The Wahpeton times., 1917-12-27
Bear Story

An account Of a bear that died Of
fright, reminds me of a story that was
often told me by n man. now old, who
In his youth herded geese for farm.
er on the st. John river, between
Maine and Canada. cannot vouch
for its truth, but the old man was not
accustomed to trifle with the truth.
and I knew his neighbors all gave the
story complete credence. says con-
trtbutor to the Youths Companion.
Il was hearty, lusty kind of crit.
ter In them days." so the old man used
to say, land there was very few things
I wasn't into and out of. I could reap
and bind and use an ax, and 1 was
pretty good at runnin' and wrasslin'.
There was an old man nearabouts that
was thought to've been descrter
from the English army, and some of
US youngsters he showed how to drill {:
and as l took to 1t better'n some, he
showed me the use of the bugle and
taught me some of the calls. He'd
been bugler in the army.
"That year I worked for farmer
who lived on the river near where a
small stream made in. The point of
land where the two streams, arrowcd
together was very fiat and smooth, and
1t run out to thin silver Of sand at
the point. Back of the point 1t was
covered with thick grass. It was
handsome place to fattcn geese, If they
was let alone. and that was my job
to make sure nothing bothered 'em.
"The farmer I worked for had a big
farm. He raised a power of hay and
he tied up forty head Of cattle and
the butter he made he sent down river
to the big settlements. And in the
fall of the year he'd send down load
after load Of chickens and geese. Many
night I've been up till daylight gcttin'
a load of 'em ready to go in the MORN
ina load for a yoke of oxen, mind
you!
"The chickens had the run of the
farm and took their own chances of
foxes, and such, but the geese he
looked after more. hertlin' 'em down
where the grass was good and
sendin' ME to get 'em up Mt night.
The geese had got so they knew me.
and would come when I called 'em.
and generally they'd come when I'd
got to the top of the hill that looked
down on the river and blew on the
bugle the old soldier let me take. The
old gander'd squawk once or twice.
and the whole b'ilin' Of 'em would
pint for me. and I'd drive 'em home.
I guess there was four hundred of
'em.
zone evcnin' I wchk down for the
geese, and when I fetched the top of
the hill and looked down onto the fiat
there wasn't goose there--they was
all out in the hight Of the river, hud.
died together In bunch, l0olin' like
half an acre of snow ice. Their heads
was all p'intin' one way. and when
hove in sight they set up n squallin'
that all but deefencd me. never
heard such Il tousc
'"rhinks I. There's n fox there,
mebbe, and I sncaked down over the
grass lords the place where their
heads was p'intin'. There was Il little
clump Of basket willow there on the
aidge Of the bank. and the geese SEEM
ell to be squallin' at somethin hi,,
there. I jealoused it would he a good
prank for me to jump into that bunch
of willows and let out blast on my
bugle when lit. figgercd 1t would
give that fox somethin' to think of all
the rest of ais days.
$50 down that slope 1 went. and
when come over against the bunch of
bushes gathered myself and lep' up
and "ut-and while was in the air
III n give anything in the world tn
be able to turn aud jump back without
lightin', for 1t wasn't fox at al: 1t
was Il bear. black ns winter mink.
and as big. seemln'ly. as any COW We
had! He was Jest rlsin' to his hind
feet and he had his for'ard paws
stretched out lords me. and lit right
In 'pN so all he h0,l to do ,voS to
hug me and that'd be the last of me.
ut wasn't a question of seconds.
even; 1t was time rcckoned by wInks
of the eye, or less. that the rest of i,
happened. Just as l come down into
the bears arms. as YOU might say, his
ear came ut the mouth Of the bugle,
where I'd set 1t to my mouth as I'd
jumped, and with the last bit of
breath and strength had. l hlowed a
blast into his cara blast fit to stir
the dead!
"And with that blast" the old man
always finished. ~ felt his arms, tha,
had been tightenin'. grow slack, ant!
only for my jumpin' back smart, he'd
u fell on me. Yes. sir; 1t killed him.
That awful blarc. like nothin he'd
ever heard In all his life comm right
inside hlS mud hand ,,o,, ,,,f,.La