Arresting Three Bears

1916

A great fondness for sweet things not long ago spoiled the vacation plans of three bad bears, who were touring the western coast with their trainer. Though not very dangerous, the bears were full of mischief, and needed careful watching. One day, however, they cleverly escaped from their cage, and made straight for the nearest woods. While the three chose a certain spot in the woods as their headquarters, they did not spend all their time there, but made several foraging raids before they were captured. The people near were filled with terror. The bears' trainer was also worried. They were valuable bears, and he wanted them to come home.

Suddenly a friend remembered one of the tricks the three had often performed together — eating cookies and drinking sweetened water from a bottle. There wasn't anything they liked better than sweetened water, and they never failed to scent it long before it reached them. Perhaps the rogues could be trapped by this same treat; there was no harm in trying it, at any rate.

Loading an automobile with a number of bottles filled with sweetened water, one of the men set off toward the bears' rendezvous. Long before the man was within hailing distance, the three thirsty bears scented the treat in store for them and rolled rapidly up to the car. The man in the car slackened his speed, and the clumsy beasts climbed in, seated themselves, and greedily snatched the bottles they found. The car moved slowly off, and three cheerful prisoners were carried back to their cage. — Kings' Treasuries.