Hermanner Volksblatt. [volume] (Hermann, Mo.) 1875-1928, 1919-11-21
Happy Jack Squirrel Moves
BY Thornton w. Burgess.

Happy Jack Squirrel was moving. 1t
wasn't that he wanted to o Good
ness, no, Moving Is bad enough at
any season. but to have to do it right
in the middle of the harvest season is
enough 10 drive almost any right-mind.
ed thrifty squirrel almost crazy, and
Happy Jack is nothing IL not thrifty.
But he just had to do 1t because. al he
explained to Peter Rabbit. II he didn't
he never would know another minute
of peace.
You know. Peter" said Happy
Jack, Il believe in thrift"
Peter wriggled his wobbly little nose
a bit scornfully. III | don't know It
1t isn't because l haven't had 1t ever
lastingly preached to me-" said he.
Happy Jack took no notice of
Peters scorn. "Yes, sir, l believe in
thrift" he continued. THE truly
thrifty person is the one who will get
on fastest and farthest in life. Think
1t over. Peter. So 1t was because !
am truly thrifty that l had to drop
everything else and move right now
In the middle Of my busy season. I
couldn't afford to risk losing what I've
already got Just for the sake Of adding
a little to It. Do you think ! could
Peter?"
Peter Rabbit scratched one long ear
with q long hindfoot. then the other
long ear with the other long hindfoot,
and looked puzzled. 81 don't know
what you're talking about, but II you
say it's so | guess 80 1t u.s." said he.
"Of course II is" retorted Happy
Jack. "You know I've been living in
the attic of that house over there" He
pointed to a house Peter could Just
see through the trees.
Peter looked at the house. then
looked at Happy Jack. You may be
able to stuff a lot down me. but you
can't make me swallow that house."
said he.
why men live in that housed"
"Of course they do" replied Happy
Jack. with a chuckle. But I've been
living there. too. Do you see that
limb Of a tree Just touching the roof
Of that house."
Peter nodded. We'll. one day." CON
tinued Happy Jack. II ran nj on that
limb and on the roof. Then I discov-
cred a place where I could gnaw .
hole, and | did It,"
What for?' demanded Peter.
"To find out what was inside" re-
piled Happy Jack. when | got It big
enough to crawl through l got into
the attic and 1t was the most wonder.
full place. There a the greatest lot
Of stuff up there you aver saw, piles of
old papers, old clothes, old furniture,
boxes-goodness, | couldn't begin ia
tell you of all the stuff in that attic.
1t didn't take me long to find out that
nobody ever came up there excepting
once in a great while to put some
more stuff there.
$50 ! made a nest in q box, a nest
of paper which ! tore up and old rags
and decided to live there, It was the
most comfortable home I've aver had
and l was looking forward to spend.
ing the winter there. II was a won.
derful place to live. It certainly was"
Happy Jack said this very w~istfully
Then why DOM you stay there?'
demanded Peter.
Because I've Just discovered It isn't
SAFE" declared Happy Jack. mo. SIR
1t isn't safe. and safety is the first law
Of life, as you very well know"
Again Peter nodded, and Happy
Jack continued: Zone night l was
awakened by some one In the attic
1t was a boy and he was looking for
something with a Lighted match. II
burned close to his fingers and Their
he dropped It. II fell on a piece OF
old paper and 1t blazed right up. That
boy was quick. III say that much for
him. He stamped that fire out quick
er than a wink. Then he went of
down stairs.
THE rest OF that night I didn't sleer
much. l kept thinking %supposing thai
match had dropped in one Of the biz
piles Of paper and he hadn't been able
to stamp It out. The Red Terror would
have just raced through that stuff ant
that whole house would have beer
afire in no time. So I decided to move
couldn't afford 10 lose ny winter
supply of nuts stored there. to Say
nothing of running the risk of beinl
burned to death because OF some
body's carelessness. Besides. l mad,
up my mind that I had been Twins
with thriftless people. No one trul,
thrifty would ever have allowed sucl
a mass Of old stuff to collect. The!
would have sold It for Thrift Stamps
and SO got some good from it. 70,
know. Peter there isn't anything tina
can't be made use OF in some way.
81 can't stand thriftlessness. Tha
in itsel; is bad enough, but thriftlesl
people are also apt to be careless. 81
I'm moving to a hollow tree. Now
feel rested and must get to work agaii
and saw the rest Of my winter sup
plies before the Red Terror burns al
that house. | feel it in my bones tina
that is going to happen some day
Good-by. Peter"
Happy Jack scampered away in tn
direction Of the house where he ha,
been living and where the thriftless