The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-12-02


Come back to my arms, oh, you precious old
dear! ~.
-Mouie Norton, IN st. Nicholas
POLLY AND THE BEAR.
In the first place, Polly Pitcher was
very busy with her doll and didn't want
to go. You see her mamma was in the
kitchen getting dinner ready and the
kettle was almost empty and needed
more water, but Polly sat there very
still, hoping she wouldn't have to 60 to
the spring down behind the house.
But the pot kept on boiling harder
than ever, and by and by mamma said:
"COme, Polly, run, and be back in a
minuter'
So Polly took the tin pail from be-
hind the door, and went slowly down
the path toward the spring-and what
do you think! There was the biggest
and brightest butterfly you ever saw
flying right down the path in front of
her, and the next minute Polly was oft
into the woods trying with all her
might to catch it. Her hat was just as
big and just as round as could be, but
some how or other, when she put it
down where the butterfly was she
couldn't catch anything!
On she ran, further and further away
from home. and when the butterfly flew
up among the branches of the green
trees and didn't come down any more,
Polly couldn't see the spring any,
where and her papa's house was gone.
too! You see, she nearly was lost and
didn't know it.
And so those little feet carried that
poor little girl around till they ached
so Polly had to sit down at the foot of a
utes, l should think.
'My goodness gracious me! What's
the matter?" 4sssf,-
Polly stopped crying and looked up,
and there she saw tremendous black
bear right in front of her. He was on
his hind legs, you know, but he smiled
so hard that Polly wasn't at all afraid.
''What did you say, Mr. BearP' she
asked.
81 said Goodness gracious me!
what's the matter replied the bear,
taking of his spectacles and wipine them
on his pocket handkerchief, which he car
ried around his neck.
..I'm all LOST said Polly.
Nonsense" said the bear.
''But | am really and truly
My goodness gracious me-" said the
bear, 'you're not lost, for here you are,
right here" aat3s pr. :.
swell, my mammals lost anyway"
"That may be-" said the bear; "shall
we 90 and find herr"
Are you a good, kind bear, like the
little one with the little bowl of milk
and the little chair and the little bed in
Silver Locks?' asked Polly.
cru show you whether I am or notr'
said the big black bear, and what do
you think he did? He tumbled down
onto his four paws and began to dig
away the leaves at the foot OF the tree.
Polly looked on very much interested.
s"What are you doing?'' she asked:
but the bear kept right on and didn't
say word. BY and by he stopped and
looked all around.
"Do you see any of my little bears
about herep'' he whispered, .sbecause
! don't want them to know where I
keep it."
Polly looked all around but did not
see thing, SO the big bear kept on.
and when he had made a hole in the
ground as big as a pumpkin he pulled
up little cardboard box with tissue
paper scallops all around the edges.
''There ought to be a gumdrop in
it,, said the bear; just open the box
and see."
"Oh, there isl cried Polly, but I
don't like to take the very last one."
MY goodness gracious me, there
are lots more. Don't you see those
little sticks stuck in the groundP Well
there's box with a gumdrop in Il
under every one of them. I have to
skip them round, you know. to keen
them away from the little bears. They
only nave them on their birthdays"
Polly.
The bear counted to himself on his
paws. "Oh, about three dozen"
What lots of bears!'' said Polly.
Il don't mean bears, 1 meant gum
drops" said the big bear; gumdrops
Il bought fifty cents worth ten years
ago, because thought they might 90
CHATS all right" said Polly. "But
! l. must hnd my mamma, and Pm most
tired TO death.''
:" Twill tell you what 1 will do"
said the bear, ''if you will sing me a
song ! will carry you all the way
home" Wy
So Polly sang:
Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand"
tnree or four times, and then the big
pear lifted her up on his shoulders, and
when she had put her arms around his
neck they started off.