Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-02-02
Peter Tries to Waken the
ChuCkS.
BY THORNTON W. BURGESS.
Lack of understanding. it is clear,
OFTEN is the cause of foolish irar.

Lack of understanding. it is clear,
Ofien is the cause of fpoISii irar.
Peter Rabbit.
Peter is right. More people are
frightened by harmless things they do
not understand than by real dangers
they do understand. 1t always has
been so and probably always will be so.
H".' i.id-li,,tiou cannot make of it
80 w""S" 'h"n it really is. But
if you do not understand a thing your
thing of it and brighten you half to
'death. And somehow imagination
dearly loves to do this very thing.
once before Peter Rabbit had visit.
been unable to tell whether Johnny
feeling that Johnny might be dead
had frightened Peter so that he had
Seampered out of Johnny'S house in
a hurry and he had never told any
body about it. In the spring Johnny
Chuck had reappeared and Peter had
fn""ottcn all about it.
Now Peter remembered it as he sat
down there in Johnny Chuck'S house.
with johnny so still and cold in one
bedroom and Polly Chuck so still and
cold in another bedroom. and he had
much the same feeling that he had
"Of course they are not dead; they
are simply asleep" said Peter brave
iy to himself. but all the time he
couldn't he just couldn't feel sure
81 tried to waken Johnny that other
time. but probably | didn't try hard
enough. If they really are asleep. OF
course, they can I've w"''''-"'
t, .e I'll try, just to make sure. CT
course, they must be sr.9.>- =. ~.
could have happened to them down
here"
First Peter thumped with his hind
feet in the hall just outside the door
|of Johnny Chuck's bedroom. He
thumped as only Peter can thump.
Then he listened, Johnny Chuck
hadn't moved. Peter tried it a cain
The result was just as before. Peter
couldn't imagine how anybody could
poSS bly, Sieep through such a noise.
Then Peter Poked his head in Johnny
Chuck's bedroom and called. Johnny
didn't answer. He didn't move. Peter
poked him roughly. There was no
more sign of life than before Then
Peter actually bit Johnny Chuck and
instantly jumped out into the hall
| ready to run if need be.
| But there was not need. Johnny
Chuck didn't stir. Peter couldn't be-
! lieve it. He just couldn't. That bite
had been a hard one. Anyway, it had
i been hard enough to hurt. Peter was
| sure Oh tHdl. LHttc lay JoliHIlS
Chuck rolled up tightly in a ball and
: still and cold.
HE must be dead" muttered Peter
mournfully. HE must be dead. Nc
one could sleep right on after such
| a bite as that. No, sir, it couldn't be
done Johnny must be dead. Some
thing must have happened to him
down here. 1 wonder if Polly Chuck
! is dead, too. I'll see if l can waken
| her.
| So Peter did the same. things to
Polly Chuck that he had done to
Johnny Chuck and Polly Chuck re-
manned still and 'co.u: II MUST be
| that She too. was dead. Peter began
| to be frightened. Really there was
nothing to be afraid of. Even If they
were dead there was nothing to fear
But Peter was frightened just the
same Something might kill him
down there underground. just as it
i had them. At least Peter thought
that. He turned and hurried up the
long hall to the doorway by which
! he had entered. He was in hurry to
| get out of that fearsome place.
And all the time it wasn't a fear