Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-20
THE BEAR As A WAC.
Ar Artist on the DIOiiery and Iis
chfeNOUsupsS OF Hruin.

Talking TO a New J 0rk star reporter
about animals a wag-, Professor Wiiilam
II. Beard said:
And / am willing to assert and have ii
20 on the record that there j. 10 doubt
alOut the waggishncss OF bears, who can
even laugh at thClrONn Jokes; not uprolr-
iouslv, ~ the laugbterof those jolly priests.
the French artists, paint so admirably, but
they can assumc n wcll.de1ncd expression
Oi ninth. They are - unmisrf0bly toco,c
as the most incorriglb!c jester ~ our own
species. and even harSher than BIZ mortal
cOmpcoT In either creature" continues
tie veteran painter In q vein OF speculative
philosophy, "Wlcn ioculariiy get 4 hold.
ItscCms TO take fun POSSESSION Of him 10
the complete .Uhjugation Of al else. and
by this do not refer 10 Chauncy VI. De-
pew on religion, Joseph II. Choatc at the
bar, or Judge Brady on thc bench. The
mind Of the Joker, whether man or brute.
il constantly occupied with the subject
and ttcn bis license becomes intolrrlblr.
There i, a great difference in individuals
among bears rs well ~ among men in this
Ic~poct. All bear. are more or less adj
dicicd 10 Joking, vet It is not the COM
plpte record oi their lives. In my Younger
DAYS / attended political masS-meet-
liII wiz II WIS ~ ll'A AtlAi. NAfHs ''lNsiA
uelalaii0ns bad been MADE. steamboat
were chartered 20 convey the ra@'T states
men and the ursclii,h patriots 10 the spot.
and all sorts Of queer objects were taken
a,Cug 10 attract custom 10 the Telrcshn'ni
booths. Among The other attractions /
discovered that q fclloW-U2~.cnger had
brought hlf-erown bear. or cub. lie
was chained OF top Il the pilot-hou-c
10 keep BIN on OF mischief. / became
interested in him. and closely watch ID
his uovpH cni.. moving fall well
iEat De- would not long icmHin quiet.
sure enough. N 4 moment his owner
emerged nom Ibc caDOOsc With larg'
platter q refuse food for bruin', breakfast
and short lsddcr, which he placed in 20
position for ascent 10 the top al TIE pilot
house. when the bear saw the top of the
ladder appear above the roof he became
lively al once: be rose 90 his feet, stretched
III, rock ont Hntl be- could see over far
enough f. discover hi, lpa.lcr, and settled
lack, with m expression Of dcylii>h
roguory, which seemed = animate ll,
whole being, rs he waited Tor his OwB-
en-, head TO come within range 0i his ms
chioVtu~ l1W. Then, with hlpvy box
on The cal lie sent master, ladder. broken
platter, cold Victual-, and all iumbllng
to the dock. Looking down Oh The ruin
ne had wrought, he turned in IN eXultdn;
fashion. caPcrcd around 10 Biz little plat
form. Notwithstanding he had destroyed
the prospects OF a breakfast Tor himself.
and exhibited every symptom OF the
greatest glce. his ears laid back, aud his
features assuming an actual human cX-
preston Of laughter. But Bruins plea
sure. though keen, was Of short duration;
for the cnrlged master, getting stick, in
stead Of food gave the iacctiOuS quadruped
a sound cddgellng. When We reached
camp ! found my jolly Acquaintance OF
the morning, i'm whom as q naturalist
! had become profoundly Interested. He
was sitting dcmurely at The corner Of the
eaing-bootE. scarcely saw him a first,
when a man WAS Cn'iclng hoy with The
promise Of 4 stick OF candy bought Of
BRUINS master 10 come near and get IT,.
The boy WAS suspicious, lut did not know
on y Lat account. as he did not see the beGr I;
but the temptation was too much. and,
mastering hs doubts. ne marched up, took
the candy, and, with q delighted expires
sion. turned % 20. This was the opporlu.
nily the cub Wn- watching for. With mouth
ana eyes wide Opcn, ear, laid back, and ni,
head close 10 The ground 10 make himself
appear frightiul. he sprlng out OF iii, corner.
striking his paws hard ou the ground. I TIE
poor youugstcr turned % lo0k backward;
one g.ancc w. enough. lie started with
scream 81 horror to run, when the bear.
close II his heels. aGroily tripped him
The poor boy was terribly frightened, and
tumbled and rolled out OF reach Of the
chain length which confined the animal
The bear. however, did not attempt t. hurt
Aim. appearing content. lie then at down
and watched the boys frantic perform
anccS with every expression OF keen de
light. and erinning and laughing Is ].
did IN the morning when he box P!
lis master OF the ladder. Bruir
soon returned 10 his corner. evidently OK
pcctng the sport TO he renewed. and he
was not 10 be disappointed, and tie iun
went on ~ before, newcomers amors The
juvenile herd furnishing fresh victims.
until little black boy was almost killed
With fright. Cases in my experience in The
Rocky mountains over twenty years ago
with Bayard Taylor might be repeated To
show the drOllcry, the perennial ml>chie-
youSneSs. and ioco,c ingenuity 81 these
animals. whom | have studied with 50
much refreshing enjoyment for more than
huif a lfpfimef