The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-26
Little Stories For Bedtime
Sammy. Jay Visits The Garden
sy THORNTON W. BuReEss


 CAMMY JAY wouldn't have admit - ted it to any one, but the truth
 is he was worried about Peter Rabbit. He was so. Never since he had known Peter had Peter ever been sick like this before. Mrs. Peter had said that it was from over-eating in Farmer Browns. garden, but this didn't sound quite right to Sammy. You see he had seen Peter stuff himself many a time until he couldn't eat another mouthful, but never had it made him sick like this. Sometimes he had had stomach-ache, but nothing worse. Any one is likely to have a stomach-ache from eating too much.
 Tt isn't the amount he has eaten but what he has eaten, thought Sam my as he flew over the Green Meadows towards the garden of Farmer Brown. "He has eaten something that is bad for him. I wonder if can find out what it is."
 He flew to a tree where he could make sure that the way was clear. No one was in sight, and Sammy flew into the garden. Almost at once he saw the mischief Peter Rabbit had done iu the lettuce bed. There was one half eaten plant a1ter anOLner.
 My stars! exclaimed Sammy Jay. What was Peter thinking of? Why couldn't he have been content with two or three plants? That bed looks as if dozen rabbits had been in it.. l wonder what Farmer Brown will say. Peter ought to have had more sense. The first thing he know he'll have Farmer Brown down on him.
 G., xyso taI fha rots, the beans and the cabbage plants. He saw where Peter had eaten off the carrot tops and the bean plants and he saw where Peter had nibbled at the cabbage plants. Sammy's eyes are sharp and he didn't miss a thing. Then he looked over the rest of the 20 0rden, but he saw no signs of Peter anywhere else.
 Its queer" thought sammy, "that nice tender young plants like lettuce and carrots and beans and cabbage should have made Peter so sick. Yes, sir, it certainly is queer. never knew them to make any one sick be- fore. I think I'll take a look at them a little closer"
 He flew down among the lettuce plants and looked at them closely. Then he did the same thing to the car rots and the beans. "They all looked perfectly good to me-" said he as he once more flew over toward the cab bage plants. Almost at once he mo- ticLd that there was something on the cabbage leaves. He cooked his head On one side and looked at one of those leaves closely. There certainly was something on it that never in the world grew there.
 What areyou staring at?" asked a gruff voice.
 Sammy turned to find Old Mir. Toad blinking at hi mfrOm under one of the cabbage leaves. Somehow Mir. Toad looked out of sorts. Sammy said SO, for he is one who speaks plainly and is seldom over-careful of other peoples feelings.
 T am," grumbled Old MT. Toad. If Farmer Browns boy expects me to work for him what does he come around meddling for? Tell me that {! Here I've been counting on many a good breakfast on cabbage worms, and when I get here what do I find?'
 What" demanded Sammy Jay.
 That they've been poisoned, that's what!" snapped Old MT. Toad. "So of course I can't eat 'em. See that stuff on those cabbage leaves?"
 "Yes," replied Sammy, "that is what was staring at"
 Well, that's it," grumbled Old Mir. Toad. That's poison, and when the worms eat it they die. I don't like dead worms, and if I did I would b.