The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-16
DON'T TRIFLE WITH A BEAR
BUT. II YOU CATION ONE AsLEEP, PLUG
HIM Full OF LEAF

ROULETTE, Pa. Oct. 8.-''SinnemRhone." said
the man in tho red. blue. pink, green. yellow.
and purple Mnckinaw jacket, you've always
bean BLOWN 60 much about your smart folks
ever in the Sinnemahonin' country and what
Amazin' things they kin do. Now, what do you
think Jim Greeley OF this here side o the noun
tain has been smart enough to doT'
''9omethinG about trading mules. / 'spose."
aafd the man from over 5innemahoning way.
4 hear folks who have had II done to 'em say
that for swapping mules you on this side OF the
mountain are cutter than all creation"
Maybe" said the man in the many-hued
jAoket. But thai amt what Jim Greeley has
been cute at. Jim was cute enough tother day
to ketch n y%earlin' bear asleep, and to git a rope
round the bears neck without wakin' II up.
and to yank the unwillin' and sassy cuss home
in spite OF itself That's what a Teller on this
eide o. the mountain has been cute enough to
do. and he's got the bear tied to a pole snug and
safe down to his %clearin'. Was any'o your ter
rible smart Slnnemahone folks aver cute
enough to do a thing like that?"
.- 'Mackinaw.' said the man from over Sinne-
mahoninR way. III Jim Greeley has been cute
enough to do that to n bear, l feel sorry for
him, because my remarkable father. Reuben
Pettibcne, early impressed on me the fact. and
'wnrne,l me against Il, that II there is one thing
that bears will never forget and forgive it is be-
ing caught asleep and made prisoner.
" II they are overcome and done up In a
square stand-up fight, Reuben Pettibone used
to saw. and after IA humping Of dry knocks
and II rumrus and "a rassle. they're willing to
take their medicine and say no more about IL.
because they know they've had IA fair chance
and it was their own fault IL they couldn't stand
up to the mark. But IL you sneak on 'em and
get the best of EN- while they are asleep. be-
ware. PraXiteles, Don't let 'em live a min
u;o. Kill EN-! For they've got it in for you.
and they'll get even and make II a sorry day for
you that Won took EN- in that way
That's what my remarkable father used to
give me warning Of. Mackinaw. and II any
body on this side OF the mountain has actually
been cute enough to catch a bear while it was
asleep | feel sorry for him. He wants to keep
his eye neeled."
Il told you what Jim Greeley DONE" said
the man Of the radiant Mackinaw. "and /
isked you n question. Was any Of your terrible
smart S!nnemahone folks ever cute enough
to do a thing like Jim done2 Come. now"
For family reasons. Mackinaw." said the
n,nn from over Sinnemahone way. the sub
ject Is n painful one to me: but rather than
suppress what l know about it. and thus give
q scmblance OF truth to the doubt that your
query implies. I will cast feeling and senti-
mcHt aside and reply that there was once a
SinnemahoninG citizen quite cute enough to
do what your Jim Greeley Is alleged to have
done. He sneaked m on a sleeping bear. Just
RS you say Jim did. and he got n rope on it and
yanked It home, almost before the bear knew
what was going on, and tied it to a pole. And
It was Q sorry day for him when he did It'll
Tell this Jim Greeley to keen his eye peeled.
Mackinaw. or he'll rue the day he ever was 30
foolish as to do this thing to Il yearling hear!'
'FiddlesticGsy' exclaimed the man In the
49, hl,A ~sl IL
Mackinaw jacket.
According to my remarkable father. Reu-
ben Pettibone." said the SInnemahoning citi-
zen. that was exactly what the unfortunate
man who had bagged the sleeping bear along
the Sinnemahone exclaimed to him when he
chlded the man for his foolishness and advised
him what to do.
ture If" be aaE9 s rdd H Re1be Mrf Pe sGfnnss soe b ma
end is life on the spot there's sadness and
"And the minimizing man simply shifted
ontemptnousl and exclaimed:
"Whercupon my remarkable father turned
away in sorrow. for he knew bears from A to
surely come to the man ii he 4idn't xiii that
hear he had sneaked up on and humiliated by
S Saw' wIqi n It b while tn it slept; maj And nd bears, MnGki-
unfortunate Sinnemahontng citizen. so l feel
He amt askin' YOU tor said the man in the
yariegated oyergarment. This side o the
mountain and Sinnemahonin' country is diff
~! hat sdds It to the possIbiIitiess Of that
honine man. DirersntS Alas. yes. That
bear Is feeling ugly and vindictiye enough lust
s because on ne ny vas oi taken ~ il while asleep. but
wrath 50 much that /! pale to think Of What he
cute he would Instantly have given It i out that
he, caught the bear somewhere along the stor-
led Sin%nemahone. and, the bear would have
been moved to gratitude. and would undoubt-
ed!y let nnp somewhat in maturing his ven.
have It known far and wide that it was on this
side 81 the mountain, Of all places! That is
fol, Jim Greeley. The vengeance OF that bear
enough to give it out that it was in the Sinnne-
mT Sa,s u country ha ysbh@e,,tt99 took that bear pHnawares.
how unfortunate, that he never did,"
The man from over Sinnemahoning way
Sh9rtsightedness EfH7 this iieI Serious s8srg matter laF 1i and
waited TOR some expression Of opinion in the
matter from the man in the ,parti-eolored
always heard that II any one was looking for a
az OF the ague or an up-and-up blame fool. he
didnt nave to go any further than the sinne-
There's Jest as many fits @ aeur, oyer, there
one blame fool less-and he amt dead
The man from over Sinnemahoning way pom
dered over this remark, but evidently couldn't
think who was referred to by the man in the
red. blue, pink, green, yellow and purple mack
NAV jacket. So he dropped the subject and
went back TO bear,
Yes. sirl'. said my remarkable father to the
mHn who had caught that bear asleep. plug It
when you will sit down with sorrow-provid-
ing added my father, that you are able to sit
down at all, which. perhaps, the chances will
and you want to let it out with a dose otlead
"But. the foolish man contemptuously re-
marked Fiddlesticksl' and Reuben Pettibone
turned away sorrowinR.
This man who would not be advised, al
neutrality-suspicious. born and brod. was
pot a popular idol there and thereabout. He
had never done anything wrong. but he had
PERKY and, nippy and tight sort of ways that
1idn't tend to make him first in the hearts OF
his cou9trymen, although it Grieves me to ac-
knowledge II. Just about the time he caught
this. bear mapping and Rloated over il, mis-
guided man; h, was getting ready to, marry
money laid by. Folks wondered at the .widow's
taking him, as he was a wldower and a good
AAnI nlhAT than aha tEna Ahn w,-,ll I.--