The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-22
Poor Tom, the Bear.

Louisa NJ Aleott, in Spinning Wheels.
Tom was bought, and orders were sent to hava
house built for him in sunny corner of the
garden, with strong rings to chain him TO and
good lock on the door TO keep him in When he
was settled in these new quarters he held daily
receptions for some weeks Young and old came
to see him, and Fred showed off his menagerie
with the pride of O budding Barnum. A bare
spot was soon worn the grass where Toms
parade ground was, and at all hours the poor fell
low might be seen dancing and drilling, or SIT
ting at his door thoughtfully surveying the curl
GUS crowd, and privately wishing he never had
been born.
Here he lived for snother year, getting so big
that he could hardly turn round in his house,
and so cross that Fred began to be little afraid
OF him, after several hugs much too close to be
the house was found broken off, and Tom gone.
Fred was rather relieved; but his father was
anxious and ordered the boys of the neighbore
hood to find the runaway, lest he should alarm
people, or do some harm. 1t was an easy
matter to trace him. for more than one
terrified woman had seen the big.
brown beast shifting around her back
premises after food; whole schoolful of
children had been startled out of their wits by a
bears head at the window, and one old farmer
was in towering rage over the damage done to
his bee-hives and garden patch by the pesky
critter, afore he took to the woods"
After long tramp poor Tom was found rolled
up in a sunny nook, resting after glorious
ance, but from that time 1t. was hard to keep
him. Bolts and bars, chains and ropes were
of little use for when the longing came,
Off he went, on one occasion carrying the
house on his back, like snail, till he
tipped it over and broke loose. Fred was quite
worn out with his pranks and tried to sell o.
give him away, but nobody would buy or accept
such a troublesome pet. Even tender-hearted
Fan gave him up. when he frightened little
child into fit and killed some sheep in his last
holiday.
1t was decided that he must be killed, and
party of men, armed with guns set out to carry
the sentence into effect Fred went also to see
that all was properly done, and Fanny called at
ter him with tears in her eyes:
'Say good bye for me, and kill him as kindly
as you can"
This time Tom had been gone a week, and had
evidently made up his mind to be free bear;
for he had wandered far into the deepest wood,
and made den for himself among the rocks
Here they found him, but could not persuade
him to come out, and no bold Putnam was in
the troop to creep in and conquer him there
Bullets will reach him if we can't; so blaze
away, boys and finish him off, We have fooled
away time enough and want to get home to
supper" said the leader of the hunt, after MANY
attempts had been made to lure or drive Tom
from his shelter
So they .blazed away" and growls of pain
proved that some of the bullets had hit. But
Tom would not bulge and having used up their
ammunition, the disappointed hunters went
home resolved to bring dogs next day and finish
the job. They were spared the trouble, however,
for when Fred looked from his window in the
morning he saw that Tom had returned, and ran
down to welcome the rebel back. But one look
at the poor beast showed him that he had only
come home to die; for he was covered with
wounds and lay moaning on his bed of straw,
looking as pathetic as bear could, his shaggy
coat full of burrs, his head and breast full Of
shot, and one paw apparently broken.
Fanny cried over him, and Fred was quite
bowed down with remorse; but nothing could be-
done, and soon, with vain effort to lick the
hands that stroked him, poor Tom lifted his
great paw for farewell shake, and died, with
his great head on his masters knee: in token OF
forgiveness. AS if to atone for their seeming
cruelty. Fanny hung the little house in black
while Tom lay in state, and Fred, resisting all
temptation to keep his fine skin, buried him like
a warrior with his martial cloak around him."
in the green woods he loved so we'll