The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-27
BURGESS BED-
 TIME STORY
THE HIDDEN BACK DOOR

Not for long is he about Who never plans but one way out.
 Johnny Chuck.
 Peter Rabbit har lived so long in the dear Old Briar-patch. with no one else there excepting the members of his own family, that when he dis covered Johnny Chuck and Polly Chuck and the four little Chuchs right in the very middle of the dear Old -Briar patch he was quite upset. es, sir, he was so. He was quite upset. 1t wasn't that he minded their being there. He didn't. fHe was glad they were there. He was glad that they had escaped from Reddy 1 Fox. What upset him was that he couldn't understand how they could be there.
 He had seen them going down into their home on the edge of the dear Old Briar-patch and he was sure that they hadn't come out of their doorway before Reddy Fox got there and began to dig. Not once had Reddy stopped digging, save to get his breath. There had been no chance whatever for those Chucks to slip out of their home by means of their front door.
 When Peter asked Johhny Chuck how they had escaped. Johnny grinned good -naturedly, "We simply ran out the back door," said he.
 Back door!" exclaimed Peter. Back doorl I didn't know you had a back door to this house.
 Did you ever happen to think that there are great many things you don't know, Peter?" asked Johnny Chuck mildlyl.
 "of course! Of course! I don't pretend to know everything" retorted Peter. "Where is that back door 2"
 That's telling" replied Johnny Chuck in the most provoking manner.
 And why shouldn't you tell?" re- piled Peter. T don't know of any one who has a better right to know than I, for if you really have back door 1t must be in my dear Old Briar- patch"
 Tt isn't your dear old Briar- patch retorted Johnny Chuck. You know very well Is isn't yours. Just because you have lived here so long you seem to think you own it, but you don't"
 There. there, there" replied Peter soothingly. We quarreled over that matter once before and we aren't go- ing to quarrel again. Of course I don't own the Old Briar-patch, but feel as if I did and that is why always think of it in that way. That uoOI iS III LHt Olu pdlCu, isn't it. Johnny ChuckY' Johnny grinned and finally admit ted that the back door was in the Old Briar-patch. T supposed" said he, that you knew all about every thing in the Old Briar-patch. I am surprised, Peter. that you didn't find that back door long ago." "I'll show 1t to you" piped up a little voice. And before Johnny Chuck could stop him one of the little Chucks had scampered behind a bramble bush. Here it is." he squeaked.
 Peter chuckled and hopped over | where the little Chuck had disap- peared. Sure enough. nicely hidden under a bramble bush past which Peter had hoped many times. was a back door. It had been very cun- ningly hidden and Peter hastened to tell Johnny Chuck how clever he thought him. Its lucky thing you had that back door" said Peter. Nobody knows that better than r. replied Johnny Chuck.
 But now what are you going to do?" asked Peter. You won't dare live in that house now that Reddy Fox has dug 1t open"
 Johnny looked grave. T don't know what we are going to do." said he.
 Copyright. 1922. by T. W. Burgess) The next story: Peter Rabbit Helps Out the Chuck Family.