Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-03-08

opportunity to learn. There is
L no denying that Peter Is heed
less. Like a great many other
people whose intentions are good he
forgets easily. Out Of sight out Of
mind" IS an old saying with much Of
truth in 1t. It is so with Peter Rabbit.
| The great storm, which was followed
by bitter cold weather, brought much
Of hardship and suffering to many
on the Green Meadows. Peter Rabbit
liked to think he was one Of these.
bu: in reality he wasn't. Some people
are like that. They like to pity them
selves and to have other people pity
them. But none Of his neighbors pitied
Peter. It is true that he and Mrs. Peter
were forced to live chiefly On bark and
| tender twigs and buds of various kinds
such as they could reach and that they
soon grew tired Of this fare. but it was
food and it always could be obtained.
There was no danger of actual starva-
ton for Peter and Mrs. Peter. whereas
some of their neighbors were on the
| edge Of starvation much Of the time.
At first Peter kept to the dear Old
Briar-patch. But when the snow had
settled and crusted so that it would
bear his weight easily he began to look
longingly over to the Green Forest and
the Old Pasture. Mrs Peter saw this.
Peter Rabbit" said she severely, III
you have any sense at all you will stay
right here in the Old Briar-patch where
you are safe. Reddy Fox and Mrs.
Reddy. not to mention some others,
must be having hard work to get enough
to keep alive these days and must be
desperate"
That reminds me-" said Peter. that
| no hod oil If nV
Mrs. Reddy since the great storm. I
wonder why. You know. my dear, they
usually come proving around the Old
ar-patch after every bad storm on
the chance that they may surprise one
OF us outside. I wonder If anything has
happened to them"
| He inquired of Blacky the Crow when
the latter came around "Oh," replied
Blacky, II believe they have gone away
| to new hunting grounds. I saw them
the other day long way from here"
After that Peter kept sharp watch
for signs of Reddy and Mrs. Reddy, but
there were no signs. Sammy Jay hadn't
seen them. Tommy Tit the Chickadee
hadn't seen them. No one who visited
the Briar-patch had seen them. 1t must
be true that they had moved away, for
in such hard times as these they would
have to hunt by day as well as night
! and couldn't possibly keep out of sight.
So Peter visited the Old Pasture and
the Green Forest and found no trace Of
Reddy or Mrs. Reddy. At first he was
as watchful as If he expected one Of
them to spring out from behind each
! tree and bush, for he had it in mind
that they might return as Unexpectedly
as they had left. But as the days
slipped into weeks Reddy and Mrs.
| Daddxv oil r,,f Of ofor'c mind rThev
had been gone so long that the idea
that they might return seemed to him
| foolish. He simply forgot them.
When near the end Of the Winter
Reddy and Mrs. Reddy did return to
| the Old Pasture they were SO quiet
about it, and so successfully kept out
| Of sight, that their neighbors were slow
| to learn that they we're back. Peter
hadn't heard the news. He found 1t
out for himself and in finding it out he
almost paid heavy price. He had gone
over to the edge Of the Green Forest
and was sitting under a bush when he
heard sounds that caused him to prick
up his ears. Some one was very busy
Just a little way off and complaining
fretfully.
Jimmy Skunk" thought Peter, "look-
ing for BEETLES. I'll step over and in
ouire after his health" He didn't look
to see if any one else was around. He
was careless and needless. He was just
on the point Of hopping out from under
that bush when some one stepped out
from the shadows and sat down right
in front of him. Peter froze. as they
say, right where he was. This was
Fox sitting back to him.
(copyright. 1882
Taking Of identification heelprints OF