Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-09-07
: BEARS DO HAVE FUN
Congressman Mondell's Story Of Q
Tenderfoot's Experience.

| a party on nuQtlnS tour In WyO-
ming several years ago camped one
evening at a point eighty-flve miles
southeast Of the geysers. A lovely lit
tie prairie 1t was, surrounded by Dense
ly wooded hills; an ideal camping spot,
with cold springs and abundant grass
for the animals. Here the hunters left
the wagon, took supplies on pack hors-
| es and went of for a few days excur-
sion among the ranges. The camp
was left in charge of tenderfoot who
had enlisted as man-of-all-work.
1t was at midnight several days after
the party had left, that this camp
keeper was walked by desperate rum
pus directly over his head. In regular
camping fashion he had spread his
blankets under the wagon. Crawling
forth in great alarm, he looked up and
| saw an immense cinnamon bear In
possession Of the wagon, playing havoc
with the party's stores. Tenderfoot
took one good look; then his traitorous
legs got the advantage of him and he
rushed madly away into the surround
| ing scenery. When he felt himself
safe as to distance he stopped to get
his breath, to hear that bear chuckling
over his easy victory; he also heard his
| lips smack as he took fresh bite
now and again, Of the delicious sugar.
| cured hams, or diversified his repast
| with OCCASIONAL taste of fresh venison.
| Tenderfoot was studying what course
| was best to pursue, and safest as we'll,
| and honorably concluded to go back to
do what he could to retrieve the situa-
| ton. BY the time he regained the
open prairie all the load was emptied
out OF the wagon and the bear was
enjoying himself amazingly, prospect
Ing among the various items. Seeing
the camp keeper thus looking on, the
beast made rush toward him and the
ex-wagonmaster incontinently forgot
| all sense of duty and fed.
This was Tenderfoot's first personal
acquaintance with any bear. When
the bear loomed up in the wagon he
had fearful appearance. Tenderfoot
trembled In his boots then, and later,
when the bear made at him, he lost
his reckoning and naturally followed
backwoods trail that had been used
only by Indians and wild animals. His
astonishment can be imagined when
he ran plump against another bear
coming down the same trail. This one
was young, not much more than half
grown and not graduate Of any mil
itary academy. The young bear rear
ed, and so did Tenderfoot, but soon as
the latter regained his presence of
mind he made another burst OF speed
that took him into the forest. He
went and went until no sound coming
after, he climbed confer to see what
he could see.
He was surprised to find that he was
not far from the wagon, as his course
had been circuitous. His tree sur
mounted all the rest. Overlooking the
bordering growths he could see the
two bears at work, throwing the sup
plies about, helping themselves to the
best there was, then tossing the rest
In all directions. When appetite was
sated they uttered that inarticulate
sound which in bear signifies both
safety and delight To the man up a
tree 1t sounded better for being at
comfortable distance.
Having laid in full supplies, they be-
gan the most ungainly gambols and ex-
travagant performance. They threw
sugar-cured hams at each other; used
potatoes as shot and shell; clasped and
hugged and rolled around that wagon
and over that prairie. In fact they
borrowed ideas from Indian life to
make travesty Of them. One managed
to get hold of a green blanket and
twisted 1t about his shoulders; reared
on two feet and promenaded about in
great shape and exceeding good hu-
NOR. Then the little one got hold of
red blanket and did the same. 1t
was grotesque beyond words to ex-
press; there wasn't enough still life in
1t for an artist to work on.
When tired Of this performance. the
little one got his paw in twenty
pound can Of lard, licked it and liked
1t; but was not hungry enough to keep
at 1T. The rascal would take a pawful
of lard and fling it at the big one. To
hold his own the big one got possession
Of the can and snowballed the other.
The lard held out until both were SO
spotted as to be able to pass for gen.
uine polar bears of truest color.
Thus they scuffled among the tin
pans and remains of the feast, grad
ually getting away from the wagons;
rolling and tumbling about until they
came directly under the tree where
Tenderfoot was roosting. He. had
watched the performance eagerly, and
was so delighted with the fun of it
that he didn't grudge them all the sup
plies they had spoiled. This he could
easily afford, as he had no financial in
tereSt III tne Outh. lie ndQ Deen lean
ing here and there, to get his eyes in
range and find some position where he
could see to best advantage, when he
had the misfortune to lose his hold on
the limb he had clung to, or it broke,
and he fell, landing on top of one of
the bears, which broke his fall. But
as soon as that bear shook him off the
other began to SNOWFALL him with lard,
for in all these mad gambols they had
kept the lard can close by.
1t was 80 dark even by the moonlight
that the bears couldn't well see in that
pine forest. So they probably thought
it was another bear. AS Tenderfoot was
soon covered with lard as they were, it
was not easy to tell the difference. BY
this time Tenderfoot entered entirely
into the sport Of the game; tossed and
rolled and threw lard as well as the
best of them. How long it went on he
never knew. All he did know was that
he began to believe he had been
changed to be bear, and was having
more finn than he ever dreamad of