The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-04
Little Stories For Bedtime
By rHoRNrOM W. BURGESS
Old Granny Fox Hangs Around

Old Granny Fox Hangs Around WTHEN Old Mir. Toad told Peter w Rabbit that he thought he would stay a day or two i'll the dear Old Brier Patch to see how Peter got along, Peter thought that this was the only reason Old Mir. Toad had in mind, and he was very grateful. It didn't en- | ter Peter heard that Old MT. Toad was too tired to think of going back to Farmer Browns garden at once. You see, to Peter when he is well, 1t IS no | journey at all over to that garden. But to Old Mir. Toad it is very long | journey. If Peter had realized how long and how tiresome it had been to Old Mir. Toad he would have realized more than he did how very much Old Mir. Toad thinks of him.
 The same thing was true of Spotty the Turtle It had taken Spotty all afternoon to get from the Smiling Pool to the dear Old Brier Patch, whereas Peter, when he is we'll, can get from one to the other in just few minutes. It is just this way all through life. There are Peter Rabbits and Old MT, Toads among us humans. That IS, there are people who are naturally quick and others who are slow and have to work hard and consistently to get the things which others can get so quickly and easily. And very, very often it happens, | just as it did in the case of Peter Rab- bit and Old Mir. Toad and Spotty the Turtle, that people who are quick do not fully understand and appreciate all that the doing of certain things means to those who are slow and cannot pos l I.sk kn hnN fpu
 So Old Mir. Toad and Spotty the Turtle remained for a couple of days in the dear Old Brier Patch partly to rest, but Peter thought it was wholly because they wanted to be with him. He was very glad of company. Now that he couldn't run around poking his wobbly little nose into all sorts of places it was nice to have some one to talk to.
 The day after Peter's surprise party little Mrs. Peter, out getting her break fast of sweet clover, saw Old Granny Fox coming toward the dear Old Brier Patch. Mrs. Peter ate as fast as she could and then as Granny drew near scampered back into the dear Old Brier Patch.
 ''She has heard that Peter is sick and can't run and she's come over to see if she can catch him." thought little Mrs. Peter bitterly. Then she hurried to the very middle of the Brier Patch where she couldn't possibly be seen by Old Granny Fox. Mrs. Peter always feels safer when she is where she knows she cannot be seen. Granny Fox trotted up to the edge of the Old Brier Patch and peered in along one of Peter's pri- vate little paths. No one was to be seen and Granny trotted around to the entrance to another private little path. The same thing happened there; she saw no one. Granny looked disappoint- ed and continued all the way around the Old Brier Patch, stopping every few minutes to peer in between the brambles, and to cock her sharp ears and listen. But she saw no one and heard no one. Then she went off lit tie way and sat down where she could watch. Strange to say, she made no at tempt to hide No, sir, she didn't try to keep out of sight. little Mrs. Pe- ter, stealing to place where she could peep out, noticed this and puzzled over it a great deal. It wasn't at all like Granny.
 She must know that even if Peter could get about, which he cannot, he never would come out with her right in plain sight, never in the world" !" muttered little Mrs. Peter.
 Mrs. Peter didn't tell Peter about Old Granny Fox, but kept q watch. By and by Granny went away, but she didn't stay away long. A dozen times that day she went away and came back |