Sandy's Bear Trap

g4SSw HÜNDRED years W;VM a-? Sandy was a @%LíSMmL. boy of Tha l-BsÍSE? world wli have f5xSSaNN moved round fasHW ter and everyt h i n g g o n e smoothly could he have had his turn to rule. Sandy's advice was the last thing, ho wever," that Sandy's father, a grave faced 8cotchman, thought of asking. Nobody, in fact, gave inueb attention to hisopinions, except Peter Small, their hired man, who. always agreed with any one who talked vvith him. Sandy's father liad bought a large tract of land in New Hamp&hire, and had led a little band of settlers to locate upon it with hiraself. He was a rich man for his place, with him a good supply of farm tools and household wares, horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. The last were an insecure possession, for the woods were full of bears, and every little while a pig was missing. The bear question was one on which Sandy had streng opimons. "I know," said he to Peter Smal], "My father is called a wise headed man, but it seems to me like monstrous foolishness the way things go on here. All father talks about is of getting a new road cut through to the main road and of having houses finished before winter. Now, first of all, we ought to get rid of the bears. We ought to have a bear hunt at least twice a week, and have somebody keep watch every night." "Yes," said Peter Small, "ifs dreadful needfulto kill off the bears. Somo folks set traps. " "Let's we," said Sandy. "No, Sandy, I hain't time," replied Peter, leaning on the sjsade with which he was digging. "Wel), teil me how," said Saudy. "Pil make one." Peter, laying by his spade, sat down on a log, and told Sandy how to take some "springy" saplings and some rope and a great stone, and arrang-e them "Indian fashion" into a trap. Sandy, af ter feeding time, setsuch a trap beside the pen where the hogs, for safety's sake, were kept confined. What delight it would be to flnd a caught bear in the morning". But about midnight there was such a sound of ternfic squealing that Sandy's father, the hired man and Sandy himself aUrushedout tog-ether. They found some fallen poles, a roak that had slipped aud the little black which had rooted out beneath the pen, tangled up in a network of hair bed cord. "What's this? WJiat is tbis?" asked Bar.dvs father. 'It's Sandy's bear trap," said Peter Sin ili vvith a grin; and poor Sandy for we ks after heard but inqmries about bear skins and black piys and "his trap . " "Peter's alwai'S and agreeihg- - he might saj' he helped to plan it, " siiü Sandv to himself, a little bit-' terly. But the time for roasting1 ears had come, and the bears who never vvaited for roasting-, then beg-an to make depredations on the corn. ' "I've thouhtofa new plan,'' said Sandy, to Peter Small from sheer force of habit. "You know the great scaldmy tub Cooper Brown made that'sout there by the barn'? Well, I'm to shock up a lot of corn, pile it all arönnd it, lie down in the tub, have father's gun close at I hand, and if the bear comes near, up and shoot kim before he can eat a kernel! That's vvliat I'rn going to do." "Well. Sandy, you're a wise one," said Peter, shaking his head admiring'ly. It was a lovely night, soft and clear, Sandy lay curled up in the immense tub, and heard the wind whispering in the corn leaves, and saw above him the great dipper.and now and then thu startling brig-htness of a star. The night air grew cooïer - not too cool, for Sandy had taken with him a big woolen quilt, and lay with it wrapped about him. Slowly the hours moved, but never the slightest sound of béars broke the hush, oniy the crickets piping in the weeds. He began to feel sleepy and woke himself by power of will, and then - and then ■ It was full morning when he woke. The sun shone brightly into the scalding tub, and into his face. How foolish he had been to think the bears might come near! Suddenly he heard some ene calling "Sandy! Sandy!" Tt seemed like Peter's voice, but why his tonesso imploring? Slowly he raised bis head and peeped over the edge of the tub. What was it'? What had happened? All the shocks of corn were torn down, pulled arart. scattered everywhere. The ears lay haif eaten all around. l'eter Small came up, his bair flying and his face white. "Well, Sandy, you've scart me this time!" he said. 'When I see how the bears had been round, and 1 didn'l see you, I was afraid they'd drag-g-ed you oiï and eaten you up, like as not, but why didn'fc you snoot. Dursn't you fire? "Durst to!" exclaimed Sandy, "Durst to! Ididn't seè'em." "Kot see 'cm?1' cried Peter, "you don't mean to say you slept throiiyh it?" Sandy silontly bowed his head. "I guess you'd better not say anything aboutit," he remarked at last. "No, sartain," said Peter. "Folks might laug-h at you. " Po Sandy g-athered np the shooks of corn and the spattered ears, a: 'l the next night, as Peter advised, went to his bed in the house. Peter, after he was gone, brouj. ht more shocks and put them rouD'i tlie tub, and, wrapped in his blaniet, lay down in it. When carne he calid out all the househoid and showed a dead bear, with a fat cub lyinj among the corn. Two others had managed to escape. "I knew I could ketch som e bears. I planned it up to watch in the scalding tub," he said triumpbantly. "I don't like folks that are always agreeing and agroeng; they're kind of traps themselves," said Sandy aftervvard.