The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-14

at the Hedgehog's folly. The latter went
homeward, walking slowly as II engaged In
deep thought. When he came to his house
he went in and ordered his wife to hurry
the dinner While she hustled about, he
went to his room and put on his old clothes.
BY and by, he came down to dinner. His
wife threw UP her hands in establishment
at his wearing his working clothes on Sun
day and demanded the reason.
Why" said Mr.. Hedgehog, ST have
wagered a five-dollar gold piece that
can beat the Rabbit in a race, and"
"whatr' screamed Mrs. Hedgehog. Have
you lost your senses? Are you crazy? Do
you think that you, with your little short
legs, can beat the Rabbit, whom not even
the dog can catch. You are surely going
mad, and 1 half believe
shut upr' snapped her husband. Hurry
up your dinner and get into your old
clothes. / am going to need your help. o
you needn't say you won't, or I'll use the
broomstick again.
Then the wife said no more; but she
flew around getting dinner ready she grum-
bled and muttered at her husband. The
meal was soon prepared, and as Mr..
Hedgehog's morning walk had made him
hungry the dishes were shortly licked clean.
After resting a little while he smoked his
pipe, Mr.. Hedgehog called his wife and to-
gether they went down to the stubblefield,
which had been partly plowed. Mr.. Hedge
hog took his wife to the upper end of the
field and told her to lie down in the furrow.
After a WHILE" said he, you will hear
the rabbit coming. Just before he gets
her fn Of I'm II l.
ready herer I guess Wen beat him. Mean
while I'll go and hunt him up
So Mr.. Hedgehog went back to the lower
end Of the field and sat down in the shade
until the rabbit should come. Soon ne
heard the hippity hop of his rival. and
advancing, politely he met him. The two
shook hands, and then each took from
his pocket a fve-dollar gold-piece and a
| flask of wine and placed them under a
bush until they decided who was the win
ner The Hedgehog said. Mr.. Rabbit.
1 am glad to see you so punctual. 1 have
| chosen this field for a racecourse. You
will run in one furrow, 1 In another We
shall get into our places and when 1 say
| 'Hop we shall start The one who gets
to the other end first must say when the
other comes up, am already here!' Are
you satisfied?'
Perfectly" replied the Rabbit. Are
you ready?"
| Yes. Let us take our places"
So the two got into their positions ready
| for the word. Then when Mr.. Hedgehog
cried Hot away went the Rabbit with his
| great long jumps. But the Hedgehog ran
only few PAGES and then crouched low
in the furrow. The Rabbit ran as fast as
a rabbit can, laughing all the while at how
easily he had won the race. But when he
came close to the upper end of the field,
what was his surprise TO see the Hedge
hog rise from the furrow and say, L am
already here!' The Rabbit was puzzled.
| He knew that he was a better runner
than the Hedgehog. but the facts were
| against him. Here was his rival ahead
of him and grinning at his defeat
Lets try 1t again. he cried in despera-
ton.
with pleasure," answered Mrs. Hedge
hog. And so they turned to the lower end
of the field and again the Rabbit started
off at the top Of his speed. But it was all
in vain. Before he came to the lower end
of the field there was his rival grinning
more than ever and crying, 81 am already
here!''
Now the Rabbit became angry in earnest
Back and forth he ran fast as rabbit
could go; but every time he came to one
end of the field or other there was the
Hedgehog with his ever-ready call, II an
already here!" Seventy-two times he rar
across the field; but on the seventy-thirC
trip he fell dead in his tracks, overcome
by his desperate efforts to win. The
Hedgehog called his wife and, picking III
the money, started home. Every few min
utes he looked back over his shoulder anC
muttered an evil grin: mister Crooked
Shanks! Indeed! 1 think you found my
friend, that crooked legs may not NEAR
crooked Wits!
When the worthy pair arrived home tn,
Hedgehog gave the so to his wife. But il
the evening he slipped back to the race
course and found the wine bottles. Hi
wife saw him no more until the next morn
ing. when he complained of terrible head
ache, due, no doubt, to the tremendou
! ! exertion of running the great race.