The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-23


 Who shall say how news travels among the little people of the Green Forest and the Green Meadows? But travel it does, and that swiftly, be 1t bad news or good news. And so, be- fore night of the day after the great ice storm, the news of tho bounty of Farmer Browns Boy had spread far in all directions, The result was steady procession of visitors to the feeding shelves in the old orchard in the corner nearest Farmer Browns house.
 All day long they came. for no where else was food to be found. You see every bit was locked in ice, and many little lives would have been ended but for the food Farmer Browns Boy had so thoushtfully put out There was no fear on the part of any of these little people They understood that one who would put out food for them would do them no i'll, so they ate contentedly, even when Farmer Browns Boy stood but a few feet away Such fear as those who were not acquainted with him mi ght have was swallowed up in the greater fear of starving and freeg- ing to death.
 Tommy Tit the Chickadee and Tank dnh lHC bNiiA6 VlN At AOAhA2t did not hesitate to take food from the hand of Farmer Browns Boy, and this did much to prove to those who were not acquainted with him that he was to be trusted as their best friend. Happy Jack Squirrel and Chatterer the Red Squirrel also took food from his hands, but they also were old friends. It was Rusty the Fox Squirrel who hestated. But after watching Happy Jack and Cha terer for a while he also yentured to reach out for nut offered him by Farmer Browns Boy, And with the acceptance of that first nut all suspicion of Farmer Browns Boy vanished.
 And then a funny thing happened. Those three Squirrel cousins actually became jealous of one another They did for fact They would try to drive one another away. And Chat terer, the smallest of the three. was the one who usually succeeded Per haps it was because he is naturally quarrelsome and dearly loves fuss | Then. too, he Is much quicker in his l movefnents because of his small size. Anyway, he got his share and rather moro. l As said in the beginning, good news travels fast, and 1t is doubtfal 1 If before that day was over there was a single person, big or ilttie' wearing feathers or fur, in the Green Forest or on the Green Meadows, who | hadn't heard of the good things m | the Old Orchard Late that afternoon | just before the Black Shadows were l ready to start out from the Purple l Hills. grunting and whining and rat . l tlinR the thousand little spears Tn ms l coat. who should appear but Prickly 1 Porky the Poreupine. The news hao reached him and here he was
 "Dee. dee. deel See who's here, See who's herew cried Tommy Iii excitedly. ,.
 Thief! Thief! Thief! Go back tG tho Green Forest where you oelohs' l shrieked Sammy Jay harshly'
 Bark eaterl Bark eater! This 's no place for youl" shouted Chatterer the Red Squirrel. jerking his tall an erily. You don't belong over here
 "Caw, cav, cav, caw!" cried blacky the Crow from the top of an apple 1 tree. "Farmer Browns Boy hash anything for you. stupid.
 PrickIy Porky paid not the slgnt, eat attention to any of them, ou' eruntIng and complaining and rat fling his thousand little spears cam' ! straight on~up through the olo or 1copyright. 1922. by T. ". Burgess
 The next story: "Prickiy Porky Ii l Discovered.