The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1869-12-04
Tlle Albaay 9e9lster.

A BEAR SToRY.-We remember
very comical bear that belonged to Mr..
Hammond, and amused with his tricks
the mirth-loviug people of Paris, in Ok
ford county, many years ago. He was
captured when a little cub, and was
brought up by hand as one of the family.
He claimed the warmest place on the
hearth-stone, and nestled in cold weather
with the dogs before the fire. None of
the pet animals about the farm were
tanner than he; aud none loved better to
climb up into his masters's lap and re-
cievc hisscares, or understood the whims
Of. his mistress when begging for choice
morsel. i His serious ceuntenance always
gave great effect to his antics; and he
seemed to understand when he caused a
laugh among the household. As he was
of a prying disposition, and forever peep
ing giinto every hole, the family were
Obliged to lock up every thing, even the
closets where they kept their clothing.
When he took it into his head to make
up nest, it was all the same to him
whether the articles he heaped together
were wooden or fur, cotton or silk. If
hen cackled when the egg was laid, Mr..
Bear understood it as well as any of the
family OF. the feathered tribe; and if he
was not prevented, he would find it and
suck it before the cackling foul had ceas-
ed her song. rs
One Sunday the family went to church,
and left the bear alone at home. Bruin
inlproyedthe opportunity, and rummaged
all foyer the house In search of fun or
something to eat. Unfortunately, the
good house wife had left the cellar door
unlocked and ajar s; and it was not long
before the bear discovered it and crept
down the STAIRS 0ncedown In the eel
lar, he espied the molasses barrel and if
there was anything in the house he was
excessively fond of, it was molasses or
honey Bruin paved over the barrel,
licked the tightly-driven bung, and was
about abandoning it in despair, when he
espied the spile Grasping it with his
strong teeth, he easily withdrew it, and
out came the thick molasses in steady
stream, 70 the great delight of the bear,
who clapped his mouth to the hole and
sucked away with grunts of self satisfac-
ton aa.
The molasses still flowed and still the
bear kept. his mouth to the orifce, pausing
now and then to take long breath AT
length he was FULL his stomach could
hold no more; yet his appetite was not
satisfied. He squatted on his launches
and viewed the sill running stream with
disgust, to think that the supply was SO
abundant, and that, alas he could hold
no more. The molasses had now run out
ina large quantity, and had formed a
great pool on the floor but Bruin dove
into it, and rolled himself thousand
times in the thick fluid, until his shaggy
coat was. covered from his nose to his
tail, with molasses, dirt, and gravel
stones =
There he lay in the sweet pool, the
picture of self-satisfaction, as cats roll
and tumble in field of the catnip herb
All at once Mr.. Bear became sick at the
stomach. and it was new sensa-
ton to him = something he had
never felt before AS he grew worse, he
so crept up stairs to ask for their couse-
lation; but they had not returned from
church. Then he crawled up another
story, and got into the girls bed drawing
the snowy white sheets over his besmear-
ed form. There he lay groaning and
grunting the sickest bear ever seen in
that part of the country.
WheHsthe girls arrived they were hor-
rifed at the scene, and were going to lay
the qbroomstick over Bruin, when he
started on the run for the haymow with
the sheets sticking to his back. 1t was
some time before the bear got we'll, and
still longer before his mistress forgave
him.
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