Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 183, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1910 — Zoo Bear Trades Laughs for Peanuts [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Zoo Bear Trades Laughs for Peanuts

NEW YORK.—OId Ben, the big Alaskan bear at the New York zoological pary in the Bronx, understands human nature well indeed, and he makes his knowledge pay* him. The other day a woman from Middletown, who had happened to see the paused before the den of Old Ben and tossed in a shelled peanut. Instantly there was a stampede on the part of Little Ben, Brown Bess, Old Ben’s wife, and Karnak, his nephew. Old walked fear jjf ths cage while the others’ fought for tne peanut and then crowded to the bars for more. The visitor was about to toss in another when she was astonished to see old Ben standing on his hind legs, making motions to her to throw it high over the others’ heads to him.

At least that was what it'looked like. He was standing up on his haunches, waving his right front paw over his head as a boy does when he means you to throw a ball high. The lady threw the peanut high and Old Ben got it—caught it in his mouth, at a distance of 20 feet, while the other bears In the cage raged over missing it. The woman threw more, and kept throwing the peanuts till they were all gone, and every one she threw over the heads of the other bears, Just to see Old Ben stand on his hind legs and motion for more. Ben learned this trick years ago, the keepers say, when he was a dancing bear. When he finally was put In the zoo he astonished the keepers by making signs to them to throw the food §ver the heads of the other greedy animals to him. He aiwayg takes up his position in the back) ground, motioning the keepers and letting the other bears fight at the Irom bars. The result is that he getsnhe biggest part of the dinner because it is so funny to watch his secret signals to the feeders.