Animals: Bear Cage

Last week Tony Suvisakus, 11, and two small cronies set out for a day at Boston’s Franklin Park zoo. Tony’s brother John, 7, tagged along. No one was looking when the boys came to the bear cage, all four climbed over the guard fence. They got Lillian, a 500-lb. Russian brown bear, up to the bars by holding out apples, then poked at her with sticks.

The tormented bear shot out a big brown paw, pulled Tony into the cage. While the other two urchins yelled and threw mud, small Brother John picked up a piece of iron pipe, squeezed through the bars. With all his might he smacked Lillian across her tender snout. Howling, the bear backed off, let an attendant drag the badly-mauled Tony to safety.