tory of pa and t to toerday sno took me a long time to get to too do trading. torekeeper until lie could look at my furs.

“to bargain about to pick out ted to take in trade.

“so it art home.

“i tried to tired, so i gone far before nig my gun.

“till six miles to as i could. t gre of ter dens. i racks o tohe moing.

“bears are time of year; you knoer long o eat, and t makes they wake up.

i did not to meet one.

“i ars gave a little lig ill black as pitc in ttle anding all around me. i light.

“all time i cening for or the bushes.

“to an open place, and t in the middle of my road, i saw a big black bear.

“anding up on me. i could see . i could even see one of arlight.

“my scalp prickled, and my ood straigopped in my tracks, and stood still. t move. tood, looking at me.

“i kne o try to go around o tter t to figer starved bear in the dark. oh, how i wished for my gun!

“i o pass t bear, to get t if i could scare get out of t me go by. so i took a deep breated and ran at him, waving my arms.

“ move.

i did not run very far toward ell you!

i stopped and looked at ood looking at me. ted again. tood. i kept on sing and budge.

“ell, it o run a meet one any time. i migo ma and you girls. i scared me.

“so at last i looked around, and i got a good big club, a solid, ree by t of snoer.

“i lifted it up in my raig t bear. i s down, bang! on his head.

“and till stood, for a big, black, bued stump!

“i on my o to moing. it a bear at all. i only t it bears and being afraid id meet one.”

“it really a bear at all?“ mary asked.

“no, mary, it a bear at all. trying to scare a stump! “

laura said: “ours scared, because it was sukey.

pa did not say anyt ighter.

“oo-oo! t bear migen ma and me all up!“ laura said, snuggling closer to ;but ma all. hing?

“i guess oo surprised to do anyt; pa said. “i guess e so afraid.”

“ell, you oo,“ laura said. “even if it ump,, you t it was a bear. youd you, pa?”

“yes,“ said pa, “i would. you see, i o.”

t ime. ston up tgo dorundle bed and said their prayers.

“noo sleep, i pray to keep. if i so take.”

ma kissed tucked t mas smooted . tle clicking sounds against softly, sy calico t pa raded furs for.

laura looked at pa, ws.

ac, and t were gay. led chen he sang:

“tle and t;t i laid omb.”

it build it up. all around ttle tle sounds of falling snoing icicles.

in just a little ting out the woods.

tories by t nig all day long laura and mary rees, for it would be spring.