Grand Forks daily herald and the evening times., 1914-08-14
PRICKLY PORKY NEARLY
CHOKES.
(By Thornton w. Burr.ss.,

Wy llllOu w.
Copyright, 1914. by J. G. Lloyd.)
Hardly was Jimmy Skunk beyond
sight and hearing after having made
his call on Prickly Perky the Porcu-
pine than Redeye the Vireo, whose
home is in a tree Just at the foot Of
the hill where Prickly Porky lives,
heard a very strange noise. He was
very busy, was Redeye. telling all who
would listen how happy he was and
eye seems to think that this is his
special mission In life. that he was
put in the Green Forest for this one
special purpose-to sing all day long,
even in the hottest weather when
other birds forget to sing, his little
song Of gladness and happiness. It
seems to enter his head that
he is making other people happy just
by being happy himself and saying
At first he hardly noticed the
strange noise. but when he stopped
singing for a bit of a. rest he theard
II very plainly INT 1t sounded so very
queer that he flew up the hill toward
the place from which it seemed to
come, and there his bright eyes soon
discovered Prickly Perky. Right away
he saw that Prickly Porky was in
some kind of trouble. and hat it was
he who was making the queer noise.
Prickly Perky was on the ground at
the foot of q tree. and he was rolling
over and kicking and clawing at his
mouth, from which a little piece of
Eark was hanging. 1t was such a
strange performance that Redeye SIM
ely stared for a minute. Then in {
flash 1t came to him what it meant.
Prickly Perky was choking, and if
something wasn't done to help him he
might choke to death!
Now there was nothing hat Red
y himself could do to help, for he
was too small. He must get help
somewhere else. and he must do it
quickly. A%nXiously he looked his
way and that way. but there was
hat Unc' Billy Possum's hollow tree
was not far away. Perhaps Unc' Billy
could help. He hoped that inc Billy
vas at home and he wasted no time in
finding out. Unc' Billy was at home,
and when he heard that his old friend
Prickly Perky was in trouble he hur-
ried. UP the hill as fast as ever he
could. He saw right away what the
trouble was.
"Yo' keep still Just a minute, Brer
Porky!" he commanded, for he did
rot dare go very near while Prickly
Perky Was rolling and kicking around
SO for fear that he would get against
some of the thousand little spears
Prickly Perky carries hidden in his
coat. Prickly Perky did as he was
told. Indeed. he vas SO weak from
his long struggle that he was glad to.
inc Billy caught hold of the pieces
of bark hanging from Prickly Porky's
mouth. Then he braced himself and
pulled with all his might. For a min
ute the piece Of bark held. Then he
gave way SO suddenly that inc Billy
fell over fiat on his back. INC Billy
scrambled to his feet and looked re-
provingly at Prickly Perky. who lay
painting for breath AND with big tears
rolling down his face.
"Ah cert'nly am surprised, Brer
Perky, All cert'nly am surprised that
yo' should be SO greedy that yo' choke
-yo'self," said unc' Billy. shaking his
head.
Prickly Perky grinned weakly and
rather foolishly. at wasn't greed,
Unc' Billy. 1t wasn't greed at all"
he replied.
Then what was it. may All ask
demanded Unc' Billy. severely.
81 thought of something funny right
in the middle of nv meal and / laugh