The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-12-14

To make the stoutest-hcnrted whine.
Jack Frost.
That being true it is not to be
wondered at that Boxer and Wool
Wool, the twin cubs OF Buster and
Mrs. Bear. began to whine when they
felt Jack Frost pinching their noses
and toes, for being only half grown
they were hardly yet stout-heartec.
Besides, having never met him be-
fore, they didn't know what to make
of Jack Frost.
All through the autumn they had
followed Mother p5ear about from
one feast to another. They had
filled their stomachs with Wild
grapes. They had stuffed themselves
with sweet beechnuts. They had
eaten acorns until there had been a
whole forest of never-to-be little
oak trees in their round little stom-
achs. Twice they had made them
selves sick on honey. Far and wide
they had roamed, Juggling along at
the heels of Mother Bear and think
ing of nothing but eating and Sleep
ing. And they had grown fat. OF
course, it could hardly have been
otherwise.
Being fat. they had not minded
when the weather gradually grew
colder. In fact, they had liked it,.
TO carry so much fat about in warm
weather was uncomfortable. And
then had come the night when Jack
Frost had been SO busy covering the
pond of Paddy the Beaver and the
Smiling Pool with ice and freezing
the ground and pinching all the toe6
and noses he could find.
Mother Bear and the twins had
started out early that evening, for
by now food was getting scarce and
they had to hunt for every mouth
full. Jack Frost found them and at
once began to pinch their noses and
toes every chance he got. Boxer
and Woof-Woof didn't know what to
make of it.
There is something the matter
with my toes and want to go home"
whined Boxer, holding up one paw
and shaking it.
my nose aches" whined woot-
Wool. rubbing her nose with one
paw. THE ground is hard and hurts
my feet" complained Boxer. I'm
all shivery and I wish I was at home
in my comfortable bed" whimpered
Woof-Woof.
I'm not hungry. I'm not hungry
a bit. But I am sleepy" grumbled
Boxer as he shuffled along after
Mother Bear.
"ouchl" cried woof-woof. Some
thing bit my ear" OF course, moth
ing had bitten it; Jack Frost had
pinched 1t rather sharply.
Mother Bear lost patience. She
suddenly turned and cuffed both
cubs sharply. Shame on you! Shame
on you BOTH" she growled. The
idea OF fussing over a little cold
weather. Now stop that whining. 1
can stand anything but whining. Step
lively and you won't feel the cold"
She raised a big paw and the twins
did step lively. In fact, each tried
to beat the other in getting beyond
Mother Bears reach.
For while they scampered aaoaz
so fast that Jack Frost dian nave
chance to make hin eli Gelt. But
as it grew later and later the cubs
grew tired ans tack traxt grew
stronger. fhel Roxes and Waof-
Wool he8an whining again. they
n whiaed 500 whipp hntn Wo.her
Bear .3st an patience ard lea the way
elraight 10 the great pie of fallen
tgess under which was the den in
waica the cubs had been born. With
81 slap for each from one of her big
"a wa sha sent them squealing inside.
0hen 5he sat for while outside IL
III /. moonlight. After a while she
yawned. Then she yawned again
and still again. She looked up sleep
lily at Mistress Moon. Then slowly