The Detroit times., 1917-07-12

There Is a saying wise and old.
And often have you heard ~ told
Who keeps his laughter TIL the rest
Have finished laughing laughs the
best.
or course this Is just way 81
saying that very often people who
laugh at another md they have made
a mistake and that they are the
ones 10 be laughed at. something or
tho kind happened In the case OF the
I'VE little MInks who had gone out 60
play on the bank OF the Laughing
Brook The tlmidest little Mink who
was very timid indeed. had suddenly
discovered what looked like "A black
stump close by her favorite little
pool In the Laughing Brook and she
couldn't remember having seen u be-
fore when she asked her brothers
and sisters II they remembered II
This was enough for the tlmidest
little Mink. There was something
suspicious about that black stump
and she promptly decided that the
place for her was under the shelter
OF the pile OF brush that hid their
home.
How the Others ala laugh at her
and make fun OF her for being 90
afraid OF an old black stump. They
said she was n silly little thing and
would run from her own shadow
Finally they went on with their play
still laughing at their timid little
sister until at last they forgot her
altogether in the fun they were hav-
ing. Neither did they give the old
black stump another thot~
80 they rornped and played tar and
wrestled and had the best Of good
times while the timidest little Mink
peeped out from under the pile ~
n a
them and still was afraid 20 join
them because no one could remember
having seen that big black stump
before. At length tho four little
Minks grew tired OF frolioking.
Let us 60 hshing." said one.
'Just the thing" cried another
who'll catch the first fsh7"
To the edge ~ the Laughing Brook
they scampered and then like true
fishermen became very quiet and
edge OF little pool watching for
careless minnows at play. From one
pool 10 another they went until they
came 20 the pool near which was
tho big black stump. In this pool
was p big school Of lively mInnows
and the eyes Of the four little Minks
riistened They didn't even glance
at the hig black stump. They had
no eyes for ANYTHING but those min
nows in the little pool.
just rs the -FOUR niue 1lnke were
creeping paRt tho big black stump n
suddenly came 20 life Yes. sir, that
IL just what tho hle black ~'unr
did u suddenly Jumped right at
the four little Minks and renched Tor
them with big paws armed with great
claws That big black stump was
Buster Bear,
Lucky n was that those four little
Ninks naturally were quick Ruster
Rear himself is quick. but he isn't as
quick 40 lively young Mink Those
four little Minks lodged and Ia rted
IN four different directions and Bns-
tor's big paws missed them alto
~ether though only by the teenl"st
weeniest bit Then How those four
ii'ti> Minks aid scamper hack t. Tho
'afetv of the nile ~ brush where
the ~'ld~st lifilc MINI w"s ~-atc'-
irr They were 50 frightened that
thsfr t~eth chaffored
Tho timidest little Mink didn't say
~ told YOU So" she didn't SAY a
word But by and by tho -Four little
brothers and sisters di~co~c-ed that
she was chuokling 10 herself.
What are you laughing at| they
| derN-rd"
MY thots." said she. and that is
~ thev COULD rct- 0u' 80 her BIT
| they knew what those thots were.
| md they know TINT her laugh was
| me best laugh And IN their hearts
| they decided that never again would
they laush At the timidest little Mink
| for being afraid.
Next story Jimmy Skunk Is in
quisitive.