The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-08

WoouS, tratnplnS over the Clean pine
needles, eating nuts. and-and honey,
and"
"Buns," suggested Jackson.
81 can't forget them" said Hcrrck.
ITS going to haunt me. tomorrow.
when I'm back tn the woods; I'll think
of those poor beasts Capering in a hot
theatre. when they ought to he out in
the open as God meant they"
well. then" protested Kelly. take
EN- To the open. And turn 'em loose!
And | hope they bite you"
At this Herrick frowned so deeply
that Kelly feared he had gone too far.
Inwardly he reproved himself for not
remembering that his friend lacked a
sense OF humor. But Herrick unde-
Ceived him.
you are right" he exclaimed ITO
morrow I will buy those bears. take
them to the farm and turn them loose"
No objections his friends could offer
could divert him from his purpose.
When they urged that to spend so much
money in such a manner was criminally
wasteful he pointed out that he was
sufficiently rich to indulge any eXtrava-
CANT fancy. whether In polo ponies 0r
bears; when they warned him that II
he did not look out the bears would
catch him alone in the woods and eat
him, he retorted that the bears were
now educated To n different diet: when
they said he should consider the peace
of mind of his neighbors he assured
them the fence around his game pre-
serve would restrain an elephant.
besides" protested Kelly, "what yau
propose To do is not only impraCticable,
but it's cruelty to animals. \ domesti-
Gated animal can't return to a state of
nature and live"
cant it," jeered Herrick. Did you
ever read The Can OF the Wild'?"
Did you ever read" retorted Kelly.
what happened at the siege of Lady
smith when the oats ran low aud they
drove the artillery horses out to grass?
They starved. that's all. And If you
don't feed your bears on milk out of
a bottle they'll starve too"
That's what viii happen" cried Jack
son; those bears have forgotten what a
pine forest smells like Maybe it's a
pity. but it's the fact. I'll bet II you
could ask 'em whether they'd rather
sep n cave on your farm or be
head ners in vaudeville they'd tell you
they We're devoted to their art"
Why" exclaimed Kelly they're so
far from nature that II they didn't have
that colored boy t. comb and brush
them twice a day they'd he ashamed to
look each other in the eyes"
And another thing" continued Jack
son. trained animals love TO show or
They're like children. Those bears enjoy
doing those tricks. They enjoy the APP
p'nuse. They enjoy dancing to the
Merry Widow waltz. And + YOU lock
bonn "
homes!ck that they'll give a perform
ance twice a day to the squirrels and
woodpecker
IT'S just as hard to unlcarn a thing
as to learn it," said Kelly sentcntious.v
You cant make a man who has learned
TO wear shoes enjoy going around in his
bare feet"
Rot" cried HerriCk 'I.ook at me-
Didn't I love New York? / loved It so
! never went to bed for fear I'd miss
something. But when | went back TO
the land did 1t take me long to fail in
love with the forests and the green
fields? II t.ok me a week I go to
bed now the sam" day 7 get up. and I've
passed on my high hat and frock coat
To- a scaroorow. And IN bet You when
those bears once scent the " III woods
thcNll stampede for them like Croker
gong to a third a.arm."
And I repeat" cried Kelly. "you are
"A nature faker, AMI III leave It to the
bears 10 prove It,"
We have done our host" sighed
Jackson. I'VE have tried to save him
money and trouble And now all he
an do for us in return is to give us
seats FIR the opening performance"
What the bears cost Herrlck he never