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Show BUCK FEVER COMMON Ulnn Who Saw a Big- Bear Had a Bad Case of It. Tho old guide sat on tho front porch, lazily blowing smoke at tho mosqultoes-froin mosqultoes-froin his pipe. Ills themo was the curious action of people when they co deer, or big game. Ho called the peculiar action "buok fevor." "Yes. sir, when T was guiding I saw lots of .pcoplo havo buok fever. They act the queerest way you ever see when they got it. Why, I have actually seen men lrop their guns on tho ground when they saw a deer, or sometimes thoy shoot Into tho air or into tho ground, thinking they are filling tho animal full of holes. They actually ac-tually go plumb crazy. About every man has a way of his own of acting when he's I got th fever. Some will stnro and gape i away and not think a thing of their gun. But tho queerest caso I ever heard of or see was when I had a party from Now York up to Twin L.nkcs. Ono of tho men In that party went clean crazy, and it took him nigh on to an hour beforo he come out of It. Ho wasn't violent, or anything any-thing of that sort, but just out of his head. It was a bear that gavo him tho buck fevor. and I suppose that s why lie got It so bad. 'It was ono morning at breakfast time that it all happened. I was cooking tators, venison, and other stuff to cat, while the follcrs went down to tho brook and washed themselves. They had all washed up oxcopt ono feller who was late getting upr He went down to tho brook alone, and by and by ho came back. When ho camo into tho door the ilrat thing ho did was to stand on ono foot and swing arouna on It with his other foot In tho nlr. I looked at him and thought he was doing It for fun, but I remember afterward after-ward that his eyes sort of bunged out a llttlo. After he swung around ho went to the towel and wiped his face After he did that ho up and swung around on tho toes of lils foot again. Then he took his toothbrush and a cup of water and washed Ills teeth, anil when ho got through I'll be blowcd If he didn't up and swing around on tho toe of his shoo with Ills other foot In tho air, just as ho did before " 'Steve Is happy today." said ono of tho follers. 'Must bo ho Is going to kill a deer.' Stevenson didn't say a word, but planted himself beforo tho looking-glass and began combing ills hair. Pretty quick ho finished, and took another swing around. He whipped out it funny kind of knifo and fixed up his finger nails, swung around, put on his collar, IiIh lie, then his cdat. and. ldlollcllke. swung around after he did each of these things. It was crazy actions, but wo supposed ho was Jutst doing It for fun. Then he got down his gun, jammed it full of cartridges, and started for tho door. 'Where aro you going?' go-ing?' said I. 'BreakfnsfB about ready. Bear! boar!' said hb, and he up and swung around, and his eyes popped and stuck out like a scared owl's I Jumped and grabbed my gun and made for tho door with tho other fellows after me. Wo run down to tho brook. Well, tho man had been so long fixing xip that I kncw tho bear was on the other side of tho mountain by that time. But vo wont down to thu brook whoro it had been, and there, In the sand, was the biggest tracks of a bear I ever see. "When Stevenson saw them ho stuck ono foot in tho air. whirled around and fell to Ihe ground in a (loop faint. We pourncd some whisky down his throat, and beforo long he come to. Hp was weak and shook all over 'Did I kill him?' ho said He seemed to have clean forgot what had happened after ho went to the brook to wash. When wc told him what he'd been doing, he seemed surprised. 'Why.' ho said, 'when I got through washing I stood up and looked down tho brook, and there was an enormous bear drinking from tho water. I whirled around on ono foot and started for the camp and the gun. as I suppose.' " 'Buck fever, by gosh.' said I. and wc all laughed hTTM it was a mf. o JH Tribune? l noJijM . 'iJH |
