The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-02-13
JUVENILE COLUMN.
CHIPMUNK JOHNNY.

Little johnny was on his way HON.
from school. He was hot, tired and dusty
JOE me summer day had been a long one
ana It's neat had poured down numerically
johnny had studied until his head ached
ana right glad was he when school was dis.
missed for the day, and he was at liberty
to return home. =
Now, with dinner basket slung on his
arm, ana straw hat pulled down over his
Eyes rSn' TO protect them from the rays of the
fapidiy declining sun, he plodded YEARLY
along; The hot sand nearly blistered his
little bare feet, and he finally decided, for
the sake OF comfort, to leave the main road
ana reach home by shorter and more
PHEASANT route, viz, the path "acrOss lots"
! 30, cMmblng Deacon Smiths bars, he
crossed the large pasture-feld, only pausing
a moment to admire the great, nice mother
ly-!ooking cows that were quietly chewing
their cuds in the shade of a couple of low,
bushy topped NAPLES that stood near tt 9
middle OF the field. The path to Johnny's
nome, after leaving the pasture, ran down
through a piece of wood land, where the
cool shade was very grateful to him.
on, dear J" he exclaimed, as he threw
himself down on bed of soft, fragrant
moss, that spread itself out like carpet
meath the path-soh, dear what is the use
OF gong to school; if it was only winter,
for then fellow could skate or ride down
hll, or build snow forts, but now we can't
even play mumblety peg without sweat
ing and 1t is SO hard to study in that old
school-house. 1t makes my head ache so
can hardly see. would much rather live
in these cool, shady woods than to be shut
up in an old school-room all day. hate
study so there!" and Johnny ierked out
the last sentence as if defying somebody,
or something, very strongly.
Chip! chip! chip' exclaimed chip
munk, popping his head out of hole in
root, hats
Littieiboy With straw hat"
pursued the chipmunk, cooking his head
queerly on one side, and cycling the little
I. Oh, Yes" replied Johnny, "you can
chip, chip all the day long, and do
nothing but play and scamper around
among the leaves in this nice, cool shade.
You're lucky fellow, you are. No trudging
OF to school every morning, no getting
scolded if you happen to tear your clothes;
no long rules to learn; no books, no school,
no anything but fun and play from morning
till night. You're luck y fellow, you are"
Chip; chip. all is JOY;
You be chipmunk, and I'll be boy
replied the chipmunk, in a bantering tone.
Done" shouted Johnny and before
he could even wink, he found himself
sitting at the mouth of the hole in the old
root, in the form of real, live chipmunk,
while IL little boy in blue overatts and
straw hat, with Il basket on his arm was
passing along the path. He knew it was
the chipmunk johnny going home to eat |
his supper, and sleep in his bed, and q mo-
nent ary feeling of regret crossed his mind |
He did not have long to think, however,
1oT just at that instant the boy suddenly |
stopped to the ground, and before he could |
even guess what it meant, whiz came a |
stone straight towards him. He made n
terrified rush for the hole in the root, and
tried to scream, but the only sound forced
from him by his terror was half audible
" chlck.er-er-r-r,' as he dived into his
place of refuge and crowded himself I'D in
the farthest corner, shivering in mortal
fear.
In a few moments long rod was insert
ed, and came scratching along the sides of
the root, trying, evidently, to search him
was SO frightened, however, that he did not
venture out again until dark. But a
glimpse of heavily sailing owl frightened
him back again to his nest of dry leaves,
where, after searching around for some
shlng to satisfy his hunger, he finally found {
Foured with as good relish as could be ex
oected, and then curled himselfup to sleer. ,
He could not help envying Chipmunk
Johnny, however, who had probably eaten
hearty supper of good sweet bread and
mix, with perhaps nice baked sweet q
".
'esides, who ever heard of chipmunk's \
rying9 So, after many or fancied alarms \
e dropped off to sleep.
The first grey streaks of morning were
ust beginning to dawn when he awoke
rom his troubled dreams and ventured
orth in quest of food. Very cautiously he
eeped out from his hiding place, to be
ure that no enemy was near, when, dis
overing nothing alarming, he Quilted the
Id root entirely and began his search.
How he fairly danced for joy at finding
dry crust of bread that had fallen from
Johnny's basket the night be- sa
IRE. a,
He commenced nibbling it at once, and
as III the fair way to secure a good break
'st, when, patter, patter, patter, up the
ath he heard the steps of dog approach m m
lg. to
He quickly dropped the crust and turned y,
, fly when chow, vow, vow," echoed in N
is ears, as the dog sprang after him, and
lesnext moment he found himself-wide
wake and sitting on the moss flat rub
ing his eyes, while "Old Towser" who
as evidently overjoyed at finding his W
)ung master, paid no attention to the Y
DOT lonely chipmunk that kept up V
ournful "chuck chuck! chuck !" upon Is
root near by. :
&c All my little lad" said johnny to to
mself as he noticed him, 60 guess after 70
!, that I'd rather be Johnny than a chip ~
unk." e
The sun was just setting, when Johnny, PI
by Towser, resumed his IS
route, right glad that, after all,
was but dream. johnny never COM ali