Mexico Missouri message., 1916-06-01
WOODCRAFT STOIES
FOR LITTLE CHILDREN
Ninth Story.
By L. Roy Ferris.

Old Daddy Prairie Chicken was proudyes stree, the
last time Mother Prairie Chicken had left the eat
few grasshoppers and take sail around the meadow for
few minutes. He had peeped into the and counted
twelve snowy white eggs. She gets just little tussy
when nesting time just like some women do at
housekeeping time Glad mother doesn't get that
way aren't you? The only time he count the eggs
when she leaves the nest.
r All day the Camp Boy had heard the boom, boom of
Daddy Prairie Chicken and the Camp Boy sat at the
foot of the large Linn ree dangling his feet III the water
and fshed for the goggeeyed perch He smiled hinse
he listened for he we'll remembered the couting days
of Daddy and Mother Prairie Chicken.
What that Brother Rabbit saying to Terra
pin? oh! goodness gracious, ,lsten-as Bunny Rabbit
passing along the lane where Farmer Tally
blowing he Farmer Tally pow her nest up with
riding poW and OF course 1t was an accident and Daddy
and Mother Prairie Chicken to be pitied Bro Rab
bit, who hears everything heard the farmer say Il will
lust take these twelve eggs to the house and let old Betsy
the speckled hen, hatch them out. You have the
little chicks when they Matched, but suppose they
make and lay eggs What kin will the little
be the chicks that Betsy hatches? Il, er we'll,
will have to think about that, replied Terrapin You
can't expect fellow to know everything just because he
is a hundred years Old
The camp boy was thinking also of something else
for his face grew sad times The time OF his stay
in the woods drawing end Brother and Sister
Muskrat seemed to realize it also They both lay and
blnked at the camp-boy from their bungalow top
the young nuSkrats took their bath by Black Snake
who had grown sleek and fat on bacon scraps looked on
in friendly manner 1t IS wonderful how the boy had
learned to love his little friends.
Red Fox sorry about the bacon affair he
every time Sister pOssum grinned at him. Brother Coon
ACTUALLY spent great deal of his time the shoulder
of the campfire boy Little Red Squirrel poked little
red paw Brother Coon reminding him that he acted
up than anybody when the camp boy and his father
first entered the forest.
Dear little friends said the boy to himself 4 don't
know how can get along without you. Il don't know
what they will do without YOU remarked the boys
.ther he tip-toed up where the boy fishing.
"Why only this morning | caught the that lives
lin the big sycamore stealing sugar from the sugar
bowl You remember how wild he was at rst?"
The camp boy is going home screamed the Jay,
and he hurried Red Head WoOdpeckers nest to
tell him. Il sorry" said Reddy, for he is kind
He never throws rocks at fellow Just because his white
$50 could get the grub worms-ny but they fat!
They all curled up and played possum, but they didn't
fool anybody chucked Red Head.
Has the camp boy mother?" asks Bro Muskrat.
why yes, indeed, can't YOU tell he is thinking of her
right now? Don't you the in his eyes, like
every boy has when he wants to his mother? has
been away from her for long tme Bless YOU in another
minute Nuskrat would have had tears in his eyes, but
along came Sister Possum What do you think she said
Brother Coon is going home with the camp boy. Going
to live in city Won't he miss that old tree?
Il wish could CO." said Red Squirrel, ''and T., said
Badger, Sharptooth, and also, said Grey Squirrel
'and and l. and T. said every little friend of the boy
Il am going" said Robin Red Breast, Il know right
where he lives and he has the finest cherry tree right
by his window"
"Oh Pshaw! said Sister Possum, you're going for
something to eat
R96iR w2s sggi9g song and didn't hear woTd
Roberts who operated
Meeting
strength IL he has day