American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-09-18
0nr Bops and girls.
THE SQUIRRELS sTRATAGEM.

rel came round stump, with both cheek
full of corn, to see what was the matter
1t is all very well to have company,
said little Brown bird" well; bu
when it comes to having folks go to sleep
and keep birds away from their nests SC
that all the eggs get cold, 1, for one, dom
like it,"
Everybody was surprised, for everybody
| thought little Brown-bird amiable and
not easily put out.
Indeed, l wouldn't stand it! It's a
singing shame!" buzzed Bumble-bee.
"Queer doings, I should say!" chirpet
Cricket. 49, =
What, may 1 ask. is this creature p
trilled the Tree-toad.
"Why," said Robin, who had been ou
In the world, and knew, !" it is a very
small childr'
Said Humming-bird: It looks like q
silk of maizer'
"And its mouth is like berry. I will
go and kiss itl' sand wicked Mosquito to
himself.
"Oh, dear what an ado you all maker'
sighed red Lady bug and the little flowers
nodded Significantly, and all the forest
leaves looked as if they were laughing.
Yet the little baby lay in the shadow of
the bushes, with closed lids, and dreamed
as happy and unconcerned as if all the
woods were its own. @
Squirrel was sorry. He said: Little
Brown bird, don't fret and futter so. It's
easy enough to manage. You leave it all
TO me. I know the tricks of these folks
specially boysr' and he put up his two
small hands and looked around upon his
neighbors in an assured manner most
comforting to behold. Never you fear,
little Brown-bird! I will go and bring
some one here who will carry away this
creature that disturbs you'll"
: The Squirrel flashed out of sight, and
ran swiftly along over brush and bushes,
and logs and ferns, until it reached the
highway, when, it sped along the fence,
servation. In two minutes who should
come along but three. 'school-children-
Roy and Rob, and their sister Lou.
"Looki look! lookp' cried Rob.
"Where? what?" shouted Roy.
"a squirrel! a SQUIRREL squirrelp'
they all shouted together; and away weat
Rob, and after him Roy, aud following
both ran Lou, over the brusl, and over the
bushes, and over the logs and ferns.
Catch him! catch him" they cried
and the echoes Knocked: "Catch himi
catch himi catch himr'
And they chased little Squirrel until
they came to dead halt by q rail fence,
and there on the ground lay q little dream
: SOh! no, ~ laughed Roy.
Whew-wr whistled Rob.
"Oh, the dear little thingr' cried Lou,
with up1ifted hands.
Now the children set themselves to won
dering what it all meant.
Perhaps said Lou, the squirrel was
q fairy, and turned into little baby when
So =
and keep it, aud maybe it will turn into
q little lady as big as your finger, with
eyes just like pin-heads-and a silver
fress and sIJfueT-wcDve1f-anus she VIII
live with us always and always and for
ever!"
"Pshawl" said Roy. Don't you know
gypsies do it. sometimes-steal babies?
Put 'em in a covered cart and carry 'em
off, and leave'em by the wayside?"
eyes, and I've read, too, how an eagle
once picked up baby in its beak and
claws and carried it off to its nest on a
crag!"
Perhaps it ran away" said Rob; "a
baby did once, years and years ago, grand
ma said. The mother went out visiting
and left all the children to keep house;
and she said to Riar (she was Oldest:
Riar, you take care of the baby An
when the mother was gone they had fun,
tell you! They CHM on the housetop
to see the Neutrality-suspicious., and they
bowed bubbles and played 'pom-pom-
pull-away' until the sun went down.
Then they all went to see Joseph set the
hen down in the fence-corner where she
stole her nest Then, do you know, Riar
thought of what her mother said, and she
never once thought before. Oh, wasn't
she scarf? And she began to count the
an found the baby was gone!
Then the mother came home, and she
hunted, and Riar hunted, and everybody
hunted; and after awhile, do you know,
the father found that baby way out in the
woods by boiler log, an the skeeters
had bit it as big as two babies-'way out
where the wolves and bears was! O
Jimmy! wasn't they all glad! And Riar,
she had to go to bed without her supper.
tell you she was glad, for she couldn't
A. eat anything, anyway, cause there was
4 big lump in her throat"
90 boys! knowr" said Lou; and she
,lasped her hands, and her eyes grew big
and round with wonder. "It-is-a-0r-
ohing!"
Of guess it amt an orphanp' said
positive voice behind them. IN let you
know that's my baby, an dear one she
s, too, amt you, little Pinkie-winkie?"
And an excited little woman caught the
cullo up LII ncT arms.
Then she began to see that there were
,nly three rather frightened children who
meant no harm, and she grew very pleas
mt, and half apologized.
"YOu see, l put on the kettle to boil for
ca, and said to myself: III go out and
,ick a dish of berries for sass So l
,rought Pinkie-winkie, and left hershere
sleeping. Do you see what nice dish |
# berries l have?''
Nav, furthermore, the little woman, out I
f the goodness of her heart, said: g Now
ou shall all come down to my little red !
ouse and take tea with me and my maff''f
ont look so sorry, little girl. You can |
ee the ducks, and pigeons, and posies,
nd have cream on your berries. Come |
nj" and away she went, with the train of |
hildren behind her.
After they had got safely away such a
hattering and commotion as there was in
he woods!
Brown-bird, swinging upon twig, said
Squirrel, consider you both polite
nd kind; wish there were more like
GU in the worlds"
Don't mention it!' said Squirrel,
ute embarrassed, and he ran away.
Little Brownb bird flew fluttering to her
est, and bugs and bees and idle birds set
} gossiping. The little flowers nodded
heir dainty heads, and all the forest
caves were so amused they shook their
idcs with laughing-while the sunlight
leaned benignly down and said: My
hildren, l am glad you are all again
Apply -EmmaBurt, IN 81. Nicholas for
OFFENDER.
A Story for Boys.
Nor long ago had occasion to call on