The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-17
BURGESS BED-
 TIME STORY
JIMMY SKUNK LEAVES WHITE
 FOOT WONDERING
To wonder overmuch is vexing And makes things even more per
 nIexfnR

rOOI WONDEAtNG
 To wonder overmuch is vexfng And makes things even more per
 picking.
 Whitefoot the Wood Mouse.
 Jimmy Skunk had advised White foot the Wood Mouse to stop worry ing because little Mrs whitefoo had driven him away from their new home and told him to stay away. II, lad advised whitefoot to forget hi. troubles and go have a good time You see, Jimmy had guessed jus what it meant. Perhaps you may re, member that Jimmy had one tim, just such an experience with Mrs Jimmy. He remembered this, and h, chuckled as he thought of how dreadful he had felt at the time Whitefoot heard him chuckle.
 T don't see anything to laugh at, whined Whitefoot.
 You don't now, but you will bS and by" replied Jimmy.
 How do you know I will." de, mand sn Whitefoot
 "Beeause I was treated just tn. sarie way once by Mrs Jimmy wal the reply. T felt just as you do, was the most unhappy Shunk tha ever ambled across the green mea dows. But in the end I became al happy as I had been unhappy, ant that is just what is going to happer to you. All I am going to tell you il that Mrs. Whitefoot has a secret and that when the time comes sht will share that secret with you. Ther you will be the happiest Wood Mouse that ever lived. So stop your worry. ing and just have good time.''
 With this Jimmy Shunk turned anc ambled away. Whitefoot begged ant begged Jimmy to tell him more, bui Jimmy simply shook his head anc kept right on. Presently all tha Whitefoot could see of him was tho two white spots in the blacl shadows made by the white stripe or Jimmy's back and the white tip oi his big tail. Then even these dis. appeared and orice more Whitefoo was quite alone.
 No more puzzled Wood Mouse evei lived than was whitefoot as he sa' thinking over what Jimmy Shunl had said. Somehow he felt better Jnmmy had seemed to know jus what he was talking about. Jimm, said he had been through the sams thing and In the end 1t had all come out right. But that didn't explain anything.
 "I wonder" said whitefoot, talk ing to himself, what Jimmy Shunh meant. wonder what secret Mrs whitefoot can have. I wonder wh, she should want to have secret She ought not to have a secret iron me. No. sir, she ought not to. haven't any secret that I keep iron her. I wonder if she really will lei come gack after while. 1 wonder if Jimmy Skunk really is right
 All the rest of that night White foot wondered. Somehow he felt bet ter. But still he couldn't feel really happy. He couldn't go have gooc time and forget his trouble, as Jimmy Skunk had advised him te do. All he could do was to keep won. dering. But though he wondered and wondered. he couldn't for the life oi him think of anything that little Mrs whitefoot would want to keer secret. He did his very best to make himself believe that everything would come out right, just as Jimmy Skunk had said 1t would, but despite all he could do a doubt persisted, anc he couldn't get rid of it. He couldn't do anything but keep on wondering how 1t was all coming out.
 Copyright, 1922 by T. W. Burgess)