It so happened
that the nurse-girl of the mayor of the town, a huge Swede woman as
broad as she was long (which is almost hyperbole), came trundling her
charge up the board walk at the precise moment that Thumper bowled over
a gentleman in front and came plainly to her view.

One Norwegian war-whoop and away she galloped, the perambulator before
her, as it was not in the mind of the Vikingess to desert her duty.
Screeching, she tore up the walk, the carriage bouncing and rattling,
and the baby crowing with delight. An Indian stepped out of a store
directly in front of her. Him Telka rammed with such fury that he
landed on his neck in the road, with his feet in the air. But, as he
regained his balance, resentment was drowned in unbounded amazement.
"Wakstashoneee!" he said, "wakstashoneeeee!" which is the limit in the
Sioux tongue. Never had the Dakota warrior expected to see the day
when he would be made to bite the earth by a Swede woman and a baby
carriage. Around the corner for home whirled Telka, making the turn
like a circus horse. Arriving at the house, she placed one fairy foot
against the door with such spirit that the lock-socket hit the opposite
wall, picked up carriage and baby and went upstairs with them three
rises to a leap. At the top she burst into a wild oratory of "tanks"
and "Eenyens" and "beejjeerens" and "yoomps," scaring her mistress into
the belief that the Sioux had attacked the town in force--an event she
had long anticipated.

Thumper was led back to his pole in the park, and fastened with an
ox-chain, this step being taken at the request of an informal committee
of citizens. "Chained bear or dead bear" was their ultimatum, for,
while they enjoyed Telka's performance, they didn't propose to make it
a custom to obtain their fun from frightened women. So Thumper's
freedom of the city lasted but a day. To make amends for this, we boys
used to go in and tussle with him more often than before. The play was
the bright spot in the life of the captive. He would begin his double
shuffle of joy whenever a group of boys made their appearance. At
first, this went well enough. As I have said, the bear's nature
revealed its better side, under the benign influence of plenty to eat,
and I cannot remember that he once took advantage of his vast and
growing strength. Mr. D---- encouraged the performances, as the
menagerie's purpose was to attract the attention of travellers who had
a half-hour