The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1913-09-18
THE MOUSE COUSINS
HOW THE WORLD CAME TO AN
END

HOW THE WORLD CAME TO AN
once upon a time a hare lay I'M
der a palm tree and cried. "Oh. dear!
whatever would do If the world
should come 10 an end
Now. the palm tree being young
had not grown very high. and there
ry,r above it a tall fruit tree, call
ed by Indians a viva tree, with
heavy, soft fruit
Just a, the hare was speaking. a
crash sounded right by his side on
the big palm leaf on which he lay.
The end has come" he cried, and
rushed wildly away from the spot.
He met another hare What is the
matters? cried the second hare.
oh. exclaimed the first, The
world l. coming TO an end
Then the two hares fled like mad.
\ third asked a like question. heard
the answer and joined the first two,
then a fourth. fifth. and so on, until
10000 hares were all racing away
from the poor old earth - or at
least they thought SO.
What's the matter?" shouted a
deer to the harcs.
The world has come to the
crack Of doom" they shouted back.
You don't say so! Horror"
- the deer trotted with the hares.
\ Wild boar was the next to ask,
and to Join the army Of trOtters;
then an ELK. a buffalo a wild OK. a
rhlnoceros, a tiger. an elephant. The
troop Of animals rushing from the
wreck Of the earth stretched three
miles in length from the hare in
front 10 the elephant in the rear.
II was a grand sight for anybody
who enjoyed a laugh
\ lion saw the rout. and was
eager to know the cause. SO he gave
a loud roar three times. All the
runners halted, and trembled.
What's the matter?'
The world is coming to an end,
sir,
Who saw 1t coming to an end?"
The elephant
speak elephant"
Il know nothing, sir lion. The
tiger told me"
speak. tiger
The rhlnoceros told me
speak, rhinoceros."
The wild OK told me
And then the lion inquired and in
qulred until he came to the hares
and then at last it was traced Ia
hare Number one.
Did YOU see the earth going to
pieces
Yes. sir"
Where did you see it,"
As | lay under a palm tree by
the sea heard fearful plop, and
| escaped with my life
'h'lll lflll'lis >dlu lll' li'll W Aiit
host of the animals, Il trust you
viii place the matter in my paws
while try to get at the facts
Please stay here, and will go with
my friend the hare and try to find
out what all this fuss is about
/ Bidding the little hare jump OF
ms broad back, the king Of beast;
set on at a quick pace, and reached
the grove of trees by the shore OF
/ the Indian sea
/ Where i the spot?'
"Oh. sir lion, | dare not go toe
near. II Is over by that viva tree.
The lion went to the palm tree
and looked carefully about. There
was no crack-crack Of doom or any
other crack-in the ground. But OF
large palm leaf was a broken vii
va fruit its Juice still dropping
+ "Ha" said the lion TO himself, q"
can see what caused the noise
Mount again" he cried TO thu
hare, and So galloped OF
The multitude of beasts were
auNiously awaiting the news.
The lion said not word till h'
stood in the midst of the crowd
and an the four-footed people wen
silent.
You need not worry any more,
hc sand. the earth is quite safe
Hereafter do not follow a silly
stupid hare, who thinks the falling
of viva fruit is the crack 0
doom" so saying. the lion gave
terrible roar which sent all tn
animals, now thoroly ashamed
scurrying back to their homes.
! Adantpd from r. J GOuld's Con