Arizona republican., 1922-06-06
Little Stories For Bedtime
TuopNroN w alRcEss
JOY AMONG THE OLD CORN
STALKS
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS

The happiest place in the world
You know it: of course you do.
It's the place called home-your very
own.
Now haven't I told you true?
OF course / have. There isn't any
place like it for pure joy and happi-
ness. There may be much finer
homes than your own. but right down
deep in your heart you know per-
fectly we'll that not even in the finest
or them Is there so much real happi-
ness as in YOUR own dear home-not
for you, anyway Now, the home OF
Danny Meadow Mouse wasn't much
to look at. 1t was just a little round
/ house of corn shucks and grass in
the middle of a pile of old corn stalks
on the edge of Farmer Browns corn
field. but to little Mite, the lost baby
of Danny. whom Farmer Browns boy
had brought back again without
knowing it. l. was the most beautl-
full place N all the Great World.
AS he scrambled down among the
corn stalks to the little path that led
to the little round doorway. he called
at the top if his funny little. squeaKy
voice: Here | am! Here | am! I've
come home, I've come homer! out
tumbled his brother and two sisters,
Teeny. Weeny. and Midget, ana
crowded around him and rubbed
noses with him, which is the Mead
ow Mouse way of kissing, and told
him how glad they were to see hlln'
and asked him if he really had seen
the Great World and what it was
like. all talking at once and making
Ii,
corn stalks never had known before.
Little Mite wondered why his
father and mother didn't come out TO
greet him. and as soon as he got a
chance he asked where they were.
"They are out hunting FOR you,
replied Teeny They've been out
every day since you went away, and
we've all been so miserable and lone
some. You won't run away again,
will you. Mite.'
Never, declared Mite. Never so
long as l live!" And he really meant
it.
Wont this be the best surprise
for father and mother, that ever was?
cried Midget, dancing about excited
ly. You go inside the house, Mite,
and well play outside. Then when
they go in they'll find you there. Oh,
won't it be fun?'
So when they thought it was about
time for Danny and Nanny Meadow
Mouse to return. Mite went inside.
He wondered what they would say
to him, and what they would do to
punish him, for he knew that he de-
served to be punished. You see, il he
| hadn't disobeyed in the first place he
wouldn't have been lost. But he was
so glad to be home again that he
didn't mind the thought of punish
ment. Nothing could be worse than
what he had been through.
Danny and Nanny were late in get
ting home, and they were so tired and
footsore with their long search Tor
little Mite. and so sad that it made
Mites heart ache as he peeped out
| at them. Ii really was punishment
enough lust to see them and to feel
| that he was the cause of it. They
| noticed right away that Teeny
| Weeny. and Midget seemed very
| much excited Danny stopped to ash
| the reason, but Nanny hurried into
| the house. Such a squeai as there
| was then, Danny rushed in to see
| what had happened, and then-wel
! I don't believe that there ever was
/ such time before in a Meadow
| Mouse home. Nanny was crying
| little. and even Danny had to blow
| his nose very hard and wink his eyes
| OF course. Mite expected a scold-
| ing at least. but he didn't get 1t. No
| sir he didn't get it. You see, when he
| told about all his terrible adventures
| his father and mother thought ne
| had been punished enough. Instead
| of scolding they prepared a. great
| feast. and while they ate it Mite told