Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-09-12
MIR. TOAD'S OLD SUIT
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS
Author of odd Mother West wind..'

Peter Rabbit was tired and very
sleepy as he hoped along the crooked
little path down the hill. He could see
Did Mother West Vim just emptying
her Merry Little Breezes out of her
big bag onto the green meadows to
play all the bright summer day. Peter
Rabbit yawned and yawned again as
he watched them dance over to the
smiling pool. Then he hoped on down
the crooked little path toward home.
Sammy Jay, sitting on a fance post.
saw him coming.
Peter Rabbit. out all night.
Oh, my goodness, what a sight!
Peter Rabbit, r%eprobate,
No good n will be your fate.."
shouted Sammy Jay.
Peter Rabbit ran out his tongue at
Sammy Jay.
who stole Happy Jacks nuts? Thief!
Thief! Theft shouted Peter Rabbit at
Sammy Jay, and kept on down the
crooked little path.
1t was true-Peter Rabbit had been
out all night playing in the moonlight,
stealing a midnight feast in Farmer
Browns cabbage patch n getting
into mischief With Bobby Coon. Now
when most of the little meadow people
were just waking up Peter Rabbit was
thinking of bed.
Presently he came to a big piece of
bark which is the root of MIR. Toad's
house. MIR. Toad was sitting in his
doorway blinking at jolly, round MIR.
Sun. who had just begun to climb up
h sky.
Good morning, Mr.. Toad" said Peter
Rabbit.
Good morning." said Mr.. Toad.
You're looking very fine this morn
Ing. Mr.. Toad" said Peter Rabbit.
I'm feeling very fine this morning.
said Mr.. Toad.
why. my gracious, you have on a
new suit. Mr.. Toad" exclaimed Peter
Rabbit.
well. what if 1 have, Peter Rabbit? '
demanded Mr.. Toad.
oh, nothing. nothing, nothing at all,
Mr.. Toad, nothing at ALL" said Peter
Rabbit hastily, only l didn't know YOU
ever had a new suit. What have you
done with your old suit. Mr.. Toad?".
Swallowed it." said MIR. Toad short
ly. turning his back on Peter Rabbit.
That was all Peter Rabbit could get
out of Mr.. Toad, so he started on
down the crooked little path. Now
Peter Rabbit has a great deal of cur
iosity and is forever poking into other
about it the more he wondered what
MIR. Toad could nave one with his old
suit. or course, he hadn't swallowed
it!
TN just run over to the Smiling pool
and ask Grandfather Frog. He'll sure
ly know what Mr.. Toad does with his
old suits" said Peter Rabbit, and be-
gan to hop faster.
When he reached the Smiling pool
there sat Grandfather Frog on
his big green lily pad as usual. There
was a hungry look in his goggly eyes,
for 1t was so early that no foolish green
flies had come his way yet, but Peter
Rabbit was too full of curiosity in Mr..
TOad's affairs to notice this:
Good morning. Grandfather Frog
said Peter Rabbit.
Good morning" replied Grandfather
Frog, q wee bit gruffy.
You're looking very fine this morn
ing. Grandfather Frog said Peter
Rabbit.
Not so fine as I'd feel if / had a
few fat. foolish green flies" SAID Grand
father Frog.
I've just met your cousin, Mr.. Toad.
and he has on a new suit" said Peter
Rabbit.
Indeed" replied Grandfather Frog.
"Well. 1 think It's high time"
What does Mr.. Toad do with. his
old suit. Grandfather Frog" asked
Peter Rabbit.
"chug,a-rum. It's none Of my bust,
Grandfather Frog GROSSLY, and turned
his back on Peter Rabbit.
Peter Rabbit saw that his curiosity
must remain unsatist!ed. He suddenly
remembered that he had heen out all
night and was Very, very sleepy, SO he
Now the Merry Little Breezes had
heard all that Peter Rabbit and Grand
father Frog had said and they made
up their minds hat they would find
out from Grandfather Frog what. MI.
0NonA ~44f1,. It'll ,,Sk Il h$~ ~ti -,tk Ns.-<
of all they scattered owe the Green
meadows. Presently back they all
came. each blowing ahead of him a fat,
foolish green fly. Right over to the
big green lily pad they blew the green
fies.
a-rum!" said Grandfather Frog, as
Zach tat, foolish green fly disappeared
inside his white and yellow waistcoat.
When the last n was out of sight, all
but q les which was left sticking out of
q corner of Grandfather Frogs big
mouth, n of the Merry Little Breezes
ventured to ask him what became Of
Mr.. Toad's old suit.
Grandfather Frog settled himself
comfortably on the big green fly pad
and folded his hands across his white
and yellow waistcoat.
Frog. "Once upon q time"
The Merry Little Breezes clapped
their hands and settled themselves
among the b%uttercups and daisies. for
they knew that soon they would know
what Mr.. Toad did with his old suit.
'Once upon q time." began Grand
father Frog again. when the world
was young. old King Bear received
word that Old Mother Nature would
visit the Green meadows and the
Green forest. OF course old King Bear
wanted his kingdom and his subjects
to look their very best, % he issued q
royal order that every n OF the little
meadow people and every n Of the