Evening star., 1914-04-20
Jumper the Hare ConsuIts
Buster Bear.
lumpe

Jumper the Hare was sitting under
low growing hemlock tree deep in the
Green Forest, where he could look out
over the pond of Paddy the Beaver.
Jumper was not feeling at all good that
morning No, sir, Jumper was feeling
anything but good. In the first place, it
was a long time since he had had a real
good sleep. In the second place, he
couldn't rest easily a minute even with
his eyes wide open. All the time he felt
as if his heart might jump right up in
his throat any minute. And it was all be-
cause Reddy Fox had set out to catch
him, and gave him no peace night or
day.
.'Old Mother Nature certainly takes
better care of some than she does of
others" thought Jumper just a bit bit
terly. as he watched Paddy the Beaver
swimming about in his pond Now.
there Is Paddy perfectly safe out there in
the water. and here am l. not safe any
where 1t isn't fair. 1t certainly ism t
fair.
Then Jumper looked and listened anx-
iosuly for the least sign of Reddy Fox
But all was quiet, and once more he be
gan to think about the unfairness of Old
Mother Nature. Now, that isn't bit
like Jumper the Hare. Jumper is almost
as -go-lucky as Peter Rabbit and
takes things just as they come 1t WASH
long before he began to feel little
ashamed of himself for having such
thoughts He thought of those long legs
Old Mother Nature had given him to
take him quickly out of danger. and
then he remembered how Paddy the
Beaver has to get his food on shore, or
most of it, anyway. and how slow and
clumsy Paddy is out of the water. The
more he thought of this the more
ashamed he grew of the thoughts he had
| mad of Old Mother Natures seeming un-
| fairness. and pretty soon he knew right
down in his heart that he would mt
! change places with Paddy the Beaver If
| he could, not even to get rid of Reddy
| Fox.
| He was still thinking of this when a
| stick snapped a little way from him and
! his heart gave a great frightened thump
/ You see, he had grown so anxious and
! nervous that whenever he heard SUCK
/ snap or leaf rustic he was sure IT was
| Reddy Fox trying TO steal up on him
| Jumper held his breath and looked in the
direction from which the sound had come
/ There shutting along and muttering %
| himself was Buster Bear. Jumper grin
| ned. 1t was very great rehet to see
| Buster Bear instead of Reddy Fox. You
| see, Jumper isn't the least bit afraid OF
! Buster. because he knows that he can
keep out of his way Buster knows IT,
| too, and so he wastes no time trying &c
/ catch Jumper. So they are very good
\ friends You see, tney uDueTStdno edSh
| other perfectly.
| Jumper hoped out and sat up in front
| of Buster Bear. Buster sat up, too
| Very funny they looked as they faced
| each other one was so very big and one
| so small and both sitting up in just. the
| same way. Paddy the Beaver had to
| laugh as he looked across at them.
| Hello, Buster" said Jumper. How dc
| YOU like the Green Forest?
| Busters little eyes twinkled as he grin
4 ned down at Jumper. Pretty we'll Jump
| er pretty we'll so far. Seems to me you
| are looking thin. Yes. sir, you are look
! ing thin That ought not to be in the
| beautiful springtiIne in such a nice place
| as the Green Forest Buster shook his
| head as if he didn't understand it at all
| ITS all your fault cried Jumper.
| Buster looked puzzled. How is 1t my
| fault" he demanded
| Then Jumper told him the whole story
| how he had been sent to invite Buster tc
| meet the other little people OF the Green
| Forest how Reddy Fox had tried tC
! catch him and then had been terribly
/ frightened by the sudden appearance OF
| Buster and had run. and then how he
| (Jumper) had run after him just for fun
and how all the little people were max
| ing fun of Reddy now, so that he was
| spending all his time trying to catch
| Jumper SO an TO get even. Busters eyes
| twinkled more than ever as he listened
| Perhaps / can help you,' said he.
! .,Oh. will you? That would be perfectly
! Splendid cried Jumper.