Grand Forks daily herald and the evening times., 1914-07-30
FARMER BROWNS BOY CHANGES
HIS MIND.
(Rv THORNTON ". Burgess.l

Drummer the Woodpecker and Mrs
Drummer actually flew to meet Farm
er Browns boy when they saw him
coming through the Old Orchard with
a stick in one hand and a stone in the
other. In spite Of all that Tommy Tit
the Chickadee and Chatterer the Red
Squirrel had told them about the
had learned they still distrusted him
But now with. Mr.. Blacksnake actually
looking in at the door OF their home
and making ready to swallow thei,
five helpless babies, they forgot theil
distrust. They few almost to him
then back toward the tree, all the
time crying in the most pitiful way.
OF course Farmer. Browns boy
couldn't understand what they said
but he knew right away what they
meant. They meant for him to hurry
to please hurry and help them. Sc
he did hurry, and when he saw Mr.
Mr.. Blacksnake saw him coming. He
drew back from the doorway o,
Drummer's home and Kissed angrily
He pretended to be very fierce, anc
by so doing tried to- brighten Farme,
Browns boy as he had so often fright.
ened-- others. ~ But Farmer -Brown'l
boy knows all about Mr.. Blacksnake
and how he really Is a great coward
and only pretends to be brave.
Hi, there!" he yelled, and threw
the stone he held in his hand. I,
didn't hit Mr.. Blacksnake, but Il
struck very close to him. Right away
he forgot all about those young
Woodpeckers he had planned to eai
for his dinner. He didn't have room
for but one thought, and that was tc
get away as quickly as possible. He
saw that Farmer Browns boy WASH
afraid Of him, and he was afraid, very
much afraid, Of Farmer Browns boy
He turned and began to glide swiftly
down the tree. -
Farmer Browns boy rushed for.
Kill him! Kill him!" shrieked
Chatterer.
Kill him! Kill him!" shrieked
Sammy Jay.
xiii him! Kill him!" shrieked
and Mrs. Drummer, and all
the other feathered folk Of the Old
Orchard.
Farmer Browns boy fully intended
to do 1t. AS Mr.. Blacksnake slipped
from the tree Farmer Browns boy
raised the long stick, meaning to
bring 1t down on Mr.. B~lacksnake's
head and kill him. But he didn't. No,
Oh , ~ N4u11 =. LOU S0S dI JUST IndI
very minute he changed: his mind. It
had come over him all Of a sudden
that MI. Blacksnake had Just as
much right to live Is he had. He was
one Of Old Mother Natures big fam
lily Just as much as was Drummer the
W~oodpecker. In trying to get q din
ner OF helpless young Woodpeevers
he was no worse than a lot Of other
little people. and not 80 bad as hunt
ers who with dreadful guns go out to
Kill birds and little animals, not be-
cause they really need them to eat,
Il He sG rem nnn1 srsy &c. TO- q SPOT ioe Of th,nrs
he had found out about Mr.. Black
snake and some Of his relatives-that
they really do a great deal of good,
more good than harm.
II don't want to kill him." thought
What l want to do is to scare
him so that he'll never want to come
to Drummer's house again and
will think a long time before he will
visit any other nests"
So Farmer Browns boy brought
the stick down close beside Mr.. Black
snake instead Of on him, and kept do
1t as he chased, him through the
OLD Orchard half way. to the Green
Meadows. all the time yelling at him
and altogether giving him the worst
scare he ever had known.
That's a whole lot better than kill
Ing him." said Farmer Browns boy
IS he stopped ito get his breath. And
though Chatterer the Red Squirrel
and Drummer. the woodpecker didn't
think SO, and said as much, 1t was, as
you and ]. know.
Next story-"Mr. Blacksnake De-
cides He'll Have a New Suit"