New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-10-25
PETER UNDERSTANDS At LAST
BY Thornton w. Burgess

Investigate II you would know
Why this u thus and that is SO.
Peter Rabbit.
1t was the most lonesome part of
the Green Forest. Peter Rabbit sell
dom wert there. He was there now
simply because he had been trying
to take q short cut to another part
Of the Green Forest. There was a
strong odor In the air. Peter didn't
have to be told what that odor was.
1t was the odor that only Jimmy
Skunk can produce from that little
scent-gun Of his. And because
Peter could smell that odor SO
strong he suspected that Jimmy or
one Of his family had been attack
ed somewhere around there.
Now, Peter felt nervous all the
TIME. Any one who would attack u
member Of Jimmy Skunk's family
wouldn't hesitate to attack a plump
Rabbit. 30 Peter remembered what
his eyes were for and what his ears
were for and what his nose was for,
and he used all three to the best of
his ability. But his eyes saw no
one and his ears heard no one and
his nose-well, his nose was Just
filled with the odor of Skunk. Peter
hoped about cautiously. always
ready to run at the slightest hint Of
danger. But all his hopping about
discovered nHtNi~g. Peter sat down
under q hem K tree to study and
think.
Presently it came to him that
that odor was the strongest when
he was in a certain place where the
wind blew In his face. Therefore
it must be coming from the direc-
ton from which the wind was COM
ing. He hoped over to that parti-
cular place. Sure enough, the wind
blew in his face and the odor OF
Skunk was stronger than Ever. Pc
ter hoped forward just little way
and found. the smell as strong as
ever and perhaps little bit strong
er. He cid the same thing again
with the same result. A third time
the result was the same. But the
fourth time, although the wind was
still blowing in his face, he got only
faint scent.
'I've gone past" thought Peter.
Il must have gone past. Yet
didn't see anything to indicate a
fight. I'll go back and look again"
So Peter went back a little way.
Then he turned SO that the wind
blew in his face and once more the
odor of Skunk was very. very strong.
Now. it CHANGED that Peter happen
ed to look UP just then. What he
saw caused him to duck for cover
Up in a certain tall tree sat Hooty
the Owl taking a nap. Peter re-
membered then that this was where
Hooty the Owl nested in the winter
and early spring.
"Why didn't ! think of it before"
exclaimed Peter. 1T was Hooty!
Of course, it was Hooty. He was
the one who tried to catch Jimmy
Skunk Jimmy must have thrown
some Of his perfume at him and
that is why ii smells so strong here.
No one but Ho5ty could stand it,
but he doesn't So N to mind. He
is sleeping as peacefully as if there
were no such thing as bad odor
Perhaps he doesn't smell if at all
But anyway. I have found out who
dared attack Jimmy Skunk and now
it is my turn to carry news"
So Peter slipped away and how
he did run-liprerty-lipperty-lip
Yes. sir. that is just The way he ran
-lipperty-lipperty-lip. And ever,
time he met any one he stopped
just long enough to tell them that
il was Hooty the Owl who had dar-
ed to attack Jimmy Skunk. So the
news soon spread all through the
Green Forest and all over the Green
Meadows.
copyright 1928 by r. ". Burgess)
The next story: Jerry Muskrat
Goes Back to Work"