Evening star., 1914-03-19

How OF Mistah Buzzard Warns
His Toes.
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Copyright. 1914. BY J. @. Lloyd-D

Often and often had Peter Rabbit Won
dered how or Mistah Buzzard and all his
other feathered friends who had flown
away. to the far away south at the first
hint that Jack Frost was on his way to
the Green Meadows spent the long winter.
1t seemed to Peter that the south must be
a very wonderful and very strange place.
He was not at all sure that he would like
it. 1t must be very nice not to have to
worry about finding enough to eat. and
yet-well. Peter did have lots of fun in
the snow. 1t seemed to him that all
those little people who went away GER
tainly missed a great deal Now. Win
some Bluebird had returned from that
far away south with the good news that
Mistress Spring was not far behind. and
Winsome had promised to tell him all the
news Of or Mistah Buzzard and the Other
friends.
you see,' began Winsome, "Of Mis-
i, tab Buzzard was born and brought up in
the south, where 1t is always warm. anf
he just can't stand cold weather. NO.
sir he can't stand cold weather. Why,
weather that you and I would call COM
Portable will make him shiver and shake.
That is why he wasn't ready to come up
with me. Now, / come ahead OF Mistress
Spring, but or Mistah Buzzard won't
start until he is sure that Mistress Spring
has been here some time, and he Will be
sure not to have cold feet.
heard Of such thingi Why. run
around on the snow and ice all winter
long and I never have cold feet"
well, OF Mistah Buzzard does" re-
Piled Winsome Bluebird. "Yes. sir, he II
always complaining about cold feet You
-t.1 efr ~
like you, Peter so between his bare feet
and his bald head he has, or thinks no
has, a great deal to worry about every
time there is a cool day, and they some-
| times have cool days even way down
south. Then you will always ind Or
Mistah Buzzard warming his toes
Peter scratched his head In funny
way. "If you please, Winsome. how does
he warm his toes?" asked Peter.
never see him warming his toes when he
is up here He's always sailing round
and round way up in the blue, blue SKY
or else sitting on a dead tree In the
Green Forest. I've never heard him
complain of cold feet or seen him Try 70
warm his toes"
"of course, you haven't. replied Win
some, HE doesn't have cold feet then.
because it's summer time. It's just az
you say, il you don't see him up In the
blue. blue sky you are sure to nno MN
it is. different If you want to see him
there and he isn't way up in the blue.
blue sky trying to get nearer to Mr.. Sun
SO as to warm his bald head. why you
just look for him on toe-warmer
| Peters eyes seemed to fairly pop out
| with curiosity whats a toe-warmerT'
he demanded 1T never heard of such a
thing. What does 1t look hke?'
| winsome Bluebird chuckled softly.
| Have you ever been up by Farmer
Browns house?" he asked.
| Peter nodded.
"Then you've seen that thing on the
roof out of which smoke sometimes
comes" continued Winsome. Again Peter
nodded We'll" continued Winsome, II
Farmer Browns house was down south
that thing out of which smoke comes
| would be one of OF Mistah Buzard's toe-
| warmers
Peter looked sharply at winsome to
see If he really meant what he saidt
| Doesn't anybody live in those houses
down south?' he asked suspiciously.
..Of course" replied Winsome. IF they
didn't how could Mistah Buzzard warm
his toes?"
"And he isn't afraid?'' persisted Peter.
as if it was very hard to believe.
"Afraid!' cried Winsome. why. he
hasn't anything to be afraid of. Mr.;
Buzzard is thought a great deal OF.
very great deal of, in the south. and no
one would hurt him for the world. So,
every house has a toe-warmer for him.
| which is very nice for him. And you
won't see him back here until IT Is SO
warm that he forgets all about cold feet,
| concluded Winsome Bluebird.