Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-05-08
MISCELLANY.
WAS IT THE GOOD BEAR
by Octave Thanet.
copyright, 1896, by the Author.l

shall describe.
There were three children, Lucius,
Claude and Evangeline. The widow
Wild being too poor to give her children
anything else fine, had given them the
finest names, which, she was accustom-
ed to say, wouldn't wear out nohow. "
The Wilds lived in two roomed log
cabin in the great gum woods, only two
miles from railway village. They rent
ed their land, paying rent in the corn
and cotton Of their raising. They owned
ten pigs and a COW, and Mr.. Ormond,
their landlord, allowed them the use Of
a pair of mules. Fuel is to be had for
the gathering in the forest, while fruit
and vegetables grow almost of their own
motion in Arkansas. But there was lit
tie enough money kept in the widow s
old stocking-purse she had none-and
when the cold Christmas rains came
Lucius could not go to school for lack of
a warm jacket. Claude could not go
anyhow, because he must mind baby
sister. "
Sometimes this was no easy task, baby
sister taking perverse and trying notions
into her head and being stubborn child.
On the very day of the plum cake there
was Claude to be seen, trudging along
with Evangeline S red sunbonnet haunt-
ing above his own ragged cap.
'Bliged to wear two hats" says
Claude, " cause baby sister never will
wear hers"
He says it to Colonel Ormond. Colo
-oi,,1 in, hie hCrSo a jc
riding home from the store, and, dare
say, that big bag slung over his saddle
horn holds something to help make
Christmas merry.
my my my myP' exclaims the
good natured man. you'll catch cold
and have pneumonia, surel Here"-he
fishes brown paper parcel out of his
SADDLE riders"-"I bought some nice
cakes with raisins in for my youngsters.
Put your hat right on like a good little
girl, and there's one for you. Here 6
yours, Bud.
The bride was successful. Baby sister
allowed Claude to tie her bonnet as she
munched her cake, but she wouldn't say
"Thank you, although Claude prompt
ed her, "What do you say, baby sisterP'
And she wouldn't say, 81 wish you
we'll, SIR" like polite little Arkansas
child, when Colonel Ormond rode away.
Not she She sat down in the cold mud,
naughty, rude little baby sister, and de-
voured her plum cake.
"You ism to set on the ground, baby
sister," said Claude, pulling at her
arms "Maw said you mustn't You II
be sure chillin!"
"Yill set ON ground, " remarked baby
sister calmly.
Baby sister was determined charac-
ter. She was also fat. Claude knew
from experience that he could not carry
her half mile "And if l slap her she
lay down flat ana heller - thought he.
Therefore this wise little lad tried di
plomacy. "Say, baby sister, said he il
tones of silken softness, "less we all &C
look at the circusW
Baby sister came up like bouncing
ball and smiled like a cherub. "Me gooC
now" lisped she
You must not suppose that there was
a real circus to see. A real circus hac
exhibited its splendors yesterday at the
village, but the Wilds were too poor t.
buy tickets. They all saw the procession
however, which of itself was a thrilling
experience. What Claude named the cir
Gus was the brilliant poster on desert
ed barn by the high road. How may {
grown up person adequately describe the
magnifcence Of that cartoon? The beau
teous damsels pirouetting on hyinl
white steeds, the valiant gentlemen il
pink tights, with curled mustaches, turn
ing somersaults over trapezes; best O.
all, the savage beasts - lions, bears
rhinoceroses, tigers - crOuching anC
ramping and tearing their prey in thu
brightest jungles! All, how frightful
How glorious Claude could have gazeC
on the animals by the hour. Especially
did he admire the grizzly bear, him il
the lower right hand corner where tn,
piece was torn off. The fact is, CLAUDE
always kept lively interest in bears be
cause of his mother s "bear stories'' Ii
Mrs Wild's narratives there were NJ
grizzlies nor cinnamon nor black bears
the bears were divided into two mora
species only-the good bears and tn,
bad bears.
The bad bear hankered to eat III
'mean" little boys and girls, but tn,
good bear-luckily always at the baC
BEARS heels-was the natural protecto
of good little children, and even pitieC
children who sometimes were "mean,
and generally, after heart shaking sus
pense, contrived to rescue the child il
peril, after which he would return il
triumph to thank Offering of nuts anC
honey.
"Dat good bear?" chirped baby sister
standing ON one foot and fitting her we,
chin back, the better to view the pic
ture. Claude likewise stood on one foot
1t was because the ground was cold, anC
the winter stock of shoes was not bough
yet. So the little Wilds stood ON ON,
foot, as the chickens do, to keep warm.
81 reckon" said Claude. Then HI
told the often told story to such gooC
effect that, on its happy conclusion, baby
sister was quite willing to go home.
"And tell you what, baby sister, >
said the brother confidently, "I ain
done ct bit of that cake with the whit,
candy on top, and are going to save i
for nav for Christmas gift"
Baby sister trotted along, paying NJ
attention.
"Santa Claus never does give NAV
airy Christmas gift. He dom give we al
much Christmas gifts, anyhow" museC
Claude. "Reckon we all's house does bt
30 small them reindeer of his jest LOPEZ
= nj Hvyt Ia,