THE CHARMS OF MUSIC.
For the moment after the brown bear crashed through the glass and
landed in the show window of the auction store Matt was too astonished
to move.
The entrance of the great beast, which had undoubtedly escaped from
the circus men during the parade, was so totally unexpected that all
in the place were too paralyzed with fear to move.
Screams of terror rent the air, and to these the brown bear added a
growl which was both deep and angry.
Andy, who stood some distance behind Matt, was the first to do any
rational talking.
"Grab the pistol, Matt!" he exclaimed. "Grab it quick!"
The weapon to which Andy referred was lying under the counter, just in
front of the boy. It had been purchased by the firm and placed there
in case some ugly person raised a dispute, or a sneak-thief tried to
run off with any article. Andy had said that the mere sight of a
pistol would often bring matters to terms when words had no effect.
Matt understood his partner's cry, and he lost no time in acting upon
it. He caught up the pistol, and at once aimed it at the bear's head.
Whether or not the beast understood that his life was in danger would
be hard to say, but no sooner had the weapon been pointed at him than
he arose on his hind legs and emitted a growl that was fairly
blood-curdling to the involuntary listeners.
Matt did not claim to be a crack shot, having had but slight
experience in pistol practice, and, even in that moment of peril, he
hesitated to shoot, fearful of missing the bear and striking some one
on the sidewalk outside.
"Clear the way out there!" he cried. "Clear the way, or you may get
shot!"
His words had the effect of scattering the few venturesome persons who
had collected to see what the bear might do. In the meantime those in
the store ran out of the open doors as quickly as they could. Andy
alone remained with his partner, arming himself with the longest
carving-knife the stock afforded.
Once on his hind legs the brown bear hesitated in his movements. He
was separated from Matt by five feet of space between the show window
and the raised platform upon which the boy stood. He did not seem to
wish to leap the span, nor did he appear inclined to step down to the
floor and then up upon the platform.
"Why don't you let him have it?" yelled Andy, as he saw Matt raise the
pistol and then lower it again.
"I don't believe he's so mad after all," returned the boy. "I'm not
going to shoot until I have to. Say!" he went on suddenly, "give him a
tune on one of the accordions."
"What's that?" gasped Andy in astonishment.
"Play him a tune. He may be a trained bear, and if so, the music may
soothe him."
Andy at once caught Matt's idea, and, taking up an accordion which
stood close at hand, he began a lively tune of a popular sort.
At the first bars of the tune the brown bear appeared surprised. He
raised himself up higher than ever on his hind legs, until his head
touched the top of the show window. Then he started as if to dance,
crashing over every article which was on exhibition. Finding he could
not dance in the limited space around him, he leaped to the pavement
outside, and there, to the bystanders' amazement and relief, began to
execute a clumsy jig.
"He's dancing, sure enough!" cried Andy. "That was a good idea of
yours, Matt."
"Keep it up until his keepers come," returned the boy. "Lively, now,
Andy, for playing means something."
Andy continued to play, and as the brown bear began to dance more
heartily than ever, the people, who a moment before had been so
frightened, gathered about and began to laugh.
"That's better than shooting him," remarked one man.
"Indeed, it is," returned another. "Keep it up, young fellow!"
And Andy did keep it up until two keepers appeared, hatless and almost
out of breath, and took the bear in charge.
"Doxie would have been all right," one of them explained; "but while
he was performing on the square below some mischievous boy threw some
pepper in his mouth."
"Yes, and Doxie went after him," added the other. "It's lucky for the
boy that he got out of sight, for had Doxie caught him he would have
chewed him up."
"I am very thankful that he did not do any further damage," said Matt.
"I thought I would have to shoot him," and he exhibited the pistol.
"It's lucky for you that you didn't shoot Doxie," cried the head
keeper. "You would have been a couple of hundred out of pocket."
"That reminds me," put in Andy. "Who is going to pay for that smashed
show window and the ruined goods?"
At this the faces of the two keepers fell. The brown bear had been in
their keeping, and they knew that the proprietor of the circus would
hold them responsible for any damage done.
"Well, that is not our fault," returned the head keeper blandly. "I
reckon you will have to bear the loss yourselves."
"Indeed, not!" cried Matt. "The owner of this bear will pay every
cent."
"Well, go on and see him, then," returned the keeper curtly, and
throwing a chain over the bear's head, he started to lead the animal
away.
"Hold on," said Andy quietly but firmly. "You will not take that bear
away until this matter is settled. Matt, see if you can find a
policeman."
A policeman was close at hand, and he was at once summoned. A long
altercation followed, in which the keepers tried to disown any
responsibility in the matter.
"Whom does the bear belong to?" questioned Andy at last.
"Mr. Menville, the proprietor of the show."
"Then you leave him here until Mr. Menville comes for him," was the
quick reply. "Mr. Officer, please see to it that the bear is not taken
away. I think he might very easily be chained to that hitching-post by
the curb."
"Sure, an' Oi dunno about this!" exclaimed the policeman, an old
Irishman. "Ye had better let him take the baste away."
"No, he'll stay here until damages are settled," said Andy. "They do
not own the bear, and if they attempt to take him away arrest them
both."
Andy did not know if he was acting according to law or not, and, for
that matter, neither did the policeman. But the auctioneer's firm
stand had the desired effect, for the two keepers presently weakened,
and asked what it would cost to replace the window and the goods
spoiled.
A glazier was called in, and while he was figuring Matt and Andy went
over the stock. At the end of ten minutes it was found that sixteen
dollars would cover all loss. With much grumbling the circus men paid
the amount, and they were then permitted to lead the brown bear away.
"Quite a bit of excitement, I must say," was Matt's comment after it
was all over. "I don't want to go through any such scare again."
"Nor I," returned Andy. "But, see, there is quite a crowd gathered
around yet. Let us make the most of the chance."
"I am too unstrung to auction off any stuff," admitted Matt. "That
first scare was enough to take the heart right out of a fellow. You go
ahead if you wish, and I'll clean out the window and get things ready
for that new frame and glass."
So without further delay Andy began to address the people, and soon he
had the store once more filled. He kept on auctioning stuff off until
one o'clock in the afternoon, when the crowd thinned out, being
composed principally of folks who had come into the city to visit the
circus.
By that time Matt had set the carpenter and the glazier to work, and
the new woodwork and the glass were in. All it needed was a couple of
coats of paint, and the show window would be as good as new. The owner
of the building, having heard of the affair, came around to view the
situation, and expressed himself perfectly satisfied with what had
been done.
"And I'm glad you made them pay up on the spot," he said. "For if
those circus people had been allowed to leave town I would never have
gotten a cent."
And to show his gratitude, he bought a razor and strop for himself,
and a pair of scissors for his wife.
"There will not be much doing now until evening," said Andy to Matt.
"So we will have dinner and then one of us can deliver those articles
that lady bought."
"I'll deliver the stuff, Andy. I fancy the walk will brace me up more
than anything else would."
"Well, go on then," said Andy, and so, after he had had dinner, Matt
set out with the bundle of goods under his arm.
The way to the lady's house led past the circus, and with a natural
curiosity to see what was going on, Matt pushed his way through the
crowd to where a number of banners were stretched containing vivid
pictures of the many wonderful sights which the ticket seller said
could be seen within.
The boy was much interested in the slick way of speaking which the
ticket seller had, and to "gain points," as he called it, for the
auction business, he remained almost an hour listening to all that was
said.
He was about to leave the crowd when a well-dressed man who was
standing beside him pushed him a bit to one side, and then stooped to
pick something from the ground at Matt's feet.
It was a large pocket-book, and apparently well filled.