St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-01-15
THE CALIFORNIAN.
for the 4Juung FOLKS.
4 Bear story.

We remember u NciE Soi1ISal pc'tl
that belonged to Mr.. Hammond, anc
amused with his tricks the mirth-lovins
people of Paris, in Oxford County, many
years ago. He was captured when &
little cub, and was brought up by HAND
as one Of the family. He claimed the
warmest place on the hearth-stone, an;
nestled in cold weather with the dogs be-
fore the fire. None Of the pet animal,
about the farm were tanner than he; and
none loved better To climb up into hi
masters lap. and receive his cares, OF
understood the whims of his mistress
when begging for a choice morscL HIS
serious countcnance always gave great
effect TO his antics and he seemed 10
understand when he caused laugh
among the household As he was of a
plying disposition, and forever pecping
into every hole, the family were obliged
to lock up everything, even the closets
where they kept their clothing. When
he took it into his head TO make up Il
nest, it was all the same to him whether
the articles be hcapcd together were
wooden, or fur, cotton or silk. If hen
cackled when the cog was laid,' Mr..
Bear understood il as well as any Of the
family or the feathercd tribe and if he
was not prevented, he would find ii and
.uck it before the cackling fowl had
ceased her song.
One Sunday the family went to church,
:nd LEFT the bear alone at home. Bruin
! approved the opportunity, and rummAg-
| all over the hoIse in search of fun or
~pmcthing To eat. Unfortunately, the
.ood housewife had left the cellar door
unlocked and u jar: and it was not long
down the stairs Once down IN the c.l-
lar, he copied the molasscs barrel and
j. til re WAS nything III the house he was
excessively fond OF, it was molas>es or
loncy. Bruin paved over the barrel,
licked the tightly driven hung, and WAS
anuul abandoning it in despair, when he
c-pied the spite. t'ra>ping it with hi
strong teeth, he easily withdrew it, and
OF came the thick molaSses in a steady
stream, 10 til, great delight of tie bear,
v 40 cIarped his mouth 10 the hole and
>'..ked away with grunts of seif-sltist.,c-
t, Il.
The molas,c> >riIl flowed. and >IiIl the
i.,r kept his mouth 10 the orificc, paus-
il e now and then To take hong breath.
:. length lie was full his stomach
cnuli hold no more; yet his appetite was
Mt satisfied. lie squatted on his
h0uncheS and viewed the still runnii
stream with disgust, to think that the
supply was 50 abundant. and that, alas
l., could hold no more. The molas>c~
hid now run out in large quantity, and
had formed Il great pool on the floor;
Bat Bruin dove into it. and rolled him
>n.i thousand times in the thick fluid,
u',il his shaggy coat was covered from
Ii nose TO his tail, with molasses, dirt
a. gravel stones
There he lay in the sweet pool, the
picture of Se,t.sati>iaction, as the cat,
roll and tumble in field OF the catnip
RIB. All at once Mr.. Bear became sick
the stomach, and it was new SELL
sation to him-something he had never
t,lt before As he crew worse, lie tho't
Of his master and mistress, and SO crept
Int they had not returned from church.
Then he crawled up another story, and
i into the girls bed. drawing the snowy
" hitc sheets over his be-mcared form. |
There he lay groanirg and grunting, tie
sjckc>t bear ever seen in that part of the
country.
When the girls arrived they were hor-
I'iird AT the scene, and were going 10 lay .
the room>lick over Bruin, when he start
cI on tie ran Tor the haymow, with the
eaectS sticking to his back 1t was
some time before the bear got well, and
>tili longer before his mistress forgave
h.m.-Our B2ys and GalS.
,,Er\,. orr I-,n StI.,,r. 'ELov,