The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-07-20
Wise Mother Coon

Dressed in her best hlack~and-whste
furs Mother Coon started out to find
supper for her children.
well. goodnight children" sne
called back over her shoulders IL
he home soon, and I'll bring something
nice If you are good and don't quar-
rel"
"Good-night." called out the little
ones. Bring US some more or those
Juicy corn-cobs- And don't let those
horrid human folks catch you.
mo fear of thatl" chuckled Mother
Coon. They are too stupid to eaten
me. But they certainly do have de-
licious things to eat" And she
smaeked her lips as she trotted down
the mountain and through the WOODS
towards the clearing where the Pod-
der family lived.
II was very dark and still as she
crept into the wood-shed- sne
stopped to listen. and her little beady
eyes twinkled shyly There was no no.
! a sound from the sleeping house. for
1t was nearly midnight. Mother Coon
shifted eagerly There was the pail OF
scraps, but the cover was put on
tight-oh, SO tight! Mother Coon
stole up TO the pail and stood on her
hind legs: she leaned against 1t hard
to knock IT: over. Suddenly--ciink
something caught her by the ie .
Ugh. How 1t hurt! She tried to pun
herself away, but she could not How
her foot ached' Mother Coon knew
that she was caught In a trap.
/ She struggled and kicked and pulled
] but il was of no use. She did not dare
to cry out, but her strength was GO
ing fast Suddenly she heard little
noise behind her. She turned her
head. and there in the doorway stood
little girl. staring at her with big
| eyes.
| "Oh, what ara you?" she asked.
l"You aren't "a rat or squirrel. ana 1
don't think you are woodchuck.
Although neither spoke the others
language, they seemed TO understand
each other Are you coon?"
! "Oh, how my foot hurts!" whined
Mother Coon.
/ You keep my father and mother
awake every night. and you scatter the
| scraps about" said the little trl.
sternly. They said they would set
a trap for you. But ] thought that 1t
might be a fairy,--a naughty fairy
SO | sat up TO see"
! I'm only a poor, hungry mother.
with two poor. hungry babies said
Mother Coon. pitifully. Il confess
that ] came to take the lovely food
that you keep in that pail. but you
don't seem to value it highly. l be-
lieve you could spare IL as well as not
Ugh! How my foot hurst"
You poor thing." said the little
girl. II don't care what they say
am going to set you free: for i don't
believe you will dare to waken my
father and mother any more
I'm never come here again IL once
I get away" declared Mother Coon.
The little girl glanced round to be
sure that no one was looking: then
she carefully opened the trap and set
Mother Coon free. THANK you,"
said Mother Coon. as she Impeed
away.
The little girl looked after her pitt
fully. Poor old thing!" she said.
"She and her babies must be dread
fully hungry to want those horrfd
scraps. l am sure we shall never miss
them. / know what am going to dp.
H put a dish of scraps out under the
old pine tree every night that II
does not rain. And I'll not tell any
body .sg.4 l.s,sa .-.s,ss.s5..s 1.
Mrs Coon had good ears. "Oh.
hope it will not rain all summer
she said.
The little girl sighed as she went
into the house. II am sorry that she
was not a fairy. for then could have
made her pay me a wish for setting
her free. "--Abbie Farwell Brown, In
Youths Companion.