The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-03-31
THIS BEAR KNOWS TOO MUCH.
And Two Cage Mates Are Sacrificed
 to His Love of Waltzing.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
 Marty the black bear is in disgrace with the management Of the Centrai park menagerie because of his oVeredu- cation An educated bear is considered an acquisition in the show business, from which Marty was retired last October to make his home in the park, but the me- nagerie folk attribute the deaths of two other bears to the dancing speclaity Ill which he was proficient
 This particular Bruin was featured as the greatest bear waltzer in the world. His keepe thinks that his appearance be- fore the footlights and the applause of the audience sort of stirred up his Nani- ty and got him in love with his own dancing.
 When about to do a stunt on the stage his trainer would give him piece of meat and another morsel when he had finished the performance Getting food and doing a turn were associated in his mind, so after he got to the park the old habit was strong upon him. When ever Keeper Cunningham would pass him in a nice fish or piece of bread with a little honey on it he thought it was his duty to dance, and nothing would do but that Anna Held should dance with him. Anna had been a pet and had some ac- qulintance with theatres, but couldn't dance. She was young, timid, and of quiet disposition, so when Marty would grasp her in his strong arms and try to waltz with her about the cage she was greatly fiustered.
 He is years old and of husky build and he made her dance whether she wanted to or not. He hugged Anna Held in the waltzing until he hugged her to death. She just pined away. and one morning when the keeper went up on the hillside to feed the two she was lying dead on the cage floor.
 Marty was alone in he cage for several weeks, but he retained the same sunny dispositions: glad to have people take mo- tice of him, always ready to dance and when no visitors were about playing with the wooden ball in the cage. Then another black bear was presented to the menagerie and the newcomer was put in the cage with Marty. The new one was a male nearly his own size and no more given to dancing than was gentle Anna
 The stranger wouldn't fight with the good natured dancer even when the per- former hugged him tightly enough to crack rib or two. But he. too, passed away as the other one had done, and again Marty was alone,
 He was lonesome for time after the second one died but he brightened up over a new idea. This was that as he had no other bear to hug perhaps he could embrace the keeper. Cunningham thought the bear meant mischief when he pu. his paws out through the iron bars and he jumped back out of reach. The bear looked agreved and when a nice, juicy piece of meat was thrown into his cage he would not touch it. The keeper stood there watching him. Then Brun put a paw out through the bars. The keeper took a chance and grasped the paw in his own hand So they shook hands and became friends.
 Every morning now when the keeper goes up the hillside to clean up and feed the animals Marty thrusts paw through the bars for shake. If the keeper ven lures near enough to tho bars the animal | puts out both paws, but on account of | the bars he cannot use much of his l strength.