Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-12-23

sive things, and Mr.. Rabbit was sure that
they were better than Mr.. Crows, Mr..
Fox's or Mr.. Dogs, for Judge Bear was
a wealthy old gentleman. II remember
Judge Bears wanting to roast me in
honey once just because I played little
trick on him." said Mr.. Rabbit to himself.
81 believe 1 will try and get that basket
Just to get even with him." He ran up
to the door in a great hurry, knocked and
went in at once without waiting for an
invitation.
"Oh, Judge Bear" he cried, there is
an awful racket down the road. Mr.. Dog
stole Mr.. Crows Christmas dinner, and
then he took Mr.. Fox's, too. He is taking
them home now, and he says he is COM
ing up here to steal yours in a minute"
He is, is he?" snorted Judge Bear.
''well, we'll see about that. I never did
like Mr.. Dog, anyway, and since he bit
one of my cubs I have a very poor opin-
ion of him. will just go right down TO
his house and make him give Mr.. Fox
and Mr.. Crow back their Christmas din
ners." He put on his hat and started of
at once. Mr.. Rabbit walked with him a
little way, then he said he thought he
would go home and fix a Christmas tree
for the children. Judge Bear went on
alone, and Mr.. Rabbit started back, but
instead of going straight home ne went
into Judge Bears house and took the bas-
ket, which was so heavy that he could
hardly carry it. He dragged it all the
way to his house, and told Mrs. Rabbit
that here were a few things he had just
brought from the market.
Land o. Goshen! Mercy sakes alive!
My goodness, mel" cried Mrs. Rabbit.
Children, just see what your daddy has
brought us. Isn't he the sweetest, lowell
est coolest daddy-paddy in the world?'
The children said that certainly he was,
III hot
his suspenders cracked like wagon
wheel when it needs greasing. 81
Mr.. Rabbit went out and brought back
the baskets he had taken from the houses
of Mr.. Crow, Mr.. Fox and Mr.. Dog. He
told Mrs. Rabbit that he had been very
careful to get plenty Of things because he
knew that people always ate a lot on
Christmas day. and she said that he had
enough almost for the whole neighbor-
hood. Then Mr.. Rabbit lay down to take
a nap, for he was very tired from carry
ing those four heavy baskets such a long
distance.
When Judge Bear reached Mr.. Dog s
house he found that there was no one
there, and so he started home again.
When he reached his house, of course, ne
found his basket gone, and then he was
in a fearful state of mind. He thought
of course, that Mr.. Dog had stolen 1t
while he himself was at Mr.. Dogs house,
and you should have seen the way he car
ried on! In the meantime Mr.. Dog had
come back from chasing Mr.. Fox, and he
found his basket gone. He smelled Mr..
Bears scent and found his tracks going
out Of the front gate, and, of course, he
thought Judge Bear had stolen his basket
of things to get even with him for Bit
ing that cub. Then he was in a fearful
state of mind, too.
While Mr.. Rabbit was sound asleep on
the sofa Mrs. Rabbit put on her bonnet
and shawl and slipped out to have talk
with some of the neighbors and tell them
what a fine lot of things Mr.. Rabbit had
bought his family She met Mrs. Crow,
Mrs. Fox, Mrs. Dog and Mrs. Bear. all at
different times of course, and they all
told how their Christmas dinners had
been stolen. After they had all told her
the same story and blamed each other for
II, Mrs. Rabbit did not believe one single
word of it. for they had all happened to
make the same kind Of excuse for not
being able to have any Christmas dinner.
But she felt sorry for them, and, after
telling them all of the good dinner she
was to have the next day, she invited
them, one after another, to come to din
ner with all their families. OF course,
they were all very glad to come, for the
market was sold out, so they could not
get single thing to eat any other way.
The next day, just as dinner was ready,
and all of the little Rabbits were stand
ing in a row, first on one foot and then
on the other looking at the table, Mr..
Rabbit saw Judge Bear, Mrs. Bear and
the cubs coming up the hill. He was
frightened very badly. but when he saw
Mr.. Fox, Mrs. Fox and three of the little
Foxes coming too he almost few out Of
his skin, and when Mr.. and Mrs. Crow
appeared he was almost frightened insane.
But they all came up and wished him
merry Christmas, and, although they
looked at each other very angrily out Of
the corners of their eyes, their manners
were too good for them to accuse each
other of stealing out in company like
that So they all sat down to dinner to-
gether, and had fine time, and as soon
as he had got over his fright. Mr. Rabbit
told such funny stories that they all
laughed and joked like the best of friends.
Mrs. Bear, Mrs. Fox, Mrs. Dog and Mrs.
Crow said afterward that they were very
glad the Christmas dinners were stolen,
for they had such fine time at Mr.. Rab-
bits home, and, besides. they were saved
the trouble of cooking all the morning.
Mr.. Rabbit enjoyed himself as much as
any Of the rest, but his fright taught him
a good lesson. and have never heard OF
a rabbit stealing a basket from that day
to this.