Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1902-06-05
Saint Nara 5 Beacon.
TINE 'possUa AND MS TAN.


il q person who pulls TO pieces some
thing some other person has made
might call it THE Tale of the O-pos-
sum. But that is neither here nor
there, as you viii find out il you
keep awake.
Now, then, you must know, the
'possum's tail was once as beautiful
and hairy and fluffy as q squirrels
and he was very, very proud OF it.
II was SO long and hairy that he
used to fan himself with il in sum-
mer, when the weather was warm,
and in the winter. when the snow
was on the ground. he would tie it
around his neck, for all the world
like your big sisters boa. And
then. as you must know. he looked
really scrumptious.
He was mighty proud Of himself,
in spite OF his peaked face and his
little pink nose, and held bis head,
as well as his tail, rather high.
Yes; the 'possum was very well
contented with himself until he saw
the monkey.
Not that the monkey was any bet
ter looking than the possum. He
couldn't use his tail for boa in the
winter or fan himself with it in the
summer.
But when the 'possum watched
the monkey twist his tail around n
limb OF the old persimmon tree and
fold his arms and just swing, and
swing, and swing, and swing, the
'possum began to grow discontinued.
How in the world do you do it?"
the 'possum asked the monkey one
day when they were alone together,
for the 'p0ssum would sit down,
with his beautiful, hairy, furry gray
tail wrapped around his throat, and
look up by the hour at the monkey
swinging by his long, ugly tail from
a limb of the old persimmon tree.
1t was such an accomplishment and
the monkey did love TO be admired.
oh, that's easy" replied the
monkey. "All you have to do is to
climb up the tree with all four of
your hands until you come toa limb,
and then wind your tail around the
limb, let go with your four hands,
and there you are. Try it Yourself
and see how you like it.
Thanks, believe | WILL" said
the 'possum.
Then the 'possum got up. walked
over to the old persimmon tree and
tried 10 climb it. He slipped down
once or twice, and fell on his little
pink nose. and cried a little bit, il /
remember rightly; but finally he
managed to reach the lowest limb on
the old persimmon tree and stepped
out, one foot at a time.
That's right. said the monkey,
encouragingly; you're doing fine
ly." You see, this was an educated
monkey, and he spoke grammatically.
Nov. wind your tail around the
limb and swing of. -
The pOssum united his beautiful
hairy furry gray tail from around
his throat and wound il three times
around the limb, as he had seen the
monkey do.
Then he swung OFF.
He swung clear off, in fact, for his
beautiful, hairy, furry gray tail un-
wound and the 'possum fell down,
down, clear to the ground, and
struck on the tippety tip of his lit
tie pink nose In q way that was real
~ distressing.
The 'possum lay there, all doubled
up (for the fall had sprained his
neck and made him dizzy in his
head for as much as two minutes.
Then he sat up and there was the
monkey swinging by his tail from
the limb of the old persimmon tree,
and making faces at him.
You made a monkey OF me, You
did, said the 'possum.
mo, | never" said the monkey.
III l had, you'd have known enough
not to let go with your tail when you
let go with your hands, And he
laughed until his sides ached.
And just look at your tail, too!
Oh, dear"
The 'possum held up his beauti-
full, hairy, furry gray tail and looked
ut it. One side of it was scraped as
smooth and bare rs the tippety tip
of his little pink nose. He could
scarcely believe his eyes.
See what / have donel' he called
to the monkeys. II have lost half
of my beautiful, hairy, furry gray
tail. Oh, dear, what shall / dor"
do? What should anybody do?
II at first you don't succeed, try,
try again. I'll make monkey of
YOU yet, II you will follow my in
structions in detail.
We'll, III try it again, anyway,
said the 'possum. And he did the
very same thing over and over and