The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-12
THE BAD LITTLE BAT.

Once upon a time a little bat didn't
want to go 10 bed when his mother
| wanted him to, SO I'm going to tell
what happened to him for his disobe-
dience.
Come" said mother bat, flying to-
ward her home in the cave, ITS time
that YOU children went to bed. The
eastern sky is growing bright and day
will soon be here" But this bad lit
tie bat grew cross and said he wasn't
going to bed. because he wanted to see
the forest in the daytime. I'm tired
he said, "of folding my wings every
morning and going 10 sleep in dark
old crack hanging head downward"
So when mother bat said TO him Your
turn next" he said I'm not goiny to
bed"
Not going to bed" said his father.
"Are you crazy
NO. said the bad bat" Tn not"
Then mother bat thought he couldn't
be we'll as he never had acted like that
before. But his father said. oh" very
we'll l shall not try 10 make you,
Fly away at once and let US go to
sleep"
And the little bat few away feeling
very brave the sky grew brighter and
brighter and It hurt his eyes to look
at it.
Then the song birds awak tened and
began TO sing loudly. The forest at
night is quiet place and he didn't see
any sense In their shouting SO; he
wasn't used to It and he didn't like
It, Just then sunbeam shone
through the forest and that made him
very uncomfortab BILE. "Ow! how warm
II IS" The moonbeams don't make me
so warm or make my eyes hurt like
this" He started 70 fly but something
got wrong with his wings or his eyes
and the first thing he knew he WIS
tumbIing in the grass
Come comet come" cried the crow.
who had seen him fall. and pretty
soon the Eold5nishes, the robins, the
orioles the woodpeckers and the blue
Jays all came auttering up 10 see what
the trouble was. And last Of all came
! the grounding. what is the cause
Of all of this rommotlnu ." he asked
with great dignity. We have found
such queer bird, sir" said the rabbit,
who had just come up
/ THAT Is no bird" said a jaw Took
at his ears and he hasn't even a bill"
We'll he flys" said the rabbit, so
he must be<a bird"
why the fellow hasn't - feather to
i his name" cried an oriole
Il don't say that my son ia right"
/ said papa rabbit, "but this creature has
/ wings" And ne gave the little bat a
! poke which frightened him nearly TO
! death.
He must be very stupid fellow, at
all events" said the grounding. he
! doesn't talk or walk, or eat. or even
/ fly we'll"
"For my part I'm not Interested in
such common persons" And he walked
away with his nose In the air
Now. the other forest people would
have liked to watch the bat longer,
but they thought it would show too
much curiosity, SO they followed the
example of the grounding and ono at.
ter another. went away. leaving the Ut
tie bat more dead than alive witt
fright.
ooh. dear he said II am so hot
so blind. and so sleepy 7 wish 7 hat
stayed at home like mother said
don't think I like the forest in tbs
daytime" Then because he was very
tired and sleepy ne grew cross and be.
gan TO blame somebody else for hi.
trouble
III my father ard mother had cared
very much for me-" he said. "the,
would never save let me stay ND al
day" Tn going TO take better cars
OF my little bats when grow bis
and have some of my own" But Ions
afterwards. when he grew to he a bis
bat he was A much wiser person.
WILLIAM B. KINNTER.
Powiers Va