New Britain herald., 1928-06-09
Farmer Browns Boy Interfcres
BY Thornton ". Burgess

Farmer Browns Boy was down
In the swamp looking for the fam
lily Of Longbill the Woodcock. You
see. he was doing his best TO keep
track ~ long as possible OF the
young Woodcock. So every day.
when he got chance. he went to
lock for them. BY this time Mrs.
Longbill had come to undes;tand
that he meant them no harm. So
shf paid him very little attention.
BIT she no longer permitted the
familiarity which she had permit
ted when she was sitting on the
eggs.
You see. Mrs. Longbill had
known, just as we'll as you Or /
would have known. that the eggs
could not possibly take care of
themselves. They couldn't run away
from danger. They had to remain
just where they were. So she had
remained with them. But now these
young Woodcock could look out for
themselves to a certain extent. go
Mrs. Longbill didn't feel the neces-
sity OF being quite so trustful as
she had been with the eggs.
Farmer Browns Boy was learn
ing a lot about Woodcock and their
ways. You know, Farmer Browns
BOY Is a very good observer. This
day he was seated on an old stump,
from which he could see quite a
distance between the trees The
Woodcock family had been feeding
very near him. He had had a lot of
fun watching the young Woodcock
get their first lessons in boring after
worms. At first they had not had
long bills, like their parents. but
they had grown very fast and their
bills had grown with them. so that
by now they had begun to look a
good deal like their parents. They
had fed along until finally they
had disappeared among the trees.
Farmer Browns Boy still sat
there on thu old stump. It was very
nice down there, for it VAS a beau
tlful morning. and he didn't feel
like moving on. Long ago he had
learned that the way TO see things
out Of doors is not TO 90 looking
for them, but to let them come to
him. More is 10 be sAnn sitting stiu
thar ever viii be seen by moving
about So Farmer Browns Roy vas
sitting still in the hope that h.
would see something morn Of inter
est
Sure enough. he did, Thosa keen
eyes Of his saw moyement S1me
distance back. A. least, ne thought
he saw something mo q, hut when
he looked again. there VAS nothing
to be seen. However. hn kent his
eyes fixed in that direction. and
presently he saw il again. Shadow
the Weasel he exclaimed under
his breath. Now, ! wonder u hat
that scamp is doing down here"
Shadow Was running with his
nose TO the ground. He ran this
way. he ran that way he ran the
other way. He twisted and turned
and ran from side TO sid. all the
time with his nose to the ground.
Hes following the tracks Of
somebody thought Farmer
Browns Boy. NOV, / wonder who
can have been along here recently
enough to have left a fresh scent.
Shadow is following that AZ If It
were perfectly fresh He vas APP
preaching the stump whore Farmer
Browns Boy was sitting, and tIcn
IT came to Farmer Browns Bow
. Yes. sir. like a flash it came to
him. ITS those Woodcock he is
after'" exclaimed Farmer Browns
Boy. and he sprang 10 his feet.
The instant he moved Shadow the
Weasel jumped back. but faced him.
showing his teeth and splitting like
an angry cat. IT really vas funrE
to think Of such little fellow as