Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-12-23
LITTLE BLAcKIE BEAR.

Not so very long ago Little Blackie
Bear lived in the Great Woods with
his mother. Their home was in the
big cave near the old chestnut-tree,
and here they were very cosey to-
gether One day Mother Bear said
TO Little Blackie, "You are old enough
now to go out into the Great Woods
and find your own food"
very well, mother" said Blackie.
But first tell me, please, what is
good to eat"
Rabbits. wrens, muskrats, and men
will do to begin with answed Moth
er Bear. So little Blackie kissed his
mother goodbye and started out into
the Great Woods
He had not gone very far when he
met a rabbit.
"Ho!" said BlacEie, 81 believe you
are good to eat!"
"Oh. not" said the rabbit. II am
not at all good to eat until l have
run a mile"
well, start off them said Blackie:
at is growing late. I have had no
breakfast this morning and am get
ting pretty hungry
So the rabbit started off and Blackie
after him, and they ran and they ran
until they came to a little hole under
a big stump, and then, quicker than
you could wink. the rabbit slid into
it and was gone. And. although Lit
tie Blackie waited a long time, he
did not come back again. But after
a while a little wren hoped almost
under his nose.
''Ho!" said Blackie, 81 believe you
are good to eat!'
"Oh. no. said the wren. 81 am not
at all good to eat until I have flown
to tire top of that tall tree
Every we'll. then,' said Blackie,
''hurry 10 and fly there. 1t is grow
ing late. and 1 am very hungry. for
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 a muskrat on the edge
of a nearby stream, and he ran over
to him and exclaimed
az believe. sir. you are good to eat!
ooh. MOI" said the muskrat. Il am
not at all good to eat until I have had
swim" And he slid into the water,
and in a few moments climbed up on
the top of his house in midstream
and sat there.
After a while Blackie called out to
him.
"wen. Mr.. Muskrat. aren't you good
to eat yet?"
"Oh, yes," said the muskrat. Il
am good enough now. but it would
spoil me to swim back"
Dear me-" sighed Blackie. there it
is way past dinner-time, and l have
had no breakfast yeti" And he turn
ed away from the stream feeling very
sad. But he had not gone very far
when he saw a man with gun over
his shoulder. for he was a great hun
ter.
"Ho!" said Blackie, and it sounded
very much like a growl when he
said it. "Ho, / believe you are good
to eatl"
''Oh. no." said the man. 81 am not
at all good to eat until I have run
a long way" So he threw down his
gun. for he was a great hunter and
knew just what to do, and started TO
run. and Blackie after Sim: 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 bv the time Blackie got
there be had climbed up a ladder and
through a hole in the ceiling a1d
pulled the ladder no after him.
"Ho." said Blacl,ie. ''come down
here! You are good to eat now!"
Yes said the man, 'I believe
am very good to eat, but don't care
about being eaten. However. if you
are hungry, just step into the pan
try and help yourself to whatever
YOU find there. The door. you will
find is open"
So Blackie ran into the pantry, and
there he found pies and cakes and
bread and meat and jam, and lots
of good things. and he began to eat
az once: for he had had no breakfast
and was nearly starved.
Then the man sent his wife down
stairs Cfcr he was a great hunter
Won will remember. and knew JUS
what to dol, and she shut and lock
ed the pantry door so quickly that
Blackie was a prisoner before rs
knew it. But he did not mind at all
for he was very busy eating up the
pies and cakes and all the gooc