The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-09-17
FL CADYSg(N|Ml
! 4 AIRY Tale
/ }sl 81 hAN GGRfSAs||IAl1 allMS !
HAIRY ARhiADIClO.


should care To know il. and if no one
cares to know it will he good enough
and XII ! enough and sweet enough t@
give this piece of interesting informal
tion free
"Forsooth you are kind" said Mrs.
Hairy Armadillo, and ! am deeply
GRATEFUL
You talk like a--wclI-like a--WelI,
l don't know just what You talk like,
but You talk powerfully 1"oiishly. that
l can say.
"Fvidently you can say il, for You
have said it," Mrs. Hairy Armadillo
answered.
"Eut what did You mean by all that
silly talkiug-Saying 'FoTSouth and so
furih?" asked the Hairy Armadillo.
Il mean nothing by it, said Mrs.
Armadillo. for creatures don't have
TO bother about what they say. Didn't
you know that, you poor DEAR
Il didn't know it, but l am not a
poor deer l wouldn't be a poor deer.
l wouldn't be Il poor deer for anything,
or amy sort of a deer for that matter.
Deer have foolish horns and big, beau
tiful eyes and they are so affection
ate and sweet"
MY dear, or rather, my love-" said
Mrs. Armadillo, Il didn't mean you
were the sort Of a poor deer you
thought [ meant.
You were thinking of the animals
called deer, with horns, and who be-
long TO the antelope family. l meant
that you were a poor dear-well
poor dear armadillo. And l meant it
kindly, a word of sympathy, so to
speak"
Il wiSh.'' said the Hairy ArInadillo,
that you would stop talking in that
ridiculous fashion. l don't understand
what one thing means before you up
and say something else l can't under
stand"
Il don't get up and say these things
at all. I've been lying down all this
time, or rather sQuatting on my floor"
ooh, WE'LL said the Hairy Armadillo,
81 didn't mean you actually got up. l
meant that you-well-that you were
always saying funny things"
"You would like to have me explain
why l say 'Forsooth,' and so to speak,
and such sayings of mine, eh?"
Yes, please" said the Hairy Ar
madillo politely.
We'll, | can't" said Mrs. Armadillo
proudly. Il don't know what such
things mean. It's enough that l can
say them.
ITO me it's fine to be able to talk
in a big, clever way. 1t doesn't matter
in the least-to my way of thinking
whether | know what l am talking
about or not.
$50 l copy what l hear-but no one
would be able to understand me when
tried to show off my learning ex-
cept you. And therefore l have to
show off before you. You're so unap-
preciative, too" she said sadly.
How can l bother about being ap-
preciative?" the Hairy Armadillo an
swereG, when l can't even bother
about being affectionate? And you
can't be affectionate yourself"
Il know" said Mrs. Armadillo. 81
heard that we were far from being at
fectionate, and l can understand it,
for our bodies are covered with hard,
hard shell-even our tails are hard"
"TaiIs?" repeated the Hairy Arma.
dillo. I'VE haven't more than a tail
apiece"
Il wasn't speaking of one of us
alone-I was speaking of many of
us said Mrs. ArmadillO. eve have
more than one tail among a lot of us
we each have our own tail"
That's so, you're right, except you
will talk so queerly," said the Hairy
Armadillo.
Tell me of some of your adven-
lures" said Mrs. Armadillo, for she
could see that he was getting a little
angry and would cheer up if he talked
about himself as is the way with many
creatures.
"Ah once" said the Hairy Armada
10, Il ate a chain. 1t was very fine
and valuable chain. But l thought l
could eat a chain as my shell body
is covered with rings. 1t was like be-
ing a part of a jewelry store, [ felt.
Aud another time l ate some birds
yet again I ate some animals. Oh,
I've had more things to eat in my
life!' he said happily. Poor Mrs. Ar
madillo knew he was boasting and
not speaking the truth at all.
But you like berries best of all,
don't you?" was all she said.
Have you some for me-" he asked
hopefully.
And Mrs. Armadillo gave the Hairy
Armadillo, her beloved mate, some
choice berries as fine gift.