Evening star., 1937-07-28

~ Everybody knows that. 1t is
through seeing with them that |
~ We gain much OF such knoWl- |
edge as we possess. But eyes may
also tell great deal, a very great
deal, even though they are silent. You
may learn many things just by looking
into the eyes of another. Happiness,
amusement, fear, craftiness. dislike,
greed, desire, love. hate. admiration,
hunger, danger-all these things may
be expressed in pair Of eyes and so
clearly expressed that none looking
into those eyes may fail to understand
them
Mother Bears lost little cub lay
down and cried himself to sleep. He
had made two mistakes, two very
serious mistakes. The first one was
in not remaining right where he was
when he discovered that he was lost.
The second was in whimpering and
crying as he ran this way and that
way. and finally in crying himself to
sleep. But you really couldn't blame
him for doing either of these things.
He was very little club, hardly more
than a baby. Many, many people old
enough to know better have made
that first mistake and it has cost some
of them their lives. AS for crying, re-
member that he was terribly fright
ened, and it is the natural thing for
little folks to cry when they are dread
fully afraid.
What was the mistake In crying?
Just this: He was telling every one
within hearing where he was and that
he was alone and helpless. Silence
is the golden rule that means safety
for babies Of the Green Forest left
alone. You see, enemies, especially
hungry enemies, are quite as likely to
hear cries as are friends. Indeed,
they are even more likely to hear, for
they listen for just such things. SO
the little cub had told every one
within hearing that he was lost, help
less and afraid.
Tired out, he had curled up and
cried himself to sleep, and even then
he whimpered. You see, so great was
his fright that it gave him bad dreams.
He had had only very short nap
when he aWoke. That bad dream
awoke him. His eyes flew open. At
first he couldn't think where he was.
Then in a flash he remembered, and
fear again took possession Of him.
Fearfully he looked this way and that
way, all around. At first he saw
nothing but trees and sticks and
stones and ferns and other green
growing things and a carpet Of dead
brown leaves on the ground. There
was no cause for fear In any OF these
things.
Then he saw something that put
an instant and abrupt stop to his
whimpering. He saw two greenish
lights. At least they looked like lights.
They were side by side. just a little
above the group, In an opening among
some tall ferns where the Black Shad-
ows lay heaviest. The cub stared at
them, and presently he knew them
for what they were, a pair Of eyes.
Unblinkingly he stared back at them,
and little by little he made out the
face in which they were placed,
round, grayish face, with ruff Of
longer hair on either side OF the chin,
and above two ears, each tipped with
a ,uft of long hairs. It was savage
looking face, but 1t was chiefly the
eyes that made it look savage.
The cub had whimpered and cried
because he was frightened. Now he
made no sound at all, and this was
because he was still more frightened.
He was too frightened to cry. He
couldn't have made sound If he had
tried. 1t was those eyes, those dread
full eyes. He hadn't the least idea
whose eyes they were, but he didn't
have to be told that they were not
the eyes of friend.
The cub saw several things in those
dreadful eyes. He saw hunger, desire,
triumph, intent to kill, and with these
things caution and furtiveness, but
no pity. OF course, being such little
fellow, the cub did not recognize each
Of these things that showed in those
dreadful eyes as an older person might
have. but he saw look made up Of
all these feelings that he did recog-
ni7e As threat Of danger. He knew
that he was looking straight into the
eyes Of An enemy, and a most dan
gerous one. Something told him that
he was in the presence Of one who
would have no more mercy on him
than Mother Bear did for Mouse.
Whose were those dreadful eyes?
They were the eyes of Tufty the Lynx.
OConyripht 1Q31)