Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-10-01
CHE family Circle.

CHE family Circle.
A Remarkable Young Bear.
Little bruin was an unfortunate, mother
less foundling-more unfortunate and
more motherless than ever founding was
before-for he never saw his mother aud
his mother never beheld him. He was
emphatically :" an unlocked cub,' in fact,
he was never born at all. An Indian hun
ter, we'll armed, came across a monstrous
cinnamon bearess, and killed her-and-
we'll, in short, our little bear was sort OF
Macduff. He was a native, if that term
can be used, of the Rattoon mountains, in
New Mexico. The aboriginal hunter who
slew his mother was Ute. Moved by
strange touch of tenderness, he wrapped
up the tiny little creature, and took it in
to Trinidad, where he sold it to Philadel-
phia traveller, DR.. l., who took
fancy to bring it to his friend, Mrs. M
of Glen Eyre. 1t oddly happened that
this lady had always had in the "many
mansions of her great, tender heart,
little house set apart for a pet bear, which
had never come to her. Now he was on
the way-traveling as fast as the stage
coach could carry him. He had to be fed
on milk, from bottle, and when hungry,
as was frequently the case, would cry SO
like child, that passengers, seeing in the
doctors arms bundle very like baby.
were moved to gentlest sympathy. At
Colorado Springs the doctor had a chance
TO present his offspring in person. Mrs.
NJ graciously received it in box,
which was deposited in the bottom of her
carriage. Then she set out for home. But
the way was long, the bottle was empty,
the bear was hungry, and missed his late
guardian. He cried. he whined, he roared,
he broke from his box, tore around the
carriage, and had to be held by two strong
hands. Even at that age this mite of an
ursa minor displayed extraordinary strength
and spirit. Arrived at the house he was
fed till he was gorged and grateful and
dropped off into happy slumber, lying
ON his back, with all four feet in the air.
1t was soon found impracticable to bring
him up on the bottle, as his fierce appetite
caused him to devour the indigestibIe
lndla-rubber tops. He was next taught
to drink from his mistress's fingers, laid
in saucer of milk. He would always
grasp her hand with both his paws, and
hold it firmly till he was through. He
was allowed to run freely about the house,
and while from the first singularly playful
and cunning. was gentle and affectionate.
Little Daisy, tho lovs!iest child alive,
would trot about with him in her arms.
If sue squeezed him ever SO hard, or pull
ed his morse of tail, he would grunt
little, but never use his teeth or his claws.
1t was a new and charming little version
Of Beauty and the Beast. He delighted
to play with the three little boys, running
Jumping, clambering and tumblng about
In marvelousIy jolly and childish way.
When it came to climbing trees, after one
of them, it was question whether the
bear was most of boy or the boy most
of a bear. He learned easily various
tricks, suchsas,walking on his'hind legs, and
standing on his head For music he
showed strong liking, perferring that of
lively character. Whenever he heard
the piano he would prick up his ears,
leave play, his bed. anything but his din>
ner, 90 and seat himself beside the player,
aud listen with all the air of musical
critic. la mischief he surpassed small
boys, puppies and monkeys. He delighted
to get at nicely made bed, and turn it in
to mares nest" He was the torment
Of the poor Chinaman's life-slyly creep
ing into the laundry, and in an instant
turning his basket Of nicely ironed clothes
topsy -turvy. More than once he reduced
All Sin to despair and tears. At last he
began to make foraging raids into the
store-room, and one day was found heels
over head in cask of sugar, having ga
sweet refreshing season." Soon after this
be was banished to the barn, where, as he
frightened the horses and COWS, he was
chained in his little pen. But he worked
at the spring of his chain till he opened it
and escaped to the house. He stole in.
went directly upstairs. turning the knobs
of all the doors that hindered his progress,
made his way to the chamber of his mis-
tress, tore all the clothes off the bed,
danced and tumbled, and had high old
time generally. Once again he broke jail,
and wandered off to parts unknown, and
all one night his kind mistress was troubled
with fears that some one would fnd him
and sell him to a Snowman, and that he
would grow up demoralized, vagabond,
learned bear. But he returned like a
prodigal son, and humbly licked her hand,
and then his own paw, in token of hunger
He showed decided favoritism. On one
of the servants, who had been kind to him
he lavished caresses, but always turned a
cold, bear shoulder on the cook, who had
teased him, and objected to his lawless
fondness for sugar and pickles. When
eating he gave his whole attention to the
business, and did not like to be talked to
or interfered with in any way. Over his
pan of milk he was as cross as an alder
man over his plate of turtle soup. If any
one touched it, he would take it up and
carry it, growing, to the other side of the
pen.
One day, when he was about four months
old. the eldest Of the little lads, his favor
lite comrade, annoyed him by idle fooIing'
at the supreme moment of solemn feasting,
and for all his gentle Christian training
and exclusively human associations, he
showed spice Of original clnnamon-in
fact, turned on his play-fellow and bit bin
The boy, in turn, whipped him severely
This was the crisis-poor little bruin va.
declared dangerous. " Beware, Macduff y
was the cry. and in family council it was
resolved to send him from home-to ban
;ah him "a Manito,1 He went with evil