Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-08-24
A Sociable Bear
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DING0. the best, most accomplished
ID and most human bear that ever
lived in Maine, is dead. the victim Of a
greedy hunters rife. and his thick,
glossy pelt hangs high In a Bangor mar
ket shop, waiting for purchaser. The
death of Bingo has caused sorrow 10
many who dwell In the wild region about
Seeboomook Falls. and well It might.
for to these mourners. he was, both in
youth and in middle age. sociable
neighbor and appreciatiye friend.
Melville Doughty. better known as
Long Mel" feels especially sad over
the loss OF his furry friend for from
long experience in forest life and close
contact with wild things, he knows that
II is 100 to ! that he will never again
meet with such knowing and soeiable
sort OF bear as the late departed.
Seems II they might abound some
thin else to shoot In all this country
up here. 'cept that one good. decent
bar" mournfully remarked Mel, as he
sat on the deacon seat at McLean's
camp and added the smoke Of his corn
cob pipe 10 the general fog. Why, that
bar was as good a neighbor's | ever had.
an I've ben Twin in these parts more'n
30 year.
HE was left an orphan when he was
Just a little cub. an found him one day
a-suckin' Of his paws at the aidge o. the
tote road to the falls Brought him home
an give him some mush an molasses,
an he sot right up like any child an in
jyed il. too When he got some size on
him he quit stayin' round the camp SO
regular. an used to go out foragin' on
his own hook Then he went TO deRnin',
like any bar, which was only nat'ral,
but he always was neighborly, an never
seemed TO forgit what I'd done for him.
Member the time well when he fit
lucifee that got into the camp an would
have ct up my little girl-tt him an
licked him to shoestrings. too, by gosh.
Pulled the same young one out OF the
lake when II got in over its head, an
did lot Of other good turns that III
never forgit Did a good many chores,
too. around the place. DO you good TO
see that bar weed my onion patch-iest
rasped them weeds outen the ground
with his claws. like patent harrow. All
he asked for his trouble was a dish O
mush an molasses. Bars is terrible
fond o. sweet stun. But Bingo, he was
an honist b'ar-never stole snythin'
He'd set all day side OF keg o molasses
an never put a paw into 1t.
Summer time. Bingo used 10 go up
above the falls an fill himself with
raspberries, an our little girl would
go long with him. When he'd got his
own I'll. he'd turn to an NIL the little
girls pail-could do It quickern scat.
Ever see a bar pick berries? Well, SIR,
when it comes to that kind o. business.
YOU an amt in il with the slowest bar
that ever wore fur. Nat'ral talent with
EN-.
"Bingo. he hadn't no faults but one.
He did like likker. Some one down TO
McNulty's camp learnt him that He
went down there one Christmas an sot
a while with the boys. who were hayin'
of a great time. A Frenchman had come
over the line few days afore that with
a kag o. morson-that there white rum
the Canucks have-an' il was passin'
round pretty free that Christmas day.
One o. the fellers. Jack Kelley. I'm Ban
gor. he says, There's Bingo-what's the
matter with givin him a ball out o. that
kag?' So they poured some out in big
Tin dipper. an give it to Biugo, an euss
me if he didn't swaller it downs though
it,d ben molasses syrup. Pretty warm
in the camp. with big FIRE a-bsazin' an
fnst thing they knew that morson begun
10 work on Bingo. Fore anyone could
move. that there bar up an grabbed the
kag put II to his head an gulped down
bout a quart. Then. mister, things be-
gun to hum.
There was a Frenchman in the crew
named Paul Larsen, who thought he
could rassle some. an he'd ben shown
OF that afternoon while Bingo was IN
camp. THROWN everyone he come to.
Rinro he 'membered this, an when the
morson begun TO bile up inside @ him
an, he got 10 feelin' real good an kinky,
10 lest raced over % where Larsen was
= cbaurin' Of his pants an grabbed him
FOUND the belly with both paws Lar
sen ne yelled for the bar to let go, bat
Ripgo he Jest grinned-he could grin an
Ian like anyone human-an' twisted that
Frenchman of'n his feet like be was
.bild THROWN him on the fiat o his
hack with a slam that made his teeth
rattle.
Then the crowd they yelled an LATED
AZ to raise the roof. an Bingo, KNOWN
that was pluase. he jest danced jig in
the middle o the floor, kicked over all