Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-30
LOVELY FUR TRIMMINGS
MeyerSyC
l03 East Broad Street.
(no 3O-IU


sale place under shelving rock, while
they went mile or two further on to cut
another bee tree.
Unfortunately for Chamberlain and his
tubful Of honey, it was the next day be-
fore he got back to where he had hidden
the tub, sudden storm having compelled
him and his partner TO beat a retreat for
home. Next morning they went TO the
ledge Of rocks where they had hidden the
honey, but much TO their chagrln they
found that somebody during the night
had removed tub and all. They were not
long in finding out the thieves, however,
for as they stood cursing the thief who
had robbed them OF their hard-earned
sweets, Chamberlain's practical ear
caught from windWard across the ravine
a sound that made him eXclaim: Bears!
the black devils, they've got our honey.
And sure enough they had-and what
mess, too.
sneaking through the thicket that form
ed the underground in the little ravne,
the men came upon a semi-cearing be-
meath a clump of oak trees. part way up
the other side, where they beheld a sight
that at first made them Cuss I'm their
choicest style, but which at second glance
appeared so ridiculous that it made them
laugh. In the clearing were four black
bears-tWo old ones and two half-grOWn
cubs-and close by was the more than
half-empty honey-tub. The Old male bear
was diving into the honey with both
paws, pulling out great hunks Of the
comb and cruching II between his jaws,
the while making sundry gtunts Of eX-
IRENE satisfaction and grinning with I'M
disguised pleasure. But the cubs-pOOr lit
tie devils-they had done gOne,' and
had eaten too much of the honey, and
both were In the throes OF a fierce case
Of stomach ache. The cubs were rolling
ABOUT on the ground, their legs drawn to-
gether. and squealing like two shoats I'm a
slaughter pen. And the mother bear was
CuueaVuring 70 sOOthe her offspring. First
the one and then the other she would
take and rub-rub where the pain seemed
nercest, and rub as though the stomachs
OF the poor little cusses would surely
wear through Then occasionally she'd
lose her patience with the gluttOuOus lit
Tie devils, and the way she'd cum them
looked as though she might have learned
IL from peeklng into a Cummings Town
ship schoOl-rOom some day when the
schOOlmd am wasn't IN good ,humOr and
when she was taking her spite out on
some blockheaded yOuDgster. This Quilting,
however, was not much Of a cure for bear
stomach ache. So. while her lord and
master raYenOusly Waded into the con-
tents OF the tub, Mrs Bear continued 20
rub the stomachs OF her youngsters like
as. If they had collie or had been eating
green apples.
Chamberlain and Kuntz conceived the
idea Of capturing the cubs. They reck
oned that the little cusses were too sick
10 be able to run, and they calculated
mat the OH pears NOQlQ skcOAQQse as
soon as they saw them. But they reckon
ed wrong. The bears were not TO be
frightened. The men were without Wea-
pons, save for pocket knives They sud
denly leaped from their hiding place into
the clearing, not more than ten yards
from the bears. And just as suddenly
did old Mr.. Bruin leave of eating honey
ana prepare for defence The men circled
about the quartet OF bears. The latter
huddled together, the sick cubs whining
that
lain's heart softened. He would have re-
treated had not Just then the old male
Dear made up his mind to fight. He
made for the men on a doube-quck, re-
infOrced by the mother bear and the
shambing sick cubs. The men cndea-
vored TO make detour TO get down into
the raVine again, when suddenly the she
bear broke away and took after KuntZ
Iull tilt. Kuntz slipped and went sprawl !
ing into the tub Of honey emerging there |
from with the Sticky stun All over his |
face and hands and II dripping from his |
long, unkempt locks. But 10 was no time
for ceremony, for Mrs. Bruin was a close !
second. Kuntz half blinded by the honey |
rushed into the thicket, the old bear for |
tunateIy following no further than the |
edge Of the clearing.
Chamberlain succeeded in getting away |
without mishap, but the men did not ven |
ture back for the remainder OF their |
money for some time. When they did go |
back there was precious little of n left /
for between the ravenous bears and |
clumsy Kuntz the honey had Jared badly. |
How the bears succeeded I'm carrying the /
tubful Of honey from the rock ledge to the |
opposite side of the ravine is a puzzle to |
Chamberlain, but that they did the lob. |
and did It well was shown by the fact |
that the tub was moved and the trail |
along which they had carried II showed |
that little had spilled. and even this was
probably pulled out by the greedy cubs
as their parents tugged along with their
burden. This honey experience and tho
bear convention which Chamberlain saw
Iast summer have convinced him that