The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-04-18
A BEAR FOR A ROOMMATE.
Funny Story About n Eussian nenst
Which Slept In n Red


Which Slept In u Bed
Livonia Is part OF our globe where
fondness for pets coeSists with love
OF sport. y Russian subject from that
province tells mo Of the strange con.
sidcration evinced by one OF her neigh |
bors for the feelings of n bear. The |
animal had IN odd fancy for sleeping
indoors and in a bed. To humor him.
room In n tower was always left
open for the animal. Some nights he
came and ayailed himself of tho hos
pitality, but often he staid out In the
woods. If he arrived ut his tower and
mounted the long flight of steps which
led from outside to his own door and
found that anything prevented his en-
trance. the bear made horrible noise.
growing and battering the woodwork
LII Iivoniu. during the brief northern
summer, tho local mngnatcs visit each
other without prior arrangement. AMI
they arrive prepared to stop the night.
1t not infrcqucntly occurs that many
carriages converge at the same time on
one country house, with the result that
rs many rs 40 beds may be required
large influx of visitors arrived one
night ut the house where the bear had
his room. The last conner was tlmid
youth, Il cousin OF the house. The host
met him. radiant:
What pleasure. Ivan! You'll find
half the relations here But, alas.
you'll not have Il good room. Every
other corner is full There's only the
tower left. AS you know. the bear
comes there. But never mind! lie does
not put In an appearance every night"
The young man would fain have gone
farther but the nearest country house
was ten miles off. his horse tired, and
the hospitable relations very pressing
Ill their invitation to him to remain.
He was greatly afraid OF the bear. hut
still! more afraid OF offending host,
hostess and all the other cousins and
neIGhbOrS. He decided to stay, and MT
last retired TO rest in large, square
room, with two beds In 1t. He inOuir-
cd II he might not bar out the bear (thc
door had but latch). but he was told
that no fastcningS might be uscd the
bear was too noisy If shut out. He
would not let soul In the place have
a wink Of Sleep" Besides, "he wasn't
coming very likely" And, further
there wasn't any means Of altogether
fastening the door," "It was left on
the latch on purpose" The last words
or rather sleepy cousin to the new
conner were. Better take the bed in
the far corner, Lvnn!'
The guest can hardly be said to have
slept there. The terror of bruin kept
him awake ut first and then bruin him
self, for in the small hours n stumbling
step and sound Of claws OH the steps
and balustrade froze the blood In the
unhappy youths veins. The noise came
nearer. There was n fumblIng Mt the
latch. with great growing and grum-
Dling. bruln entered and put himself
to bed In the couch near the door.
There the beast grumbled, grunted
and seemed to sniff. That smiling
alarmed the other occupant OF the room
most OF all, for he thought it meant
that the bear scented him and might
resent his presence. The wretch dared
scarcely breathe. Dawn was breaking,
but that was only another danger. The
beur might see him. Bruin, q great.
curled lump above the blankets. be-
came In due time visible to his fellow
lodger. Then the bear snorcd! There
was comfort In that sound. But soor
&c rolled about and growled and groan-
ed discontentedly. The heart of the
watcher beat painfully loud. He dared
not rise. He had not nerve enough to
pass the sleeping animal and rush
down the steps. Terror nera!y.ea Tie
youth. and prudence whispered that
inactivity can be sometimes masterIy.
The slow hours dragged on. All the
company had assembled down stairs
at breakfast, but bruin still slept, and
the timid cousin watched him with
eyes that burned and throbbed. At
last the host said: "Wheres Ivan?
Where's the bear tooY And q mes.
senger was dispatched to the tower.
there to find pailid guest and his un.
Invited companion. The messenger
routed out the bear, who had been kept
as q pet when cub and yyho was
really only half wild beast, and help.
ed the nerve shattered youth to dress
and join the breakfast party.-London
News.