BEARS. 51 



curtseying, tumbling, begging, and many other antics, 

 were the delight of every child in the metropolis, anct 

 of grown-up children also. It is true that the nurse- 

 maids endangered the lives of their charges by holding 

 them over the sides of the pit in which he was kept ; 

 but as none did fall, they continued to amuse themselves 

 and their nurselings at the same risk. One morning 

 early, he very cleverly withdrew the bolts of his pit 

 door, and sallied forth on his hind-legs to take a walk. 

 The keepers of the garden had not risen ; but the dogs 

 were on the alert, and surrounded Martin, jumping and 

 barking, half in play, and half in earnest. This roused 

 the men, who, rushing out to see what was the matter, 

 beheld the bear in the midst of the canine troop, his 

 tongue lolling out of his mouth, and an expression of 

 fun and enjoyment in his countenance, which was in- 

 describable. Never was the malignant scowl, so often 

 noticed in bears, from pulling the nictitating membrane, 

 or third eyelid, half over the eye, seen in poor Martin's 

 face ; yet he became unpopular from the cupidity of one 

 of the sentinels. This man fancied he saw a five-franc 

 piece lying in the bear's pit, and determined to go 

 during the night, when he would be on duty, and secure 

 it. He accordingly provided himself with a ladder, and 

 when the guard was changed, was found lying lifeless at 

 the bottom, the coveted piece in his hand, which proved 

 to be nothing but a large button. No marks of violence 

 were to be seen upon his body; but the contusions 

 on his head seemed to tell that he had fallen from 

 the ladder when near the top, and so met his death. 

 Whether he had been frightened, or seized with giddi- 

 ness, or whether Martin had shaken the ladder, no one 

 could say ; the animal was sitting quietly by his side 



