Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1908-10-14
BOYS AND GIRLS.
LITTLE BLACKIE BEAR.
(For the Younger readers

and here they were very coy togeth-
er. One day Mother Bear said to Lit
tie Blackie, 'You are old enough now
to go out into the great woods and
find your own FOOD
Every we'll, MOTHER said Blackie.
''But first tell me, please, what is
good to eat?''
will do to begin WITH answered Moth
er Bear. So Little Blackie kissed
his mother good-by and started out
into the Great woods,
He had not gone very far when he
met a rabbit.
"Ho!'' said Blackie, Il believe you
are good to eat!'
ooh, mol" said the rabbit, Il am
not at all good to eat until l have run
mile
well, start off then," said Backie;
sit is growing late; / have had no
breakfast this morning and am getting
pretty hungry"
So the rabbit started off and Blackie
after him, and they ran and they ran
until they came to little hole under
stump and then, quicker than you
could wink, the rabbit slid into it and
) was gone. And although Little
Blackie Bear waited long time he
did not come back again. But after
while little wren hoped almost
under his nose.
Hop said Blackie, II believe you
are good to eat ~
ooh, no." said the wren, Il am not
at all good to eat until have flown to
the top of that tall tree"
Every we'll then," said Blackie,
hurry up and fly there. 1t is grow
ing late and am very hungry, for l
have had no breakfast this morning.
So the wren flew over the tree tops
and was gone, and although Little
Blackie Bear waited long time she
did not come back again. But pres
emily he saw muskrat on the~edge
of nearby stream and he ran over
to him and exclaimed:
81 believe, sir, you are good to eat!''
ooh, mol" said the muskrat. 81
am not at all good to eat until I have
had swim" And he slid into the wa
ter and in few moments climbed up
on the top of his house in midstream
and sat there.
After while Blackie called out to
him:
well, Mr.. Muskrat, aren't you
good to eat yet?'
ooh, yes" said the muskrat II am
1 good enough now, but it would spoil
me to swim back
Dear me ~ sighed Blackie, here it
| is way past dinner time and I have
had no breakfast yet!' And he turned
away from the sream feeling very
sad. But he had not gone very fal
when he saw man with gun over
! his shoulder, for he was great hun
ter.
e "Ho!" said Blackie, and it sounded
5 vrey much like growl when he said
it. ''Ho, l believe you are good tc
e eatv'
t "Oh, no. said the man. Il am not
at all good to eat until I have run q
!. long way" So he threw down his
y gun, for he was great hunter and
knew just what to do, and started to
run. and Blackie after him. and they
: ran and they ran until they came to a
: little house beside road. The door
was open, so the man ran right in, and
by the time Blackie got there he hao
climbed ladder and through hole
in the ceiling and pulled the ladder up
y after him. ''Ho, said Blackie,
"come down here! You are good tc
t eat now"
/. eyes," said the man, 81 believe !
+. am very good to eat, but don't care
!, about being eaten. However, if you
!. are hungry just step into the pantry
+ and help yourself to whatever you find
r there The door. you will find, is
;, open.'
= So Blackie ran into the pantry anc
4 there he found pies and cakes, anC
IS bread, and meat, and jam, and lots OF
d good things. and he began to eat al
d once, for he had had no breakfast ane
e was nearly starved.
Then the man sent his wife dowl
stairs (for he was great hunter, 20,
will remember, and knew just what tx
do), and she shut and locked thu
pantry door so quickly that Black,
re was a prisoner before he knew it. Blu
= he did not mind at all, for he wa
g, very busy eating up the pies ant
= cakes and all the good things he hat
d, found in the pantry. When he coult
3, eat no more, he stretched out on th
floor and was very soon fast asleep.