BRUNO MUST DEPART 121 
hole, which he had easily enlarged, the bear had 
made his escape. This news came to me over the 
telephone, and Mrs. Underwood, who talked with 
me, concluded by saying: “Please come home at 
once ; we have found him. He’s in Bessie’s kitchen 
and we can’t get him out.” 
This last information made me feel much easier, 
for Bessie was our very good friend and neighbor. 
She knew the bear, and her children had often 
played with him when he was a cub. Just how 
long the bear had been at liberty, no one could say ; 
but about eleven o’clock he had made his appear- 
ance at their kitchen door. The cook, who was new 
in her position, heard a noise on the back porch, 
and, on opening the door to see who was there, 
discovered, to her amazement and dismay, a big 
black beast trying to get into a small refrigerator 
that stood close at hand. With a shriek she 
slammed the door behind her; but it failed to 
latch, and a moment later the bear entered the 
kitchen. Imagine the state of mind of that new 
domestic on this her first day of service in a strange 
home! With a wild scream of terror she fled, and 
left the beast in full possession. This time, how- 
ever, she was careful to latch the door as she 
departed. All out of breath, she flew at once to her 
mistress and hysterically told her story. 
Fortunate it was for me that Bruno had chosen 
