BRUNO MUST .DEPART 15 
tors. As far as I had been able to learn, his dis- 
position was no better than that of any ordinary 
black bear. It is a well-established fact among 
people who have tamed or handled animals that 
the North American black bear is sometimes a 
treacherous fellow and not to be trusted. Another 
fact worthy of some thought was that the so-called 
dangerous wild animals, when taken as cubs and 
brought up as pets, never have the fear of human 
beings that animals in their natural habitat 
develop. Consequently, when a sudden rage seizes 
them, they are more likely to do serious damage. 
At this time, the spring of 1905, Bruno tipped 
the scales at one hundred and forty pounds. He 
was as strong as an ox and, had he cared to do so, 
could have torn a man to pieces in a very short 
time. Mrs. Underwood thought that I was taking 
a good many risks and laying myself liable to 
serious criticism if I kept the bear much longer, 
and I was somewhat reluctantly beginning to con- 
sider the matter of another home for him, when an 
event happened which caused me to decide defi- 
nitely that he must go. 
Wishing to take a photograph of Bruno that 
would show his size at that age (two years and 
four months) relative to that of a man, I asked a 
friend of mine if he would be willing to stand be- 
side the bear for that purpose. 
