Waterbury Democrat., 1902-04-05
The Good Bears Temptation
Uncle Hiram Relates the End of Deacon Todger,s Pct. E
nHUCH a promising career as
 M Deacon Todgers' bear had

l our town lalu JnG Diame to WHISKY. (. I couldn't agree with them.
 Whisky properly applied,' said to Deacon Todgers, trying to com- l fort him over his loss, never harmed man or beast. But q mhination of Tom Wilson's joy producer, nitro i glycerin and jealous and evil-minded snake would bring to sudden end the career of the most cultivated bear that ever trod the pike to fame.
 .Jhe deacon had caught the bear 1 when it was a 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.. s'When it approached the period of adult 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 errands 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, admiringly, though with just a 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 proposition. But he was monstrous proud of that snake, just the same.
 "'Poor Eve,' Tom used to say, in sort of 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 l began to appreciate the ability of a properly trained snake, I have felt that she had been blamed too much for that apple affair
 ''The good old deacon, thinking that he really needed little stim- 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 eyen- 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.
 s.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 sniffed sort of scornfuI.
 "'For 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, 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 son. He allowed that the snake wouldn't be one, two, left at the post, if the bear really showed what he could do.
 s'To make things interesting he put up pretty good wager with Tom Wilson on the relative merits of the bear and snake. Then he cleared an open place on the floor and put the bear through his tricks.
 T don't know that the bear was really any smarter than the snake, although, of course, their talents lay in different directions. But every body loves a 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 crawled away Tn humble manner. But there was a look in his little beady eyes that didn't promise any Christmas presents for the bear if Mir. Snake ever saw any chance to get even.
 "A couple of days later Tom Will Eon went to corner of the barn where he had some nitroglycerin stored. The snake was lying on the floor. Tom, being sort of yexed at the snakes defeat of the former night, aimed a kick at it.
 1 sInstead 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 ing. Tom was mighty puzzled.
 .Why, instead of taking that kick in the body where it wouldn't hurt him, did that snake stick out his head? Tom observed to himself. And why did he crawl away in that cautious manner as if he considered himself too valuable to be jared? Can it be that sorow over his defeat has turned the brain of my cherished {e<<.x T l. .x =. 1 os