Evening star., 1937-07-24
Bedtime Stories
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Courage sometimes simply goes.
How and where nobody knows.


How and where nobody knows.
old Mother Nature.
RUsTER BEAR is big. He is very
big, indeed He has great teeth
and great claws. and very likely he
would say that he is afraid OF nothing
and no one. But this isn't quite true
He is afraid of man, and with excel
lent reason. And, if the truth be
known. there are one or two of the
Green Forest people with whom Buster
doesn't care to quarrel.
1t was Buster Bear who had dis
covered the den of Mother Bear, with
the cubs staring at him from the
entrance Now, and I am sorry to
say it, the sight of those cubs aroused
in Buster Bear feeling that l am
sure you will think quite dreadful.
1t was a feeling of hunger-hunger
for a dinner of those cubs. They
would be sweet and tender. The fact
that they were Bear cubs made no
difference to Buster He felt pre-
cisely as he would have felt about
the fawns of Ligntfoot the Deer
that they would be excellent eating.
He wanted those cubs. He wanted
them very much indeed
The cubs suddenly felt a strange
fear that grew to terror. The great
stranger, the sight of whom had so
thrilled them few minutes ago, now
seemed like terrible monster. They
didn't know why they felt this way
but they did Whimpering, they
sought the darkest corner of the den
The sound of their whimpering ex-
cited Buster, but in his excitement
he didn't forget the training of long
experience. He didn't blindly rush
into that den. He wrinkled his nose
as he got the strong Bear smell, the
strong scent of Mother Bear. That
den was filled with it. So Buster
didn't rush in. He craftily looked all
the better to look about him. He
tested the Merry Little Breezes as they
passed his way. He listened for tell
tale sounds that might warn of Mother
Bears approach.
The way seemed clear Buster
slowly dropped down on all fours. His
eyes glowed. His mouth watered. He
looked fierce and dangerous. He took
a step forward. He took another. He
stopped abruptly, turned his head to
listen moment, then started to sneak
away. Such a change as had come
over him! He no longer looked bold
and terrible, fierce and savage. 1t
was pity the cubs were not there
to see. He looked anxious. He looked
afraid. He looked as if he wished
he were anywhere but where he was.
That is just what he did wish. Yes,
sir, that is just what he did wish.
He was in hurry, was Buster Bear,
There was no doubt about that. He
was in a hurry, and he was trying
to get away unseen and unheard. But
he was too late. There was cough
ing snarl and groWl, mingled, from
back of him, and there was Mother
Bear Her small eyes fairly blazed
with rage Her lips were drawn back
so that all her teeth showed, and she
| wore the ugliest look you can imagine.
| There was no sign Of fear about her
| She wasn't afraid She crashed
| through the brush after Buster Bear
He didn't wait for her. No. indeed,
Buster Bear didn't wait for her On
| the contrary, Buster ran faster. He
never once thought of stopping to
| fight, The last thing in the world he
wanted was a fight with Mother Bear
especially when she was in such a
towering rage as now.
So buster took to his heels. and
when he does that and really tries to
hurry it is amazing how fast he can
| travel. 1t doesn't seem possible that
such a great clumsy fellow can move
so fast. Coughing snarllng, growing
J Mother Bear followed him for a little
way. Then with many ugly threats
she paused to watch Buster 60 crash
| ing out Of sight.
| He won't come around here again
in hurry, l guess" she muttered and
| turned back toward the den. Had
those cubs disobeyed and gone out
| side? Was that the reason Buster
Bear had been just about to enter
that den? She shifted about outside
but there was no smell of cubs. Then
she entered, and found them shiyerina
with fright in the darkest corner. And
were they glad to see Mother Bear?
III say they were. And Mother Bear
was just as glad to see them, alive
and unharmed, but she didn't show it
Now, the queer thing about this is
that those cubs Buster Bear had sc
hoped to get for his dinner were his
own. Yes, sir, they were his cubs, as
well as Mother Bears. Buster was
their father, but didn't know it
Neither did they.
| 'CopyriSht 1870
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