Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-10-08
Bertha and the Rear.

Lulu came in from the wood with her
apron full Of moss and wild flowers Her
face was flushed, and she was very tired, for
she had taken q long ramble. She sat down
on the floor beside Der grandmother, and
leaned her head against her knee. By and
by she asked for a story.
IL was going to say" responded the old
lady, "that you put me in mind of one, Just
now, with all your flowers aud treasures. 1t
is story my grandmother told TO me when
about your age, and it happened to her when
she was very little girl, four or Eve years
old, think.
This country was new then, aud had not
been settled much, except along the coast.
So when Berthas father and one of his
neighbors left the village where they had
lived since they came from England, and
moved with their families several miles in
land, they found themselves in wilderness
where wild boasts roamed and Indians dwolt.
They made little clearing in the forest for
their fields and gardens, and built their log
cabins there.
Bertha was an only child, but in the
neighbours house there were three, all so
much older and larger than she that they
could sometimes venture into the woods BY
themselves short distance. One pleasant
morning they we're going to look for straw.
berries, aud Bertha was allowed to 20 with
them.
"The berries were red and ripe, aud plen-
tiful, and | suppose the other children
became so occupied in gathering them that
they neglected to look after Bertha so it
| happened that she strayed away from them
aud amused herself with pulling the flowers
and long grass till her apron was filled, like
Lulu's aud then shc was tired and sat down
and close by where she was sitting she pres.
emily noticed great brown creature, and il
gazed at her with such kind, good.natured
eyes that she went up to it aud stroked and
patted its face and called it 'dood doggo,
aud 'dreat bid doggie,' aud, when he smelt
of her flowers, said he might have them all
If he wanted to, and took off her apron and
laid 1t on the ground before him; and being
very tired, as said, she erept close TO him
and, resting against his shaggy coat, as she
had often done with the watch dog at homo
went fast asleep.
ain the meantime the children, having
filled their baskets, missed Bertha, and sup
posing she had gone back to the house, from
which they always took care not to wander
very far, they started for home. WheI
they arrived there aud found their littl'
playmate had not returned, how frightened
they were and so was their mother, ant
Berlha's mother more than all. As for thu
two fathers, they had gone deer.huntng, an,
f taken the dog with them.
"What was to be done The women Rnt
, children hurried into the forest, undertaking
the search themselves. They had spen
more than an hour running to and fro an,
calling Bertha Bertha = when suddenl
her mother paused and stood as white an,
motionless as marble, pointing with her 6n
ger. Every one FASTENED to her, and, look
ing in the direction to which she pointed
! saw the little girl lying asleep beside larg
brown bear, her head against its shoulder
and one arm over its neck.
They were all so frightened they hardl
: knew what to do. If they should call t
+; Bertha, or approach her, the beast Nigh
; become enraged and-who knows ?--pcrhaF
tear her to pieces. So they stood gazing fc
J some time, wondering and trembling, an
perfectly silent.
$ awhile they we're standing there watch
ing, Bertha finished her nap, and, ruhbiu
i her eyes and looking about, saw her mothe
. standing little way off with outstretche
arms, and spraug up and ran toward her
l. the bear, too, rising and walking off in III
o opposite direction, as much alarmed at N
II sight Of SO many people as they had been 4
. the sight Of him. -,
IL suppose Bertha got good deal Of hui
: ging and kissing on the way home, but 81
i was sorry, she said, that Tat dreat bid. mic
9 doggie didn't tum long wiz u.s."