The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-12-12
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Billy boy Story.
BY Louise n. Pope.


OuCc UPON d tlIlo Cu0T0 we're Three
little boys. Their names were Josie
boy and Charlie-boy and Billy-boy.
They lived with their mother in a
small brown house at the edge of a
wood.
my children" said Mrs. Brown one
day, "be good little boys while I am
gone to the city. Don't play in the wa
ter, nor wander in the wood, nor med
die with the pepperbox."
She kissed them all goodbye, Josie
boy on the left cheek, because his
face was turned toward the wood;
Charlie-boy on the right cheek, because
his face was turned toward the water;
and Billyboy ON the mouth, for he was
looking up listening to all that she was
saying.
Then Mrs. Brown drew on her gloves
raised her parasol, and started down
the vDad to take the train for the city.
There she bought pair of shoes for
Josie-boy, a pair Of trousers for Char
he-boy, and pretty straw hat for Bill
ly-boy.
Josie-boy walked to the edge of the
wood, climbed to the top rail of the
fence, where he sat and whistled a
tune.
Charlie-b boy walked to the edge of the
pond and lay on the green bank watch
ing the frogs
Billy-boy went straight to the kitch-
en- pantry, and took the pepper-box
down from the shelf He scattered pep
per upon the floor, and the pepper made
Billy-boy sneeze. He rubbed his nose,
and the pepper got into his eyes and
panied them so much that he ran to the
pond to wash them out.
The little frogs that were summing
themselves on logs or stones jumped
in with a sound like mp when Billy
appeared, and Billy-boy tried to catch
one by the hind-les; but, instead, Billy
boy himself went into the water head
first, and Charlie-boy pulled him out
by the leg.
II will run till I am dry" cried Bill
ly-boy. So he ran around the pond
three times without stopping, and still
he was not dry.
Run around the house." suggested
Charlie-boy. So Billy-boy ran around
the small brown house three times, and
still he was not dry.
Run around the yard" suggested
Charlie-bOy. So Billy-boy ran around
the yard until he came to the side by
the wood where sat Josie-boy on the
top rail of the fence, whistling, and
still he was not dry. j.
"I'll run through the wood" said
Billy-boy. So in and out between the
rows of trees went Billy, and was soon
lost to view.
He ran along one woodland path,
then. tried another, and came at last
to thicket where was no path at
all. There lived dancing bear.
Dance with me, Billy-boy," growled
the bear, and Billy-boy was afraid to
refuse. He stood beside the bear. and
the bear rose on his hind legs and
danced through the thicket in a way
that was wearisome to Billy-boy, yet
still he must dance on, stopping to rest
only when the bear spied ripe black
berries, and paused to eat them.
They danced and danced until they
came to q hollow tree.
Now. dance for the bees, Billy-boy, =
said the bear. He climbed the hollow
tree, and reached down with his paw
until he found wild honey. He licked
the honey from his paw, then put II
back for more.
The bees swarmed out, flew at Billy
boy and stung him, and Billy-boy rar
away screaming with pain.
He lost his cap, and he cried so many
cupfuls Of tears that his handkerchief
was as wet as were his clothes wher
first he tumbled into the pond.
The brier roses tried to hold him. The