Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-09-02
The Little Boys Bear
Scare

There were no bears left in the coun-
try when the little boy carried the we'll
filled pail across the meadow to his
aunt Susan, after the cows were MIXED
| one evening. The little boy knew that
there were no bears even in his grand
fathers woods; but he knew also that
/ there had been bears prowling around
| that very meadow when his father was
| little fellow and the meadow was part
! or the wilderness. He was thinking OF
bears as he walked along, holding the
pail carefully and wishing the cows
had come from pasture a little earlier,
so he would not be carrying milk to
Aunt Susan after the sun went down
II there should be a bear and It should
step suddenly from behind the bushes,
the little boy wondered what he should
do. -~
The thing to do. suppose" the lit
tie boy thought land this is exactly
what he thought, because he told his
mother so afterward), 1.-The thing to do
would be to stand still and look at that
bear square in the eye, same as saying
I'm not afraid of you!' Grandfather
says bears are not dangerous except in
the spring when they first wake up and
are hungry. and in the autumn when
they are looking for a den. But the old
bear might be looking for den the
very minute you met him!"
This thought frightened the little boy
as he walked along the meadow path,
with both eyes wide open looking for
bear. 1t was growing dark. If there
should be bear. that bear might Jump
out and hug him to pieces-squeeze the
buttons right OFF his blouse-before he
could call to Aunt Susan or his mother!
There was light in Aunt Susan's
kitchen. but If she did hear a boy call
ing, she might think 1t was all fun and
not come. The woodshed was between
his own house and his mothers kitchen,
happened to be out Of doors, he could
not expect help from home if he did
meet a bear.
BY this time the little boy was thor
oughly frightened. He had Just made
up his mind thlt the minute his aunt
Susan took that pail Of milk, he would
run for his home as fast as his legs
would carry him, when he saw some
thing beside the path. a few steps
farther on. that looked like an animal.
The little boy stood still. The animal
stood still. At first the little boy hoped
the black-looking animal was Aunt
Susan's dog: but Aunt Susan's dog
never stood still and waited like that.
Even II Rover couldn't have seen the
little boy coming he would have smel1ed
him and barked joyfully. What If bear
That thought was too much for the
little boy. He ran home fast. stopping
milk all over his play-day trousers
What is the matter?" asked the big
sister as the scared little boy burst
into he kitchen. - s-7
"They's something beside the path"
he painted. that looks like bear ]
was afraid to go by it," s
Without smile. the big sister took
her little brother by the hand and told
him to show it to her, she wasn't afraid.
When they reached the dreaded spot.
the little boy. pointing ahead to
plump, black something beside the path
whispered. There it Isl" His sister,
without answering word, walked
straight up to the animal and without
any hesitation sat on it. 1t was stump.
Now" she said, 81 shall sit on this
bear, little brother, and wait for you
while you take the milk to Aunt Susan.
And you'd better not tell her that you
were afraid Of bear or she will laugh
at you, and so will Uncle John"
The little boy took her advice; he
didn't say word about bears again
that evening. When his big sister went
in to kiss him good night after his
mother had tucked him in bed. he said
sleepily. you're awful good, and when
you're little old lady. and scared about
nothing, the way ladies' are-about
crossing streets and things-and I am
big man. why, I'll take care Of you,
and I won't let anybody laugh at you
ever."
At that the little boy got a kiss from
his big sister. But she teased him a
little ever after by saying Bear in the
PATH" when he didn't have quite cour-
age enough to do his duty. But he had
learned a lesson, and the fact that the
first bear was only stump made other
obstacles easier.
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