Edgar D. Andrews born October 20, 1839
The Bear-Slayer of
"Old Speckled"
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Edgar Andrews of
Stoneham, has killed 57 bears and discovered the Largest Aquamarine in America
"Was doin' considerable huntin' on Spec that fall; had
a couple O' traps sot on th' fust peak an' that afternoon I was spottin' a
trail t' my line O' traps. Didn't carry no gun for I didn't expect t' get a
b'ar son's that, but I'll be blamed if thar wa'nt a monster in th' fust trap.
Wall sir, I picked up a good sized rock an' throwed it at th' b'ar. Hit him
plum on th' nose and if he wa'nt mad! Never heard a b'ar growl an' snarl so in
my life. Ticked me; I sort O' liked th' sport an' patched' up a ball game
right then an' thar. I was pitchin' rocks 'cross th' diamond, an' th' b'ar was
a-dodgin' 'em for all he was worth! Funnest thing you ever see! I'd toss th'
rocks across th' home-plate an' th' varmin would bat 'em right and left. Now
an' then he'd get a good one on th' ear, an' next time he'd catch it on th'
paw. Once I put in a home-run; soaked him a boulder right on th' nose! Purty
tender sport for a b'ar, you know, an' I reckon you'd a-died laugnin' t'
a-seen him lap his paw and look homesick! Never had so much fun in my life.
I'd toss a rock down over th' ledge an' th' b'ar would toss it back again.
T'was better than any circus that ever struck these part! Wall, I couldn't
kill th' b'ar, an' after I got him good an' riled I sort O' edged up with th'
hatchet an' tried to settle his accounts. But by gosh, I didn't cal'late
right. He was onto th' game then. Took just sweep O' his paw t' rip th' slack
out'er my breeches. He did everlastingly whack me 'cross th' shin. Hurt? What
do you think! Reckon I said a cus word an' mebby two, but I danced right up t'
him in I rish fashion. Made a difference which side th' fun come on, an' I
couldn't appreciate his side o' th' joke! Dum ye' says I couldn't appreciate
his side O' th' joke! Dum ye' says I as I flipped him over th' head with
hatchet, so quick he thought he'd been dead a week!"
Such is the story of Edgar Andrews, the mighty bear hunter
of Speckled Mountain in Stoneham Me.
The man who discovered the largest aquamarine ever found in
North America (now in the Field Columbian Museum at Chicago) gem-hunter,
woodsman, gum-digger, slayer of fifty-seven bears and the best specimen of
typical Down East Yankee to be found in the Pine Tree State.
Wayne Paul Andrews