BILLY BEAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 3961, 11 February 1930, Page 73

BILLY BEAR.

(Special for the Otago Witness.) LXYIL Last week, when we left each other, von will remember that Connie the Chimp had decided to stay with us—and so far as I could see looked like staying! —while Mummie Bodgers Bear had

taken herself and her bit of the Bear Family, to say nothing of the tent, off to somewhere not very far distant, after having advised Billy and Fluffy to be friends with the Chimpanzee. Well, we spent our time unpacking and arranging our things, Rosemary meantime talking of nothing but the latest arrival, and when it came to teatime, in walked the Master, and Connie with him. baid the Master co every body in general: “This is the fellow to clean cars!” Connie smiled broadly, but reminded him:

“Connie Chimp Girl—not fellow!” adding: “Connie clean cars, clean dishes, -clean anything! Give Connie drink and she’ll wash up!”

The Master, assisted by Rosemary, gurgling with joy and excitement, gave Connie a basin of tea and about half a loaf of bread and butter. I was afraid she would sit down at the table, but she settled herself happily on the rug. Meantime, Billy and Fluffy—also on the rug, and eating hard—moved away from Connie when they heard her say that she washed “ everything.” They were between taking their mother's advice to be friendly and a fear that they might come in for a scrubbing.

I called cook up and asked where her kitchen-maid was, because it looked as if Connie was going to help in the kitchen. Cook said the maid had gone while we were away, and before I could say anything else, Connie ami Chimp had picked up a tray, and like lightning, switched all the tea-things on it and carted them out of the room, repeating: “Connie wash up!”

Cook said: “ Well ” and then went purple; I started to explain, but the Master interrupted and said:

“If she washes up like she washes the car, you’ll be all right!” And he wouldn’t let me tell him that you couldn’t wash cups and saucers by turning a hose on them! Later on Connie came back and said:

“I’ll wash those big cats now!” (Those “big cats,” I must tell you, were Billy and Fluffy, so yon can imagine the awful expression on their faces. I’ll tell you the rest next week.)