Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1902-04-10
The Good Bears
Temptation
Uncle Hiram Relates the End Of
Deacon Tod9er's Pet.

Deacon Todgers' bear had
before him." said Uncle Hiram
Remsen, mournfully, when it was
cut off, or rather blown to
bits. The temperance people of
our town laid the blame to whisky.
l couldn't agree with them.
Whisky properly applied,' I said
to Deacon Todgers, trying to COM
fort him over his loss, never harmed
man Or beast. But combination of
Tom Wilson's joy producer, nitro
glycerin and il jealous and evil-minded
snake would bring to a sudden end
the career of the most cultivated
bear that ever trod the pike to fame.
"The deacon had caught the bear
when it was q cub and had trained it
carefully in the way good bears
should go. There's no denying that
he made a success of his experiment.
"NVhen it approached the period of
admit bearhood that bear had for
gotten more than any other bear in
the county had ever known. He
could appreciate the excellence OF
good whisky and play several games
Of cards. Besides that, he would run
ezra ds for the deacon, act as watch
dog at night and see that the good
deacon didn't get the worst end OF it
if he got mixed up in little scrap
of any kind.
"'One little fault that bear of mine
possesses the deacon used to say,
though with just little
touch of regret, but l haven't the
heart to blame him, seeing how few
men who pretend to intelligence can
ever be taught to play the national
game properly.
but if the bear was Exhibit A in
the ursine family, Tom Wilson's pet
blacksnake could cash in nearly as
we'll at his own game. A good many
people thought the snake knew as
much as Tom himself did. OF course,
Tom wouldn't quite agree to this
But he was monstrous
proud of that snake, just the same.
"'Poor Eve,' Tom used to say, in
sort of a regretful manner. If the
original serpent in the Garden had
the intelligence of this cultivated
animal of mine, I don't wonder she
yielded to temptation. Ever since /
began to appreciate the ability of a
properly trained snake, have felt
that she had been blamed too much
for that apple affair.
'.The good old deacon, thinking
that he really needed a little slim
ulant to keep himself in condition
for doing his duty in an efficient
manner, used to drop down to Toms
tavern quite frequently in the even
ing Naturally he took his cher
ished bear with him.
. Ordinarily the snake was asleep
in the back room in the evening.
But one night he happened to be
performing in the barroom when the
deacon and the bear came in. After
the snake had finished his exhibition
almost every one applauded.
"The snake swelled out what chest
he had and looked proud and happy,
like snake who has done his duty
and more than his duty. But the
deacon shifted sort Of scornful.
"sFor a crawling REPTILE he said
sarcastic like, I'm not denying that
snake of yours does fairly well. But
of course, he is not to be mentioned
in the same breath as my bear when
it comes to real animal intelligence
tom Wilson sneered at this and
allowed that the only place where
there was any belief in the bears
ability was under the deacon's own
hat.
"A good bear, a well-meaning
bear he observed. scornfully, but
for true culture not to be mentioned
with my snake
."The deacon was almost daZed with
honest Indignation at this attack on
the pet he cherished like a son. He
allowed that the snake wouldn't be
one. two, left at the post, if the bear
really showed what he could do.
'.To make things interesting ne put
up Il pretty good wager with Tom
bear and snake. Then he cleared an
open place on the floor and put the
bear through his tricks.
Il don't know that the bear was
really any smarter than the snake,
alth ough, of course, their talents lay
in different directions. But every
body loves good bear and maybe
that prejudiced the boys little. At
any rate, when the bear finished, the
unanimous opinion was that the
snake had been beaten.
Tom paid over the bet, though he
didn't show any cheerful alacrity
about doing it. The defeated snake
craved away in humble manner.
But there was look in his little
beady eyes that didn't promise any
Christmas presents for the bear if
Mr.. Snake ever saw any chance to get
even.
n couple of days later Tom Will
son went to n corner of the barn
where he had some nitroglycerin
stored. The snake was lying on the
floor. Tom. being sort of vexed at
the snakes defeat of the former
night. aimed a kick at it.
Instead of making violent effort
to dodge the kick, the snake stuck
out his head and took the kick there.
Then he crawled away after the man.
ner of a snake who didn't want to be
kicked, but would prefer being
kicked on the head to subjecting his
body to any jolts by hurried crawl
inp. Tom was mighty puzzled.