Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-13
Amusing Specimens of the Bear
Species.
from Land and Water. ]

IRON Lana ana Wotef.I
During one of the bit er cold days we have
lately had, there arrived very interesting ad-
dition to the gardens, namely, little bear,
sent by Mr.. Cross, OF Liverpool, on 'sale or re-
Bartlett kindly brought this young gentleman
down to pay me visit. He was funny little
fellow about the size Of large rough puppy,
him out OF his box and put him before the flre
he sat down on his launches, turned his head
and inspected the monkeys in their cage. TIE
monkeys did not know what to make OF him.
They did not show the same symptoms OF alarm
as when snake is brought in, but they paid
MT Bear very great respect, not even making
face him When let out Of Their they
invariably got on the chairs, cage, or N lntle-
piece, always keeping an eye on the Intruder:
The bear was very inquisitlve and walked
about the room on his short, handy legs and
pryed into everything What amused him
most was to scratch up the mating forming
the hearthrug and to hunt for something. This
Is his natural habit, to turn over stones, &C.,
TO catch beetles worms, &C. His great delight
was to get somebody's finger into his mouth;
he would then Immediately begin sucking most
t Tehemently making peculiar noise all the
1t was necessary, however, to keep ones
finger in the middle OF his mouth, as otherwise
there was chance OF being nipped smartly by
his canine teeth, which were quite large
enough to hurt. He was very intoleraut OF
cold. and would If he could, get under the
CRATE and rake about among the ashes, soma
/ tried to teach him TRICKS. and began by
making him stand upright In the corner of the
sofa. The little rascal, however, would not
learn anything, and his education finished by
his making q fierce rush at me- and my boxing
his ears.
To the servants bear was bear, and 1t was
very amusing to hear the Shindy they kicked
ur when in the course of his peregrinations
about the house Mr.. Bear met them on the
stairs or went into the kitchen to warm him
self He had very peculiar eyes, very pig-like
nd m hn nd nf
visitor, staring him steadily In the face, as
much as to say, please give me something; l
think you hau better" He would eat almost
anything, but his favorite diet was bread, milk
and sugar. am sorry to say 1 was Obliged to
send him back to the gardens, for 1 should
liked to have made companion of him. and l
am certain, as he was tame, he would soon
have become obedient.
Apropos of bears, 1 do not think that have
ever put on record the story about the bear
who managed TO get loose at the gardens. At
daybreak one fine summers morning the
Waterman reported to MIR. Bartlett that there
was something alive underneath the chairs
which, as usual, had been piled up after the
visitors had left. When Mr.. Bartlett came to
look at the chairs it was quite apparent that
there was somebody or something alive in the
middle of the pyramid. Watching carefully
among the legs OF the chairs, at last two black
eyes were seen. These were apparently bears
eyes, so they counted the bears In the bear pit
and one OF them was found to be missing. The
difficulty now was to get the bear back into
the pit The chairs we're removed one by one
Till the bear remained unconcealed. My gentle
man then got up on his hind legs and showed
symptoms of becoming nasty.
The bear was then surrounded by the keep
ers in half circle. The best thing in the
world to fight wild animal with is the stump
end OF broom. The bear. knowing his way
the parapet. over the cages 10 which the lions
at that time lived. When he got home to his
bear pit he evidently did not like the jump
down, SO he reared himself up on his hind legs,
"a nCri "a nj ord nd ar1
began to swear in bear-like manner. When
the stupid old bear was making a fool Of him
self in this way, Mr.. Bartlett took a run at
him. and knocked him clean over into the bear
pit with the stump end Of the broom. He lay
there long time with all the wind knocked
out of him. At last he got up, shook himself,
mumbling for several days, but ultimately
came out none the worst for his expedition
among the chairs or his tumble backward into
the Dear-pit.
Though bears are very good climbers, yet it
Is a mercy that they cannot jump, or otherwise
they would have long ago jumped out of the
bear pit from the top of their pole Some years
adventure with bear. suppose the heat OF
the weather Tor other disturbing causes) m ade
him drop his best holiday hat into the bear
the bear-pit, alighting on the top of big bear
who was coiled up sleeping In the sun. The
bear got up, and taking the man by the
shoulders, began Waiting around with him
happened, as the keeper drove Off the bear and
let the man out at the side door. He forgot
however, to take his hat with him, but left 1t In
the cage; the bears, Of course, tore it up. The
cool impertinence of this man was greatly to
be wondered at, as next day he actually sent In
a bill to the society for new hat.
There is very curious bear at the Geological
Gardens low. He sits up when he sees any
body coming, and begs for what he can get II
he is shown any thing and does not get it he
pretends to commit suicide, turning around
hitting himself fnri0Tclv 1hic ic
amusing beast. He cannot bear being laughed
at.