time on |
II. ny and by | found myself step |
ping backward aud thei, turning and /
walking away.
1T WAS several good miles 10 my /
cabin, and am telling you that old /
Ephriam followed in my footsteps ali /
the way Vt any time during the jour. /
ney hc vould have fastened his teeth /
and claws II me. but he made no at
tack. When | reached the cabin he /
turned away ana was soon out OF I
sight SIT down and called myself +
a coward nliy times over, had been /
afraid ~ th3t grizzly aud was stll in /
fear lie lad acted SO aueerly that / .
was all uuHerved
Next das brought mp tile animals /
from The we and packed my outdt I
on them ali did not make camp again T
until fifty miles away. may T.
tell you tI6t bruin followed me good
ten miles my Journey, and when he
turned hH had his been human
face ! m.At have detected grin Of
satiSfact upon t.
Il had yet pitched camp AZ the
new place hen an old she grizzly with