The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1897-01-13
A KIND BEAR.

IN l6A7, IN the Transcancasian Ger
man colony Of Elizaheththal, about
30 miles from THM. A picnic party
discovered a largo bear (oalied MIX
hail Ivan Itch and General Top
tygin ir Russian) on q narrow lsago
Of rock high up in q gorge. This Is
what followed:
All at once a simultaneous cry al
pity, terror, horror, broke from all.
From behind the orag a little girl
made her appearance. The tiny COL
onist was FOR Syears old. not more.
She was strolltng along. with her
arms crossed oarelessly on her pink
apron. A large hat of coarse straw,
such as all the oolonists, whether
young or old, wear in hot weather,
had fallen quite over on the nape Of
her neck, and surrounded By this au.
reole, ell flooded with aunlight, the
poor little thing stepped out IA the
path which skirted the Cliff on the
brink Of the abyss. a
The poor child wss going to her
death in plain sight of many men
and women-and to what = dreadful
death! And not cae OF them could
help her! No one could either save
her or even warn her of her danger.
All were condemned to gaze, in
active, at the dreadful event which
was on the point Of happening BE-
fore their eyes.
The wonen raised 4 cry and fell
TO weeping. The majority of them
sobSea themselves into hystcTios be-
forehsnd. The men, ven these who
had been In battle more than once,
who had bsheid death and blood,
said sfterward that they became
cold and dizzy, and many turned
away their eyes In anguish. But
those who endured tho ordeal, on
the other hand, hehsld q marvel.
Because of the turn in the path
the child could not see the terrible
follow traveller who was coming to
meet her. She only caught sight Of
that dark brown shaggy mass at the
moment when 1t almost came In
contact with her. The huge beast
completely blocked her road. His
left paws stood on the very edge of
the path, while with his RICH, side
he almost rubbed the oliR. They
caught sight Of each other almost at
the Gamo moment.
Probably q cry or an exclamation
on the part of the child revealed her
presence to the beast. as he was
walking along with his muzzle and
eyes dropped csrthward. They star
ed fxedly at each other. The little
girl was petrifed with fear; the bear
halted, In INDIGESTION, no doubt much
astonished 1t not frightened. For
one moment. probably, he reflected,
What am I to do now?" 1t was
impossible to pass without crushing
the unexpected obstacle, without
striking it or hurting It into the
abyss. The path was 80 narrow q.
this point that he could rot even
turn round on all tours. What was
to be donep
Down below the people waited
with based breath. expecting at any
moment to see the unhappy child
pushed into the abyss. But evident.
" that was not the way In which
full fed and therefore good natured
Mikhau Ivan'itob, General Topty'
GIN had settled the problem. He
wished neither death nor harm *
this tiny oreats<e. helpless befost
him, with open mouth and sterina
eyes, having lost through fear ali
powor Of crying and awaiting his
will in trembling silence. And Mis-.
hcnka carried out his will.
With q faint growl, caused not by
anger but by the ~neosssity of putting
himself to trouble, hs reared up or
his hind legs, strobe close up to the
little girl, and, bzacing his bach
against the oliR, olaspsd his fore
paws around her, just beneath tht
shoulders.
Shrteks and groans Of despair 70
sounded from below. The ladies'
who still continued to gaze with din
Dyes, grew faint, but the men, espe
cially the huntsmen. who wore 40
quainted with the murderous habit.
Of the bear family, leapsd in spirit
and with q hope-a mad hope-fo,
tho ohild's safety. They perceived
that Mishka was behaving in a very
remarkable manner, with all tn
caution and dexterity which b,
could command.
They were not mistaken "a to hi!
unprecedented -goodness. The kint
hearted bear lifted the little girl up
carefully bore her over the preoi
piee, and, turning en- the pivot o
bis hind paws, set her down on tn
other side Of the path.
Having performed this gymnastt
exercise, the bear, without waiting
to be thanked-evidently no wa
well acquainted with the human
race-whirled about, dropped on al
tours and proceeded quietly on hi