Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-09-12
Tht family CirtIe.
How JackH Made Relieve.

HOW JaCky Made Believe.
Jacky and his little sister went out one
morning after breakfast in search of nd
ventures. And there were plenty of places
near by where almost anything might hap
pen. Quite near the house was lane
which led into the woods that stretched
away, nobody knew how far, and nobody
knew what strange things might be in it.
They followed this lane into the woods
and went on and on, with wide-open ewes
fully expecting to see something.
Finally they did come upon something
big and black, curled up at the foot of a
tree.
Whoop" says Jacky, Il know what
it is-it's bear" Jacky had always
dotted on bears, and had often held his little
sister spell bound while he recounted the
adventures which he certainly would have
with a bear, should he ever come across
one anywhere,
Now he took stick, and began to poke
at the-whatever it was. 1t raised its
head slowly, and looked at the children.
Well it's just rs good us bear, any
way, come on, Mattel" cried Jacky.
Little Mary gathered courage, and came
nearer Why, Jacky Temple! it isn't a
bear, | don't believe-it looks like Mr..
Hunters old black dog Bouncew
"Yon hush up, Matte! Wen play it's a
bear" he added quickly.
where did you ever see the Hunter S
old dog? | don't believe you ever saw
him?'
g. did, tooH' said the little girl indig-
nantly. :" saw him one day when | went
over to Mr.. Hunters with Mamma, and
Winnie and l went out to play. viii had
him out back of the bnrun
"Well, this isn't him." said mi ,chiev-
Gus Jacky in Il loud voice, bent on over
riding poor little Mary's doubts, Bounce
Hunter is dead. was with George and
VIII last week when they buried him
down in the cornfeld.' C'Why.ee. what
IL whopperm said he to himself. But like
older people, after saying something wrong
once, the next time it comes much easier. !
Jacky went on with great saneslness.
" This is II black, grizzly bear. One of
the biggest and feroshusest Of any BEARS
anywhere"
Jacky had been to the Menagerie, and
he was trying so remember the show
mans description. l" Its home is in
Greenland, and it subsiss (Jacky felt proud
enough as he recalled this word)on-rice
and milk.'
"What is subsiss?' broke in little Mary,
who was quite awed by Jacky's words and
manner.
"Well, l didn't s'pose you knew" said
Jacky, in II grand way. "Subsiss is to
eat" He continued, at sleeps nights
with its tail wound around "A limb, and
its nose in its paws. 1t is caught and
tanned by Mr.. Barnum, and-made to
(Jacky tried to think of longer wor,D do
tricks at a circus"
Little Mary is engaged in meditating on
this lesson in Natural History, especially
on the uncomfortable way in which the
bear sleeps. Jacky winds up with, " This
bear is the same bear that come along in
the circus while ago. 1t got lost and ran
away from 'em.
The eager-to-belieye little sister has ac-
cepted all Jacky's statements. though in
her little soul she knows its Bounce-she
thinks she must believe him. She even
tries to be afraid, and says "Ooh, Ooh"
in subdued way.
He springs upon the big black bear, and
reaches for the long black ears. The gem
tie little sister gathers some leaves and
grass, and offers them to the " bear" He
smells them, and finding that they are
nothing which bears like himself care to
eat, turns his head away.
Jacky, growing bold, "churned" up
and down, riding horse, back. or rather
bear-back. He made bride from Mary's
apron, and so pulled the bear from The
front, and so bounced him from the back,
that the poor animal did finally rare up ;"
just as Jacky wished, little more, per-
haps, for he stood on his hind feet IL second
and then fell clumsily over back, iacky
and all.
The bushes scratched Jlcky's bare little
legs. lie screamed, Mary screamed, and
amid it all the poor prosecuted old dog
tore away throughthe bushes toward home
like mad
What under the sum- cried Jacky's
big brother Joe, breaking through the
bushes in another direction. He picked
p Jacky as if he had been sack of pota.
toes, and slung him over his shoulder
What's all this row about, anyway"
said he as they went along. What did
that dog run so for?"
1T was Bounce, wasn't it?n said Mary
Ho! no! no" shouted Jncky, his
spirits coming back.
~ did make you b'lieve twas u bcar!
But the little sister looked so good and so
innocent that somehow even rs he spoke
Jacky felt bit-the least bit, ashamed of
mis- success in maxim. believe Wide
drake.