Evening star., 1913-12-09
Chatterer the Red Squirrel
Holds His Tongue.

Chatterer the Red squirrel sat i'll the
top of pine tree scolding. Who was
he scolding? Why no one in particular.
In fact. he was scolding because there
was no one about to scold. He was
scolding just to hear his own voice. You
see Chatterer is never really happy un-
less there is fuss of some kind going
on. He dearly loves a fuss and when
he cannot find any one else to quarrel
with he tries to quarrel with himself
At least that is the way it seems to the
other little people of the Green Forest.
Now that Jack Frost had arrived, and
so many of the little feathered people
had gone away for the winter. and so
many of the little people who Wear fur
had gone to sleep for the winter. there
was SO much less mischief for him to
get into that Chatterer was feeling
rather dull You know he loves ex-
citement. Yes. sir. Chatterer the Red
Squirrel loves excitement, and this bright
morning there wasn't any. So he sat in
the pine tree and scolded just to keep
his spirits UP.
1t was very still there in the Green
Forest. very still, indeed. except for his
own voice. He hadn't seen a soul to
torment that whole blessed morning. and
he hadn't a blessed thing to do. He had
harvested all the nuts and corn and pine
seeds he needed for the winter and now
he lust didn't know what to do with him
self. Suddenly q thought popped into
his head. Chatterer stopped scoldinS
and grinned.
Il believe I'll run over to the hollow
chestnut tree and wake up Bobby Coon, :
said ne. Bobby is sure to be asleep and
to wake him now is sure to make him
cross. That will be fun.
He scampered through the tree tops
and over to the big hollow chestnut tree
which is the home of Bobby Coon and
listened at Bobby's door. Yes. Bobby
was there and he was asleep. Chatterer
stuck his head inside.
Wake up. Wake UP you sleepy-he
This is no time TO be in bed.
he shouted in his shrilled voice.
Il Bobby stirred uneasily. for he was not
yet in that sound asleep with which he
passes the coolest part of the winter
Go way, he murmured.
''Sleepy-head. Sleepy-head, taunted
Chatterer, dancing around the doorway.
Then he whisked down to the ground
and in q minute was back up in the tree
IN on Bobby Coon. Ii just happened to
hit Bobby on the end of his nose. for
he had uncurled enough to look up to
see what all the fuss was about Right
aWay ne fOSt his temper WHICH Was just
what Chatterer hoped for. lie growled
and he snarled and he told Chatterer
that he would eat him alive. He even
climbed up and stuck his head out of
his door, all the time grinding his teeth
lin the fierest and most unpleasant way.
Chatterer fairly shrielSed with glee. and
threw bits of bark at Bobby. All the
time his tongue was going as fast as
il could He called Bobby bad names.
He dared him to come out and try to
catch hin. He made such a racket that
il could be heard for long way through
the Green Forest.
Suddenly. while he was pausing TO get
his breath. Chatterer heard a rustic of
leaves, just the faintest kind OF rustic
on the ground. He peered down and in
a minute his sharp eyes something that
made his heaft jump with fright. He
forgot all about Bobby Coon. He didn t
have the least desire to scold. In fact, he
held his tongue and his breath, and his
eyes fairly popped out of his head. What
he saw was Shadow the Weasel coming
straight to the big hollow chestnut tree.
Shadows claws raetled on the bark of
the tree. Chatterer waited to see no
more. Without a sound he ran out OH
a branch of the tree he was in and
leaped to the next tree. And then as
fast as a frightened squirrel could go he
raced away through the tree tops, and
Shadow the Weasel was following.