THE BEAR "MONARCH. " 217 



to be jolted along for two days on a rat 

 tling, bumping, lurching freight train, with, 

 the shrieking of steam whistles and the 

 ringing of bells, but he endured it all he 

 roically and gave no sign of fear. He ate 

 well when food was given him, taking 

 meat from his captor's hands through the 

 bars, and slept soundly when he was tired. 

 He seemed to know and yield a sort of 

 obedience to the correspondent, but re 

 sented with menacing growls the imperti 

 nent curiosity of strangers who came to 

 look at him through the bars. 



In every crowd that came to see him 

 there was at least one fool afflicted with 

 a desire to poke the bear with a stick, and 

 constant vigilance was necessary to pre 

 vent such witless persons from enraging 

 him. At Mojave, when the correspondent 

 went to the car, he found a dozen idlers 

 inside, and one inspired lunatic was stir 

 ring up the Monarch, who was rapidly los 

 ing his temper. The cage would not have 

 held him five minutes had he once tackled 



