Year: 1873

The particulars Of a terrific strug-
gle with bears in the town of Boyls-
ton, in this county, have just reached
us, and are Of a most thrilling char
acter.


1t appears that on Monday last,
one week ago to-day, young man
named John Bidwell, aged 10 years,
with his father, 4. One-arlned man,
his brother, a mere lad, went into the
woods about four miles east of
Snart's mills, in Boylston, to gather
spruce gum. They carried no wea-
pons, and their only tools were a
common nail hatchet and dirk knife
for the purpose Of cutting the gum
from the trees, and Il chisel fastened
to ii long pole. The latter was carried
by the father. The hatchet had a
handle about four feet long and made
of exceedingly tough wood, so that
it might even be struck against tree
and bent half double without iniur-
ing it. ......


Thus equipped they were proceed
ing through the woods about their
work when John saw bear track,
and following it with his eye saw
about two rods ahead of him IL hole in
the snow beside a big hemlock log.
He went to look into it, but Just as he
reached it slumped in the snow and
fell head foremost into the hole, his
head barely escaping the mouth OF Il
huge bear that was just emerging
with his jaws distended.


This was critical time for John,
and had he attempted to run, as most
men would have done in such cir
cumstances, he would scarcely have
escaped alive. But John was the
man for the emergency and the
thought OF running never entered his
head. He had barely time to draw
back, and then brought the bear a
blow on the nose with his hatchet
which dropped her. In Il second,
however, the bear had sprung up
again only maddened by the blow,
but John was i'll time for her and
dealt her terrible blow between the
eyes with the edge of his hatchet,
cutting, as afterward proved, clear to
the brain. The bear came for John a
third time, but was met by another
powerful blow from the hatchet, which
finished her, and the bear died in the
mouth OF the hole.


1t required Il strong effort to pull
the bear out, and John had scarcely
accomplished it when q cub, nearly
full grown, appeared. Nothing
darnted, John went at him, and after
a brief struggle served him as he had
served the dam, but had scarcely done
with him when bear number three
appeared, which proved to be the
other cub. John struck at him with
the hatchet, but missed him. The
bear sprang upon him, and the llatchet
could no longer be used. But with
GOODNESS and pluck that never desert
ed him, John proved himself Il match
for brllin i'll any shape. He drew the
dirk knife and drove it to the heart
Of his savage foe, which Immediately
released its hold and expired.


OF course John fully realized before
this time what he had struck, and
now prepared himself for the other
old bear, but after waiting awhile,
and this member of the family not
appearing, he gave him up.


During the entire fight the father
stood near by, but having no weapon,
and but one arm, he was unable to
lend his son any aid, and feared that
by interfering he might injurc him.
The younger brother, not liking the
looks of things, had taken to a tree
and watched the savage encounter
with not Il little alarm.


When the old bear was measured
her length was found to be six feet
from the nose to the stern. All three
of them were skinned, and the skins
sold for twenty dollars. - Osueyo
~. ~ Times, Nay 5.