Evening star., 1921-12-28
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Mrs. Peters Happy Christ
BY THORNTON w, BURGESS.
Oh. the blessed Joy of giving!
That's what makes life worth living!
ESo RnV-


Oh. the blessed Joy of giving!
That's what makes life worth living!
Farmer Browns Boy.
1t was Christmas morning. Little
Mrs. Peter Rabbit. she who used to
be little Miss Fuzzytail. didn't know
it. She knew nothing about
Christmas. This day of gladness
wasn't day of gladness for her at
all. 1t was a day of worry and sad
ness. You see. Mrs. Peter was all
alone in the dear Old Briar patch.
Peter hadn't come home from the
Green Forest. He should have re-
turned at break of day. But he
hadn't There had been no sign of
him and Mrs. Peter was sure some
thing dreadful had happened to him.
So she sat all alone in the dear Old
Briar-patch. looking across to the
Green Forest. To timid little Mrs.
Peter it looked dark and gloomy. 1t
looked like a place where dreadful
things could happen. She saw jolly.
bright, round Mr.. Sun appear above
the tops of the trees and climb higher
and higher in the blue. blue sky. do
ing his best to take away the chill
Mr.. Sun brought no warmth to the
heart of little Mrs. Peter. Instead,
the higher he climbed the more wor-
ried became little Mrs. Peter.
Every one else was happy. Tommy
Tit the Chickadee stopped to tell her
of the goodies he and Drummer the
, WoOdpecker and Yank Yank the Nut
hatch and Sammy Jay and Chatterer
the Red Squirrel and Happy Jack the
Gray Squirrel had found spread for
them in the Old Orchard by Farmer
Browns Boy. Tommy was so happy
and so excited he almost suffered.
But Mrs. Peter didn't half listen.
Hardly had Tommy Tit flown away
when Farmer Browns Boy himself
appeared tramping across the Green
Meadows. He was whistling and he
was headed straight for the dear Old
Briar-patch. Mrs. Peter hid in the
very middle of it. Farmer Browns
Boy was there for only few minutes
and then tramped off toward the Smil-
ing Pool, and he was still whistling
merrily as if his errand made him
very happy. 1t did, for he was on his
way to leave some slices of carrot
and an apple or two where Jerry
Muskrat could find them.
Mrs. Peter crept back to the edge
of the dear Old Briar-patch and there
she found such feast as she had not
seen for many long day. There was
half a cabbage. two or three apples,
some slices of turnip. a carrot or two
and little bundle Of sweet clover
hay. 1t was Farmer Browns Boy S
Christmas gift.
But none Of these things brought
joy to little Mrs. Peter. She hardly
glanced at them. Although it was
several days since she had had a
really good meal. she had no appetite.
She was too worried for that. Where
was Peter? What could have hap
pened to him?
And then. long after Farmer
Browns Boy had gone. she saw a
hobbing speck way over toward the
Green Forest Mrs. Peter sat up
straight that she might see better
and great hope sprang up in her
heart. The speck grew larger. 1t was
brownish- Could it be-yes. it
was Peter, He was coming, lipperty-
llipperty-lip. as fast as he could run.
With a bound little Mrs. Peter ran
to meet him.
That afternoon. side by side. they
feasted on the good things left for
them by Farmer Browns Boy. and be-
tween bites Peter told all about his
adventures, how he had nearly been
caught by Yowler the Bob Cat and
the twins. Boxer and Woof-woof, re-
tire for the winter, and later had seen
Buster Bear go to sleep.
Later, when they could eat no more,
they sat side by side under a friendly
bramble bush. Little Mrs. Peter snug
gled up to Peter. II never was so
happy in all my life" she whispered.
1T was good feast and there is
a lot left over" said Peter, as usual
thinking of his stomach.
1T isn't that; it is having you home
safe again." whispered little Mrs.
Peter. "Oh. Peter. don't ever. ever
go away again.
And now you know why Mrs. Peters
Christmas was SO happy.
Copyright, 1921, by r. ". Burgess)