The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-21
BURGESS BED-
 TIME STORIES
By THORNTON W. BURGESS

The Truce of the Beechnuts there's time for work and time
 for pIayt
 There's time to eat and to run
 away old Mother Nature.
 When two or more enemies agree 10 be at peace for a short time 1t is said to be truce. If one should at- tack another without warning. he would be breaking the truce Over In the Green Forest under the beech trees there was & truce, the beechnut truce they called it, among the big and little people gathered there to search for the little, sweet, brown nuts hidden among and under the leaves on the ground
 No one knew how it had started, unless 1t was wise Old Mother Na- ture. but 1t had been so each year since any could remember. Always when the little, sweet, brown, three sided nuts fell, those who liked them gathered there to feast, and while the feast lasted the smaller people had no fear of the big. At least IL semed that way.
 Timid little Whitefoot the Wood Mouse, who would make hardly more tkan bite for great big Buster Bear, but for whom Buster was forever
 
 ter's nose and Buster didn't once put out q paw to try to catch him. The Grouse family ran this way and that way within 0 few feet of Bobby Coon, and Bobby hardly glanced at ttem. Yet Bobby Coon is very fond of tender Grouse when he can get 1t. Happy Jack Squirrel and Rusty the Fox Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel scurried about among the leaves and boldly scolded Buster Bear and Mrs. Bear and the cubs, Boxer and Woof- woof. Even Striped Chipmunk came over and joined tho party.
 Now. there is little going on that Old Man Coyote doesn't find out about. He had no use for tho little, sweet. brown nuts himself. but there were many little people there who would be much to his liking. So old Man Coyote trotted over to the Green Forest and hid where he could watch all that went on. He hoped that Mrs. Grouse or one of her chil- dren would stray near his hiding place. or that Happy Jack Squirrel or Rusty the Fox Squirrel would come within reach. Just watching them made his mouth water.
 But none came near enough for him to spring with any chance of success, and so he tried stealing little closer. That was his mistake. The sharp eyes of Sammy Jay saw him. and instantly Sammy flew to 2 perch just above him and began to scream as only sammy can. Thief Thief Thlefg screamed Sammy at the top of his lungs.
 Instantly everybody looked that way But old Man Coyote was well hidden and kept perfectly still. Only from above could he be seen and he knew 1t. He looked up at Sammy Jay, and if looks could kill, then Sammy Jay would have dropped dead right then and there. But looks cannot Kill, and Sammy kept right on screaming.
 Buster Bear understood perfectly what 1t meant. He shuffled straight toward the spot where Old Man Coy ote was hiding, and as he came he growled. It was a deep, grumbly, rumbly growl way down in his throat. Old Man Coyote remained just as long -as he dared. But pres entIy he was obliged to jump to his feet and run.
 Instantly Buster Bear rushed after him growing terribly and Old Man Coyote took to his heels. Buster  followed him only a very short dis- tance, for Buster knew full well that he hadn't the smallest chance in the world of catching Old Man Coyote. He was satisfied to drive him away.
 Get away from here and keep away" growled Buster in his deep est voice You have no right here. and you know it. This is the truce of the beechnuts and there will be no killing here"
 Old Man Coyote sat down at safe distance and grinned foolishly He knew that Buster Bear spoke truly and as long as Buster and Mrs. Bear were there he would not dare try again to catch anybody. Buster shuffled back and began to nose about among the leaves like nothing so much as a great black pig. and the other little people wont about their business of hunting for those little sweet, brown nuts just as If nothing had happened. tCopyright. 1921, by T. ". Burgesso
 The next story: "Chatterer Makes A Find"