Mexico Missouri message., 1918-01-10
They Were Shaking Hands Most
Politely.

HoIltely.
tie distance away and they were shak-
ing hands, or rather claws, most po-
Htely.
The Holsters were q little bit afraid
of the polypus who was near by and
so both had wandered away where.
things were safer. For the polypus is
a great fighter down under the sea,
and he loves to fight the Holsters.
When he fights he almost always wins
and many a lobster has been killed by
the polypus.
I'm safe enough" said Mr.. Blue
Grab. "The Holsters will not come
here now. They would have to pass
Mr.. Polypus in coming" Mr.. Blue
Grab always spoke of the polypus most
politely because he, too, was little
afraid of him.
"What do you think of us" asked
the racer-crabs. 1--WE are often called
the horsemen because we rush along
just the way horse races do"
Dear me, dear me-" said one of the
lady-crabs, whose family had been
beauty, "you're not as fine as we are.
We are beautiful"
Beauty is not everything" said the
spider-crabs. "Just look at our out
stretched legs. We are interesting.
That is far finer than beauty"
'And 1 am the red crab."
swell, we are called the porcelain
crabs because we are so bright and
have such lovely colors," said some
little crabs.
"That's all very well, but there is
nothing so fine as swimming" said the
swimming crabs, and the paddle
crabs and the shuttle crabs agreed.
"Now, come, come" said Mr.. Blue
Crab, 1--WE can all have various things
that are fine about us, but in the long
run 1 am the best of all because / can
be eaten"
"We're glad you like to be eaten,"
said the others.
81 DON'T" said the blue crab. "But
It's great honor. I'm proud of it."
Just then a little old crab came
along who was always known as the
story telling crab, because he al
ways told the others fine stories of the
life under the sea and the many won
derful adventures the crabs before
them had had.
He was very, very, old and very,
very wise, and all the crabs liked to
hear him tell his wonderful stories.
II have heard you talking" he said,
as he came crawling along from side to
side. "You were all Dragging and
boasting of what you could do. 1t was
very silly, for boasting is apt to make
other people less happy because they
do not feel so fortunate and 1t is very
conceited. Those who boast have lit
tie to boast of, as a rule. And those
who don't boast, do things. They don't
Just talk them.
'But must tell you all something
that will make every single one Of
you happy"
ALI the crabs listened attentively,
and they had quite stopped talking
among themselves.
Heart" And all the crabs heard
the sea shells singing.
"We are going to their chorus In a
very little while, for they are singing
all the afternoon. But first of all !
must tell you of something that we all
have to be thankful for.
1--WE mustn't boast of it, we must be
glad of it. There are many creatures
lin fact, most of the creatures on
earth and under the sea-who can only
swim or walk or crawl in one way
that is, straight ahead. Now we can
crawl in any direction without turning
around. Usually we crawl sideways,
But we can crawl any way. Just sup
pose we had to turn around every time
we wanted to go backwards. We can
crawl anyway at ALL"
And the crabs proved 1t by crawling
In all sorts Of ways to the sea shell
| cnnaapt