52 BOOK OF A HUNDRED BEARS 



him doughnuts before. It was a dietetic reve- 

 lation. It was something new, and, as such, he 

 investigated me, with his black head atilt, his 

 black eyes glistening, till at last he took doughnuts 

 from my hand. At first, he scampered away as 

 soon as he secured one, but soon he was ^^eating 

 out of my hand" — think of it! a wild bear, fresh 

 from the wild woods. And just then, just when 

 I had his confidence, the old cook lady happened 

 out of the kitchen and, seeing him, banged the 

 gong and frightened him away. I remonstrated 

 with her and she said, ''Them pesky bears just 

 bother me to death." Poor Billy! I suppose 

 that in your brief life you never had anything 

 as good as doughnuts. I doubt if you were ever 

 quite full fed. I suppose you were always more 

 or less hungry and, just when you had made a 

 friend, and were looking down long vistas of 

 doughnuts and such like grub, a fat Irish cook 

 destroyed the dream. Doubtless you think that 

 cook is some kin of mine — a friend, at least. 

 Take this assurance that she is not. She inter- 

 rupted love's young dream for me and, with a 



