The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-04-15
BEN, CIVILIZED BEAR.

was MS name. GU MoHutr why tildt
name was given him? Well, that may
have been for various reasons. This, for
instance. When Ben was :. very small
cub he hadn't much in this world. not
even a name: nothing but an old she
bear mother and little cub brother like
himSelf-no more.
There WAS a party of hunters or trap
pers camped upon the bank of a Western
river. and among them Il half grown boy,
sho having finished his breakfast one
morning before the others. h"y-like wan
Il rcd of i'll his reStlc*sneSs to see what
&c could find And what he dill find was
heSe two little cubs. They were too
Dung for him To have any fear of them.
50 without thought of any other bear
y the world. he picked them up by the
apes of the neck. one in each hand. and
taltcd back for the camp. Though the
title cubs were unable to defend them
Lives. az resent this liberty with their
persons. they could still invoke hrlr.
NiI' II bitN tlii ny litStllN. anu
aroused the sleeping mother near by.
Rendered desperate 10y the danger of
rsn% her cubs. she gave chase right
INTO the cnemy's camn with Il set Of
.reat white teeth tully exposed in the
'pcn mouth. ears laid back. eyes glaring
with rage. She was such 4 formidable
ooking object that the boy lost his pres
ahce of mind altogether. With dc>pei-
tie instinct he cIntched the cubs as il
his life depended upon his retaining his
hn|d up"n them. As he approached the
camp at flying speed. he made hin self the
subject OF much Subsequent merrincnt
by bawling out I" the party still seated
Il their breakfast right i'll his path.
"C-l-e,a-r the track! Il ere We come.
lie and the bars
just at this critical mnmen'-fnr tIIe
al bear was right upo" his hr,ls--he
gumhled, and dropped one of the cubs
5 he fell headlpng IL the ground. dread
ally frightened. The old bear glad to
iccover one of her lost darlingS. stopped
or a moment to carcss him, while the
boy regained his feet. and escaped to tie
amp with the other. AS soon as the
men could snatch their rifles. they hur-
lied of in search of the old bear and re-
naming cab. but the bereaved mother.
who had reiterated to the rocks and Sc
rreteh herself and baby in some tissue
'ouid not be found. In telling his ad
venture aiterwald At the camp. the ex-
:ited boy remarked, If hadn' dropped
hat cub, I would have heen-would nave
Ueen--' He didn't quite know what he
would have been. SO didn t tell: but one
If the hunters Interrupted him by say
,ng: You ,rouid h"rc Ben. SO you hung
N to him. | reckon that cub names
Ben That is probably the reason he
was so called. At ali events his naGe
was Ben. and by that name introduce
him to you.
Ben soon forgot his poor old mother as
we'll as his little brother. adapted him
self to his new surroundings, and was
metamorphosed into a tame bear
that is. knew no associations but human.
was not afraid of man, nor were men
afraid of him as a rnle. More the pity,
ion this fearless intimacy with man was
the ultimate ruin of poor needless Ben.
When the camp broke up. little Ben
was placed in wicker cage improvised
by the boy. and thrown rather roughly
INTO the wagon with the skins. traps
salt ycniSon etc, and carted Oft to the
settlement. where he was pctted through
the fall. and slept through the greater
part of the winter, as is the nature of his
family.
In the spring. when the journey had
to be made to the trading post for am
munition and other supplies, Ben was
furnished with more substantial and
necessarily much larger caye-for he was
now quite half grown,-and placed on the
wagon with which is master was to make
the tedious journey of three or four days
duration. 1t ended just at night of the
fourth day, and Ben saw by the fading
light an old block-house formerly built
Cor safety against the Indians, aud a
tavern which seemed mostly bar-room.
though Ben knew nothing Of that as yet.
lie only saw one large room more bril-
liantly lighted than the rest, full of bois
md In h,,i1 ,nl
,tS store. and containing every thing
needed in a new country. This WAS ais"
brightly lighted, and con>idrra bile NUM-
Der of men were louuging about the door
u seated upon the broad Sto"p.
All this was strange and curious to I'M
Ben. and he wondered what
1t could mean. as he sat in his cage Oh
top of the load, and noted lights sud
denly flashing upon the sight from cabin
windows scattered about here and there,
now half obscured by the trunk of some
huge tree left standing, now >ilhouctting
the dark form of Il woman III the open
door as she peered with shaded eyes into
the gathering gloom for lettering hus-
band or son sent long enough ago To the
store for Il quarter of a pound of tea.
The wagon was driven into the stable
yard, and lett standing with its load I'M
removed, Ben's cage and all, while the
horses We're taken OF and put into the
stable. Ben was given his supper O.
dainties he had never tasted before, and
left for the night.
In the morning lie excited considerable
curiosity among the luuugcrs when his
cage WAS taken down and placed upon
the ground. His master wanted to dis
pose OF him. and would be obliged to 1T
main ut the post several days at any rate.
and it was proposed to the landlord, aud
acccdca To. that Ben, being perfectly
tame and harmless, should have a cha II
and collar, and be given greater liberty
IN one corner of the yard, where pos;
was planted, to which he was fastened.
Here Ben received his motley visitors.
who ted him on all sorts of CHOICE things
-caudieS. cakes. laisins. etc. which
tickled his inexperienced palate, while
h,s vanity WAS gratiied by his "eIn., the
OBJECT OF SO much attention. Poor vain
Be,. lie was scarcely ever alone through
tine day, but constantly in the company
of greater number of idle persons. Ben
was delighted with the new order OF
things, and being Il natural wag, and