The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-07
Little Stories For Bedtime
SAMMY JAY ARGUES WITH HIM.
SELF

|VOU know what 1t means to argue
OF course. Everybody knows
that. II ID TO try to make Others
think as you do while they try to make
you think as they do. II Is to try to
prove that you are right and some one
else is wrong. When you argue with
anyone you are said to be having an
argument.
Now, arguments sometimes are very
good things and sometimes very bad
things. People who can argue without
losing their tempers often do great
deal of good, because Ia this way they
bring out all the truth about matter:
But very, very often people who argue
lose their tempers and the argument
becomes q quarrel, and the quarrel be-
comes a fight, and 1t is all. very dread
full and a great pity.
sammy Jay likes to argue, but Sam
my 10 one Of those who is apt to lose
his temper unless he finds that he il
getting the best Of the argument. The
only safe thing for people like sammy
is for them to argue with themselves
and no one else. Sammy does that
once in a while IT is pretty good
plan. II more people argued with
themselves they would avoid a great
deal Of trouble in this world. They
wouldn't do great many of the mean
things they do do.
When Sammy Jay left the Old Pas
ture where he had found the new house
Of Reddy Fox and Mrs. Reddy and had
guessed the secret which It contained,
he flew back to the Green Forest In q
great hurry SO as. to spread the news
that Reddy Fox not only had a new
house over in the Old Pasture, but also
some babies. He hadn't seen those ba-
bies, but he was just as sure that they
were there in that new house as If
he had seen them. He knew that Ready
and Mrs. Reddy were doing their very
best to keep 1t q secret, and he chuck
led long and he chuckled mischievously
as he thought he would tell everybody
he met and so upset Reddy and Mrs.
Reddy and perhaps worry them and
make trouble for them.
Now, 1t was quite a distance to the
Green Forest, and because he met no
one on the way Sammy had time for
considerable thinking. He got to
thinking Of how he would feel IL some
one should find his nest and tell every
body just where 1t was and 90 perhaps
bring danger to the helpless babies
there. The more he thopght of this the
more uncomfortable he felt. He stopped
chuckling and flew to his favorite
thinking tree. 1t is tree in the Green
Forest where Sammy lis very fond OF
sitting alone By himself. A great deal
OF mischief has Sammy planned in that
tree. And there, TOO, he has planned
some of the good deeds which he has
done, the deeds which prove that SAM
my isn't really bad at heart at all.
@of course, I'll tell everybody Red
dy's secret" said Sammy to himself
when he was comfortably seated in his
tree. II ought to. Peter Rabbit ought
to know it. Danny Meadow Mouse
ought to know il. Bob White and
Mrs. Grouse ought to know il. They
ought to know 1t because Reddy Fox.
not to mention Mrs. Reddy, win hunt
great deal harder than ever before
to get enough to feed those youngsters
of theirs. Peter and Bob and Mrs.
Grouse, and a lot Of others, ought to
be put on their guard"
,...But you don't have TO tell where
Reddy's home. is,n"a said sammy b other
self. .sYou know perfectly well, that III
you tell this to Others they win tell
still others, and sooner or later it will
reach the ears Of Reddy's enemiea..
Then something may happen to those
babies" sss@
That isn't any business Of mime"
declared sammy.
yes, it u.s." replied his other self.
IF anything happened to one Of Red
dy's babies because you had told the
secret of where they are 1t would be
wholly your fault. You would be the.
one to blame"
II Wouldn't care" snapped Sammy.
There are too many Foxes any way"
"Yes, you would care" insisted the