ith gentle, kind respect; and they felt it, and loved me
greatly, and used to bring me their little gifts. One day, two rough
Indian men came to me, in their very strange dresses, with their stiff
black hair hanging down, never having been combed in their lives, I
should think. They each brought a young bear into my large kitchen; and
while I told them to sit down and eat something, the two cubs began to
examine the place for themselves. It was a funny sight, so I will tell
you about it.

Under a table, there lay a good long barrel on its side, and two very
friendly cats had each got some kittens in it. They had made themselves
little beds in the straw, one near the mouth of the barrel, the other
farther in. So one young bear, (they were but a few weeks old, poor
little animals!) in the course of his travels about the kitchen, poked
his nose into this barrel, and out flew the old gray cat, in a great
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 ani