The Washington times., 1913-09-20
For The Times Children
Just Before It's Bedtime
WHY CHIPMUNKS ARE STRIPED.

I ~ nee upon a time. millions and
millions OF years ago. there
~ lived on the shores Of an an
I ''a cient sea big. ugly musie.
There are not many mugfes now, for
the last of them died thousands of
years ago. but in the early days when
, just animals walked the earth there
were dozens Of them all along the
! beach. and they were q cruel, mean
! kind Of an animal.
Now this mugle had a big head. with
seven horns; he was covered with hard,
shining scales from head to tail, and
| when he walked he ratified like a box
OF horseshoes dropped down a fire es-
cape.
Now back from this ancient beach
there was pretty little woods full of
ferns. cool springs and flowers, and
here lived a very happy little family of
chipmunks. Their home was at the foot
| Of chestnut tree. and in the branches
aoove lived a robin and his wife. The
chipmunks and the robins were great
friends. Then in the tree lived a little
sprite. who was very glad to have the
robin and the chipmunk families for
company. SO they all got along together
beautifully.
The only, thing to make trouble was
the wicked mugle, for trouble was
the very thing mugies like best.
This mugle had long hated the
spr!te, and also the chipmunks and
the robins. but as they all lived in
the same tree. and the sprite rarely
went from home. he was afraid to
try any mean tricks.
He would lie in the sand In the hot
sun for hours. thinking up just what
bad things he could do, and when he
got tired of ii, would rattle his scales
so as to wake up the baby robins when
they were asleep
One day the sprite said he was going
away for a trip. but not to let the
mugle know. Eut the gossipy wind
heard it and whispered it to the mugle
the very next morning as he lay
stretched on the beach. So, about noon,
he waddled up to the woods and
crashed through the bushes till he got
to the chestnut tree. in which lived the
sprite. the robins and the chipmunks.
Now the robin and the chipmunk hap
pened to be away out OF sight getting
food when the mugle came. and only
the mothers and children were there
The mugle knew this. He went to work
and blew himself up, then he backed
off and swung his big. hard tail around.
1t hit the oak tree and down II foil
with a crash
On one side Of the oak was a thorn
bush, and the tree lay right across II.
The trunk buried the home of the
chipmunk out of sight. and it shook
the robins nest so that it fell with the
mother and little robins right down into
the hole in which the chipmunk lived.
They were not hurt. but they were all
covered up. and the bad. ugly mugIe
went home laughing. thinking he had
killed the poor little things.
When the robin and chipmonk came
home at noon for lunch they saw their
must be crushed. So they went to work.
The chipmunk dug and dug and dug.
and the robin pulled at the thorns and
pulled at the thorns till he got most OF
them out of the way. But II was hard
work. The chipmunk's claws were sore.
but he kept on digging and digging and
digging. and the robins white breast
grew red with blood which trickled
down when the sharp thorns tore his
tender skin. But they did not stop.
Hour after hour they stayed at work.
hoping to get their wives and children's
bodies.
Now, it happened that the sprite had
forgotten her wand. so about sunset