New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-04
A YANKEE PEDLER.
HIS BEAR STORY IN WHICH THERE NAY POS
SIBLY HAVE BEEN BEAR

HIS BEAR STORY IN WHICH THERE NAY POS
sIBLY HAVE BEEN \ BEAR
II was toward the end OF a cool afternoon in
May when looked ont of the window and saw Mr.
Mcdad Hopkins coming up the walk with heavy
bag in either hand. We had been in the habit OF
keeping him over night when he made his annual
round dispensing thread needles and buttons to the
community. ! fastened TO the door and said
"Oh Mr. Hopkins, I'm so sorry. Mother isn't at
home
lie looked at me solemnly and his cadaverous face
assumed a still more dreamy expression
81 wouldn't make ye trouble he said, after
long pause.
We'll, suppose can keep you7 said. apsins
into One Yankee vcrnacular SO he was soon in
stalled not in tho 'settin' ROOM had hoped but
by the kitchen stove for the chilly air made the quick
heat grateful.
seems a Ieele like a FROST he said hustled
about "but I'd know. I'd know. | hardly think So
I've noticed mos neutrality-suspicious. S-taint often
] guc>S-that we have a frost in the new q the moon
Seems to make a dihruncc somehow. But tho moon
changed this af,'noon at 3-no. I guess twas ten
minutes past g. ef | aint forgotten guess prapS
that II make a difrunce We can't tell now. Mebbc
this wind'n 60 down. and then sgin mebbe twont-bu'
ef il docs 90 down -
left at this juncture 10 get some more wood but he
waited for me.
as soon as I came within hearing distance, we might
get frost. 'sllkclv'S not but then. OF course we
can't tell. as I know Of"
have rarely better illustration Of the Yankee
trait 81 evasion Of direct statement or answer. II
was always JOY to me to ask him how he would take
his tea although knew perfectly well, and this time
he went through the usual formula.
DO You Ike Your tea weak ~ ] asked
Veil YES ! guess so-that H. ia know. guess
Won can nut in cec tea-that T., don't want much
tea-and considerable milk-ycs, Ike Suthin kinder
hot moNIy-but Won can put in leetle tea ef you're
mind TO- and some hot water-and ] don't care II |
have considerable milk,-but anytmngH DO d"n L
nucb care, There g1Ics~ that's all right guess.
There's a pooty old man over Onr way ne ~
marked AZ we finally succeeded IN getting all his
wants supplied. They do say he's most hundcTd'
hut I'd know He's ninety eight | guess lies 80
old he don't know nothn'-dOnt know MS own cmI-
demand he amt got no money. Town ports MN
mostly But We amt acon to send him TO the poor
houec-an old man like that seems cf he'd ort"r I'VE
70 be a HUNDRED I'd aS lief saw wood 10 pay nv
tax to keep him from goin to the pooGhoh'e. When q
man gifts 70 be as old that. ksAfcr "e"ms's II inc
Lord must be savn' him for Suihin-but ia kno"
When nv htchcn.work done, and joined
orr friend in the sitting room. where an open nv nan
been kindlcd found him primcd for the evening
Father had basely deserted with feeble excuse
about an cI1and to the store. - took my sewing
oDd sat down 10 listen to the following tale with III
rambling prologue: .-
When I va. down TO Brggsvilic, seen the panther
that u.s. they say IT'S panther. ia kho" u 'Ie
seems ,ortcr Ike panther ia kno" war u 'ni"
from There cage or SUNNI uiH IP"s"' ""
. hoy timed ovcr-mcbbc twas year ago. some
If them animals might have got away. hhey's mol .
hut Of course they'd hush it up-tl~t i'--scc'n' 81"
uev wonId III twant a panther twouldnt come
around davtincS $ IL twas sorter uSeter iohN'
We halnt got many Wild animals any more ."
we u,ctcr have. Up whar useter I'VE ia vermont
they was catamounts sometime. mat hl"N''
fierce sort Of animal like ia lno" bu' II ~ "'s a.
,b pantlcr an I'd know a, il is. And there's inc
,vrv I'd know a, | ever seen one an ia kno"
tu4 I have cuc.s did see one oncet. That amt
n heavy a the panther. Considerable sim ioI u
LEI 9Th. like.
Eit ! guess the bears is about the fcar>omcS'
wild beast they - y guc,- they w"nidn ''t'h 'i'
iuddv niles. they wa tackled, or had cubs, eu''-
IN in thc mountain- whar u-et"r hN'' uic> see
hear, sometime. hccrd tell bon, ono onoct They
WA, A voung lady mp thar and she so'n hrif.
| rd know =. the bear would tetCh"d her am ld
know Lut mclue iva, chasin' OF her. am '"''
whether -hc screamed or not. but s1'-' she "'u
.uihin' I"rap- the bear wouldn't h"il her none VI
| She hadu't-but anyway there was man i"nhd 'he''
someW har an he come
Did he hill the br1r!' burst out HoPhS I" f''
some definite information.
Well / don't member bout that. P'-uWo H"'' nv
did n le,, ne run fore he had time TO ut thar III
he didn't que, likely he did
pronouus wcr; getting hopcc,sy mixed.
What became oil the young lady,' asked uy
inc To help him out OF hi, middle
The voung lady well That i,-thcy Is diheNnt ne
mart bout her some say she ,crGuncd-bu' !
uouIdn't be real certain bout t-and some say he
tainted an I'd know which to believe an YOU can !
always tell who is right. Ent guess she seen bear
or suthin' that looked like u ear-an' no mistake
bout that
MIR. hopkins sat IN Il detected silence for some
time after MS story ended Then he Fose ana h1
with hi hands drcoPs SSer t o mie t ho Sr
OF nine Then he cleared his throat ana sdu ana,
donS e s"x none lie said "eT this H 1aap the
air of doing me a great favor. 20 fastened 10 pro
vide light for hi, martyr VINO - "l'IInsS NJ" ''o'
h NV b6arder w up cry and aud stood around
the Kitchen stove a, much in my way a. possible yst
a ~" 10 boil asked him how he would Ike
'es Wal~i-I'd know. / don't g,nally eat but one
hut CUES CUES, you Kin put IN two ei you're nina
~, hu1 don't gen ally caldtc to eat but one 80 !
put in twO for him and h,sS Dotu ti1i" , in' ta1
5t hrrakfast like any other concern Of Mr.. Hopkins,
@ Dn, a mater 10 BE- dispatched without clrcuIni0cli
T T1n hi oRcd np and down the table cleared his
trnat turned hl, ccg again. laid his knit" on IT,
,,d intn mace and made remark about the
tLcr I hogan 10 feel doubt, aS 10 his accomplish,
ing meal that day and wondered If II Wa rear G or
stirling mat de ,nt t Eip HIM dagng At last he
Iancd back in his char, egg In one hand, knife III
the G,c,' anu nose IL. done through - adding deprc
c4inCly don't think could eat IT c 1t should rum
RE result was / rcbollcd the eges. :, .,.
II tnnk H. Am hour 10 - Ckcr Tor the small supply
- nn,i"m. hat were To- compensate for tho night ;
Iodeing When / at last closed the door on my friend
t% r az ynry ycry bred Then thought Of the bear
story. and the mott Eear aiu iorp ,, "eunac ,6
me as suitable for Medad Hopkins Inc pun rc'Ned