The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-08-17

Peter Rabbit sat in the middle OF
tbs dear Old Brier Patch making faces
and laughing at Reddy FOX -cf
course that wasn't nice thing TO no.
not a bit nice. But Peter had Just
had a narrow escape, a very Mario"
escape, for Reddy Fox had sprung cut
from behind a bush as Peter came
down the Lone Little Path, ana ne haa
SO nearly caught Peter that he had
actually pulled some fur out OF refer
coat. Now Peter was safe in the dear
Old Brier Patch
"Neyer mind Peter Rabbit III get
YOU YETI" snariea Reddy. as he gave up
| and started back for the Green For-
est
Peter watched him out of sight
! my, / wish l had such handsome
1 coat" he said with long sign, lot
| YOU knew Peters coat Is very plain.
very plain indeed.
you wouldn't IL you had to wear
| II for the same reason that Reddy Fox
has to wear his. A good heart and
| honest ways are better than me
/ clothes, Peter Rabbit"
| Peter look up. There was saucy.
/ pert little Jenny Wren fussins around
! In an old bramble bush.
/ Hello. Jenny" said Peter. why
does Reddy Footwear "A red coat?'
! 10 you Hiedi W say 'iiNt -"
don't know" Jenny Wren looked very
hard at Peter with her sharp eyes. Il
| thought everybody knew that! You
certainly are slow, Peter Rabbit, l
haven't time to tell you about 1t now.
Go ask Grandfather Frog; he knows
all about IT." Jenny Wren hustled off
before Peter could and his tongue
Now you all know how full of Gu
riosity Peter Rabbit is. He had never
thought anything about before, but
now he couldn't stop wondering why
Reddy Fox wears a red coat. He just
had to know. So, making sure that
Reddy Fox had disappeared inthe green
Forest Peter started for the Smiling
Pool, perty-iipperty-lip, as fast as
he could go. There he found Grand
father Frog sitting on his big green
iily-pad just as usual.
ut you please Grandfather Frog,
why does Reddy Fox wear a red
coat ?" painted Peter, quite out of
breath.
| "Chugarum!" said Grandfather
Frog. "1f you'll promise 10 sit per
Ifectiy still and ask no foolish ques-
lions, I'll tell you the story.
"A long time ago, when the world
was young. old Mr. Fox. the grand
father a thousand times removed OF
Reddy Fox. was one of the smartest
OF ali the forest and meadow people,
| lust as Reddy is now. He was so
smart that he knew enough not" to
appear smart, and the fact is his
neiehbors thought him rather dull
He wore Just common everyday
suit Of dull brown, and there WASH I
anythins about him to attract atten-
ton.
Now although Mr.. Fox didn't APP
pear to take any interest in other
peoples affairs and never asked ques-
| tons he had two OF the sharpest
ears among all the little meadow
and forest people, and while he was
going about seeming to be just mind
| Ing his own business he was listening
| and listening to all that WAS SAID
I and everything he heard he remefn-
bered, so that II wasn't long before
he knew more about what was going
on than all his neighbors together
But he kept his mouth tight Closed
did Mr.. Fox, and was very humble ana
polite to everybody. Every night he
went to bed by shutdown, and every
body said what good habits Mr. Fox
had.
but when everybody else was
asleep Mr.. Fox used to steal out ana
be gone half the night. Yes. SIT,
sometimes he'd be gone until almost
morning. But he-alMaYE- TOOK care
TO get home before any Oh nus neis y,
bors were awake and then ned wat
unit, everybody was up before he
allowed himself. When he came out
and started to hunt for his breakfast
some one was sure to tell him or
some mischief done during the dark
ness of the night. Sometimes It was
u storehouse broken into and the best
things taken Sometimes 1t was OF
terrible rights that some OF the Ut
tlest people had had by being wax
ened in the night and seeing fierce
| face with long. sharp teeth grinning
AT them. Sometimes 1t was OF worse
/ things that were told in whispers. Mr.,
Fox used to listen as II very much
shocked, and say that something
ought to be done about It, and Won
| der who ii could be who would do
such dreadful things.
by and by things got 20 bad that