The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1893-10-05
CHILDREN'S CORNER.
THE LITTLE HOUSE N TIE
GARDEN


i suau and bis wife we're driving
through th- a,-si= up among the
mountains. aud hearing "A queer
sound, looked about them til! they
.p.sd two baby bears in tree.
Those must h. the cubs If the
old bear that was kilisd last week,
sail Mr.. Hitchcock, much interested
IT once
Poor little thins.' hos @ilI they
get Of aishout their mother: They
seem So frightened, aud cry like rial
babies" said the kIud woman.
They will stArve if we don't take
care Of them. I'll shake them down;
Won catch them in your shawl aud
well hat Ne can 10 for them.
- Mr.. Hitchcock climed up the
tres, to the great dismay of tn two
orphans, who growled fnanY little
growls aud crept Is far out on the
branch as they dared.
Shake softly, John, or they will
fall aud be- killed." cried the wife,
holding out her shall Tor this ncw
kind OF fruit TO fall INTO.
Down they came, one after the
other. and at first were too frightened
to fight: 50 Mr.. Hitchcock bundled
them up safely in the wagon, and
Mrs. Hitchcock soothed their alarm
by gentle pattings and motherly
words, till they ceased to struggle,
and cuddled down to sleep like two
confding puppies, than which they
were lot much larger.
Mr.. Hitchcock kept the hotel that
stood ut the foot of the king OF the
mountains, and in summer the house
was full of people; SO he was glad
of any new attraction, and the little
bears were the delight of many chill
dren. At first, Tom and Jerry trot-
ted and tumbled about like frollc-
some puppies, and led easy lives
petted, fed, and admired, till they
grew so big and bold that, like other
young creatures, their prank8 made
mischief as well as fun.
Tom would steal all the good
Things he could lay his paws on IN
kitching or dlning-room, and cook
declared she couldn't have the ras-
cal loose; for whole pans of milk
vanished, sheets of gingerbread were
found in his den under the back
steps, and nearly every day he was
seen scrambling off with booty of
some sort, while the fat cook wad-
died after, scolding and shaking the
poker at him, to the great amusement
of the boarders on the piazza. Peo-
pie bore with him a long time; but
when, one day, after eating all ne
liked, he took a lively trot down the
middle Of the long dinner-table,
smashing right and left as he scamp
cred off, with a terrible chatter OF
silver, glass, and china; his angry
master declared he wouldn't have
such doings, and chained him to a
post on the lawn. Here he tugged
and growled dismally, while good
little Jerry frisked gayly about, try
! ing to understand what it all meant.
But presently his besetting sin
got him into trouble likewise. He
loved to climb, and was never hap
pier than when scrambling up the
rough posts Of the back piazza to
bask in the sun Oh the roof above,
peeping down with his sharp little
eyes at the children, who could not
follow. He roasted in trees like a
fat brown bird, and came tumbling
down unexpectedly on lovers who
sought quiet hooks to be romantic
in. He explored the chimneys and
threw into them any trifle he hap
pened to find,-for he was a rogue,
and fond of stealing hats, balls, dolls,
or any small article that came in his
way. But the finn he liked best was
to climb in at the chamber windows
and doze on the soft beds; for Jerry
was luxurious fellow and scorned
the straw of his own den. This habit
annoyed people much, and the poor
little bear often came bundling out
of windows, to the accompaniment
of whack from an old gentleman
cane, or splash of water thrown at
him by some irate servaut-girl.
One evening, when there was a
dance, and every one was busy down
stairs, Jerry took a walk on the roof,
and being sleepy, looked about for a
coy bed in which to take a nap.
Two brothers occupied one of these
rooms, and both were Jerry's good
friends, especially the younger
George was fast asleep, as his dane
ing day had not yet begun, and
Charley was waltzlng away down
stairs; SO Jerry crept into bed and
nestled beside his playmate, who was
too sleepy to do anything but roll
over, thinking the big brother had
come to bed.
By and by Charley did come up,
late and tired, and having forgotten
a lamp, undressed in the moonlight
observing nothing till about to ster
into bed; then, finding something
rolled up in the clothes, he thought
it jokeof the other boys, and catch
ing up a racquet, began to bang
away at the suspicious bundle. A
scene of wild confusion followed, fo1
Jerry growled and clawed ard could
not get out; George awoke, and
thinking that his bed-fellow was his
brother being abused by some frolic-
some mate, held on to Jerry, defend.
ing him bravely, till rent in the
sheet allowed a shaggy head to ap-
pear, so close to his own that the
poor child was painfully reminded
of Red Riding Hoods false grand.
mother. Charley was specifies
with laughter at this discovery, and
VIII e Jerry bounoad ahout tho bod