s. He was chained to a tree."

"But the bear that roams about over the snow and ice of the Arctic
regions, is much larger and more savage than the common black bear that
you saw. It is of a dingy white color. When full grown, it sometimes
measures nine feet in length."

"Didn't I see one in Barnum's menagerie?"

"I think not, Harry; for the polar bear suffers so much from heat, even
in our coldest winters, that it will not live long in this climate.

"There is one thing very interesting in the bear nature, and that is the
affection of the female for its young. This has often been noticed. Here
is a picture showing an instance of it.

"A Greenland bear with two cubs, was pursued across a field of ice by a
party of armed sailors. At first she tried to urge the young ones along
by running before them, turning around and calling them to her; but
finding that the pursuers were gaining upon them, she pushed and threw
the cubs before her, one after the other, until she effected their
escape.

"Each cub would place itself across her path to receive the impulse, and
when thrown forward, would run onward until overtaken by the mother,
when it would adjust itself for another throw."

"Well, that shows that even a bear has some good feeling," said Harry,
"and some common sense too. I'm glad that the sailors did not catch
them. What would those cubs have done without their mother?"

UNCLE CHARLES.

[Illustration]

BROWN BILLY SOLD.

EDITH, with cheek against the window,
Is sobbing out her grief;
Gold-Locks is in a sad condition
Of pocket-handkerchief.

And Teddy at his play is sniffing,
His little nose all red!
Is Tony sick? Is pussy stolen?
Is the canary dead?

Else why this universal crying?--
Weepingly I am told,
With many a look of indignation,
"Brown Billy has been sold!"

And why? No one can tell the reason;
And yet I chance to know,
It was--ah, wicked little pony!--
Because he acted so.

Sometimes the phaeton all too heavy
Would grow for him to draw;
You'd think his feeble strength must perish
Under another straw.

Sometimes as light as any feather
He rolled its dainty wheels,
Humming and whirring