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Poetry · Chapter
Major A. A. Sprague explained
A brief, humorous verse expresses a father bear's dying wish that Major A.
What happens
A brief, humorous verse expresses a father bear's dying wish that Major A. A. Sprague, a Chicago wholesale grocer, were ill or had stayed away, highlighting a comedic resentment toward the grocer.
Themes in this chapter
Humor and Satire
The verse uses absurdity and a bear's deathbed curse to poke fun at a local businessman.
Characters to notice
- Unknown Narrator
The narrator presents the bear's dying words as a whimsical rhyme.
Key passages
“I wish Major Sprague Were in bed with the plague, Or else had remained Over There.”
The bear wishes the grocer were sick or had stayed away.
A comedic expression of frustration toward Major Sprague.