The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-11-16
STORIES
FOR LITTLE
FOLKS
LITTLE REDDY FOX.

Reddy Fox not to leave the house.
Reddy said he would be good boy
and go to sleep and not go out in the
morning, and he meant to keep his
promise, but in the morning, when he
awoke and the sun was shining and his
father and mother had not returned
Reddy forgot his promise.
In the first place, he was hungry
and then he saw Jackie Rabbit run
ming along the path outside his house.
Where are you going, jacket" he
called
4 am going to get my breakfast"
Jackie replied. Il know where there
is nice bed of beets."
Wait for me, Jackie" called Red
dy, Il am going with YOU"
DO you like beet tops?" asked
Jackie
mo, don't like beet topaT SAID Red
dy, but l thought might find a chick
en- or a goose, or something; my
father and mother have been gone all
night and l am hungry"
"Oh, l know where there is a whole
yard full of chickens and geese and
ducks" said Jackie.
"Oh, do you?" said Reddy, his ears
sticking up with excitement. Let's
hurry"
When Jackie Rabbit reached the
garden where the beet tops grew he
stopped and told Reddy Fox he would
find the yard he told him about just
over the hill.
But aren't you going to show me
where it is ?" asked Reddy, beginning
to feel afraid, now he really found he
was to go alone for his breakfast.
"Oh, you are afraid, Reddy Fox. l
bet you never went alone to a poultry
yard. guess your father and mother
never let you"
Il guess you don't know anything
about it, Jackie Rabbit. l am bigger
than you are" replied Reddy Fox.
And to show Jackie he was not
afraid and used to going by himself
little Reddy Fox started aft across the
field, running as fast as he could
The hens and chickens and ducks
were just coming out of their house
when Reddy reached the farmyard,
and when Reddy saw so many he
quite lost his senses he was so hungry
Of course he did not know there was
any danger for him because he Mad
never been in a barnyard before, so
he dashed right into the center of the
group. The hens and chickens and
ducks began to cacllle, and peep, and
quack, and ran back into their house,
and Reddy followed.
Out of the house came the farmer
and his boy, and in another minute
poor little Reddy Fox was caught and
then shut up in hen coop.
All day long he stayed there, and
though the farmer boy brought him
water and food, it was not the kind
of food little Reddy Fox liked, and
he began to wish for his mother
He curled himself up and lay down
in one corner of his prison house and
would not move al day.
He opened his eyes once in a while
and looked over the hill, but no sign
of his father or mother did he see,
and when it was dark poor little Red
dy Fox went to sleep with a sad feel
ing at his heart and dreamed his
father and mother came to his queer
house and tipped it over and pulled
him along over the ground so fast that
he saw stars.
And then Reddy Fox woke up, and
sure enough, that was just what hap
pened. His father and mother had
come for him and Reddy was sleeping
50 SOuHuIN lie uIu not awake unIll ne
was almost home.
"Oh, OH oh! where am -" he
cried.
you are almost home, and sou can
thank your stars you are" said his
mother. you naughty boy, why did
you go out when we told you not to?
You might have been killed"
Il wanted my breakfast, and Jackie
Rabbit was going for his all alone,
and l am lots bigger than Jackie, .
said Reddy, beginning to cry.
well, Jackie is grown up and you
are not, and he has nad more expert
ence going about than you have" said
his father. You mind your mother
2 and me for while yet or you will
never grow up. Do you understand
4 Reddy said he did, and he made up
n hic not fo fo1Iou- To no ~,