The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-01-29
Lady Betty.

Lady Betty was pretty little grey
squirrel, with a bushy tail and bright
black eyes. Her home was in the APP
ple-tree at the foot of the yard. No
body even knew that Betty lived in
the old-apple tree until one morning
she took 1t into her little head to
call upon her neighbors. Auntie saw
her scampering along the picket fence,
and, softly opening the window, so as
not to alarm the little stranger, she
threw out handful of nuts
Betty was so surprised that she
stood still a moment, wondering
whether it would be safe to come
down from the fence or not. Since
all was quiet, and the little creature
saw nothing to alarm her, she sprang
lightly to the ground, and was soon
seated comfortably on her launches
nibbling the nuts, which she held In
her fore paw.
1t was a pretty sight, and auntie
called to Harold and Gertrude who
lived upstairs, to come and see the
little visitor. Gertrude got there just
In time to see Betty, with her little
cheeks puffed out, scurrying to her
home in the old apple-tree. Harold
was disappointed because he did not
see her, but auntie said, "She will
come again; for, don't you see. she is
carrying nuts home to her little fam
lily, and she surely will remember and
come back for more"
The next morning at about the same
hour the children, who were ON the
lookout for her. saw the little gray
squirrel running along the fence, on
top of the pickets, which seemed as
easy to travel as a road She stop
ped at the same place, and this time,
when the window was softly opened,
showed no desire to run away. Harold
threw nut quite near to the window,
and the little creature came bravely
over and, as Gertrude said, "picked it
up and held it in her little hands"
while she nibbled the sweet meat,
throwing the shells on the ground.
Auntie and the children tried to
coax her nearer. but her courage was
not quite equal to that. However, it
did not take many days before she
learned to trust her new friends so
well that she would climb up on the
window sill, by means of the water
spout near by and wait until some one
brought nuts. She never failed to
carry some home to her children, and
Gertrude and Harold wished there
were windows in the old apple-tree
so that they might see what was go
ing on inside.
One morning, while the children
We're at breakfast in their dning-room
Betty suddenly appeared, running
along the piazza roof, just outside the
dining room windows. She came brave
ly up to one of the windows and
looked in, as If to say, Have you any
nuts for me?"
You may be sure 1t did not take
Harold and Gertrude long to find the
nuts. and Betty was soon nibbling as
contentedly as though it were a CON-
mon occurrence to climb piazza roofs.
When she had finished her break.
fast, the children watched curiously
to see how she found her way down,
but it was very simple matter. At
the end of the piazza stood a trellis
made from tree, closely trimmed,
and this made fine ladder for the
little squirrel.
Lady Betty is still living, and makes
her daily trips on her highway, while
the children watch for her coming.
Sometimes, when she appears, there
is dog or cat in the yard. Then
Betty goes swiftly along, as though
she would say, mo. thank you, can't
stop to luncheon today, for | have
very important duties to attend to-"
So she hurries ON her way lest a stop
might be a very serious matter; for
squirrels, as well as children, have to
watch out lest an enemy catch them
unawares.-Helen Clifton, in Kinder.
garten Review.