Graham's Magazine Vol XXXII. No. 5. May 1848Various
General
Graham's Magazine Vol XXXII. No. 5. May 1848
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
What's that again! another alarm? How that girl does scream out there!
What on earth is the matter! We rush around a sand-bank, looking warm
and yellow in the sun, and we see the cause of the outbreak. There is
Caroline G. shrinking back as if she would like to evaporate into thin
air, and executing a series of shrieks, with her open mouth, of the
most thrilling character. Young Mason is a little in front, with a
knotted stick, doubtless just picked up, whilst some ten or twelve
rods in advance is a great shaggy black bear, very coolly helping
himself to the contents of the two baskets hitherto borne by the
couple, giving himself time, however, every now and then to look out
of his little black eyes at the rightful owners, with rather a
spiteful expression, but protruding at the same time his red tongue,
like a clown at the circus, as if enjoying the joke of their picking
and he eating. Afterward I learned that they had deposited their
baskets on the ground under a loaded bush, for greater facility in
securing the fruit, when suddenly they heard a blow and a snort, and
looking where the queer sounds came from, they saw his Bruinship's
white teeth and black phiz within a foot or two of them, directly over
the bush. Abandoning their baskets, they retreated in double quick
time, and while Mason sought and found a club for defence, Caroline
made haste to clear her voice for the most piercing efforts, and
succeeded in performing a succession of sustained vocal flights, that
a steam whistle couldn't much more than match. The sight as we came up
was in truth somewhat alarming, but Bruin didn't seem disposed to be
hostile except against the whortleberries, which he certainly made
disappear in the most summary manner; so we, after hushing with
difficulty Caroline's steam whistle, (I beg her pardon,) stood and
watched him. After he had discussed the contents of the baskets, he
again looked at us, and, rearing himself upon his hind legs, with his
fore paws hanging down like a dancing Shaker, made two or three
awkward movements, as if dancing an extempore hornpipe, either in
triumph or to thank us for his dinner; he next opened his great jaws
in resemblance to a laugh, again thrust out his tongue, saying plainly
by it, "hadn't you better pick some more whortleberries," then
deliberately fell upon his fore feet and stalked gravely and solemnly
away. As for ourselves, we went where he didn't.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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