One day, while he slept in the yard, outstretched in the sun, I opened
a large umbrella and put it over him, and waited near for him to wake
up. By and by the sleepy eyes half opened, but without a move he
closed them and slept again. Presently he was wide awake, making a
quiet study of the strange thing over him, but except to roll his
eyes, not a move did he make. Then a puff of wind gave sudden movement
to the umbrella, rolling it over a point or two. At this he leaped to
his feet, terribly frightened, and made a dash to escape this
mysterious monster. But, as he jumped, the wind whirled the umbrella,
and plump into it he landed. An instant of desperate clawing, and he
shook off the wrecked umbrella and fled in terror. A minute or two
later I found him standing behind the house, still frightened and
trembling. When I came up and spoke to him, he made three or four
lively attempts to bite my ankles. Plainly, he felt that I had played
a mean and uncalled-for trick upon him. I talked to him for some time
and endeavored to explain the matter to him.
A sudden movement of a new or mysterious object will usually frighten
any animal. On more than one occasion people have taken advantage of
this characteristic of wild beasts, and prevented an attack upon
themselves. In one instance I unconsciously used it to my advantage.
In the woods, one day, as I have related elsewhere, two wolves and
myself unexpectedly met. With bared teeth they stood ready to leap
upon me. Needing something to keep up my courage and divert my
thoughts, it occurred to me to snap a picture of them. This
effectively broke the spell, for when the kodak door flew open they
wheeled and fled.
Autumn came, and I was to leave for a forestry tour. The only man that
I could persuade to stay at my place for the winter was one who
neither understood nor sympathized with my wide-awake and aggressive
young grizzly. Realizing that the man and the bear would surely clash,
and perhaps to the man's disadvantage, I settled things once and for
all by sending Johnny to the Denver Zoo.
He was seven months old when we parted, and apparently as much
attached to me as any dog to master. I frequently had news of him, but
let two years go by before I allowed myself the pleasure of visiting
him. He was lying on the ground asleep when I called, while around him
a number of other bears were walking about. He was no longer a boy
bear, but a big fellow. In my eagerness to see him I forgot to be
cautious and, climbing to the top of the picket fence, leaped into the
pen, calling, "Hello, Johnny!" as I leaped, and repeating this
greeting as I landed on the ground beside him. He jumped up, fully
awake, and at once recognized me. Instantly, he stood erect, with both
arms extended, and gave a few happy grunts of joy and by way of
greeting.