The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-08-21

more quiet. Then he remembered what !
noise he had been making himself, chat,
terinp as loud as he could while he jumped
about and so he ran Off to the OAK tree
without saving q word. There sat MISS
Souirrel, holding big, red cherry IN her
dainty little paws.
"Good morning" said Mr.. Squirrel;
and then. quite in ,rtremble to think how
bold he had been, turned about and raced
homo without q single berry.
Back in his house, eating musty nut,
things seemed quite dismal, and Mrs.
Robin, coming up to make short call,
wondered at his sad face.
"Don't come in" said Mr.. Squirrel.
You will be more comfortable outside on
twig, and I'll sit in the door and talk to
YOU
So he told her Of his meeting with little
Miss Squirrel; how charming she was, and
how much he wanted to talk to her, out
had been so bashful he had only dared 10
say "good morning"
"My house is in beautiful ORDER, sald
he: "big enough for ten, and how nice 1t
would be to get in our winter nuts together,
instead Of all alone; yet Pm afraid to ask
her if she'll come"
"Wait awhile" said Mrs. Robin, "and
let me think it over"
So she rocked back and forth on her
twig and sang little, as she always did
when she wanted to compose her mind,
and then at last she flew right away with
out another word.
What did she do but fly at once to Miss
Squirrel, who sat in her house not dozen
trees off.
"Mv DEAR" said Mrs. Robin, " life is
very short, YOU know, and Pm sure you'll
be more comfortable in nice tree near
me than here all alone. There is not a
better squirrel in the whole woods, and
Pm sure if he were not SO bashlui nc
would come and tell You himself how anX-
ious he is that you should marry him, ana
come and live in his tree"
"Dear me - said Miss Squirrel; 81 it's
very sudden"
81 know it," said Mrs. Robin; "but
where's the use of wasting time ! lie
loves you dearly, and you will him." and
away she flew.
All this time Mrs. Robin had not once
said who che" was, but Miss Squirrel
knew very well, and sat still thinking
about it. Getting thirsty after awhile,
she ran down to her tree for berry.
AS it happened, Mr.. Squirrel, being thirsty
too, started out for the same purpose, and
both met under q big root.
"Oh!" said Mr.. Squirrel; and I" My
gracious! !" said Miss Squirrel; and then
they both looked at each other.
evil your" said Mr.. Squirrel.
81 will" said Miss Squirrel, without
; waiting minute, and then they rubbed
noses, for that is the way they kiss IL
) Squirrel Land. Then they each took a
berry, and running home to Mr.. Squirrels
tree, went up to the branch opposite the
hole and ate them.
Mrs. Robin, perfectly delighted, sat be-
low, and looked up at them, singing such
song that the leaves were quite excited
, and whispered to each other that some
I thing more than common must be tho mat.
ter.
"You'll never leave me-will your
said Mr.. Squirrel.
"No," said Miss Squirrel, "only to get
my winter things-my checkerberries, you
know, that I'd packed away in moss"
So they ran back to her tree, and spent
the rest of the day in moving the best nuts
and berries; and so little Miss Squirrel
changed into Mrs. Squirrel, and both be-
gan housekeeping together.
| could not begin to tell you all the
good times they had, for it might take all
9 night, aud, perhaps, all next day too.
Tiny little squirrels came, grew up, and
. left the home tree for another; but Mrs
4 Squirrel could jump as far and as high as
the quickest of her children, and laid in a
wonderful store of nuts every fall. Mrs.
; Robin built her nest next year, and
, sang sweetly every morning, and Mr..
Squirrel grew feebler, gathering fewer
nuts, slept many hours longer by day, and
, grew londer of telling stories OF his early
life.
, One morning Mrs. Squirrel did not get
up; she had 4 bad headache, she said, and
| must keep still. Mr.. Squirrel sat in the
door, and warned off all visitors-and they
| had a great many, for they were very
} sociable family. BY and by, looking IN
and seeing her fast asleep, he thought
fresh checkerberry would be the very
: thing for her, and so started dowr
: the tree to get it. lie went slowly
for his legs were quite stiff now il
D the morning, and he never thought o
7 jumping before noon, when they began
4 to be more timber. Only little way
S from the spot where the berries were
l tickest, sat square box in it lay deli
? cious- looking nuts, and Mr.. Squirrel, never
1 suSpectipg anything, and only thinking
what treat he could carry poor Mrs
. Squirrel, walked in and picked up one
t Click went something behind him, ant
turning, he saw set of wires where Tx
. door had been. Poor Squirrel he bi
d and tore at them in vain, and finally, al
Q faint and exhausted, lay down and wished
II he could die. Soon there were steps ant
$ voices. Mr.. Squirrel knew very well wha
a it meant; for long, long ago, friend 0
G one Of his cousins had been caught in
u trap.
"Poor little squirrel :" said voice owe
!, him, "Id let you out if could, but Ton
S won't let me-"
c ."No, guess Tom WON'T" said voice
4 "I'm going to have him in cage, with
+ big wheel, and teach him to come when
call"
Alas, for Mr.. Squirrel! Tom carried
him home, and an elegant tin house wa
l provided, with four rooms, circular stair
r case, and large wheel, but only one 0
:. these would Mr.. Squirrel use. Into thu
bedroom he dragged every bit of cottoI
| and wool furnished him, and then, rolling
S himself up in round ball, lay day after
day, and thought of poor Mrs. Squirrel
Sometimes the children poked him ou
with stick, and then he looked at then
so sadly and forlornly that little Mary''
heart was quite broken.
Giles a hateful old thing" said Tom
one day, Sand getting thin just to spite
me-"
"Poke him into the Wheel" said Mary