New Britain herald., 1927-11-12
By Thornton W. Burgess
Peters Suspicious Are Confirmed
To truth is jealousy most blind; The thing it seeks 'tis bound to find
 -Old Mother Nature

How long Peter sat watching the strange young rabbit, who looked like, yet wasn't Mrs. Peter, he never knew. He didn't want to make him. self known and this modest young rabbit seemed quite satisfied to do nothing. The fact is, she presently closed her eyes for a nap. Peter wanted to go on and yet he didn't want to go on. He was fairly burn ing up with curiosity. He wanted to know who she was.
 At last something happened that for the time being put this young stranger out of his head complete ly. His long ears caught the sound of faint thump. It was so far away that he could only hear it faintly. Perhaps it was old Jed Thumper. Peter strained his ears. He heard another thump. This time 1t was from another direction.
 That" said Peter, was old Jed Thumper. And that came from that brambie tangle where Old Jed Thumper lives. Now, who dumped that other thump?"
 Once more he heard 1t. It was still too faint for him 10 reco%niz" it.. Right away he started in that lirec- ton. He proposed to find out, and find out right away, who was up there humping in the Old Pasture. As he hurried along he heard anoth- er thump. He stopped short 10 lis len. This thump was not Old Jed Thumpcr. nor was it tn" other 'hump he had heard. old Jed Thumper's thump had been an an cry thump. This thump was not an angry thump. II Was just suCh a Ihump as little Mrs Peter had often signaled him with. Could it be Mrs. Peter signaling that other thumpcr? Peter ground his teeth a' tn" thought and hurried on.
 The next time hc heard 'hose humps they were rot far away. They were where he could locate hem There was no doubt that two rabbits were signaling each other. Peter could tell by the sound of one set of thumps that it was a big rabbit who was doing the humping. IL must be that handsome stranger who was doing tho dumping, the one he was looking for. He knew now exactly where that humping was coming from. II WaS coming from q certain bramhlc-tauglo through which he hims,lf had cut paths when he first came mp to inc old Pasture. expecting to stay there. This in itself was enough to make Peter very angry He didn't like tn" idea Of some on els" using his paths
 Peter loug"d to fhump q challenge 10 this strange rabbit. But he didn't do it. Instead he took the greatest care not 10 let that other rabbit know that he was about. Very care fully he cr"pt nearer and nearer. A last he reached place whcr" he could look into that bramble-tanglc, There sat big rabbit. He was T fine-looking rabbit. Much as h" dis liked to. Peter had to admit this, He was young, gooi-looking and big. He dumped strongly with his hind feet. There was an answer a light thunp from near by. Pc ter waited.
 Just a few minutes later a much smaller rabbit appeared. She en- tered the bramble-tauEle and went over and touched noses with the stranger. Peter saw it all very plain ly. II was little Mrs. Peter who was touching noses with this handsome stranger. II was just what hc had expected. Yet. now that he saw it. he couldn't believe 1t. His suspicious