Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-21
LI1IILE&oRlEs
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BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Copyright. 1917. by 7. W. Burgess)
Peters Breath Is Quite Taken
Away.

Peter Rabbit has been puzzled many
times in his life, but never more than
when he found in the Green Forest
place that looked as if many Grouse
had been scratching there that very
morning and in bit of soft earth the
print of a foot very like the footprint
of his old friend Mrs. Grouse. only
many times bigger; That 1t was me me
least doubt in Peters mind when ne
had made quite sure that he was awake
and not dreaming. But what manner
of bird could it be that could make SO
big a track? Not even when he had
found the tracks of Buster Bear had he
been more astonished-
Hastily Peter looked this way and
looked that way and looked the other
way. He even looked up in the tree
tops, and then studied as much of the
blue, blue sky as he could see through
the trees. looking for the stranger who
had made that wonderful track But
he saw no one. With 4 very funny
feeling inside Peter sat up and listened.
1t was very still there in the Green
Forest, and though he listened with all
his ears, as the saying is. he heard
nothing. He saw nothing and he heard
nothing, save what he often had seen
and heard before. Everything about
him was familiar save that great foot
print. but that was enough to make
other things seem unreal.
Peter was quite upset when at last
he started on. He had feeling that
almost anything might happen any
minute. So he wasn't altogether sur
prised when he heard a rustling OF
leaves. He stopped short, then crept
under little hemlock tree and peeped
out where there was little opening
among the trees. Nearer and nearer
came the rustling. Presently it stopped.
and Peter saw a head thrust out from
among some bushes, the strangest look
ing head he ever had seen. In the first
place. it was bare of feathers. thus re-
minding Peter very much of or Mistah
Buzzard. In the second place it was
mostly very red. with some blue and
white places, and a queer red thing
that hung over one side of his bill
And then, too. the skin was very rough;
warty, Peter called it.
And the eyes, Peter never will for
get how bright and keen they were nor
how sharply they looked this way and
that way to make sure that the way
was clear. Then out stepped the big
gest bird Peter ever had seen. his long
neck stretched high as he listened and
looked for danger. Satisfied that all
was safe. he suddenly raised his feath
ers, drew in his head so that ii rested
gainst his humped-up back. spread his
tail like great fan, dropped both
wings so that the longest feathers
touched the ground. and began to strut
1t was then that Peter altogether lost
his breath from sheer establishment
He had seen Mr.. Grouse strut just that
way. and had laughed at him, although
at the same time he had admired him.
, But he didn't laugh this time. OF
course, it was funny to see any one APP
pear to be SO proud of himself. but
Peter didn't think of that. The fact is
Peter was too much lost in astonish-
ment and admiration to think of any
thing else. The jolly Little Sunbeams
touched the feathers of the great bird
and 1t seemed to Peter that never had
he seen such colors. He had thought
ttpar inst bro pf Eve hut
owner strutted this way and that those
feathers seemed to change and to fairly
glisten, now like copper, now blush,
| now almost like gold.
oh" gasped Peter. And though he
didn't mean to. he moved ever so little
Instantly the great bird stopped strut
| ting and looked suspiciously toward
where Peter was hidden.