Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-08
LLT1TLLES10RIE:s
6rDEDTlnE
By THORNTON W. BURGESS.
Copyright, 1918, by r. W. Bursess.)
Peter Thinks the C:ossbills
Crazy.

Mr.. and Mrs. shipper Crossbill are
crazy" declared Peter Rabbit to Mrs.
Peter as from the edge of the dear
Old Brier Patch they watched jolly,
round. red Mr.. Sun going to bed be-
hind the Purple Hills.
What makes you say that?" asked
Mrs. Peter
because this very day thoy began
building nest over in the Green For
est. and everything is covered with
snow and there isn't a sign vet that
Mistress Spring hasn't forgotten US and
is really coming back" replied Peter.
whoever heard of building a nest at
this time of year,
Think a minute. Peter. Think min
ute How about Hooty the OWL re-
piled little Mrs. Peter.
That's So" exclair ed Peter, looking
a bit foolish. Il had forgotten all about
that big robber. | suppose Hooty and
his wife have already got eggs. But
they are so big and strong that their
babies must be strong. too, and SO able
to stand cold weather. But | don't see
how any little folks like shipper Cross
bill and his wife can possibly hope 70
raise a family before warm Weathe.
comes / tell YOU they are crazy. Why,
there will be baby birds in that nest
before tn. snow has disappeared. How
will they be kept warm How VIII they
be fed?
Don't borrow trouble, Peter" re-
piled little Mrs. Peter. wisely. THE
Crossbius may be crazy. and II rathei
seems TO me they are, but their AFFAIRS
are no concern of yours. so why worry
You attend to your own business dho
leave them to attend to theirs. IT 'he!
don't know any better than to nest be
fore warm weather it is time thcN
learned a lesson. I've always heard that
eXperience is the best OF all teachers
So YOU stay at nome in the dear oLd
Brier Patch and leave shipper Cross
brll and his wife 10 marriage thtii o"t
No. mis- was sound advice. very
sound advice. and Peter knew it. But
dear me. Peter could no more krc'
away from the Green Forest and Mr.
and Mrs. Shipper than he could ny ~
dreadful curiosity wouldn't let hlnl. So
whenever the way was clear ana ne G"t
a chance away he would go, HppertE-
lipperty-lip. to the Green ores, M
10 hunt up Shipper CroSsbiil. MRS. snip
Der he seldom saw and. as for the loct-
ton of that nest, he hadn't the leasl
idea where it was That there "aS oi-'
he couldn't doubt because he had StE-
eral times seen Mrs. Shipper with DIS
of moss in her bill. but he never wa
able TO follow her to see WheFe she
went with il.
II wasn't long before shipper an
nounced that there was one egg IN tht
nest, then two. three and four. Peter
shook his head. in worried way.
They'll freeze, shipper. SAID ne.
THEY'LL freeze before ever they have
time to hatch They'll freeze solid.
.Not with Mrs. shipper sitting on
them, Peter replied shipper cheeF-
We'll. if they don't the babies VIII
get chilled and die when they hatch
out. You're crazy. That's what you
are-crazy, both you and Mrs. Shipper.
shipper CrossbilI laughed right out
YOU don't notice me doing any worry
ing. do YOU" he asked.
NO" retorted Peter. NO. And / sus-
meet it is because you haven't got sense
enough to worry.
Shipper laughed worse than ever.
at must be that you think we never
have raised family before, he
chuckled-
crazy thing as to begin nesting now II
YOU had" declared Peter.