The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-04-17

OF the rabbits and the hens was part
of a program that the rabbits origin
ally suggested and the butterflies and
hens had eagerly seconded.
If YOU could have been near the rab-
BITS WarrenS just a week previous YOU
would have heard one of a cloud of
butterflies of every possible hue say
ing to a rabbit: We'll gladly do it If
there is a rainbow before Easter. but
YOU can't expect us to give up the
color on our wings. as that is our only
beauty. But if there is a rainbow We'll
hep YOU gladly. as we can the get
all the color we want. and those chill
dren are certainly worth pleasing. be
cause they never chase us.
What it meant It would have puz-
Zled me to explain at that time. but
the rabbit evidently understood. and
rising upon his hind legs he shifted
the air and loOked at the clouds in a
Weathervise way.
Bat. although it was April and there
were plenty of showers. there were no
rainbows up to the time that all the
Eggs had been gathered by the rab-
bits. and old Mr.. COttontaiI. who had
managed affairs 50 far. said to his
wife: I'm afraid we can DO it after
all. Tomorrow will be Easter"
Along about five o'clock Saturday
afternoon there came up Il heavy
shower Just as Austin was about sad
ling Caesar to ride to town. and he
was disappointed enough when his
mother said that he could not 90.
| However. he was a boy who could
bear disappointment manfuli.y. and
so. instead Of pouting. he went up to
his room. and getting out a lot OF
cards. he began to paint little Easter
pictures to give TO the different mem
bers Of the family at breakfast mex
morning.
But Marian and Sarah did not take
it quite as well.
Il think the rain is Just horrid. and
so are the rabbits
Our whole Easter will be spoiled,
said Marian.
Say. girls called Austin from his
room. look at that And the
rain is stopping. | cal go, | guess"
The girls looked and saw the larg-t
est and most vivid RAINBOW hat had
ever arched itself in the heavens. And
while they watched the glorious col
ors two clouds of butterflies whose
hues rivaled those OF the rainbow.
few from il. two bases. and following
its arch met at the top. and then flew
from it to the western woods and dis
appeared in it's shadows.
Austin burs into the room. Il say,
girls. did YOU see that?"
"Ies. Wasn't it queer?." said Mar
ian. "Wasn't it lovely?" said Sarah
How could we see them so far? They
seemed to brush the rainbow with
their Wings
We'll. we've seen enough strange
and pretty things today to reconcile
as to the loss Of the Easter eggs"
continued Sadah. as her eyes watched
the rapidly fading rainbow.
ESPECIALLY, as we've gotten along
without them every Easter 5 far
added Martin.
We'll. we won't have to this time"
said Austin. Il know will let
nc 90 down town. now hat it has
stopped raining
~,And in Il few minutes he was Off on
old Caesar and the girls few to their
mother to see if she could help them
make some dyes for coloring some Of
the eggs
But, although Mrs. Mckenzie was
generally Il mine of suggestions to her
children when they were in a quanda-
~. She had never done any dyeing and
did not know how to go to work to get
4 single cOlor except by using bluelng.
and the girls did not hin that would
Jfdkt Il VERY piellN Sldtt u Dlut.
They set the table for their mother.
and then they put on their ruDberS
and went out to get some early wild
flowers. and while they were in the
| field they saw Austin returning-egg-
less.
Its no use he called to them.
THE fates are against us. They We're
all out of eggs at both stores. Expect
ed some more this evening, but |
couldn't wait. Well nave to get along
without"
am inclined to think that there
va, a tear in Sarah's eve and another
OF was all ready to roll out of Mar
e. eve. but Marian threw her head
up and Sarah threw her head up. the
tears rolled back and the girls went
on picking early wild flowers like sen
sible children.
While the family sat at breakfast
Easter morning admiring the pretty
conceits that Austin's brush had Great
eel on cardboard Mr.. Austin noticed a
neighbor staring intently at their
front doorway.
De YOU suppose the house IS attire.
>Iargaret?' said he. calling Mrs. Aus
tins attention to the man. whose
mouth and eyes were wide open.
All five jumped to their feet and ran
10 the front door. which Mr.. Austin
| opened.
There on the front steps and extend
ing down the path to the gate sat one
hundred rabbits. and each rabblth held
an egg in his paMs as a squirrel holds
a nut. But such eggs.
The butterflies had. indeed. been to
the rainbow and had borrowed cOlOr
from it, but how in the world they
ever decorated those eggs with the
dazzling hues | can not tell. Such
trandscendently beautiful. eggs you.
nor /. ever saw az Easter OF at any
q ct time.
Austin was the first to command his
tongue.
Are these for u.s. said he to Mr..
Cottontail. who was spokesman.
The rabbit bowed his head solemnly
and the n~inety-nine other rabbits
bowed their heads, too. II then each
one in turn went up and handed an