Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-05-21
FINDING THE BEARS HOUSE.
Little Matte Sets Out On q Voyage OF
Discovery-How She Was Found.


Matte Millet sat on the doorstep in
the bright April sunshine, with Topsy
| Tinkle on her lap.
Matte was dear little five-year-Old
girl, and Topsy was q beautiful one
year-old kitten, with glossy fur as
black as jet; and they were the best of
friends.
Mamma had just been telling the story
of the three bears in the woods, and
Matte was thinking how nice it would
be for her and Topsy to go and find the
bears house.
The fields were nearly bare, only
few dirty white spots on the brown
earth, but in the woods beyond the
brook the snow was still quite deep
81 b'leve we could do it, Topsy, you
and l. l b'lieve we could find it, don't
youp" she said.
'.Mew! mewr' answered Topsy. as
her mistress put her down on the snow.
That was Topsy's way of saying yes,
so Matte would have told you just then.
So they started down the path to the
little bridge across the brook-that is,
Matte started and Topsy followed, as
in duty bound.
Mamma was busy in the kitchen, and
did not miss them. nor see the little fig
ure in the bright scarlet dress cross the
fields and enter the woods. If she only
had what deal of trouble might have
been saved.
20 Topsy Tinkle! as sure's you're
alive, here is path. It's the bears
path, I know'' Matte cried as they
came to rough road.
r.Mew! newt said Topsy, as she
lifted first one black foot, then another,
and looked up in Mattie's face as if she
wanted to 90 home, but her mistress
wouldn't understand, and SO on they
went.
The snow grew deeper in the woods,
and little puddles of water came in the
road as the sun shone brighter through
the leaf1ess trees. Now and then u
squirrel ran chattering up a tree, and
looked doubtfully at Topsy when he
thought he was at safe distance. or
some winter bird twittered from the
branches above them.
Mattie's little red shoes were wet
through, and she was tired, oh, so tired!
It did seem as though they would never
get to the bears house.
Il guess it amt great ways further,
Topsy,' she said, bravely, as she
trudged along, and Topsy followed,
mewing family at every third step.
Then, sure enough, as they went around
q bend in the road, there stood a rude
log shanty.
'.It is-Topsy Tink1e- it is the bears
housed" and she stopped at the door
to listen, almost afraid now that she
had found it.
''Mew! mew!" said Topsy. joyfully,
as she leaped upon the step to warm
her feet in the sun.
Il guess we'd better 60 in, Topsy,"
whispered Matte. I'm awful hungry,
and maybe they've left their porridge
to cool" Matte pushed the door open
and stepped in. Topsy followed with a
pitiful NEW. 1t wasn't half as warm
as it was out in the sunshine
'SThis is a funny place to live in,
amt it, TopsyP And there amt a
tie sob, as she looked around.
-'What funny bed to sleep on, not
half as nice as ours" and she sat down
ON the old quilt that covered a pile of
spruce boughs.
''Oh, it isn't half as splendid as we
thought it would be. is it, Topsyp'
But Topsy had found a meat-bope.
and was too busy to answer
- I'm hungry. too,' she went on.
with quivering lips, "but don't want
to eat nasty bone. / wish-whv-t;-ef
This looks just like the sugar papa
brings home-it is! Why-e-e, / didn't
think bears made sugar!!" and She.
pulled handful of little. sweet brown
cakes from box in the corner. arm
awful hungry, and s'pose this win
have to do, but wish il was nor
RIDGE t'
After she had eaten the first small
cake of sugar she began to feel verv
sleepy, and missed her soft, nice bed
| s'pose we'd ought to 60 home.
Topsy Iinkle. but I guess we'll have a
rest-nap first" and soon she was fast
asleep under the old quilt.
When she woke up it was quite dark.
out a hight was shining in her eyes nj.
most binding her, and in the doorway
stood-not the three bears-but mana
and Tom and Charlie.
. Mr.. Big Bearr' screamed Mat.
at first. "0ie
who's this in my bedpAapap..
In great gruf voice, AM 81 he
1mangned-oh. such q happy ladRlII and
1 Mast,e laughed, and Topsy mewe2 and
charley ran back to the houss tall
mamma that Matte was found. -Snd
Iom carried the lantern, while papa
carried Matte and Topsy both in Ills
They had found their tracks in the
must snow at the edge of tho woods.
anu Ioiiowed them straight to the sugar.
wasn't 1t luckyp Matte thought so.
ana she doesn't want to find the home
paaaion. 9o'''-