The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-15
Little Stories For Bedtime
By THORNTON w. BURGESS (Copyright. By T. w. BurgesS)
(By THORNTON BURGEss)


 WOU know what an acrobat IS. Oi course. He is one of those funny
 fellows who turn somersaults II the air and do all sorts of funny things that you wish you could do, but cannot Sooty the Swift is the acrobat of the air. That is what Peter Rabbit says any way, and Peter ought to know You see Sooty has shown Peter what he car do ill the air and Peter is quite surt that he can do some things which nc other bird can do. Any way, Petel never has seen any other bird do them It came about ill this way. Sooty hao promised to tell Peter about his nest and how he builds it in the chimney of Farmer Browns house. But Sooty didn't want the other birds to hear. T tell you what" said he to Peter, "you go back to the dear Old Brier Patch and late this afternoon I'll come over tore and tell you about my nest as l I've promised. I don't want the other birds to hear, for it is none of their business"
 "That will be fine," replied Peter ''There will be no one else in the dear Old Brier Patch but Mrs. Peter, and of course you won't mind her"
 ] NOC aL Ill, repllcu oooLS' ANOW run along and I'll see you later"
 So Peter scampered back to the dear Old Brier Patch and told Mrs. Peter all that he had learned about Sooty the Swift, which wasn't great deal, and how Sooty had promised to come over to the dear Old Brier Patch late that afternoon to tell them about his home in the chimney of Farmer Browns house and how he builds it there. Peter dozed away the day while little Mrs. Peter looked after the children. In the cool of the afternoon Peter was walk ened from a nap by voice just over head.
 "Chitter chitter chitter chit-chit !' cried the voice, and Peter's eyes popped wide open. SOoty the Swift had proved true to his word, and had come as he had promised he would. At once Peter called Mrs Peter, and they hurried out to the edge of the dear Old Brier Patch where they could watch Sdoty without any twigs or branches to interfere.
 Sooty saw them at once and came racing over them as only he can, Chit r-chitter-chit-chit p he shouted as his short, narrow, odd-shaped wings beat the air so rapidly that Peter couldn't for the life of him tell whether he use( both wings together like other birds ol first one and then the other, as some people say he does. Then he held then spread and sailed in little circle right over Peter and Mrs. Peter. "I'll have to do all my talking while I'm flying, he shouted.
 "Why?" asked Peter. "Why don you rest in one of these little trees her' in the dear Old Brier Patch?"
 Can't" shouted Sooty as he onc' more sailed over them. ''I never aligh in trees. at least not on the branches O trees. My feet are not made for perch ing like those of other birds. They ar, made for clinging with the help of .a! tail to the inside of hollow tree O chimney. I prefer a chimney becaus, it is easier to get in and out of. So couldn't sit on one of the branches O these trees if I wanted to; want to b, in the air"
 I've told Mrs. Peter how I saw vol go down Farmer Browns chimney anC thought you had fallen. I wish Peter stopped.
 What do you wish?" cried Soofty.
 ''I wish" replied Peter the next timt Sooty sailed over head, that you