The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-01-05
DADDY,S EVENING
lfAlRY TALE q
byrIARY GRAItAn BONNER
o. ia AuThoS
MEAN POISON IVY.

I'm mean" said the poison ivy.
ayes, I'm mean and Im glad Of il. Ii
l were sorry for 1t | might try 10
do better, but | am not sorry for it.
Therefore, | don't try To do better
There are times when ! don't pol
son creatures. That isn't because
am feeling any nicer bur because
i'n not just feeling like working AT
that moment. may he taking q nap
or something OF the sort.
but did fine thing last year.
] made two children sick with the ef-
fects of poison Ivy for ! longer time
Than ever had before.
y really had = good summer.
made them feet 50 poorly, 0. 50
poorly.
4 poisoned a great many. Lots ana
lots OF children and grown-ups. too,
did poison.
They didn't know just WHIST look
Cd like. And they went around get
Ting ferns and plants and touched me,
ha ha.
They went in swimming in a part
Of the lake. near "A swamp where
had decided some of my family ought
to be.
Il just was in so many places and
did 50 much, much harm. II WIS
splendid, perfectly splendid.
Il was proud Of my record. Eut
somehow there were not the same re-
suits this year. didn't have quite my
usual good luck"
I'm glad of it" said the little gnome
who was listening 10 the poison Ky
What! Why. you wretch" said
the poison ivy. What DO you mean
by saying such thing?9
Il mean to say It because l think
that way. I'm glad when you aren't
successful" said the gnome.
"But just what have we ever done
to YOU" asked the poison iyy.
Nothing" said the gnome
Il don't understand at all,4 said The
poison ivy.
"Of course you wouldn't" said the
gnome.
'Why. why. why:' asked the poi
son Ivy. Pray explain"
You have never done anything 10
us" said the gnome. but it wasn't be-
cause you didn't want 10. il was be
cause you weren't able to-
That, Of course, is true" agreed The
poison ivy.
And you weren't able to do any
thing to Us because we belonged to
the fairyland people"
THAT is also true" agreed Tie poi
son ivy again.
But we don't like you because
you're mean to people, and ne don't
like things which are mean even II
they aren't mean to Us"
That seems strange" said the poi
son ivy.
"Of course it does to YOU" said The
gnome. for you're too mean 10 under
stand"
You're 50 mean you don't ike US to
have good luck" said the poison ivy.
Because we like people and chill
; dren and because we like nice plants
: and leaves which are pretty and which
t don't do anything which is unkind. :"
! said the gnomc
But | will tell you uLy you hadn't
: 50 much luck this summer" continued
the gnome.
DO you know the reason" asked
, The poison ivy. ''Will YOU tell me
4 50 something can be done about it::"
Il I'm tell it 70 you. but nothing can
: be done about il, FOR il is where peo-
1 pie can get ahead of you. and your
: mean ways. with their sharp wits.
They grew in city rarK this sum
l mer. in n part where lots and lots OF
people walk every day. and near Il
vegetable garden where lots of city
: people took turns in working over H..
some of Your family. poison ivy. They
;. marked that il was poison ana they
put 4 wire cage over Il.
II SO people learned what you look
like anu they're going IN do that more
: and more 81 that people Will not get
n poisoned because theyG know you AMI
o get out Of your way. And more and
more children are looking up your pc
t lures in big books 81 yan Wca1 81
; the best Of tlrem, In, la. ea,.cu the
= gnome happily.