A Bear Of A Scare

 

                   Rene' and Louise Lafoon lived in a small red house out in the country, outside of the town

of Schnecksville, Pennsylvania.   Rene' had built a room, above his two boys' room for him and Lois to 

sleep in.  In the entryway as you came into the house hang a big brass bell, which was rang for 

emergencies and birthdays.  

                  Rene' was an archeologist and was always off to the mountains digging in the dirt.  Louise

was therefore, left at home to write stories, and take care of the raising of two little boys.  She did this 

pretty much on her own, or so it felt at times.  Even though the university which funded her husband 

was only two miles away.   She also had neighbors about a block away on either side.

                Louise's youngest son was two (still in diapers) his name was gene.  Her eldest son was five

and named Robert.  The eldest, Robert was being pushed by his mother in their tire swing, while Gene

was playing at his mother's feet.  When all of a sudden out of the woods came a big black bear.  Louise

first reaction was to shoo the bear away and send her sons back into the house where it was safe.

                    The boys started screaming and crying.  At the same time the bear started to mimic Louise,

shooing her back and growling.  At this time Louise took the boys inside the house and shut the door

where she rang the big brass bell.   Louise then called Mister Tidewater who told her he was on the 

way with his rifle to shoot the bear.  Even though Mrs. Laffoon was against guns of any kinds due to 

the children, she would make an exception.  

                    Mister Tidewater pulled his pickup to their house and went into their back yard shooting 

the bear.  He and Louise then talked about what to do about the bear's carcass.  Louise did not care 

what happened to it as long as the boys didn't have to watch.  Mister Tidewater took the carcass of the 

bear to the butcher shop, and had it butchered so that it could be eaten.  Since Mr. Tidewater was a nice 

man he gave half the bear meat to the Laffoons.

Paul D. Eccles