Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-09-24
For the VERNON
THE RABBITS.
A STORY FOR cHILDREN-BY MATTE La
RENEE.

n STORY FOX CHILDREN-B1 LAW
RENEE.
Once, in a dense cedar thicket, mid the
hills and valleys ofthe Green Mountain state,
there lived worthy couple that we will call
Mr. and Mrs Rabbit. They had no house.
but the snuggest little nest in the whole rab-
bit neighborhood. There it was, just at the
roots OF a nice little cedar, whose boughs
came nearly to the ground, shutting out the
cold wind, and making it warm and coy.
And, although the snow lay deep all around
them and the wind was bleak and cold, they
managed to keep quite comfortable. They
had soft, white coats, and, rs they huddled
up closely together to keep warm, they
looked more like a bundle of fur than the
real live rabbits that they were. They never
quarreled 10 see which should have the
warmest place in cold, stormy days, but staid
quietly at home unless they were compelled
10 seek food, for they do not lay up winter
store as the far-seeing little squirrel does, but
subsist chiefly on buds and the bark OF trees.
At length the cold winter passed away,
and spring with its soft, ba lmy breezes, its
warm sunny days and wild flowers, came to
make "Mother Earth" visit.
None more ready to give it welcome than
Mr. and Mrs Rabbit. And, one beautiful
moonlight night, dressed in their new brown
coats,-for the white ones were only for win
ter,-they had grand party. Allthe rabbits
far and near were there, and such frolic as
they did have. They jumped and frisked
about till the moon went down, when they
all scampered of to their homes IN tn g
thicket, leaving their host to dream over
the many pleasant events of the evening.
They slept late, and the bright sun of a
warm. May morning was shining upon them
when they awoke. Mr. Rabbit was first up,
and stretching himself as though only half
awake, looked over at Mrs Rabbit. A look
of establishment and surprise settled on his
features, and he sat upright on his launches
and stared at his mate; while she, the mis-
cheivous thing, was peeping slyly at him and
seemed to say, lust look here"
And that was just what he was dong.
And what do you think he saw? Why,
two of the cunningest little rabbits that ever
came TO nest in the wildwood-so tiny not
larger than mice. They were dressed in
brown, except one had white spot on its
breast, and the other dot Of white in ITS
forehead. | don't know how he thought
they came there; perhaps, he imagined some
fairy brought them; but, be that as it may,
Of one thing he was sure, they were the
prettiest rabbits in town.
What heap of questions he asked Mother
Rabbit, and how he admired them.
They both staid at home all day and
watched and petted them, but the next morn
ing Mr. Rabbit sailed out to chat with a
friend and get some breakfast. and the
mother, after charging them over and over
TO stay at home, stepped over to Miss Wide
Awake's to tell her the news.
Miss Wide Awake was so pleased TO see
her, and they had so much to talk about
that an hour was soon gone, and bidding her
friend "good bye" she hurried home to her
little ones. But, alas they were gone.
They had staid quietly at home for while +,
but, like some little boys and girls have
seen, soon forgot what their mother had
told them, and had gone out to see what
made the big noise out in the woods, and now
they We're lost.
Mother rabbit was frightened out OF her
wits. She ran hither and thither, and told
her sad story TO every one she met and soon
che whole neighbOrhoOd was in search of
the lost ones.
They secured the thicket through and
through, but they dared not 90 out into the
open wood, for the sound that had lured the
young ones away they knew full we'll
was the farmers AK, and how did they know
a 4 ~ asN.N
they, too, would lose their lives. So, amer q