CHILDREN'S COLUMN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11059, 10 May 1899, Page 3

CHILDREN'S COLUMN.

the boy and the bear, [lit CHAItLES n. DAT.] "I sat, Dan Taylor," said Adam Forepaugh to the superintendent of his winter quarters, "what boy is that I see around here so much, in and out of the buildings!" Before a reply could be made the old showman continued—' First thing, you know, he'll get hurt in the workshops or animal buildings, and there'll be a damage suit to settle, fighting his folks in the court, and both timo and money lost." "That boy's parents will never trouble you if he gets u leg broke or his head bit off by the lions or tiger.-,/'responded the superintendent, us soon as he got an opportunity to speak. "Why 60?" asked the manager, at the same time surmising the answer. "'Ain't got none," replied Taylor, who was a rough but kind-hearted man. "The : little chap sells papers, and slivfts for himI self the best he can. He used ito live with i an aunt of his, but she and her husband both ] got in a shiftless and a drinking way, and . the bov does better without them.' 1 "Don't say!" came from the a'd show- ; man, and taking it as a query, Taylor continued: "We've taken a fancy to the bey, Mr. Forepaugh—the iielp about the buildings. Last pay-night we fitted him out with shoes and a supply of stockings, and what do you , think the kid said?" i "Couldn't tell." I "Said that he would accept the assistance i ! as a loan. Did, 'pon my word." J " Got the right stuff in him," remarked i Forepiuif*h. I "N'.'it Saturday night we arc going to, chip in an' get him warm underclothes, and by the next week we are going to put in for • a suit of clothes." ) I The millionaire recalled his own early : ! struggles as a butcher boy, and as he lis- ! ■ toned he singled out a five-dollar bill from a I : roll of notes and interrupted the relation with: " This will hurry along the suit of clothes." "] say, Mr. Forepaugh," began the superintendent as ho placed the bank-note in his pocket-book, quite sure that the favour he was about to ask would be granted, " I wish i you would let Bob— his name— in the animal quarters. It's good and warm there." " W-e-1-1," hesitated Forepaugh, who had issued strict orders against hangers-on about the winter quarters by day or night. " Certainly couldn't do any hurt,' persisted the superintendent. " All right, all right, so long as he behaves himself," consented the manager, and then he hurried off to make hie usual twice-a-day rounds of the quarters. Arrived at the animal quarters, be found something to ; complain of. Addressing his brother, who : was in charge of the menagerie, lie asked, Why isn't that big performing bear kept in its cage, as I have ordered several times?" "Because," replied Jack Forepaugh, the boss aniniahnan. " the big brute goes almost crazy with the confinement- —" "Does, eh?'' interposed the manager. "Well, I don't want him running around loose. Just sop that he is fastened in one of those hay animals' stalls." " All right," responded Jack. "And say. Jack." resumed tho manager, turning on his heel, " 1 want the men to stop fooling with that performing, b xing, and wrestling bear; it's not good for the bear, and by-and-by he'll be getting ugly and turning on them." " Ugly enough now," remarked Jack, "but it, soeins as if the men couldn't let him j alone." • "Tliev have got to from this out," said ! the manager, emphatically; aid as the mat- 1 ter came to mind, he instructed, " I told Dan ' Taylor that li<>b the Ncwsbov might sleep here in the animal-building. Keeps the little chap warm." j " Yes, sir." " Just tell the night watchman to let him in." "Yes. sir." ■ "And tell the watchman to keep a good . watch Oil these fires. I've been burnt out , once, and 1 don't want any more of that experience." " Yes. sir." " How about the watchman?" " Seems U' he faithful as far as I can see | and jud-'c," answered brother .Jack. j "Can't he too careful," said Adam Fore- I paiigli; "a blaze here would send a fortune up in fire and smoke." "Sure!" atTeed Jack, who added, "I've, made it mv business to get over here of a night once in a while, and I've always found the watchman on duty." "So." observed Adam, evidently pleased at his brothel's vigilance, adding, as he was turning from the department to visit the paint-room, " Hopo that the fellow don't drink." Adam Forepaugh, like his great rival, P. | T. Bnrnum, was a strict temperance man. "Watchman don't urink as I know of," I said Jack Forepaugh, as the manager passed out. From that day on Bob the Newsboy | lodged in the animal-building of the Fore--1 paugh winter quarters and hustled morning and evening in the sale of his daily papers. Once that he was dressed up in a comfortable . suit of clothes ho was a very presentable boy ' indeed, and his improved appearance helped ! the lad in his business. Bob was a favonrito about the winter quarters, and counted as his patrons all the hcuds of department and many of the workmen in the paint-room, carpenter's and blacksmith's shops. The famous showman, too, had a kind word 'for Bob whenever they mot, and the boy got many a dimo for " baring an eye" to the i manager's favourite horse Dandy, while the manager took a. survey of the quarters. On one occasion Mr. Forepaugh said: " Bob, it's getting along toward spring now, and the show is all fitted out and ready to go travelling; it cost a great deal of money to put it hi such fine shape, and it would be a great calamity to have any disaster come to it." " Dreadful!" exclaimed Bob. "I've got a great dread of fire," continued the manager; " the season of high winds is coming, increasing the dangers. As you sleep in tho animal building, I want you to , look out for me." "You" and "me" as emphasised pleased Bob immensely. " Bob, I want you to see that the watchman does his duty." The manager almost whispered when he impressively said that; then the great showman further explained: " I have been in this business a good many years, and employed a good many people in my time—all sorts— bad, and indifferent, that have come and gone. Discharged a good many for cause, intemperance and the like, and, of course, made more or less enomies. A bad man might put a match to the winter quarters for revenge!" "Oh mv!" exclaimed Bob, frightened at the possibility of such a dastardly deed. Before the boy was fully recovered from his surprise the manager moved off, with the parting injunction significantly expressed— " Bob, keep your eyes open I" The boy Bob kept his eyes open that very night as long as a tired little boy could who had run over miles of streets disposing of his newspapers, and several times during the night he awoke suddenly and listened while wakeful for the tread of tho watchman on his rounds. The next morning the lad awoke with a strange impression on his mind. It seemed quite like a dream, but too real for that-, It appeared to him as a fact that tho watchman had been absent from the quarters for hours at a timo, but he did not know that such was the case. Bob was quite sure of it, though, when he felt the watchman's great coat which hung in the big room. By the patter on the roof the boy was aware that the night had been a rainy one. By the wet coat the boy knew that the watchman had been out of the building, and had not remained on watch, as was his duty. That day Mr. Forepaugh did not visit the buildings, being called to New York on business. Boh was greatly disappointed and worried at the manager's failure to come. He thought it best not to say anything about the affair to Dan Taylor or Jack Forepaugh, but resolved to keep his eyes open next time. Adam Forepaugh transacted his business ! in New York, and being a great home body, returned to Philadelphia, looked through the day's accumulation of correspondence and telegrams, and retired. About the same hour Bob the Newsboy lay. down in his usual nook, bent on mind- ! ing Mr. Forepaugli's injunction by keeping ! his eyes open ; ditto his ears. As a precau- j tion he turned his face to the wall, and there | he lay and listened long. After a suspense . of what seemed hours the watchman approached and leaned over him. listened for • a moment, and went -way, satisfied that {' • •

boy was asleep. Then the watchman passed out of the building, not knowing that his even- movement was known to the wideawake Bob, who noiselessly shadowed him. Bob had never beeu afraid in the vast winter quarters before, but now a sense ot i fear and danger came over him, and he i peered into the shadows beyond the light } thrown out by the fires in the big stoves. The longer the boy tried to penetrate the s gloom, the surer he was that he saw a figure clidm • in fi'n Hirl-ncss. Oh dear! how his > heart thumped when his quick ears and i , brain, all' alert, detected a " shuffle-shuffle' . of moving feel. i I " Someone in the building who doesn't 1 belong here and the watchman gone!" was the electric conclusion arrived at by the j ! boy. ' Danger to Bob, danger to €!ie property. | ! To prevent his being discovered, the boy slipped out of his nook and fairly crawled along until he came to the stalls of the 1 hay animals, and slipped into the stall which contained the troublesome big performing, 1 bear, instead of the harmless yak. as lie in-1 1 tended but as it was. he was not a bit i too quick to escape deletion by the noc- : ■ turnal visitor bent on mischief. | Bob drew away back into the stall, giv-; ing bruin a wide berth. As the newsboy crouched rjainst (lie b-.-i.-k will in the rear there was a sudden flash of light, and to his surprise he saw a former employee set-' ting fire to the straw that made a bed for ' the Dig bear. The scoundrel was so intent on his work that he a.pparentlv saw nothing 1 of the animal, nor discovered the boy: in ; , fact lie calmlv proceeded to light another 1 match, with the intention of firing the bed- 1 I ding of the yak. I Bob's intrusion on the bear had stirred up I the beast, and the light of the match had | completed the awakening. When the wretch ' struck the second ma I t'll the bear readied ■ for the man with his huge paw and laid him low. The straw in the bear's stall was j now in flames, and the boy took in the I situation at a glance. In an instant he un- | chained the beast, and a moment Inter had : pulled the burning straw out on to the brick ! flooring, where the flames would be spent without endangering the property. The mam and the bear were now rolling over "like fun" (Bob's expression): the man, locked in a terrible grain, was making futile attempts to free himself. Just then there was a big slam of tho front floor, and into the room walked Adam Forcpaui'li himself, bringing the watchman's lantern, •which had been left by the recreant employee just inside the main entrance. The manager's arrival in the nick of time was explained by him as the result of a remarkable premonition which he had of im- ■ pending da?i;jcr at the winter quarters. To : quote his own words: — | " I lay down to sleep that night, but it! was no us» Something kept telling mo that' I was need'-d over to the buildings. At last I was so impressed that 1 got up. dressed, ' went to the stubles, called the ostler from his room, made, him hitch up, and I drove over." j " Coincidence," 'wrested a listener. ] "Premonition," nisirted Adam Forepaudi : —Harper's Round Table. ° i