Mexico Missouri message., 1917-05-10
Where Mary Found Her Rabbit"
Bunny Didn't Run Away
By L. Roy Ferris.

Little Mary Tompkns lost her white rabbit 1t had a
blue ribbon its neck the color of Marys eyes, and
little bell that "tinkle tnkle" when it jumped tt
hardly walked puts its hind feet in front and gives
little hop like Pussy when she is jumping for mouse
Mary would have cried, only Tomme Roberts who
lives door looking and who to anyway
when boy is looking on?
She hunted all the house. Even up in the garrett
where the spiders spin their webs and the muddaubers
catch them and asten them up their houses of mud for
their babies food And in the cellar behind the barrel Of
Christmas apples that Uncle John had brought, and mo-
white rabbit could she find
If it had not been for Uncle John who drove in from
the country about this time with lot of mysterious look
ing packages and basket of big yellow apples that just
melt in little girls mouth, there is telling just what
would have happended for tell you is serious thing
to lose the only white rabbit little girl has But Uncle
John lived in the country where the enough wild rab
bits live that haven't any little Mary to feed them When
rains they have to lie down in bunch of wet grass unless
they find hollow log when old Brother Black Snake
is not at home For Black Snake dearly loves live in
hollow log and eat young rabbits
WELL WE'LL said Uncle John after Mary had told him
what had had happened, that is just too bad. If there
ony the ground we could track the little
runaway am sure can't see why the little pinkeeyed
short ailed rascal would leave nice warm bed and fine
little girl like and runaway where the dogs and cats
sure to get it. No, indeed honey, don't"
At the thought of her rabbit being killed Mary put
her head against Uncle Johns knee and cried just little
bit. lust enough to make her red.
Il will tell you what will do, we will get Towser to
trail it,
Come Towser here Towser find the pretty Bunny"
Uncle Johns dog which had been asleep under the
wagon came bounding thru the gate. Now TOwser may
have known something about trailing wild rabbits
but he no doubt had snowwhite For he
Jumped around and upset Old Betsey the hens and
when she got thru with him he glad enough to hide
behind his masters wagon wheels again
Up in the loft where the pigeons stay Uncle John and
little Mary went. Down in the manager where Old BOssy
Cow her bran they poked and hunted until Uncle John
said 1T is lust use, Mary | will tell you what will
do will set trap and catch you pretty brown one, for
there lots of them where live They build the funniest
little in track Old TOben the horse, makes in the
pasture when it is muddy The Mother Rabbit tells Father
Rabbit to hold still while she pulls several punches of fur
from his fur and after wettng it with her tongue
she sticks the sides of the nest like the paper hanger
that hangs the paper the wall This makes the Warmest
contest little nest just large enough for six eight little
brothers and sisters If anything diSurbs them she takes
them by the back of the neck and carries them to safety
After the babies large enough to eat their breakfast
without their milk Mother Rabbit them loose to
oynuts in the cupboard for winter like Bunny Red SOUR
rel"
But Mary shook her head and said, 81 will never love
any other rabbit much did the one that away
A few weeks passed and day Aunt Mary smiled
las she gave Uncle John very large envelope which he
Iopened and read:
YOU think found in mothers howerbed in little hole in
the ground right by the margods? My Bunny And, lis
ten Aunt Mary and Uncle John found four OF the pref
tiest little baby rabbits in the world and they all look like
their mamma. And you don't know how glad am that
she didn't really and truly away. have named them
SNOWFALL Cotton, Ice Cream and Whitewash And you
can't guess how tell them apart printed their names
on little cards and hung them around their necks'
''Say Uncle John, when you come, please don't bring
/ Your little niece,