The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-11-15
Little Stories for Bedtime
PADDY THE BEAVERS HOUSE.
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Copyright, 1913, by ]. G. Lloyd.)

Jerry, MuSkrat was very mucn IN
terested when he found that Paddy
cousin. Vas building Il house. Jerry
is a house builder himself. and right
down deep in his heart he very much
doubted if Paddy could build as good
:: house as he could. His house was
down in the Smiling Pool, and Jerry
thought it q very wonderful house.
indeed. and was very proud Of it. 1t
vas built Of mud and sod and little
alder and willow twigs and bulrushes.
Jerry had spent one winter in it and
he had decided to spend another
there after he had fixed it up a little.
So as long as he hadn't got to build
a brand new one he could afford the
time to watch his cousin Paddy. Per-
haps he hoped that Paddy would ask
his advice.
But Paddy did nothing of the kind.
He had seen Jerry Muskrat's house,
and he had smiled. But he had taken
great pains not to let Jerry see that
smile. He wouldn't have hurt Jerry's
feelings for the world. He is too po-
lite and ,good-natured to do anything
an old log and watched Paddy work.
The first thing to do was to build
the foundation. This was of mud and
grass, with sticks worked into 1t to
hold it together. Paddy dug the mud
from the bottom of his new pond.
And because the pond was new. of
course there was a great deal of
grassy sod there. which was Just what
Paddy needed. 1t was very
lent.
Jerry watched a little while, and
then. because Jerry is n worker him
self. he just had to get busy and help.
1ln<1.o~ t{%,,{I11 1a t0y<1 hts I{u N0sscf,S
that he would like to have a share
in building the new house.
"All right replied Paddy, that
will be fine. You can bring mud while
Il am getting the sticks and grass"
So Jerry divcd down to the bottom
Of the pond and dug mp mud and piled
it on the foundation and wa. happy.
The little stars looked down and
twinkled mcrrily az they watched the
two workers. So the foundation grew
,and grew down under the water. Jerry
was very much surprised at the size
of il. 1t was ever and ever so muih
bigger than the foundation for his
own house. You see. he had forgotten
how much bigger Paddy. was. OF
course he would need a much bigger
house. So each night Jerry and Pad
DIV worked. resting during the day
time. Occasionally Bobby Coon or
Reddy Fox of Unc' Billy Postum or
Jimmy Skunk would come to the edge
of the pond to see what was soing
on. Peter Rabbit came every might.
But they couldn't see much, because
you know. Paddy and Jerry were
working under water. j.
But at last Peter was rewarded.
There lust above the water was {;
splendid platform Of mud and grass
and sticks. There were a great many
sticks carefully laid as oon Ii the
platform was above the water. for
Paddy was very. particular about this
You see. 1t was to be the floor for the
splendid room HI was pla ming to
build. When it suited him he began
to pile mud in the very middle. Jerry
couldn't understand this. He puzzled
and puzzled over 1t, while he helped
t O bring the mud. Where was Pad
dy's room going to be il he piled uu
the mud that way? But he didn't
like to ask questions, so he kept right
on helping. Paddy would dive down
to h bottom n then come up with
double handfuls of mud which he
held against his chest. He would
scramble out onto the platform and
waddle over to the pile in the middle
where he would put h mud and pat
It, down Then back to the bottom
for more mud.
And so the mud pile grew and grew
until it was quite two act high.
Now said Paddy. "I'n build the
walls and guess you can holm me
! much with those /. I'm going TO begin
them tomorrow night. Perhaps YOU
will like Il see me d." it. Cousin Jcr-
ry." =
~ certainly will" replied Jerry,
stil puzzling over that pile Of mud
LIN tho middle.