The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-02

exercises after all I shall never doubt again that he loves me"
 When the red bug heard that, he bit even more nightly than before.
 Full O, Pep
 After which. the lazy boy began to run over the yard like wild In dian-getting even better exercise. Finally he dropped down cross-legged to begin an anguished and unsenti- mental search. The red bug, sensing that tho lazy boy was feeling hefty enough now to skin the cat, left off and lay down to rest his little teeth and jaws awhile. He actually drifte1 to sleep and began to snore. He was so dog tired.
 In the meanwhile Tot Tim had not been Idle. He rustled up a boy In the neighborhood who came over with a school book in which there was an interesting story. Finally the visitor got the lazy boy right down to hard work. He begged to be shown how to work some arithme- tic problems. The lazy boy didn't have the remotest idea how, and he was so ashamed. Finally, when he couldn't work the sums. the lazy boy made a big resolve that. in case he could get up early the next morning, he would learn how to solve these problems before school. so he wouldn't have to apologize for not knowing.
 The red bug heard that resolve.
 You don't need to worry a minute son." thought he. ''Ill have you up so early In tho morning you'll think you are Louisiana mosquito going to breakfast
 Keeping Faith
 And he kept that promise. About daybreak the rcd bug turned to and began to bite so steadily and ener- getically that the lazy boy jumped out of bed to slay something. Bite, bite. bite, every minute. But the red bug was clever. He moved his place Of business, so that finally when the un- happy youth demanded that his mother look him over. she murmured merely;
 T don't see a thing-just a red place on your back. Maybe there was red bug once, but he is gone now.
 And then the red bug cackled and danced a fandango.
 Then the lazy boy remembered his resolve to get his school book. He conquered those arithmetic problems, and was happy as a lark later when he was able to show his school com panions how to work every one of theml
 When you finally get a good thing started it's pretty hard to head 1t off. So 1t was with the lazy boy. His con- stant early risings, guaranteed by the red bug, got to be habit; and finally his morning studies made him eager to beat everybody in his class His proper exercise also being a certainty. the lazy boy grew so stout and strong that the red bug paled and got un- easy. sometimes fearing that he might become a formidable hunter. There had been cases where red bugs had lost their lives at the handsNof hu- man beings. albeit this was rare.
 Therefore. for this reason of safety first. the lazy boy passed his final examinations, the red bug took one last big, juicy bite and rushed off home.
 Strange Changes But when he got there he found everything changed. He could not find the dog fennel stalk where he kept house.
 Just as he was feeling horribly pa- thetic around the bend fluttered gay Tot Tim.
 "Greetlngs brotherr shouted the fairy. "Bravoi Come with mo. I am sent to reward you for one of the finest deeds ever performed by any red bug in Christendom. For your noble work in solving grave prob lem the fairies will make you gift"
 Then Tot Tim pointed to whole field of dog fennel.
 This shall be yours for life. Now, what do you say?"
 "Whoopee three timesi" laughed the blushing red bug, *rm the happiest little bitter in Weed Row"
 Then he bowed and courtesled. bending as low as his bulging little chest would permit him. After which, being so joyous, he diyed head first into the smelly yellow heart or one of the biggest dog fennel bushes in sicht.