Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-09-12
Shephdstow Jefferson County, Virginia. Thursday September II 1918
Speaking OF Bear.


grizzled prospector as ne gazed
thoughtfully over the rail of the obser-
vation-car platform, 'you may be sur
prised to hear it, but these hills are still
alive with them"
The train was chug-chugging slowly
up the steep incline of the canon in
which the evening shadows were al
ready gathering. The passengers
peered eagerly into the depths Of the
shaggy mountain walls as if in the hope
of actually seeing a bear.
eyes, sir" continued the prospector
as he pulled his Scotch cap well over a
pair of twinkling eyes, "bear and trout
areas thick in this part Of Utah as they
were before the days of the railroad,
with a few catamount thrown in for
good measure"
"Yes?" The little New Yorker spoke
the word with just the right infection.
81 was away back in these very hills
on little fishing jaunt last summer.
We were camped up about Eagle Grove,
Bob Parks and l. The fishing was fine.
| never saw prettier trout.
"Well, along toward sundown one af-
ternoon was whipping particularly
rough bit of the Little Green River. |
had backed up against steep rock on
the upper side OF big pool and was
having the time of my life trying TO
whip out some big trout. Rock bottom
makes pretty slippery standing at best,
and it was all could do to keep my
footing and make the casts. Bob was
farther upstream out of sight.
"Why looked round | can't say.
Anyhow, seemed to feel, more than
see, big shadow looming up above me.
gave startled look upward and saw
the nose and one paw of a big grizzly.
He was lying down on the rock and sort
of swiping lazily at me with one paw,
like cat batting at flying leaf.
"All the ice in that melted snow water
seemed to flow into my veins. Again
that big paw swished by over my head
1t missed me by more than foot but
looked as big as mountain. tried to
collest my wits and devise means OF
getting out with a whole skin, but my
brain was muddled. usually pack q
revolver, but that day I'd left it at camp
with my holster | thought Of plung-
ing across the pool, but hesitated be-
cause of its depth, the current and my
heavy boots. couldn't work up along
the rock because the bear blocked the
way.
"All those thoughts occupied me only
a few seconds. The big paw was just
starting on another playful swing al
my head when | heard yell. II was
Bob.
"At that yell the bear forgot all about
me. He gave a mighty heave that sem
bits of rock spinning into the water
and whirled on all fours to face Bob
| couldn't see what was happening, but
| judged that Bob sighted the bear al
about the same time that the beal
sighted Bob. Some foolish idea of dis.
tracing the bears attention in order tc
give Bob time to get away flashed
through my head.Ihipped my rod anc
sent that gut leader spinning out fol
one OF the prettiest casts have evel
made. The fly landed squarely on the
bears nose, and with quick jerk
had him hooked as neatly as any trou
ever caught.
"Say! There were seven kinds o.
earthquakes and a tornado thrown ir
for good measure. And how tina
grizzly clawed and spit and snorted anC
fought! | almost lost my grip on tht
rod. Then there was mighty splash
shower Of rocks and dirt, and was
swept off my feet and under, fighting fol
air and swallowing buckets of water.
"But hung to that rod, although tht
bear gave such a jerk on it that he al
most wrenched my right arm loose.
shot to the top like cork, and the mex
instant was cutting through that poo
like a motor boat. There was the bear
fifty feet ahead of me, swimming at ;
great rate, snorting and putting with tht
pain of hundred-and- sixty pound mar
dragging at the end OF that fishlihe
Thanks to the strength Of that gut lead
er, the bear took me across the pool il
record time.
"When | hit rock bottom on the othel
side, let go of that rod in hurry. 1
was either that or get towed across tht
whole OF Utah. That bear simply tore
ahead like British tank. He didn'
stop for anything. The last we saw o
him he was way up the trail, bouncing
along, with the rod still banging alon,
behind him. The funny part Of il al
was that Bob had left his gun in CANT
too. Maybe it was lucky. Using a gur
on grizzly bear is dangerous bust
ness"
7---- -----------'-'