The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-04-09
SPIRIT OF TEE PRESS.
Southern Reconstruction ylvidlv
Portrayed.

iioih 'io AdShHOuu Enquirer.
Once upon time, some foxes and bear went
into partnership and occupied the same cave
They lived together peaceably for many years. the
foxes finding the bear of great advantage to
them, for he contributed more than the foxes did
to the common support and he did most of the
lighting in great battle they once had with
the lion. But at last there arose family quar-
REL and it came about in this way: when the
winter came it was the habit of the bear to stop
work, and TO spend the whole time in the cave
sucking his paws, and in this way he enioyed
himself hugely. The foxes seeing how we'll the
bear got on without work, and how he enioyed
himself, commenced sucking their paws, bat
some how or other they could not make living
in this way, AS the bear could and it didn't pay:
80 they had to go out into the cold and forage
for living as usual. Then they began to envy
the bear, because he appeared to enjoy himself
and live so much easier than they did, and took
violent hatred to him Just because he sucked
his paws. They passed law that the sucking
OF paws should be abolished for ever among
foxes and then they began to demonstrate with
the bear upon the improperly OF his conduct,
aud to petition him to give up the horrible prsc-
tice. But the bear said he would do no such
thing; that it was agreed when they went into
partnership that be should be allowed to suck
his paws i'll peace, that he had "a constitutional
right to do so: that il was necessary for his
comfort and happiness, and paw suck he would
to the end OF time, and the foxes had 10 right
to interfere with him. Then the foxes got up
anti-paw.sucking societies. which declared that
paw sucking was the sum of villainies and they
preached at the bear, and pe,itoned him and
even went SO Tar as TO pull his paws out of his
mouth. at which the bear got into such vio-
lent rage that he declared he would dissolve
partnership with the foxes and leave the cave.
and 20 and set up business for himself. But the
foxes told him he shouldn't leave. The bear
said that he would not ask them any odds-that
he could whip thousand little foxes, and one
day he told the foxes good bye, and proceeded
to walk out Of the cave and leave it forever.
But ne had hardly got out Of the cave before
the foxes got up tremendous howl and
fell on him, and there was such q fight az
was never seen before. The bear flung the foxes
right and left slapped them over, crushed them,
but the more foxes he had killed the more thew
seemed to increase in numbers for the foxes
finding that the bear was getting the best of
them, and was about to get off, sent and hired
some foreign foxes to help them, so that As fast
as one set OF foxes was killed, other foxes were
put in their place, and the bear had no rest.
But he stood at bay and kept the foxes off as
fast as they came up. Finally the foxes, finding
that they couldn't whip him out, 30 they sur
rounded him completely, SO that he could not
get anything to eat Or drink. The bear began
to suffer severely and to grow thin and weak,
and in his distress called upon the eagle and The
lion TO come over and help him, but they told
him he must do his own fighting. At last the
bear became so completely exhausted by hunger
and fatigue that he could scarcely stand up,
and the foxes thinking that they might now
make a venture, collected together in great mum.
bers and fell upon the bear and wallowed him
so that he stopped fighting and cried Enough ~
and said that he would go back into the cave
and carry on business as before. liza
But the foxes told him TO wait awhile, he
must have his abilities removed. SO they tied
him hand and foot with strong cords, and
muzzled him. and placed strong guard aroand
him. and then began 20 parley with him and
persecute him. They told him before they could
let him 20 back into the cave again he must
take solemn oath OF allegiance to the fox gov.
ernment The bear took the prescribed oath,
and said Now let me in" But the foxes
SAID "not yet;" you must take another oath
that paw.sucking is unconstitutional, and swear
never again to suck your paws. The bear took
'hat also, and even went far as to declare that
paw.sucking had been disadvantage TO him,
and that he WAS glad that he had been forced to
give up the aboninable practice, and after maxi
ing this confession, he said Now let me IN"
But the foSes said, not yet, you must eat little
art hrst. Al this the bear was indignant-he
declared that he had never eaten any dirt in his
me- and that it did not agree with him; but
,ne foxes said no matter, You must eat q little
art Just a little; aud the bear made a wry face,
ana took nouthiul Of dirt and eat i. and said
now let me in." But the foxes said not yet !;
You must eat more dirt; and the bear eat more
d'r,' ami said snow let me in" But the foxes
SUD not yet; you haven't eat dirt enough. The
"ear thch began to eat dirt ravenously until his
said, snow let me in" But the foxes said wait
a I. longer, you must become penitent, and