The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1914-01-28
X Little Stories for Bedtime ~
CHATTEI.ER HAS 4. PLEASANT
SURPRISE.
by Thornton w. Burgess.

Copyright, 1914. by j. G. LloSd.)
Chatterer the Red Squirrel, the mis-
chief maker of the Green Forest, had
never been more comfortable in his
life. No matter how rough Brother
North Wind roared acros the Green
Meadow and through the Green For
est, piling the snow i'll great drifts, he
couldn't send sc much as one tiny
shiver through the little red coat of
Chatterer. And always right at hand
Was plenty to eat-corn n nuts and
other good things such as Chatterer
loves. No, he never had been SO COM
Portable in all his life. But he wasn't
happy, not truly happy. You Sec, he
was in prison. and no matter how nice
IL prison may be, no one can be truly
happy there.
ChattererS prison was Il nice,
rommy cage made by Farmer Browns
boy and kept in Farmer Browns
house. That is the reason Chattcrer
had nothing to fcar from cold, rough
Brother North Wind. Since he had
been q prisoner Chatterer had learned
10 think very differently of Farmer
Browns boy from what he used to
think. In fact. he and Farmer
Browns boy had become very good
friends, for Farmer Browns boy was
always very gentle and always brought
NUN SoIletTlnS EODu TO eat.
He isn't at all like what 1 had
thought said Chattcrcr. and if l
was free l couldn't be afraid of him
at all. I'D like to tell some Of the
other little Green Forest people about
lin. If only"
chatterer didn't finish. Instead a
great lump filled his throat. You
see, he was thinking Of the Green For
est and the Old Orchard and how he
used to race through the tree tops and
along the stone wall. Half the fun in
life had beer in running and jumping.
and now there wasn't Don in this
little prison to stretch his legs. If on
~ he could run-run as hard as ever
he knew hoW-once in q while he felt
that his prison wouldn't be quite SO
hard to put, up with.
That very afternoon while Chatterer
was taking Il nap in his bed in the
hollow stump. something was slipped
over his little round doorway, and
Chatterer awoke in a terrible fright
to find himself a prisoner inside his
hollow stump. There was nothing he
could do about it but just lie there
in his bed and shake with fright and
wonder what dreadful thing was go
ing to happen next. He could hear
Farmer Browns boy very busy about
something in his cage. After a long.
long time his little round doorway let
in the light once more. 1t had been
opened. At first Chattercr didn't dare
so out, but he heard the soft little
whistle with which Farmer Browns
boy always called him when he had
something especially nice for him to
eat, SO at last he peeped out. There
on the floor of the cage We're some OF
the incest nuts. Chatterer came out
at once. Then his sharp eyes discov-
cred something else. 1t was a queer
looking thing made Of wire at one end
of his cage.
Chatterer looked at it with great
suspicion. Could it be a new kind of
trap? But what would q trap be do
ing there when he was already a pris-
oner? He ate all the nuts, all the
time watching this new queer looking
thing. 1t seemed harmless enough.
He went a little nearer. Finally he
hoped into ii. 1t moved. OF course,
that frightened him and he started to
run up. But he didn't 60 up. No, sir.
he didn't go up. You see, he was in
a wire wheel, and as he ran the wheel
went around. Chatterer vas terribly
frightened. and the faster he tried to
run the faster the wheel went around.
Finally he had to stop because he was
out of breath and too tired to run
another step. When he stopped the
wheel stopped.
Little by little Chatterer began to
understand. Farmer Browns boy had
made. that Wheel to give him a chance
to run all he wanted to and whenever
he wanted to. When he understood
this. Chatterer vas as nearly happy
as he could De in u prison. 1t was
such a pleasant surprise! He would
race and ace in it until he just had to