BEARS I HAVE NEVER MET 289 



the unfortunate Cuffey. However, she was coaxed 

 at last into exerting her influence with her four- 

 footed admirer. 



THE EFFECT WAS WONDERFUL. 



The bear ceased to romp, play, or show fight. 

 He waddled up to Mandy, reared upon his hind 

 legs and said: "Oue- oue e e!" Then he 

 dropped to all fours and put his head against the 

 girl for a moment and when she said something 

 softly to the beast, he caught her dress playfully 

 in its mouth and lifted her skirts until they dis- 

 played the trimmest pair of ankles in the city. 



But Mandy Jane seemed unconscious of that 

 fact and slowly led her pet to the wagon. The 

 tears glistened on her eyelashes as she climbed 

 into it, 



FOLLOWED BY CUFFEY. 



The showmen hastily fastened the bear's chain 

 to the seat and as Mandy lightly jumped to the 

 ground they cracked the whip, and the horse 

 started at a gallop up the street. 



The novel experience of being in a rapidly mov- 

 ing wagon so astonished Cuffey that he never 

 moved until he saw that Mandy was sobbing bit- 

 terly. Then he sprang from the vehicle. Al- 

 though the chain did not break, it did pull the seat 

 from its fastening and tumbled the showmen over 

 in their wagon and poor Cuffey was free forever. 



There was a piercing shriek as Mandy Jane fell 

 fainting, not on the sidewalk, but into the stalwart 



