Sharp County record., 1880-12-09
POLLY AND THE BEAR.


POLLY AND THE BEAR.
In the first place, Polly Pitcher was
very busy with her doll and didn' t want
to 90. 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 go 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
minute"
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 of
into the woods trying with all her
mirht to catch it. Her hat was just as
bic and just as round as could be, but
some how or other, when she put it
down where the butterfly was she
couldn' 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
tree and cried for much as three min
utes, | should think.
My goodness gracious me! What )
the matter"
Polly stopped crying and looked up,
and there she saw a tremendous black
bear right in front of her. He was on
his hind leys, you know, but he smiled
so hard that Polly wasn't at al afraid.
What did YOU say, Mr.. Bear?' she
asked
Il said Goodness gracious me-,
what's the matter, replied the bear,
taking of his sspectacles and wiping 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, s.vOu're not lost, for here you are,
right here"
well. nv mammals ! lost anyway"
THAT may be-" said the beari ''shall
we 90 and ind her?'
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?n asked Polly.
"rll show you whether am or not"
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.
What are you doing?" she asked;
but the bear kept right on and didn t
say a word. By and by he stopped and
looked all around.
"Do you see any OF my little bears
about here?" he whispered, "because
| don't want them to know where |
keep it."
Polly looked all around but did not
see a 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 a little cardboard box with tissue
paper scallops all around the edges.
There ought to be gumdrOp in
it," said the bear; just open the box
and see"
"Oh, there is" cried Polly, but l
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 ground? Well,
there's box with a gumdrop in it
under every one of them. | have to
skip them round, you know, to keep
them away from the little bears They
only have them on their birthdays"
How many have you got2" asked
Polly.
The bear counted to himself on his
paws. "Oh, about three dozen"
"What lots of bear5r' said Polly.
Il don't mean bears, meant gum
drops said the big bear; "gumdrops
1 bought fifty cents worth ten years
ago, because l thought they might 90
Tp.'
That all right said Polly. "But
l must find my mamma, and I'm most
tired to DEATH
81 will tell you what I will do"
said the bear, "if you will sing me a
song | will carry you all the way
home
SO Polly sang:
Little drops OF water,
Little grains Of -uad."
three or four times, and then the biz
bear lifted her up on his shoulders. and
when she had put her arms around his
neck they started off,