rage, or fright, I hardly know which, and began to spit most furiously
at the cub, who ran away as fast as he could, into a distant corner,
followed by puss. She did not choose to go too near such an odd-looking
creature; but sat watching him, to prevent his leaving that corner.

Meantime, the other cub, thinking, I suppose, that, "as the cat was
away, the bear might play"--at least with the kittens, went boldly close
to the barrel, when lo! out sprang the tortoise-shell cat from the
farther end, and this master Bruin was not slower than his brother in
scampering away, the cat following him also. No harm was done; none of
them had any wish to fight, and the scene was so droll that the
servants were in fits of laughter; while the Indians, who I must tell
you are very grave, and even sad-looking people, and seldom seen to
smile, for once laughed heartily too. I took pity upon the frightened
cub, at whom the gray cat was still growling and spitting, and took him
up my arms; for which he seemed so thankful, that I continued to stroke
his shaggy coat, until one of the Indians, with a grin, offered to give
him to me. I accepted him, making a present in return; and for some days
I took delight in my bargain; for he was a most innocent little
creature, and played merrily with a puppy dog: but those who understood
the nature of a bear better than I did, persuaded me to give him up;
because they had known a young lady who was killed by a tame bear in a
sudden passion.

But I want to convince you how wrong we are in treating any animal as if
it could not feel attachment to us. Some soldiers' wives used to pet my
little cub, even with tears in their eyes; and they told me the reason.
They said, that a short time before, the regiment to which they belonged
was quartered in Canada, and the soldiers had a bear, which they brought
up tame. This creature had a strange office--he was nurse to all the