Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-29

was the finest grove of great
spreading trees you ever saw in
which Nine. Squirrel. her son Wrinkle
~ and her daughter Blinkie dwelt. And
1t was a deep hollow in one of the
finest frees in that fine grove that afforded
Nine. Squirrel. Wrinkle and Blinkie a
house. And all day long they were hap
by. There were nuts. berries and soft.
green grass in abundance. and great
many very congenial neighbors all about
them. And there was a little brook run
ming through the grove. finding its source
in a deep. bowlder-sheltered spring. And
from that spring the squirrels came daily
to refresh themselves with cool. delicious
drink. and they often bathed in the brook
that ran trickling over a clear, pebbled
bottom.
But one day as Nine. Squirrel sat on a
limb that projected near her house en-
trance she was surprised at a strange
and curious object that was under a tree
nearby. She sat very quiet, watching it
and feeling some apprehension. toe. in
consequence.
Pretty soon the object moved. and
what do you think il was? 1t was q big
boy. Now. Nine. Squirrel had never seen
a boy before. for her home, having been
in this grove since her birth, and this
grove having been so far away from hui
man habitation that IT had not been en-
tered very often by mankind she had
had no opportunity Of seeing human be-
ings. Consequently she was very much
frightened when she saw the object-so
large and menacing in her eye-moving
And when the boy stood up to his full
height she was amazed to see how i'm
mense he was.
Now. Nine. Squirrel. like all wild crea-
lures. knew enough about self-preserya-
tim n into bnuSa nd 70 xx-hi
the terrifying news to her children Of the
monster that was at their very tree roots
For the love of life whispered Nine
Squirrel 10 Wrinkle and Blinkie don't
dare to peep one eye out of this house till
l assure you il IL safe TO do so. And now
I'm going to take another peep" So
saying the good mother crept to the outer
entrance of her fine. cozy house and
peeped toward the spot where the mon
ster had been seen by her stretching his
long legs and arms. To her happiness
the being had disappeared. OF course
Nine. Squirrel did not feel quite sure that
he had gone altogether. but she was glad
to see that he was not near to her tree
Now. my dears. ] shall GO and warn
our neighborS. for they should know that
a terrible animal is in the woods in our
very midst"
Then Mime. Squirrel went out to tell
her neighbors about the strange appear
ance OF the giant animal. as she thought
the big boy But. very sad to relate.
Nine. Squirrel got her little feet entan-
gled I'm queer net-something she had
not seen stretched on the ground as she
went running toward her nearest neigh
Dor. and in spite Of her efforts to untangle
herself she found that the net had closed
up around her. and then she beheld to
her terror. that the huge. twO-legged ami
NAL was holding two strings which were
attached to the net-poor Nine. Squirrels
cage.
"Oh. OH she walled. feeling certain
that her end had come. "Oh. il only
there was some one to tell my beloved
Wrinkle and Blinkie of my fate! They'll
watch and watch and watch for their
mothers return. ana they'll never know
that I was entrapped by this monster.
Indeed. my two precious ones may fall
victims also to this giant animal. Oh
could but warn them."
Then the poor lady squirrel dropped
down into her net cage and covered her
weeping eyes with her tail. Meanwhile
the big boy-the one whom we have seen
beneath the tree close to her home
closed the net strings. tied them TO a