The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-12-10

The Talking Bear.

VIZ rNAAAltA fNHAlNt IN AUTUMN
Peggy Mulloos sat &C her cottage door
mending a pair Of stockings, when,
casting a glance outward, she per-
ceiyed n great crowd Of men. women
and children coming fro the other
end Of the village. and In the midst Of
them a black hear led by n keeper.
The latter wore a large white reding
ote, In which he was able to wrap
himself twice; a very short vest and
panialoons, the worse for wear. His
boots stood in want OF repair. and his
gray hat had for a long time lacked
part Of It's brim. Beside him walked n
hunSry-lookIng lad. dressed In white,
playing a large iiageolet and beating u
tamhour.ne.
Arrived before the Red Lion, the
only hcstelry In the village, the
mountcbank paused. lie made a cir
Gle about him and ordered his bear to
stand upright Then. ilouiishlng his
baton over the head Of the animal. he
began TO dance with him. taking steps
and poses which the bear Initiated.
One might believe the inhabitants Of
nopheld were happy. for the crowd
laughed heartily.
A ventfiioquisi. who was stopping nj
the Red Lion. regarded from widow
his spectacle OF buffooncry. Arriving
that morning. he had already had Oh
poftnnltics OF recognizing the character
OF tho Inhabitants OF the place. The
Idea, therefore. occurred 10 him Of
amusing himself At their expense.
lie descended among the srsc.a.0rs.
aud, Fronting by moment when the
iiagcoiet and tambOurinc were silent,
lie approached the 'nouniehanx.
NO doubt your bear can talk he
said to him.
The man regarded him fxcdly.
shrugged his shoulders ard replied
brusquely'
Question him. and you win find
out"
This was what the vcutriloquist OK
pectcd. He made n step toward The
bear and said In q mccklng voice:
lyon dance like member ~ an
opera company, and | compliment YOU.
From what country are you, my gen
,lemanT'
Prom the Alps. Switzerland"
/ Will not attempt 20 describe the
dislnay that seized the crowd. They
were all struck with astonlshucut end
alright. but the surprise OF the bears
owner was the greatest Of all lie
opened his large. dull eyes. ibis cavern.
0us mouth. and remained lmmoyable.
as II his feet were rooted to the SPOT
The vcntrlloQulst turned toward
him.
Your bear speaks very good Eng
fish," he snid Then 10 the animal:
"You appear 10 be sadf'
THE air Of llopcileld has made me
splenctlc." replied the bear.
Here the crowds began 10 retreat.
and the ventrlloqulst continued:
Have you belonged for somc time
20 your mnsterT'
Sufficiently long 10 be weary Of
him."
is be not Kind TO youy"
"Yes; kind rs blacksmith with his
anvil"
would you like to revenge yourself
upon himy"
zone Of these days viii cat him. o.
one cats breakfast"
AZ these words tho n1lrlghicd crowd
reiterated still further. The dis mayed
keeper wished 10 draw the bear rgnln
70 him. but the animal. tired ~ wait
Ing. uttered n surly growl. The ven
trlloqust stayed no longer. but turned
away and took his course toward the
Inn. The crowd Initiated him. and
rapidly dispersed.
The vcntrilOquist. having reached the
door 81 the Rcd Lion looked back and
laughed nj the fugllives. while the TN
conscious cause OF all this disorder.
TRANQUILITY seated In the road. seemed
to throw a careless aud philosophical |
glance upon the terror &c had occn.
stoned.
The same evening the vcniriloqulsi
met some Of the villagers. who had |
gathered az the inn 10 discuss the |
mornings adventure. with maay am.
Publications. aud comments. rs was
their aminhle custom. lie thought the |
joke had been carried far enough. |
aud laughlngly explained how the
trick had been done. They listened At |
tcniivcly, but when he had ,ndcd the
older men shook their heads with an
air of incrcdnlliy.
This Ia very well 20 tell The chill
dren," said Crandfathcr sirlffy. but
we arc persons Of experience. II Is
not the first time that animals lave
spoken, for ono remembers Balaams
lass. BESIDES the almanac predicted
this event In announcing that In mid
August. three days before CT three
days after marvellous ,hiug would
tmnspire In the world" ]
The vcnt-iluQuist insisted and wished
10 give proof u what he advanced: hut
the crowd departed with suspicion.
persuaded that he wished 10 deceive
them.
The innkceper. who had nhs rived all
with watchful eye AMI Z ocking
smile. approached the discounted Yen.
trlloQuist
Milford" he said. do not be aston
lshcd M what has happened Ro-
nance IL always more welcome TO the
crowd than reality. You wished 10
Jest with these rustlcs, but they have
taken the Joke In earnest Nothing
will now convince the Inhabitants ~
llopilcld, who hove the marvellous. that
he bear has not spoken. This proves
ine thing. We should beware Of clrcu.
ating story which Is false. II Is
,asler TO find believers In the most ab.
iurd or mischievous statement than
10 convince certain order ~ people
n the simple, harmless truth.'-Ex.
mango.
]