Evening star., 1932-05-21

TROUBLES are a part of life.
Anyway it would seem so. And
few there are, if any, who do
i not have troubles. Some people
manage to hide the fact, while
others tell the world about their hard
luck. 1t is those who master their
troubles instead of allowing their
troubles to master them who get the
most from life.
All Winter long Old Mr.. Toad had
had no troubles and for a very good
reason-he had ,,een asleep. Late in
the Fall he had chosen place in
Farmer Browns garden and there dug
his way down in the earth and buried
himself. He had buried himself very
thoroughly without even an air hole
to the surface. He had done it by the
simple method of digging with his
hind feet and at the same time back
ing in while the loose earth fell in
on him and buried him. He didn't
need a hole for air, because he would
for he intended to stop living in so
far as everything but his heart was
concerned, and that would have so
little to do that it would seem not to
be alive
So with his head bent down and his
feet tucked under him, Old Mr. Toad
had become almost as cold as the cold
earth around him, and as stiff as if he
were indeed frozen. and had not been
uncomfortable in the least, for he had
known nothing about it. He had been
asleep in that strange sleep that is
called Information. But for this strange
sleep a lot of little people and some
bigger ones would die with the COM
ing of Winter, for there would be no
food for them and they would starve
to death. Asleep they need no food.
So Old Mr.. Toad slept the Winter
away in Farmer Browns garden and
no one knew he was there, for no one
had seen him dig himself in. Sweet
Mistress Spring had arrived. Winsome
Bluebird and Mrs. Bluebird were in
specting the houses Farmer Browns
Boy had put up for them. in the Old
orchard. Down at the Smiling Pool
was Redwing the Blackbird, adding his
voice to the chorus of rejoicing from
the little music bags of Old Mr.. Toad's
tiny cousins the Hylas. Still Mr.. Toad
slept He knew not that Winter was
over and Mistress Spring had arrived,
for she had not yet awakened him.
Then came Farmer Browns Boy to
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and rake. There were certain seeds
to be planted early, and he had come
to prepare the ground for them. He
Whistled as he turned the brown
earth over with his spade. Now and
then he stopped to pick up an angle
worm and toss it out to one side where
Welcome Robin was watching. Now
and then he turned up stone and
picked this UP and tossed it aside.
1t was what he took to be one of
those stones that he had turned up
that he took in his hand to toss aside
1t didn't feel exactly like stone, and
this drew his attention to 1t. Under
the earth clinging to him he recog
nized Old Mr.. Toad. His face lighted
in pleased surprise u
well, well, WE'LL" he exclaimed.
$50 this is where you spent the Win
ter! And you are still asleep. I'll put
you out in the sun and see what that
will do to you"
So Farmer Browns boy gently placed
Old Mr.. Toad in sunny spot and
went on with his work. The sun was
warm. The air was warm. After
while Old Mr.. Toad moved leg just
little. He moved another leg a little.
He was beginning to waken. 1t took
long time to waken, for you know
he had been long time asleep. Even
after he began feebly to kick he knew
nothing about it.