The Hattiesburg news., 1915-09-24
Bedtime Stories
For Little Folks,
MR.. FOX KEEPS HOUSE.

Fart u.
Mr.. Fox cleared the table and began
to wash the dishes, but he had not
washed many when howl came from
the yard, frightening Mr.. Fox so that
he dropped the dish he was wiping on
the floor.
They won't let me play with
them!" Jack cried, running in the
house. "They are going to play steal
the chickens, and they won't let me
play unless l will be the chicken, and
| want to be big fox and steal one
myself. Oh! Oh! Obi"
You be a good boy and l will let
you help me whitewash the fence.'
said Mr.. Fox. Come along now and
don't you cry. We will have a better
time than they will.'
Jack Fox dried his eyes.
Mr.. Fox had just begun to white.
wash one end of the fency when Billy
and Tommie and Reddy came running
into the yard. I'VE want our dinner.
Mother always has it on the table by
this time. We are hungry"
Yes, am hungry, too," said Jack,
who had had all the fun he wanted
with the whitcwash.
"All right" said Mr.. Fox. "1ll 60
in and get you something to eat. What
do you have for dinner? Your mother
did not tell me what to get"
"Oh, we have molasses and cake and
pie and sugar and cookies and pre-
serves and coffee, too," said Tommie,
trying to think of all the things he
liked best.
"All right I'll have it on the table
in a jiffy," said Mr.. Fox. "Now see
If you can behave while l am get
ting it,"
Mr.. Fox had no sooner disappeared
than Tommie took his brush and
dipped it into the pail of whitewash.
Throwing the brush over his shoulder,
he brought it down on the fence with
such force that he covered Billy, who
stood near.
Billy wiped the whitewash from his
eyes and rushed at Tommie, who lost
his balance and fell backward into the
pail, tipping it over as he fell and
stepping on Reddy's toes. Reddy
screamed, and thinking Tommie meant
to step on his toes, he fell to punch.
ing him and over rolled Tommie, Red
dy, Billy and the pail of whitewash un,
til the little foxes looked as if they
had white coats instead of dark ones
Mr.. Fox came to the door to call
them to dinner, but he stood with
wide open mouth and did not utter a
sound when he saw his three sons.
Il want my dinner!" cried Jack, at
last, and Mr.. Fox, not wishing to hear
any more crying, let them all come
in and eat their dinner.
Just as they were finishing their
mother returned from town. She gave
one look at her sons and dropped all
her bundles on the floor.
81 thought you were going to white.
wash the fence, not the children" she
said to Mr.. Fox, in very angry voice
Mr.. Fox did not reply to his wife
He sat with hanging head and his
hands in the pockets of his trousers.
81 thought you were going to do all
the work while was gomez" she con
tinued. "The kitchen looks as if II
had never seen broom and the beds
not made either. Will you tell me
Mr.. Fox, what you have been doing
while l have been away?"
81 guess you would not have done
any more than have if you had been
through what l have with these chill
dren this morning." said Mr.. Fox, find
ing his voice at last.
'Eon't | have them every daT, and
don't know just how they bother
but for all that l manage to do the
work and get the meals, and you
never saw them when they looked as
they do this minute. Who would
ever think you were dark colored,
she aid, looking at her sons.
MIR. Fox went out of the house and
worked all the afternoon and he
thought a great deal while he worked
Mrs. Fox gave the children a bath
and put them all in bed but while she
worked there was a look of satisfac
tion on her face, and every once in a
while she smiled, in fact, she almost
laughed when she looked at Mr.. Fox
working quietly on the fence.
Il guess | shan't hear any more
about the easy time have" she said
to herself, "and l think tomorrow