126 THE MINDS AND MANNERS 



warning my friends, "Beware of the Bear! You never can tell 

 what he will do next." I hasten to state that of all the bears 

 of the world, the "pet" bear is the most dangerous. 



A Story of a "Pet" Bear. In one of the cities of Can- 

 ada a gentleman greatly interested in animals kept a young 

 bear cub, as a pet; and once more I say — ^if thine enemy offend 

 thee, present him with a black-bear cub. The bear was kept 

 in a back yard, chained to a post, and after his first birthday 

 that alleged "pet" dominated everything within his crrcumpolar 

 region. 



One day a lady and gentleman called to see the pet, to 

 observe how tame and good-natured it was. The owner took 

 on his arm a basket of tempting apples, and going into the bear's 

 territory proceeded to show how the Black One would eat from 

 his owner's hand. 



The bear was given an apple, which was promptly eaten. 

 The owner reached for a second, but instead of accepting it, the 

 bear instantly became a raging demon. He struck Mr. C. a 

 lightning-qiiick and powerful blow upon his head, ripping his 

 scalp open. With horrible growls and bawling, the beast, 

 standing fully erect, struck again and again at his victim, who 

 threw his arms across his face to save it from being torn to pieces. 

 Fearful blows from the bear's claw-shod paws rained upon Mr. 

 C.'s head, and his scalp was almost torn away. In the melee he 

 fell, and the bear pounced upon him, to kill him. 



The visiting gentleman rushed for a club. Meanwhile the 

 lady visitor, rendered frantic by the sight of the bear killing her 

 host, did a very brave but suicidally dangerous thing. She 

 seized the hindquarters of the bear, gripping the fur in her bare 

 hands, and actually dragged the animal off its victim! For- 

 tunately at that dangerous juncture the lady's husband rushed 

 up with a club, beat the raging animal as it deserved, and mas- 

 tered it. 



The owner of the bear survived his injuries, and by a great 

 effort the surgeons saved his scalp. 



