The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1885-07-03
FINDING THE BEARS HOusr

FINDING THE BEARS HOUSE
Little Matte Sets Out On a yov.v. .
Discovery-How She Was Found.
Matte Millet sat on the doorsten :,
the bright April sunshine, with Topsv
Tinkle on her lap.
Matte was dear little five-year-old
girl, and Topsy was beautiful one.
year-old kitten, with glossy fur a.
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 ths
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.
Il b'lieye we could do it, Topsy, Won
and /. i b'lieve we could find it, don't
you?" she said.
s.Mew! mewr' answered Topsy, an
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 ID,
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. Ii she only
had what deal of trouble might have
been saved.
20 Topsy Tinkle! as sure's you're
alive, here is a path. It's the bears
path, knowr' Matte cried as they
came to q rough road.
Anew! mew!" said Topsy, as she
lifted first one black foot, then another,
and looked up in Mattie's face as if she
wanted to go 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 tha
road as the sun shone brighter through
the leafless 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 twitiered from the
branches above them.
Mattie's little red shoes were wet
| through, and she was tired. oh, so tired!
II did seem as though they would never
get to the bears house.
81 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
. bend in the road, there stood rude
log shanty.
1T is-Topsy Tinkle- it is the bears
housed" and she stopped at the door
to listen, almost afraid now that she
had found it.
"Mew, newt" 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 porridgs
to cool" Matte pushed the door open
and stepped in. Topsy followed with .
pitiful NEW. 1t wasn't half as warm
as it was out in the sunshine.
This is a funny place to live in.
amt it, Topsy? And there amt .
crumb to eat," said Matte, with lit
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, Topsy?
But Topsy had found meat-bone.
and was too busy to answer
Pm hungry. too" she went on.
with quivering lips, but don't wan!
to eat nasty bone. / wish-why-e-ei
This looks just like the sugar papa
brings home-it isl Why-e-e, l didn't
think bears made sugar." and she
pulled handful of little, sweet, brown
| cakes from box in the corner. N
awful hungry. and l s'pose this VIII
have to do, but / wish ii was por'
ridge"
After she had eaten the first small
cake of sugar she began to feel very
sleepy. and missed her soft, nice bed.
II s'pose we'd ought to 60 home
Topsy Tinkle, but guess well have
rest-nap first" and soon sne was LASS
asleep under the old quilt.
When she woke up it was quite DARK.
but light was shining in her eyes A.
most binding her, and in the DOORWAY
stood-not the three bears-but pap
and Tom and Charlie.
80 Mr. Big Bear! screamed hst
tie, for she could not see who they wsxe
ct first.
/ Who's this in my bed7" sad paPs.
in a great grutf voice, and then ns
laughed-oh, such a happy laugn: any
Matte laughed. and Topsy me sed' ann M
Charley ran back to the house 10 'e1
mamma that Matte was found ano
Tom carried the lantern, while pap
carried Matte and Topsy both In M
arms. a..
They had found their tracks IN ING
moist snow at the edge OF the wooos'
and followed them straight to the sugar
camp.
Wasn't II lucky? Matte thought %
and she doesn't want to find the n9n'
of the hears any more.-foatA's CON-
paniOn.