The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-17
Ghilarrn's Column.
THE TWO SQUIRRELS.
BY LIZZIE CHASE DEERING.

wien Ju6 NUS N61S uIOp pms, VAOy DOOAA
arted out from their holes in the, big
chestnut trees, and began to frisk about
in the sunshine, and to chatter and eat
nuts. These two squirrels looked Just
alike, but, in reality, they were very dit
ferent. For one of them, after playing a
few minutes, began to fill his cheeks with
nuts, and scamper off to his hole, to pack
them away. But the other kept on play
ing and eating, and seemed to think Of
nothing but having good time.
why don't you work part Of the
time?' said the busy squirrel Don't
YOU know that a long, cold winter is com
ing, when all these nice nuts will be
covered with snow?'
There Will be plenty Of time to work
before the snow comes. We don't have
weather like this every day, and am
going to enjoy myself while it lasts. l
can work when the sun doesn't shine so
warm and bright. Hyou choose to spend
all Of your time working, you can. But
as for me. intend to enjoy myself
y" So do l, said the smart squirrel,
but I intend to get my work done first.
After I get my hole full Of nuts, | shall
have nothing to worry about No mat
ter how hard the wind blows, or how
deep the snow is, l shall have enough for
all winter. am well and strong to-day,
and it is pleasant to work out here in the
sunshine, but tomorrow | may be sick,
or it may storm.
So I shall work and you may play,
All this bright October day;
But when the storms of winter roar,
Don't come begging at my door.
So the days passed on. Up and down.
up and down, the busy squirrel went,
until his hole was full to running over
with ripe fat nuts. But the lazy squirrel
played and fisked about, filed his
stomach instead of his cheeks with nuts
and laughed at those who were wasting
such pleasant days in labor But at last
one morning, when he walked up, he was
surprised to find how cold it seemed, He
peeped out of his hole, and behold it
was showing. The ground was already
covered an inch deep.
"Whew!" exclaimed he, q" the snow
has come early this year. 1t surely is
not time for winter yet. / must 60 to
work, after this melts away, as it surely
must, and lay my food for winter But
as he looked around at the bare branches
of the trees, and heard the wind whist
ling through them, he thought to him
self: this certainly seems like winter, but
it cannot be possible that it has come so
soon. But must see what l can find
for breakfast. I guess l can scratch away
the snow, and get few nuts y So out
he went, and as he passed his heighbor S
home, he glanced up silly to see if she
were looking out. He felt ashamed. He
went off quite a distance, and finding a
spot where he remembered he saw some
nuts the day before, commenced to scratch
away the snow. He found several, but it
was cold work, and made his paws ache,
He went back to hisnest, wondering what
he should do, if winter had really come in
earnest. All day long the snow kept
falling Night came, and he had to 60
to bed without any supper. In the morn
ING. he felt almost starved. He looked
out; the snow was very deep, and more
was falling. He thought of all the nice
nuts that lay under it, and wished that
he had taken time in the warm, sunny
days to gather them. But it was too late
now. His heart was very heavy, and his
stomach very empty. He thought Of his
neiohbor with her nest packed so full OF
walnuts, ehestnuts, and delicious little
beechnuts. 1t made him very, very hun
CRY. AS the day passed by, he felt as il
he could not endure it any longer. So he
went over to his neighbours house and
peeped in. There she was as snug and
warm as could be, cracking nuts, and
singing to her mate;
I'm glad we worked, when days were warm,
And saved for stormy weather;
For had we not, in this bad storm
We might have starved together"
He stood there so ashamed that he
could not speak for awhile. He had
never begged before, and it was hard
work-much harder than gathering nuts
In the sunshine would have been-but
he had to confess, at last, that he was
nearly starved, and to ask for few nuts
Il should be glad to give you enough
to last you all the winter, if l had them tc
spare said the squirrel, but I only
laid in enough for my own family, anc
the signs foretell very hard winter
can give you few for your breakfast
though.
So the poor squirrel took them, anC
went home. But they didn't last long
OH the miserable, hungry days that fol-
lowed The squirrel pinned day after day
for food. He was glad to get anything
to eat. Sometimes he found few nut
L. hnd staid ON the trees and when