Year: 1870

than the foxes did to the common sup
port, and he did most of the fighting in
a great battle that they once had with
the Lion. But at last there arose a
family quarrel, and it came about in
this way: When the winter came it
was the habit of the bear TO stop work
aud to spend the whole of the time in
the cave sucking his paws, and in
this way he enjoyed himself hugely.
The foxes seeing how well the bear got
on without work, and how he enjoyed
himself, commenced sucking their paws.
but some how or other they found that
they could not make living, in that
way, as the bear could, and that on the
whole it didn't pay !; so they had to give
it up and 60 out into the cold and for
age for a living as usual. Then they
began to envy the bear, because he ap-
peared to enjoy himself and to live so
much easier than they did, and took a
violent hatred 10 him just because he
sucked his paws. They passed law
that the smoking of paws should be
abolished forever amongst the foxes,
and they then began to remonstrate
with the bears upon the improperly OF
his conduct, and to petition him TO give
ND the horrible practice. Bat the bear
said he would do no such thing; that
1t was agreed upon when they first
went into partnership that he shou d
be allowed to suck his paws in peace;
that he hadia constitutional right to do
80: that it was necessary for his com
fort and happiness. aud that paw suck
he would to the end Of time, and the fox
az had no right to interfere with him.
Then the foxes got up anti-paw- sucking
societies, which declared that paw
sucking was the sum of all Villainies,
and they preached at the bear, and
petitioned him, and even went SO far
as to pull his paws ont of his mouth at
which the bear got into such violent
rage that he declared that he would
dissolve partnership with the foxes and
leave the cave and 60 and set up for
himself. But the foxes told him that he
had no right to leave, and that he
shouldn't leave. The bear said he
wouldn't ask them any odds, that he
could whip a thousand miserable little
foxes, and one fine morning he told the
foxes good. bye, and proceeded to walk
cut of the cave aud leave it forever
But he had hardly got out of the cave
before the foxes set up tremendous
howl and fell on him, and there was
such a fight as was hardly ever seen be.
fore. The bear flung the foxes right and
left, slapped them over, crushed them,
tore them to pieces, and often thought
that he had got rid of them. but the
more foxes he killed the more they
seemed to increase in numbers, for the
foxes finding that the bear was getting
the better of them and was about to get
off, sent out and hired some foreign
foxes to help them, so that as fast as
one set of foxes was killed, other foxes
were put in their place. and the bear
had no rest. But he stood at bay and
kept the foxes off as fast as they came
up. Finally the foxes, finding that they
could not whip him in fair fight, de-
termined to starve him out, so they sur
rounded him completely, so that be
could get nothing to eat or drink
The bear then began to suffer sc.
verely and to grow thin and weak, and
in his distress he called upon the
eagle and the lion to come over and
help him, but they told him that he
must do his own fighting. At last the
bear became so completely exhausted
by hunger and fatigue that he csuld
scarcely stand up, and the foxes think
ing that they might now make ven
ture, collected together in great NUN
bers and fell upon the bear ID walloped
him so that he stopped fighting and
cried Enough !" and said that he would
20 back into the cave again and carry
on business as before.


But the foxes told him to wait awhile,
he must have his disabilities removed.
So they tied him hand and foot with
strong cords, and muzz!ed him, and
placed q strong guard around him, and
then began to parley with him and per-
secute him. They told him before they
could let him 80 back into the cave
again he must take a solemn oath OF
allegiance TO the fox government. The
bear teok the prescribed oath, and said,
Now let me in." Bat the foxss said
not yet; you must take another oath
that paw-sucking is unconstitutional,
and swear never again to suck your
paws. The bear took that oath also,
and even went 50 far as 10
declare that no believed that paw
sucking had been dis advantage se to him,
and that he was glad that he had
been forced to give up the abominable
practice, and after taking this oath ana
making this confession, he said "Now
let nae in" But the foxes said, not yet,
you must eat little dirt first. At this
the bear was indignant; he declared
that he had never eaten any dirt in his
life, aud that it did not agree with him;
bat the foxes said, no matter, you must
eat little, just a little; and the bear
made wry face, and took mouthful
Of dirt and eat it, and said "now let
me- in.' But the foxes said, not yet;
you haven't eaten dirt enough. The
bear then began To eat dirt ia


veuoGsly until his abdomen swelled
out like . Digger Indians, and
said, "now let me iu." Bot the
foxes said wait while longer, you must
become penitent, and learn to bear and
forbear. The bear was now in a most
miserable plight; he was nearly starved
to death, and was covered with wounds
and sores from the crown of his head to
the soles of his feet, and thousands Of
hungry blue .bellied flies, taking advan.
tage of his defenseless condition, had
settled upon bim, and were feeding on
his sores and fattening on his poverty
and every time the bear attempted tc
shake off these flies, the foxes said that
he was still rebellious and was trying
to get away, aud took occasion to
tighten his cords and to persecute him
They told him that he must not
disturb the flies, but must love them
and let them eat. And the bears lei
the flies alone and let them eat, and
said, "now let me in" But the foxes
said, "Wait a little longer, we are
afraid If we let you in you won't stay
in, but will rebel again and leave US
and get back to yonr old practice OF
paw-sucking; you must give rs guar.
antees for your good behaviour" And
80 the foxes kept putting off and tan
talizing the poor bear, and he is outside
of the cave to this day, and if he com.
plains the foxes make fun of him aud
call him OLD SORE HEAD.


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