RichardHerrickwasayoungmanwithagentledisposition，muchmoney，andnosenseofhumor。HisobjectinlifewastomarryMissCatherweight。Forthreeyearsshehadtriedtopersuadehimthiscouldnotbe，andfinally，inordertoconvincehim，marriedsomeoneelse。Whenthewomanhelovesmarriesanotherman，therejectedoneispopularlysupposedtotaketodrinkortoforeigntravel。
Statisticsshowthat，instead，heinstantlyfallsinlovewiththebestfriendofthegirlwhorefusedhim。But，asHerricktrulylovedMissCatherweight，hecouldnotworshipanyotherwoman，andsohebecamealoverofnature。Nature，heassuredhismenfriends，doesnotdisappointyou。Themorethought，care，affectionyougivetonature，themoreshegivesyouinreturn，andwhile，soheadmitted，inwooingnaturetherearenogreatmoments，therearenoheart-aches。Jackson，oneofthemenfriends，andofafrivolousdisposition，saidthathealsocouldadmirealandscape，buthewouldratherlookatthebeautifuleyesofagirlheknewthanattheLakesofKillarney，withafullmoon，asettingsun，andtheauroraborealisforabackground。Herricksuggestedthat，whilethebeautifuleyesmightseekthoseofanotherman，theLakesofKillarneywouldalwaysremainwhereyoucouldfindthem。HerrickpursuedhisnewloveinConnecticutonanabandonedfarmwhichheconvertedintoa\"model\"one。Onitheestablishedmodeldairiesandmodelincubators。Helaidoutold-fashionedgardens，sunkengardens，Italiangardens，landscapegardens，andagamepreserve。
Thegamepreservewashisownespecialcareandpleasure。Itconsistedoftwohundredacresofdenseforestandhillsandridgesofrock。Itwasfilledwithmysteriouscaves，deepchasms，tinygurglingstreams，nestlingsprings，andwildlaurel。Itwasbarricadedwithfallentree-trunksandmoss-coveredrocksthathadneverfeltthefootofmansincethatfoothadwornamoccasin。
Aroundthepreservewasahighfencestoutenoughtokeeppoachersontheoutsideandtopersuadethewildanimalsthatinhabitedittolingerontheinside。Thesewildanimalsweresquirrels，rabbits，andraccoons。Everyday，insunshineorinrain，enteringthroughaprivategate，Herrickwouldexplorethisholyofholies。
Forsuchverminaswoulddestroythegentleranimalshecarriedagun。Butitwasturnedonlyonthosethatpreyeduponhisfavorites。Forhourshewouldclimbthroughthiswilderness，or，seatedonarock，watchabluebirdbuildinghernestorasquirrellayinginrationsagainstthecomingofthesnow。Intimehegrewtothinkheknewandunderstoodtheinhabitantsofthiswildplaceofwhichhewastheoverlord。Helookeduponthemnotashistenantsbutashisguests。Andwhentheyfledfromhiminterrortocavesandhollowtree-trunks，hewishedhemightcallthembackandexplainhewastheirfriend，thatitwasduetohimtheylivedinpeace。Hewasgladtheywerehappy。Hewasgladitwasthroughhimthat，undisturbed，theycouldlivethesimplelife。
Hisfallcamethroughambition。Herrickhimselfattributedittohistoogreatdevotiontonatureandnature\'schildren。Jackson，heofthefrivolousmind，attributedittothefactthatanymanissuretocometogriefwhoturnsfromtheworshipofGod\'snoblesthandiwork，bywhichJacksonmeantwoman，toworshipchipmunksandPlymouthRockhens。OnenightJacksonluredHerrickintoNewYorktoadinnerandamusichall。HeinvitedalsooneKelly，amutualfriendofacynicalandcombativedisposition。JacksonlikedtohearhimandHerrickabuseeachother，andalwaysintroducedsubjectsheknewwouldcauseeachtolosehistemper。
But，onthisnight，Herrickneedednogoading。Hewasinanungratefulmood。Accustomedtofoodfreshfromthesoilandthefarmyard，hesneeredathothouseasparagus，hothousegrapes，andcold-storagequail。Atthemusichallhewasevenmoredifficult。
InfrontofhimsatastoutladywhowhensheshookwithlaughtershedpatchouliandamanwhosmokedAmericancigarettes。Attheseandthesteamheat，thenostrilsofHerrick，trainedtotheodorofbalsamandthesmokeofopenwoodfires，tookoffense。Herefusedtobeamused。Themonologueartist，inwhomJacksonfounddelight，causedHerrickonlytogroan；theknockaboutcomedianshehopedwouldbreaktheircollar-bones；theladywhodancedSalome，andwhofascinatedKelly，Herrickprayedwouldcatchpneumoniaanddieofit。AndwhenthedroproseupontheCountessZichy\'sbears，hisdissatisfactionreachedaclimax。
Therewerethreebears——alargepapabear，amammabear，andthebabybear。OntheprogrammetheyweredescribedasBruno，Clara，andIkey。Theywereofadustybrown，withlong，curlingnosestippedwithwhite，andfat，tan-coloredbellies。WhenfatherBruno，onhishindlegsandbarefeet，waddleddownthestage，heresembledaHebrewgentlemaninabrownbathingsuitwhohadlosthiswaist-line。Ashetrippeddoubtfullyforward，withmincingsteps，hecontinuallyandmournfullywaggedhishead。Heseemedtobesaying:\"Thiswaterismuchtoocoldforme。\"Themammabearwasdressedinapokebonnetandwhiteapron，andresembledthewolfwhofrightenedLittleRedRiding-Hood，andIkey，thebabybear，worerakishlyoveroneeyethepointedcapofaclown。Tothosewhoknewtheirvaudeville，thiswasindisputableevidencethatIkeywouldfurnishthecomicrelief。NordidIkeydisappointthem。Hewasawaywardson。Whenhisparentswerelaboriouslyengagedinaboxing-match，ordancingtothe\"MerryWidowWaltz，\"orbalancingonstep-ladders，Ikey，onallfours，wouldscampertothefoot-lightsand，leaningover，makeaswiftgrabattheheadofthefirsttrombone。AndwhentheCountessZichy，apprisedbytheshoutsoftheaudienceofIkey\'smisconduct，wavedatoywhip，Ikeywouldgallopbacktohispedestalandhowlather。Toeveryone，exceptHerrickandthefirsttrombone，thisplayfulnessonthepartofIkeyfurnishedgreatdelight。
TheperformancesofthebearsendedwithBrunoandClaradancingheavilytotherefrainofthe\"MerryWidowWaltz，\"whileIkeypretendedtoconductthemusicoftheorchestra。Onthefinalcall，MadameZichythrewtoeachoftheanimalsabeerbottlefilledwithmilk；andthegustowithwhichthesavage-lookingbeastsuncorkedthebottlesanddrankfromthemgreatlyamusedtheaudience。
Ikey，standingonhishindlegs，hisheadthrownback，withbothpawsclaspingthebaseofthebottle，shovedtheneckfardownhisthroat，andthen，hurlingitfromhim，andcockinghisclown\'shatoverhiseyes，gaveamasterfulimitationofaveryintoxicatedbear。
\"That，\"exclaimedHerrickhotly，\"isadegradingspectacle。Itdegradesthebearanddegradesmeandyou。\"
\"No，itboresme，\"saidKelly。
\"Ifyouunderstoodnature，\"retortedHerrick，\"andnature\'schildren，itwouldinfuriateyou。\"
\"Idon\'tgotoamusichalltogetinfuriated，\"saidKelly。
\"TraineddogsIdon\'tmind，\"exclaimedHerrick。\"Dogsarenotwildanimals。Thethingsthey\'retrainedtodoareofUSE。Theycanguardthehouse，orherdsheep。Butabearisawildbeast。
Alwayswillbeawildbeast。Youcan\'ttrainhimtobeofuse。It\'sdegradingtomakehimrideabicycle。Ihateit！IfI\'dknownthereweretobeperformingbearsto-night，Iwouldn\'thavecome！\"
\"AndifI\'dknownyouweretobehereto-night，Iwouldn\'thavecome！\"saidKelly。\"Wheredowegotonext？\"
Theywentnexttoarestaurantinagaylydecoratedcellar。Intothisyoungmenlikethemselvesandbeautifulladiesweresoanxioustohurlthemselvesthattorestrainthemaropewasswungacrosstheentranceandpageboysstoodonguard。Whenayoungmanbecametooanxioustospendhismoney，thepageboyspushedinhisshirtfront。Aftertheyhadfoughttheirwaytoatable，Herrickungraciouslyremarkedhewouldprefertosupinasubwaystation。
Thepeople，hepointedout，wouldbemorehuman，thedecorationsweremuchofthesameTurkish-bathschoolofart，andtheairwasnoworse。
\"Cheerup，Clarence！\"beggedJackson，\"you\'llsoonbedead。