The Detroit times., 1917-09-27
LITTLE STORIES FOR BEDTIME
Big Tom Heads His Family.
81 IHJR1IcN ~ n F1iss
Ccopyright. 1877. BY n. W burgess

AZ nrst Big Tom took no notice Of
his bis family OF - haf-grown
youngsters beyond strutting little
and showing on for their benefit
They stood IN considerable awe u
him but they Etill looked 10 their
mother for advice and example But
little By little they found tnat Mrs
t;obbler looked 20 Big Tom as the
leader wherever he went she went
Sh. was as anxious 10 stay with h.m
now as she had been 10 Keep out OF
his way before So the 2 young
GobblerH began 20 initiate BIG Tom
and 70 look TO him for the knowledge
~ the ways of the Green Forest
which before they had looked 20
their mother FOR In short Big Tom
was the head 81 the family. and 10
have seen him you would have sup
posed that he always had been.
Now. a. you know Big Tom ~ss
very wise and smart. II he hadn't
been he never could have lived 20 os
go big and wonderful Right down
In bis heart he was very, very PROUD
81 his biR family Living alone 30
long had quite cured him ot all jeRl-
ousy 90 now he watched over them
with all the cunning that his long
they went forth 70 feed Il was Big
Tom who wac constantly on guard.
II was he who picked out the place
where they should roost az night
who was the last 20 close his eyes
and the next morning tho FIRST TO
open them IL WaH be who insisted
that now that they could ny n little
the young Gohblers should always
roost in tree at night, and made lt
his particular business 90 see % 81
that evory one - them was OF The
ground before 10 himself Jew UP.
Having lived on the ground alto
gsthor up % the time that they be-
gan O. rs tAe ypungstera az hrst ala
not tafe Kindly e. perching all night
"Ctnging 70 branch this way
makes nay toes ache complained ono,
- don't sec any sense In a." de-
cIarcd another we were safe
enough down on the ground when
we were little and helpless. and now
that we care big enough 60 know
danger when we see ~. and 20 take
care OF Ourselves. We must epr nj
each night in a tree. ] don't like t."
1916 Tom had overheard this Very
red in the face and putting angrily.
nc marched over 70 the two foolish
little GohblcFs and looked AZ them 40
nerceiy that their hearte went pitt
pat Dit-a-pat with fright. and they
wished with all their might that they
had kept their tongues still
The next time i hear any body
saying such foolish things, whoever
" u.s. will 60 out 90 shift for himself
IN the Great world. said he. angri-
ly When YOU were little YOU elept
on the ground and were safe Why
Because your mother gathered YOU
under her wings and protected YOU.
That Why Now you are too big
FOR that very much too big. and
there orc 20 many OF you that II you
should continue % sleep GA the
ground s., woulG be only a matter ~
time whom Rcddy Fox or Old Man
Coyote would ind you. or perhaps
II would be Billy Mink or Shadow
tho Weasel In the daytime you arc
safe enough on the ground. provided
Won use tho senses old Mother Ma.
ture has given you. and don't grow
needless or careless. But N is Who'll
~ n different matter a. night In n
tret you are safe from all hut HoOty
the owl. and you are Safe from him
n YOU roost IN the right kind 81 a
place and keep stu Now. az long
az am. head OF this family there IA
10 De no more such talk as ] have
)uat heorn. re y4u u.ne stand -
Guhhlors mcckly.