Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-09-13
SHORT STORY FOR
EVENING HOURS
MISCHIEF OF The SQlRRELS

or alive said Uncle VIII, there's no
end to the mischief they are DOING
But they are so pretty" said Auntie
Jane, Il love them only little less
than | do the BIRDS
THE birds Meth break in nor steal.",
laughed Uncle viii. There are steel
traps in the Toulouse, jamie
There are cats, dogs, fowls and at
least one inquisitive woman on the
premises" remarked Aunt Jane quietly.
81 hope they will all keep clear of your
steel traps.
Especially the woman" laughed
Uncle viii again Perhaps you had
betted leave the steel traps in the tool.
house. jamie"
Let the dear little gray neighbors
know that they are not welcome and
they will go of themselves" said Aunt
Jane. They are called migrating
squirrels. you know, and sometimes
they pick up and leave bag and bag
gage and never come back. We would
miss them should they 20 in that way.
so better not prosecute them too much"
An hour or two later jamie came
sprinting across the lawn and In at
the sewing room door painting:
We'll, Auntie Jane, I've got two Of
them, see!" Coming close to the sew.
ing chair he opened his jacket to allow
the gentle brown-eyed little woman's
taking peep at the carefully guarded
treasure inside the pocket. II caught
them in the queerest way Their nest
is in hollow of the old rotten sweet
apple tree that is such a paradise Of
birds and squirrels that uncle won't
have II cut down. They were running
along on one of the lower limbs, their
first outing, fancy. and f>ew no bet.
ter than to run into my cap when
held 1t in front of them"
Very accommodating of them, but
you cannot have two gray squirrels in
that small pocket that ! made for your
pencil and te.book."
Il have, though; Uncle VIII said
nothing about the size or age, and II
tame them ] shall claim the bounty"
Tame them? You would much bet.
ter give them to Madame Tabby and
her kittens for their supper"
1T seems like betraying confidence.
You come with me please. auntie."
So approaching that sympathy is as
necessary to the wholesome develop
ment of boys nature as warm stock.
ings are for his bodily comfort, or good
fnnI for hiG nh puiaal eli oh, h.
pleasant lady dropped her mending and
followed Jamie TO tho back porch,
where in an old basket in a sunny cor.
ner lay the large cat. proud and con.
tent, purring to her pretty sleeping
family.
Here's dainty tid-bit for you,
Tab" said the boy. Ugh! you would.
MT suppose that such tiny creatures
could bite, but they do, like the mis-.
chief" and he obediently and quickly
dropped the two baby squirrels between
Tabby's outstretched paws.
How pretty and dainty they are!"
exclaimed auntie. Hardly larger than
my finger from the tips of their noses
to the tips Of their funny fuzzy little
tails. What do you think about them.
Tabby?"
AS beautifully as II she had availed
herself of words. the fine old cat re-
Piled: Poor babies, | think they need
for. lifting one of velvet
jaws. she drew the tiny helpless things
to her furry side, and gently holding
them there curved her neck and looked
down at them for moment. and then
with evident satisfaction began smooth
ing them with her rough tongue.
"Oh, how lovely and loving" cried
Aunt Jane in surprise, and jamie
added:
II believe she has adopted them and
means to help me to bring them up by
hand, like Pip. you know. | will name
them Pip and Dickens"
Better call them Great Expectations
and have done with It," suggested
auntie. But the master OF the house
dubbed them the bounty jumpers"
when jamie refused to accept the so
cents for the tiny pair, saying he had
concluded to have Tabby help him to
bring them up until they were large
enough dump about in cage. turn a
wheel and do all manner of cute things.
The little creatures managed to live
on the material nourishment Tabbly SO
kindly shared between t<em and her
kittens, helped out by the sweet corn
from the garden. and were soon trying
their sharp teeth upon nuts, seeming
to be surprised that their fostermother
and her children did not share these
delicacies.
The little squirrels with many names
were never Gagged; 1t was unnecessary,
for they showed no disposition to go
away and reioin their relatives, but
frolicked about the house and yard
with the kittens, to the wonder and
of all beholders, more than