Bear Hunting In Colorado

A couple of "tenderíeet." say's the San Juan correspondent of the Chicago Tribune, had an encounter in one of our canyons yesterday with tliree grizzlies; and last evening I drew me to u miner's flreplace tliat I might learn all the thrilling partieulars of how B's right arm was "bitten clear to the bone, sir." Just at the critical poiiTt of the narrative, where the bear -"as big as an ox, sir" - was preparing to swallow thepilgrim, and winking to hia awe-stricken companions to stand in line for their turn, Big Aleck came in. B. A. is one of San Juan's characters, and would go hang himself if any new-comer got the drop on the matter of hair-breadth affairs. "Stop right therePquoth Aleck. the Big; "that ain't nothin to my flght with Old Clubfoot. Thia 'ere latter individual caved up in Arasta Gulch ; and by some raisfortune - probably by bein' turned suddenly round, when he was veiy young, by a mountain-y.ephyr - a couple of his feet were twisted wrong end to, witli the heels in front. This caused a lot of trouble, and great mortality among the miners, as you never could teil by his track which way the bear waa goin'. He was always hungry, and always tearin' fellere up ; and, when a couple of the boys would strike on to Club-foot's trail, they'd jast draw lots for directions. Then one would take up the track and the other down, agreen' beforehand that the one that was wrong should be remembered to his wife and friends by the eurvivor. As the bear was travelin' round pretty frequent, and the man who took the right end of the track one day, might miss his guess the next, it was concluded that I, havin' the moát experience with bar, should appoint myseli a vigilance committee to sit on the case. So lbought two gallons of fortyvod whisky and three gallons of molasses, and obtained a hog-trough that would hold it when mixed. Bears are powerful fond of sweets, and I knew if I got old Club drunk, I could fix him." At this point Aleck the Big was inten upted by a thin, cadaverous ligare, in tattered clothing, who had entered from the chili outside air, and was bending over the small sheet-iron stove to absorb heat. His form curled over the radiator in a half chele, like a drooping sunflower, and he murmured: "I lieerd about you, Aleck, in tliem days; and mighty small chance was Hiere for a bar to get drunk with you standin near the trongh of rum an' nierlasses. You'd take thiee drinks to his'n one." "15. A. looked at the aüenuated figure that was bending closer over the stove and - merel y remarkiug in an adyisor; tone. "You d better turn t'other side Lo theflre, stranger, or you'll warp all on of shape; and l'H 1 ikewise observe tha you'd rather teil a lio on credit thai teil the truth for cash" - proceedei calmly to relate that C. F. feil before the temtation placed in his path, and was executing a drunken dance on lu hind feet when B. A. appeared in th distance with his squirrel rille, and commenced to load it. "lïut, gentle men, the bar saw me, and, i f he wa drunk, took my way so quick that drooped tlie rifle and climed a tree Aml - would you believeitï - that ba picked up the gun, examined it care 1 ully, and blew down the mu.zle t see it' it was loaded. He then winket iili the tree, and beconed with bis forepaw for powder and a bullet." As it was late, and our own cabin ïalf-mile flistande, I left ilnit depraved miner still continuing liis meserable story. ■