Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-08-03
The disobedient Squirrel. /.

young squirrels, do you keep still. Don't
you stir out of bed till we come back
Where are you going p said one of the
little squirrels, whom We shall call Hctty.
I'VE are going to a hickory grove to store
away some nuts for winter. If you are not
good little squirrels, you will not get any d
them
May We not look out of the hole ?''
The hole was an opening made from the
outside of the tree to hollow within it. Ii
was made by ed-capped wood pecker in
search of insects for food. The hollow fur
nished ample room for the squirrels; the
hole was the door.
MAY We not look out of the hole? 2" said
Hetty.
No you must not go to the hole," said
Mrs. Grey Squirrel. IF you 60 to the hole,
you Wi II go out on the limbs of the tree,
some sportsman may see you and shoot
you"
What is sportsman" said the other
young squirrel whom He shall call Harry.
"A sportsman is a creature who has two
legs, and who takes pleasure in killing birds
and squirrels that never do him, or any body
else, any harm
1T must be queer animal-one that has
queer ideas of fun said Harry.
1T would be fun for one to put some
buckshot into your jacket Do you keep
out of his way
1--WE shall never know anything" said
Hetty, if you always keep us shut up in
this dark place
You mind what tell you, if you know
what is good for you.
You and father go OUT
I'VE are old squirrels and know how to
take care of ourselves. Come said she to
MIR. Grey Squirrel, I'VE must be going
Mr.. Grey Squirrel had been sitting on a
knot near the nest, and had spent part OF
the time during which Mrs Grey Squirrel
had been laying down the law to her chill
dren, in scratching his ears, first with one
hind foot and then with the other.
When the old ones were gone, the young
ones began to talk without much reserve
just as little boys and girls are apt to do in
similar circumstances.
Il think, said Hetty, ''that it is too
bad to keep us shut up here all the time.
I'VE are not kept shut up here all the
time" said Harry, don't you remember
what a nice time we had yesterday when
mother took us out to give us lesson in
jumping? Mother thinks it best for us to
stay IN to-day?"
Il don't think father thinks so. He
didn't say anything.
He let's mother do the talking
81 know he lets her do most of the talk
ing and the working, | wish [ could have
seen him alone before he went, believe he
would have let me look out of the hole"
Sometimes girls whe their mother has
refused them permission to do thing, go
and get permission of their father. bat squir-
res ought not to follow bad ex xamples.
Il guess said Harry, I'VE had better go
to sleep. The time never seems long when
one is asleep So saying, he put his fore
paw over his ears, and closed his eyes and
was soon fast asleep.
Harry is asleep, mother is away, and
father is willing, think l will take a look
out of tie hole"
Something seemed to whisper, ''your
mother told you to keep still. -
''Yes but father did not tell me so. Be
sides it is not good for my health to be shut
up here all day. l shall die for want of air.
Parents ought not to wish to have their
children suffer-
Thus she went on trying to persude her
self that it would be right for her to disobey
her mother. If you did not know that she
was squirrel, you would think she was a
boy or GIRL for she did juss as boys and
girls often do when they begin to seek ex-
cuses for disobeying their parents. They
almost always find some that they think
will TO-
Hetty crawled carefully out of the nest
without disturbing Harry, and went to the
hole. ''Oh, how beautiful everything
looks" said she; 81 think it is mean in
mother trying to keep US shut up in that
dark place. How fresh the air smells 1t
has done me great deal of good already.
| think | will go out on that limb little
way. l can get better taste of the breeze"
So she went out on the limb. She brush
ed her hair with her fore paws, and shook
up her tail, and bent it gracefully, as she
thought, over her back, and looked around
wishing there were some squirrels there to
see her. 1t occurred to her that her
mother might be jealous of her beauty, and
that that was her reasons for confning her
to the nest. While she was indulging these
pleasant thoughts she heard a sharp yclp or
barking at the foot of the tree. She looked
down and saw dog there. He was look
ing up at her, and his eyes sparkled. He
admires me" thought she, ''see how his
eyes shine His voice is not pleasant, but
he is plainly in earnest.
So he was, for he kept looking up and