The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-05-12

4
his vanity was gratifed by his being the
object of so much attention. Poor, vain
Ben He was scarcely ever alone dur
| ing the day, but constantly in the pres
ence of greater or less number Of per-
sons. Ben was delighted with the new
order of things, and, being natural
wag, and kept in good humor by graft
fed appetite and vani.-- he grew to be
very popular. The Landlord, seeing
what an attraction he was, bargained
for him with the boy, and Ben, to his
entire satisfaction, was fixed in his new
quarters, and, without sigh. allowed
his old master to return to his forest
home.
In his new situation Ben was as indif-
ferent to the feelings of his recent mas
ter as he had been before to those Of his
poor mother and little cub brother.
Sweet cake and such things instead of
his former plain fare-corn dodgers and
the hke-with plenty of good fellows to
feed them to him and laugh at his antics,
were ample recompense for the loss OF
his young masters tender care. Like
most pleasures, however, an over or I'M
wise Indulgence brought its penalty for
| the bear. The rich food he now en-
! joyed, though pleasant to the taste, was
not conducive to health, as was mani
fest in his altered disposition. He soon
became cross, morose, freaky, or, as his
enemies would have it. treacherous. He
lost much in popularity in consequence,
of which he was aware, and that made
| him all the more irritable.
About this time the hostler, very
decent, well-meaning fellow, whose duty
it was to take ca of Ben, was promot-
ed to the box-in other words, made a
stage driver-and another found to fill
his place, who proved to be quite dif-
ferent character, much more disposed to
attend to that which did not concern
him than to perform faithfully his legiti-
mate duties, one of which was to look
after the bear, attend to his wants, etc.,
though not to teach him tricks to render
him still worse than he had already
power to be. At first he took no par
ticular interest in his charge, and fed
him regularly enough; but, after a few
days acquaintance. seeing Ben in his
better moods, he discovered his true
character, and told the stable-boys and
loungers that there was fun in the brute
and he was going to get it out of him.
Accordingly, when his duties were
done, he procured some molasses in
which he poured quantity of whisky,
and set it before the unsuspecting Ben,
who, innocently enough, Tapped it up
with great delight. This was only for
the sweet, however, for as yet his civil
izatioa was not so complete as it after
ward became. The result of the exper-
iment was just as great, Notwithstanding,
and Ben, to use vulgar but most APP
propriate expression, "got as drunk as
fool"
OF course Ben was not this time re-
sponsible for his condition, or many
ridiculous capers he cut; nor could it be
| Justly said that he was ever responsible,
for what did the poor, ignorant bear
know Of the world outside of the stable
yard or Of it's morality His teachers
and examples were human. Gould n
mere brute ask any higher authority ?
| Ben was but beast without human lit
telligence to guide him or human In
centives to sobriety, so he allowed him
self to be led on to the daily degradation
even of his brute nature.
AS Ben's example seemed popular,
and was pretty generally followed by the
men, the landlord permitted this to go
on, if he did not abet it, seeing, of
course, that all the liquor was purchased
at his bar, including that for Ben, who
meanwhile was rapidly perfecting him.
self in the art Of drinking whisky. He
could already dispense with the sweet
inducement, and take it clear, solely for
the "fuddle." Even the brilliant young
man, with his superior education, who
had now become Ben's frequent COM
| 2anjon, could do no more, when whisky
was furnished both, "iust Tor the fun Of
seeing them together"
| Let me here digress moment to re-
peat the old story briefly. But eight
years back this young man had come to
the post, fresh from an Eastern law
school, in the bright morning of his life.
so full of promise, he had twice ably rep
resented the Territory in Congress.
where, to gain political friends, he had
too often yielded to political temptation.
| Now, like Ben, he needed no persuasion.
The once proud, ambitious aspirant for
political honors was not above playing
his part with a dissolute bear for free
whisky. He would seat himself upon
the ground, take the helpless creature
by the ear, rudely thrust his head down
among the straw, regardless of the
bears feebly squealed protest, calling
him drunken brute, and lecture him
upon the disgracefulness of his course
amid the uproarious merriment of the
vulgar throng, who in their Sc
cret hearts reioiced to see one
far above them by nature so de-
grade himself. Even in this mock
elocution there were frequent scintilla-
tions of genius from his besotted brain.
When both became so stupefed as nc
longer to furnish amusement, they were
left to sleep off the stupor, sometimes
side by side, though usually the MAI
retired to the hay-loft, where, after {
half hour or so, he awoke with raging
thirst for more whisky. He would make
the best of his way back to the bears
corner (whose stupor lasted longer thar
his companion's), and purloin ths
whisky that still remained in the bottle
for Ben always drank from the bottle
now, and to see him draw the cork was
part of the entertainment.
The bear did not altogether like thi.
enforced companionship, not from any
sense of degradation at the association
with tho human brute, but when hi
awoke from drunken stupor he alst
wanted a little more whisky to quiet his
throbbing nerves, and rs this last droI
OF solace was always gone when the maj
was around he naturally concluded tina
he was the thief, and resolved to rid him
self of the nuisance. Bears are cunning
and Ben, in pursuance of plan. on,
night stopped little short, rolled owe
before he needed to. and feigned slee,
until the thirsty ex-Congressman agar
appeared on the scene. There was NOR,
IN the bottle than usual this night
which made the wary politician ?. it'll,
suspicious of the bear; so procuring
long stick, he tried to poke the b. It'll,
out of reach, but in doing so, it tipped
and spilled some whisky. Ben seemed
so perfectly stupefied. he yentI1red hal1