The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-05-29
THE BEARS HOUSE.

| Mattle MllteG sat on the doorstep III
the bright April sunshine, with Topsy
Tinkle on her lap.
Matte was dear little five-ycar-old
| girl, and Topsy was beautiful one
year-old kitten, with glossy fur as
black as jet; and they We're the best o
friends.
Mamma had Just been telling the story
of the three bears in the woods, ant
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 q
few dirty white spots on the brown
earth, but in the woods beyond the
brook the snow was still quite deep.
Il b'lieve we could do it, Topsy, you
and /. / b'lieve we could find it, don t
you?" she said.
"Mewi mewr' answered Topsy. rs
| her mistress put her down on the snow.
That was Topsy's way of saying yes,
SO Matte would have told you Just thell.
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 a deal of trouble might have
been saved.
80 Topsy Tinkle! as sure's you're
alive, here is a path. It's the bears
path, l knowrn Matte cried as they
came to rough road.
..Mew! newt" said Topsy, as she
lifted first one black foot. then another,
and looked up in Mat;ie's face as if she
wanted to go home, bat 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 leafiess trees. Now and then a
squirrel ran chattering up tree. and
looked doubtfully at Topsy when he
thought he was at safe distance, or
some winter bird twitrered from the
branches above them.
Mattie's little red shoes were wet
through. and she was tired, oh, so tired!
1t did seem as though they would never
get to the bears house.
Il guess it amt a great ways further,
Topsy,' she said, bravely, as she
trudged along, and Topsy followed,
mewlng family at every third step.
Then, sure enough, as they went around
bend in the road, there stood 4 rude
log shanty.
1T is-Topsy Tinkle- il is the bears
houser' and she stopped at the door
to listen, almost afraid nov 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 go 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.
This is funny place to live in,
amt it, Topsy? And there amt
cruInb to eat" SAID Matte, with a 1t
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 pile of
spruce boughs.
.-Oh. it isn't half as splendid as we
thought it would be, is it, Topsy2"
But Topsy had found meat-bone,
and was too busy to answer.
I'm hungry, too" she went on,
with guivering lips, :" but 1 dom want
to eat nasty bone. / wish-why-e-e!
This locks just like the sugar papa
brings home-it is! Why-e-e, L didn't
think bears made sugar.!' and she
pulled handful ef little, sweet, brown
cakes from box in the corner. I'm
awful hungry, and s'pose this viii
have to do, but l wish it was pGr-
ridge"
After she had eaten the first small
cake of sugar she began to feel very
sleepy, and missed her soft, nice bed.
:" 1 s'pose we'd ought to 90 home,
Topsy Tinkle. but 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,
but light was shining in her eyes, al
lDtSt Dlluuiup uci. anu III tiic uOOI"aN
stood-not the three bears-but papa
and Tom and Charlie.
40 Mr.. Big Bear,' screamed Mat
tie. for she could not see who they were
at first
who's this in nv bed?'' sad papa,
In great gruff voice, and then he |
laughed-oh, such happy laugh! and |
Matte laughed, and Topsy me we'd, and |
Charley ran back to the house to tell |
mamma that Matte was found, and |
Tom carried the lantern, while papa |
carried Matte and Topsy both in bis |
arms.
They had found their tracks in the |
moist snow at the edge of the woods, |
and followed them straight to the sugar
camp.
Wasn't it lucky? Matte thought so,
and she doesn't want to find the home
Of the bears any more-YouA's Com
pani0n.