Cover of Bearly Reasonable

Bearly Reasonable

  • Free to read
  • 40 min read
  • Reading level: 5th grade

"Bearly Reasonable" by W. C. Tuttle is a humorous adventure novel probably written in the early 20th century. This light-hearted tale follows the misadventures of two characters, Magpie Simpkins and Ike Harper, as they embark on a comical quest involving a professor's unusual scientific inquiry into the maternal instincts of grizzly bears and the relationship between rattlesnakes and prairie dogs. The story begins when Magpie and Ike are approached by Professor Phinney, who seeks their help in settling a debate about wildlife behaviors. They find themselves misled into a series of chaotic events when they attempt to use a sickly bear owned by a neighbor, Mighty Jones, as a stand-in for a mother grizzly, along with a badger as its supposed cub. As the pair navigates comedic challenges, including the bear's antics and unexpected encounters with their eccentric employer and his wife, the characters become embroiled in a humorous chaos that showcases Tuttle’s ability to blend adventure with witty dialogue and absurd situations. The narrative culminates in a farcical conclusion where the scientific inquiries take a backseat to sheer hilarity and mishaps in the wilderness.

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  • Western stories
  • Scientists
  • Bears
  • Simpkins, Magpie (Fictitious character)
  • Harper, Ike (Fictitious character)

Read the opening

Author of “Magpie, Diplomat,” and “Sixteen to One on Friday,” etc.

“Ike,” sez Magpie Simpkins, pointin’ down th’ trail, “th’ feller what said, ‘Th’ worst is yet to come,’ must ’a’ meant that outfit comin’ our way.”

I takes uh good look and agrees. In th’ lead is Ricky Henderson, on his calico bronc, and behind him is three figgers on burrows. Th’ leadin’ one looks like uh cross between uh Holy Roller proselyte and uh fence picket. Th’ legs of th’ critter is bent back at th’ knees to keep its feet off th’ ground, an th’ rest of its body ’pears to have been soaked in starch before it seasoned.

It’s wearin’ uh swaller-tailed coat, buttoned at th’ top, makin’ it swell in th’ breeze like th’ wings of uh turkey-buzzard, and th’ peaked, side-whiskered face which bobs at th’ top is crowned with uh hard hat. It is also wearin’ black-rimmed specs, and enough black ribbon floats from th’ top to furnish mournin’ fer uh wake.

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About this edition

This free edition of Bearly Reasonable by W. C. Tuttle comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #66024, released 2021-08-09. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Humour, Adventure, Novels.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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