The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-04
Little Stories For Bedtime
Jimmy Skunk Keeps His Word ,e Keep your word what'er you do, And to your inmost self be true.
sy YMosHroM W. suRaEss

WHEN Jimmy Skunk shouted down
 " the hall of Johnny Chuck's old
 house to Peter Rabbit that he would come back at dark he was half joking. He did it to make Peter un- easy and to worry him. The truth is Jimmy was no longer angry at all with Peter. He had quite recovered his good nature and was very much inclined to laugh himself. lover Peter's trick, which had sent him rolling down hill in a barrel and had given him the greatest shaking-up he ever had had in his whole life. But he felt that it wouldn't do to let Peter off without some kind of punishment and so he decided to frighten Peter little. He knew that Peter wouldn't dare come out during the daytime because of the yellow jack. cts, whose home was just inside the doorway of that old house, and he knew that Peter wouldn't dare to face him for he would be afraid of being treated as Reddy Fox had been So that is why he told Peter that he was coming back at dark He felt that if Peter was kept a prisoner in there for while, all the time worrying about how he was to get out, he would be very slow to try such trick again
 As Jimmy ambled away to look for some beetles he chuckled and chuck. led and chuckled Il guess that by this time Peter wishes he hadn't thought of that joke on Reddy Fox and myself, said he Perhaps I'll go back there tonight and perhaps l won't. He won't know whether I do or not and he wont dare come out"
 Then he stopped and Scratched his head thoughtfully. Then he sighed Then he scratched his head again and once more sighed. Il really don't want to go back there tonight" he muttered but. I guess I'll have to. 1 said would and so I'll have to do it. 1 be- lieve in keeping my word. If shouldn't and some day he should finC 1 it out he wouldn't believe me the next time 1 happened to say 1 would do 6 thing. Yes, sir, I'll have to go back There is nothing like making people believe that when you say thing you mean it. There is nothing like keeping your word to make people respect you. Being naturally rather lazy Jimmy decided not to go any farther than the edge of the Old Orchard, which was only a little way above Johnny Chuck $ old house, where Peter was a prisoner There Jimmy found warm, sunny spot and curled up for a nap. In fact, he sepent all the day there. When jolly round, red Mir. Sun went to bed behind the Purple Hills and the black shadows came trooping across the Green Mead Ows, Jimmy got up, yawned, chuckledi and then slowly ambled down to Johnny Chuck's old house. A look at the foot prints in the sand on the doorstep told him that Peter had not come out. Jimmy sat down and waited until it was quite dark Then he poked his head in at the doorway. The yellow jackets had gone to bed for the night.
 Come out, Peter, I'm waiting for you :" he called down the hall, and made his voice sound as angry as he could. But inside he was chuckling. Then Jimmy Skunk calmly turned and went about his business. He had kept his word.
 As for Peter Rabbit that had been one of the very worst days he could recall. He had ached and smarted from the stings of the yellow-jackets he had worried all day about what