Evening star., 1923-01-22
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Old Jed Thumper Was Right
By THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Being right Is gratifying
And extremely satisfying.
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By THORNTON w. BURGESS.
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old Jed Thumper.
The bramble tangle in which Peter
Rabbit and Old Jed Thumper had es-
capped from Reddy Fox was not>very
large. Reddy Fox could see all
through 1t, and so of course could
plainly see Peter and Old Jed
Thumper. But he knew better than
to try to get in there. Those bram-
bles were too thick for any one as
big as Reddy Fox. He saw how used
up Old Jed Tnumper was and he
grinned wickedly.
That fellow is half starved, and
that means he hasn't got much
self. Had he had to run a few feet
further I would have caught him.
There isn't anything to eat in that
bramble tangle, and those Rabbits
can't stay there a great while. At
| least, Old jed Thumper can't He will
haXs Rsn,,. 70 ,ae. get something 01 to eat Peter
he had had plenty to eat remem-
Der now that / saw a lot of food
down m the Old Briar Patch. left
| there by Farmer Browns Boy. OF
course. Peter is strong and can go
just forget him and watch for Old
Jed Thumper.'
So after snarling dreadful threats
| at Peter and Old Jed Thumper, Reddy
trotted away. He didn't even glance
bound for some other place far away.
But the instant he was out of sight
of Peter and Old Jed Thumper he
turned and swiftly circled around
until he could creep up behind some
ht yehA 4,
bramble tangle. Then he lay down
on the snow, curled his big bushy
tail around so as to keep his toes
and his nose warm. fixed his eyes on
| that brambls tangle and prepared
for long wait.
time to get his breath again. When
be did, he was so tired he shook all
over. Peter felt sorry for him. Yes.
sir, Peter felt truly sorry for him.
He forgot that Old Jed Thumper had
ever been an enemy, and the big gray
! Rabbit seemed to have forgotten that
he ever had disliked Peter. Common
trouble often makes friends of one
| time enemies.
After a while Old Jed Thumper
and Peter became anxious to get back
| to the dear Old Briar Patch.
7 think 1t is quite safe for us TO
go on now. don't you?" asked Peter.
Ola JED Thumper shook his head
very decidedly. NO." said he. II
don't"
Freddy Fox Is probably over in the
Green Forest by this time
Don't you believe it," replied Old
Jed Thumper. 'I know that red rob
Der. He's watching this bramble
tangle this very minute. I don't
know where he is, but he is some
where where he can see this bramble
tangle. He knows I'm half starved,
and he knows there's nothing to eat
in this bramble tangle. He will just
wait for me to como out. I'm as
sure OF 1t as I am that my ears are
long"
Peter didn't really believe it. He
thought it was just the result Of the
dreadful fright Old Jed Thumper had
had. But somehow he couldn't go off
and leave Old Jed Thumper. so he
stayed and grew more and more i'm
patient. He was beginning to get
hungry himself, and he wanted to get
back to the dear Old Briar Patch.
After long, long time who should
come along but Bowser the Hound.
Bowser had taken 1t into his head to
visit the Old Pasture. He shifted in
the bramble tangle, but he wasn't in
terested in Rabbits. Peter and Old
Jed Thumper watched him go on.
Suddenly there was a roar of his
great voice. and out from behind
some bushes sped Reddy Fox with
Bowser after him Old Jed Thumper
looked at Peter. Il told you So"
said he.
Copyright. 1923, BY T. W. Bursess)