The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-10-16
LITTLE STORIES FOR BEDTIME
Chatterer Nurses His Wrongs
Copyright. 1917. By 7. W sarxssaJ
81 THDRNl.1

Chatterer the Red Squirrel sat by
himself and sulked. For once has
saucy tongue was quiet. lie was hid
den in the top OF thick hemiock
tree just a little beyond where the
beech trees grow IA the Green For
est. lie could hear the rustliuE OF
dry leaves under them as certain %
his neighbors searched for the sweet
little brown nuts hidden there. And
he could hear other sounds, little
chuckle here. a little chuckle there.
an out and out laugh somewhere
else. and these sounds made MIN
furious, simply furious Bat for
wonder he kept his tongue still.
The truth IS ChEtterer was
ashamed 20 show himself or 90 make
his presence known. He knew the
cause OF those little chucklss -cd
laughs. oh. yes indeed ne knew
only two we'll. HIS neiRhbOrs were
laughing al the memory OF how Bus
ter Bear had shaken the little tree
In which he happened 90 be until his
head seemed about 20 snap OF and
hrally he himself had been snapped
on and sent flying thru the ar. re
hadn't been hurt save IN hiss feelings
and right down I'm his heart he knew
that he had received no worse than
he deserved
But he wouldn't have admitted this
70 any one. not even 70 himself. for
the world. lie was trying hts best
10 pity himself. 10 make himself be-
lieve that he had been greatly
wtongec. Hes great big ugly
brute muttered Chatterer, mean
iu- Buster Bear, OF course. The
idea. the very Idea. OF such a great
fellow picking on such "A little fellow
as me He's coward. That's what
ne is.s coward Nobody but a
coward would do such a thing
an | gnfI1d he hn o. fffa
long enough 90 teach him a lesson.
That's what I wish He's coward.
nothing but great big coward"
Now chatterer knew perfectly well
that Buster was nothing 81 the kind.
lie knew that he Chatterer. had
brought all his troubles on himself
by his unruly tongue and his selfish
ness about those nuts Tle was Just
trying 20 foot himself and make him
self believe that he he'd been t"rrihlv
wronEed instead 81 given punish
ment which he richly deserved
Presently as he heard the rustling
~ leaves he began 10 think OF the
others who were so busily looking
for nuts 49, his property he called
them-and FOR "A time he forgot his
recent fright and Buster Bear He
wanted All those nuts himself. altho
he knew very well that ne couldn't
gather all II he worked n year. and
ne couldn't use more than a very
small part ~ tho great number even
want any one else Co have any. Any
now here he was getting none AZ all
while his neiEhbors were feasting
And hardest of all 90 bear was the
fact that he couldn't GO scold and
pretend o. drive them away. lie
couldn't because he couldn't bear "a
see others laughing at him and he
knew that this Is Just what they
would see II he ghnAad- hlHaEalf
So he sat In the top of the hem-
lock tree and suli,ed and nursed his
fHucied wrongs and tried 20 pity him
self and tried % think Of some way
in which 20 get even And an the
tire Buster Bear and LiEhtfoot the
Deer and Happy Jack Sduifri and
Whitefoot the wood Mouse and Sam
my Jay and Redhoad the Wood
pecker and Tnc' Billy Postum and
the Gobbler family and tho Grouse
family went right On enjoying that
feRst 81 sweet little brown beech
nuts.