Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-10-21
The Best of Friends.

In spite OF MS leHStHeHeu lloi 'iH
Leaper the Locust hardly dare
show himself while his cousins re
mained in the neighborhood.
But when he did venture out
not one of the hungry horde paiC
the slightest heed to him. The!
lust ate and ate and ate. Ant
Pleasant Valley soon began to tak'
on a brown, withered look, as i
fall had already come.
kiddie Katydid soon say that he
would have to move, if Leaper
cousins fingered there much long
er. And he didn't like the thought
Of quitting his home.
Il wouldn't mind going, if
could take Farmer Green's door
yard with me-" he remarked to a
long horned gentleman who stop
ped to talk with him one evening.
"But of course" Kiddie added with
IA smile, that's out of the ques-
ton"
Il quite agree with you" said
the other. I'm fact, Pm ready tt
agree to almost anything you say.
These Short-hOrns are a terri
BILE lott" Kiddie Katydid observed.
'They are, indeed!" exclaimed
the polite stranger. 81 wish they d
finish their visit here and leave us
in peace"
81 never want to see another
Short-horn as long as l live" Kid
die Katydid declared.
"Nor IT, echoed the strange gem
tleman
And Kiddie Katydid couldn't
help thinking what a pleasant per-
son the long g-horned stranger was,
and how gentle were his manners
"I'd like to know your name!"
he cried. It's a long time since
I have met anybody so agreeable
as you are"
The stranger drew nearer and
lowered his voice.
Don't you know me?" he asked.
Kiddie Katydid stared at him
FOR a moment.
MOP he said at length ITO be
sure, you do have familiar look, |
n a way. But I must say l don't |
'ecognize you"
Then the stranger spoke in a
whisper:
"They used to call me Leaper
he Locust'.'
go 'way!" cried Kiddie Katy
lid. He was nothing but a Short
horned Grasshopper. And anyone
,an see with half an eye that your
They're not real horns" said
he other sadly. THAT is, they're
cal only a part of the way"
And looking more closely, Kid
lie Katydid saw that what he said
vas true. 1t was, indeed. Leaper
he Locust. And he was greatly +
hanged in more ways than one.
He had lost his old, quarrelsome
ir; and he had become very meek
nd mild.
Don't tell my cousins what
We doner he begged Kiddie Ka-
ydid, 81 don't want them to
now who I am"
Kiddie assured the poor fellow
1at he would not betray him. He
as sorry for Leaper the Locust.
you'll be glad when your re1a-
ons move on, won't you?' he
hid. "Then you can take those
it's of grass off your horns and
e you, self again"
Leaper's answer almost took Kid
lie Katydid's breath away for it
as a most surprising statement.
TIN never going to be a Short
orn againi" he declared. Il shall
ear my horns long to the end of
y days"
Hekepthisword tt tth W:
He kept his word, too. And SO
did he try to be like Kid
e Katydid in every way that he
zen attempted Kiddio's well
1own katy did, melody. But he
9ver really succeeded at that.
nyone with an eaf fo.' music
uld tell the dlfference at once.
Luckily the graSshoppor horde
on swept on to new fields. And
few warm rains. with sunshine
ndwiched in between showers,
on turned the countryside green
ain. 1t was really Pleasant VAL
Y once more. And on fine au-
mn nights Kiddie Katydid's
rill music could be heard more
an ever near the farmhouse.
Leaper the Locust never could
ar enough of it. He was always
gging Kkiddie to repeat the odd
ty about the mysterious KATY =