Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-05
BILLY AND MRS. OPOSSUM
BY Farmer Smith

Thump-
Thump-
Thump!
Mrs. Opossum heard noise outside she
Opossum home and thought. correctly that
Mr.. Woodpecker was at work.
But Ne noise awakened her twelve babies
whom she had named after the months Of
the year January Opossum. called Jan
by his mother. was the biggest Of them al
| and the greatest wiggler. Every time Mr.
| Woodpecker tapped on the tree Jan Opossum
began to squrm and stick his sharp claws
in the walls of the Opossum nursery, which
was nothing more or less than the pocket
with which Mother Nature has provided
every good and kind mother opossum
stop it. say!" said Mrs Opossun,.
After all was quiet again. Mrs Opossun
shook the children and the whole tweNe
| of them crawled on her back as she clinbed
out Of their cozy home and started on
| trip In search Of something to eat
Mrs. Opossum had not gone far when she
saw a pair of horns and two big eyes look
ing at her. s
Quick Quick !" she shouted to the chill.
dren and quicker than 4 wink she ane
all the babies were down on the GROUND
with their paws sticking up in the air -
though they were quite dead. Through the
tall grass came Billy Bumpus hunting fcf
something to eat When he saw. suh
Opossum lying there on the ground he wsns
up and poked her with his nose.
"Ah. me-" said Billy to himself. Il az
| 80 sorry Mrs. Opossum Is dead-dead-oeee
| and all her beautiful children. too Toe
bad A whole family dead at once. ] wih
have TO bury them at the foot Of a persim.
| mon tree and put little pawpaw sticks ~
the head OF their graves. Boo-hoo"
Mrs. Opossum heard what Billy was say.
ing and she tried hard to play dead. put
he was so funny that she could not hep
laughing. Billy waited a little while ana
then went on: II just passed big pereinl.
mon tree over yonder and I know tnsI
Jack Frost kissed the persimmons and maes
them ripe not long ago" ~
Mrs. Opossum and her little children ~
as still as they could. but there was jus'
little twinkle In Mrs. Opossum's eye
Now Mrs. Opossum, I know all epon.
you-why don't you get UP and let me ~
you funny storyY Judge Goat came os. ".
to our house couple Of days ago ana ~ ".
some stolen brickbat soup. Wasn't tnSs
funny?"
"'YEs!" shouted Mrs opossum 90 loes
that It made Billy Jump y.
"Oh, ho!" said Billy. 80 you were ~
dead at ALL l cried for nothing"
When the twelve little opossums hesIs hIs
their mothers voice they Jumped up es,Ss
as flash and scampered up this long nsH
on her side to a place on her back.
Billy laughed. MY. but you look W. ~
moving van." he. said. Hold on tight WV
those shoestring taiis Of yours" -
II wish you would run aleng ana ~
us where that persimmon tree 49,
gested Mrs. opossum.
How happy you should be- mrs Vps ~
sum-" said Billy a. he started Tor ~ "
persimmon tree with Mrs. Opossum ane Y. ~,
dozen little children following him. ~
have no rent to pay and you carry AL 49, IA,
darlings oNyours along with you wnsn -
90 hunting for something 10 eat" -
When the perslmmon tree was rsecnsS n
Mrs Opossum said; II wish you wos
shake down few persimmons for " =
would save me going up the tree WIN ~
babies. They are getting heavier now ~ ~ a
the frost has come. We will soon ~
sleep for the winter" -.
Don't you get anything to eat 49,
you're asleep" asked Billy wondsringly'
Not thing" replied Nrs Opossum-
That's what makes Il 20 easy for $W
20 play osad." said nilly - he ste{ee
butt ths tree, but Just n "A M y {11