New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-09-18

Great big Buster Bear knew all
about that sugar-house over in the
Green Forest. He. had been around
1t many times. When he was a small
Bear he had even been inside it and
gotten into all kinds of mischief
there. He knew that at this time of
year Farmer Brown and Farmer
Brbwn's boy were seldom at the
sugar house. He also knew that at
this time OF year there was no sugar
inside and no syrup. So it was idle
curiosity that led him to prowl
around the lite house and sniff. In
side. Whitefoot the Wood Mouse and
Mrs.. Whitefoot and Trader the Wood
Rat, who had their homes there now,
shivered at the sound OF those shifts.
Little cold chills ran all over them.
They were sure that Buster smelled
them and they were equally sure
that. II he did. he would try to
break in and get them. So they
shivered and shivered. AS matter
Of fact, Buster didn't smell them at
ALL He was just shifting out of
force of habit.
"Oh. dear, / wish he would go
away" whispered little Mrs. White
foot to Whitefoot. Il can't feel safe
= minute with him around. don't
80 what he had to come over here
for"
Now II Mrs. Whitefoot had been
peeping out moment later she
might have changed her mind. She
might have been very glad that great
big Buster Bear was right where he
was. Certainly. she would have been
surprised at what she saw. Buster
had just turned away from the
sugar house when he caught a
glimpse OF what he thought was a
mouse darling across in front of him
and disappearing behind log. In
stantly he was after it. Buster dear
ly loves a fat Mouse. 1t is the choic-
est kind Of titbit to Buster Bear.
But az he reached to pull over that
log q little brown form suddenly
leaped up on the log. Buster made
. quick pass at it with one big paw.
The little brown form lodged. II
lodged with amazing quickness and
II didn't run. 1t suddenly sat up and
fairly Kissed at great big Buster
Bear. OF course you know who it
was. 1t was Shadow the Weasel.
What are you trying to do, you
big brute" Missed Shadow. DO
you suppose I'm afraid of you?'
Buster growled away down deep
in his throat, and he made another
swift pass. 1t was surprising how
swiftly those big, clumsy looking
paws could move. Shadow merely
lodged and his little eyes, already
red with anger, grew even more red.
1t was perfectly clear that Shadow
had told the truth when he said
that he wasn't afraid. 1t really was
a funny sight to see those two fac
ing each other-great big Buster
Bear and little Shadow the Weasel.
Why, Shadow was so small that had
Buster put paw on him. he could
have covered him up entirely,
Now Buster didn't really want
Shadow. A nice plump Mouse would
be very good eating. but Shadow
the Weasel would not bo pleasant TO
the taste at all. SO Busters at
tempts TO catch Shadow were only
halfhearted. After a minute or two
he pretended TO forget all about
Shadow and started to shuttle off.
Shadow actually followed him. hiss
ing at him and splitting at him and
calling him names. But finding he
couldn't provoke Buster to make
another attempt to get him Shadow
finally gave up and bounded away.
And he went straight away from the
old sugar-house. You see. his meet T.
ing with Buster Bear had caused
him to forget that he had intended
to visit that sugar-h house. Had be
carried out his intentions it would
have been a sorry time for White
foot and Mrs. Whitefoot and Trader
the Wood Rat. So you see that quite
unintenttonalIY great big Buster Bear