The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-06-23
Uncle Dams Bear Story.

|
WELL" said Uncle Dan, when the
children teased for story, since
you all want something different,
think | shall have to decide myself.
icow would you like to have me tell
you about bear that has frightened
more people than any other in the
world, and that frightened me lots
and lots Of times?"
10000! Goody!" cried all of
them together.
It's about q grizzly bear" said
Lyman. ---''
mo, a polar bear" guessed Lizzie.
Il think it's cinnamon bear" de-
clared Bob.
Uncle Dan laughted. NO" he
said, at isn't any one of those bears.
It's kind of bear you never heard
of-a bear that has very strange hab-
its, and is different from any other
bear in the world.
I'm the first place, this bear Is
found all over the country, not only
in wild places in the woods and
mountains. but ever more often near
log houses and little villages, and es-
pecially about old pastures where YOU
go to drive the cows in the morning
and to get them again at night.
THE strangest thing about this
kind of bear is that you never see
him in the daytime or In the morn
ing, but only when 1t has begun to
get dark a little at evening, and on
nights when there is just a tiny bit
of moon.
when I was boy had to take
my fathers cows to pasture every
morning and go after them every
night. l never met one of these bears
in the morning, but sometimes l
would see three or four in a single
evening, and they would frighten me
so that I would run all the way
home"
did they chase you, Uncle Dan, or
did you shot them. or scare them
away?"
mo. dear, | don't think any of
them ever chased me, though ran
too hard to see; and / am sure /
never shot one, partly because l had
no gun with me then. and partly be-
cause this kind Of bear is so hard
and tough that a bullet doesn't hurt
him at all; nor can you scare him
away. He will not run from anybody,
no matter how much you shout or
how loud noise your gun makes.
He just stays right there
How big are they. and what col
orr" asked Lyman. whose eyes were
round with interest and excitement.
"They are all Sizes" said Uncle
Dan, sometimes not any larger than
a Newfoundland dog, sometimes as
tall as big man; but they are al
ways rk-colored-almost black, and
they are always standing very still.
"The place where you are most
likely to see them is In the shadows
near trees, and In fence corners, and
along the edges of old pastures"
well. but Uncle Dan." began Rob,
eagerly. "If you can't shoot them and
can't drive them away. what can you
do with this kind of bears? Do you
always have to run away from them?
think that Is cowardly."
mo, my boy" answered Uncle
Dan, with smile, "there is another
way. If you are brave enough to go
right up to one of these bears and
touch him with your hand, he will
never hurt you, but will disappear at
once-so quickly that you can't see
him go. That is the only thing to
do, but didn't find it out for long
time-until was almost grown up"
But what is this strange bear?"
asked Lizzie, with a puzzled look on
her face. What is the name of it?"
why, they call it the stump
bear, answered Uncle Dan. laugh
ing, "and. as l said, he has fright
ened more persons, especially small
boys and girls. than any other kind
of animal" And Uncle Dan laughed.
For a second the children did not
know what to think. Then Lizzie
burst into joyous laugh. 81 know
what it Isl" she cried. ut isn't
bear at all! It's Just an old stump
that you think is a bear, like that
one near the spring. up at grand
pa'sl"
Yes admitted Uncle Dan, that
is what meant. knew you had seen
them to!~-W. F. e.. In Youths \
Companion.