The Red Cloud chief., 1885-05-29
THE BEARS HOUSE.

bbiecOSefy-noW she was tounu.
Matte Millet sat on the doorstep il
the bright April sunshine, with Tops,
Tinkle ON her lap.
Matte was a dear little fsc-year-1s
girl. and Topsy Was y beautiful one
ycar-old kitten. with glossy fur n
black As jet; and they were the best o
friends.
Mamma had just been telling the s!or,
Of the three bears in the woods. AM
Matte was thinking how nice it would
be- for her and Topsy to 80 and find til,
bears house.
The fields were ncahly bare. only d
few dirty white spot, on the brown
earth, but in the woods beyond the
brook the snow was still quite deep.
Il b'lievc we could do il, Topsy, YOU
and /. Ib'licve We could lind il. don't
yOuo' she said.
'"Mew! newt answered Topsy. rs
her mistress put her down on the snow.
That was Topsy's way of saying Yes,
- Matte would have told you Jusi tbei.
So they started down the path TO the
little bridge across the brook-that is.
Matte started and TOpsy followed. u
in duty bound.
Mamma was busy in the kitchen. and
did not miss them, nOr see the little fig
ure in the bright scarle, dress cross the
fields and enter the woods. II she oniv
had what Sieal Of trouble might have
been saved.
10 Topsy Tink,e! ~ surc's you're
alive. here is y path. It's the bears
path, ! KNOW Matte cried rs they
came % a rough road
'.Mew! newt said Topsy. as she
lifted first one black foot. then another.
and looked up in Matiie's face rs If che
wanted to 60 home. but her mistress
wouldn't understand. and sd on they
went.
The snow grew deeper in the woods.
and little puddlcs of water came in the
road rs the sun shone brighter through
the ~leailess trees. Now and then .
squirrel ran chattering up . tree. and
looked doubtfully At Topsy when he
thought he was At a safe distance. or
some winter bird twit,ered from the
branches above them.
Mat,ie's little red shoes were vet
through. and she was tired. oh. 50 tired!
II did seem rs though they woald never
get to the bears house.
81 guess it amt a great ways furthss.
Topsy." she said, nravely. as she
trudged along. and Topsv followed.
mewing family at every third step.
Then. sure enough. rs they went arouod
. bend in the road. there stood . rude
log shanty.
1T is-Topsy Tinkle- il Is the bears
house, and she stopped nj the door
to listen. almost AFRAID nos that she
had found il.
New. new" said Topsy. joyfally.
as she teaped upon the step To warm
her ieet in the sun.
Il guess we'd better 60 IN. Topsy."
whispered Matte. I'm aSsui hungry.
and maybe they We left their porridgs
tn COOL Matte pushed the door open
and stepped in. Topsy followed with =
pitiful new. II wasn't half As warm
~ il vas out in the sunshine.
This il q funny place 20 live in.
amt it. Topsy? And there amt .
crumb to eat" sad Matte, with . II
tie sob. rs she looked around
''Whaf . funny bed To sleep on. not
hall ~ nice ~ our.." and she 3As down
on the old quilt that eOserei = pile Of
spruce boughs
oh. j; ISN'T half as spleniii ~ We
il would tc. - i. Topsy9'
Bu; Topsy Rad found 3 mrzf-bons.
and was too busy 10 answer
I'm hungry. too she went on.
with qu;vcring lips. "bu: I don; want;
tn ea, q nasty lone. I vFsh-why-e-~.
This looks Just Ike The sugar papa
hone-it Is. Why-e-e. / didn's
,hiak bears made spysT.r' and he
. handful q Etfi~. sweet. brown
cakes from q box in tie corner. Elm
awful hungry. ard l.'pose tbs VII
have 20 do. bu, I wish IL was por-
After she rad esfca the Grse small
cxie II sugar she b>gsn 10 fs~l very
and missed her soft lee bid
"Is'pose we'd ouzh; 60 20 home.
ropsy TIpkle. but ] g-Hss veil hate
'es, zap rrs:-" and spon she was sas:
asleep upsie- the old Quilt
Wlen she woke ~ il was cutie DARK.
BOT . tgss was safas1y n her eTes. Al
binding her. and in the DOORWAY
stood- DC: the thfee bexrs-sas ps.a
Tom and Charlie.
20 Mr. Big Besrr' screamed Mat
-ie. so- she cor.d nos see who lAey xc-
1. first
Who's thss IN mt b-d,' sad pa.a.
. grcss grud woes. AMI faee hs
saughrd-oh. sscA . happy laugh. and
.s:tie laughed. and Topsy me s~d. and
Charley ran hack so the house 10 seIi
mamma thai Matte MAS sc<ud. aad
Tom carried the lantern. While pspa
carried Matte and ToP-y beth In ks
Thy had found their tracks Ia the
moist nou n the edgs Of tAe woods.
Md followed them stzaisa; 20 the snTAs-
ramp
Wasn't q luckye Massis fbcgehf -
md she doesn's rant % 6Dd Ge anna
4 The he1s ~ noc&-Issks's Cssr