Evening star., 1934-03-30
Bedtime Stories
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.

are you whining and complaining
about?" she demanded
Buster at once began to tell Of his
troubles. "Quack, quack!" interrupted
Mrs Quack. 1T i'll becomes such a
big, strong fellow as you to be COM
planning of such trif1ing matters as
tender feet and a little discomfort
when SO many others have real
troubles"
Il guess If you had tender feet you
wouldn't think it a trifling matter"
whined Buster. If I haven't real
troubles, I would like to know who
has"
"A lot Of people," replied Mrs.
Quack crbply. THE Big River is
over its banks
What of it?" grumbled Buster.
"A lot Of it," snapped Mrs. Quack.
Then she added sadly: Il fear lot
of little people have been drowned
and lot more are homeless and more
will be If the flood continues"
L was afraid there would be a
great flood this year" said Paddy the
Beaver. Mrs. Paddy and I have
been preparing for high water. but. of
course, We don't get a really big flood
back here in the Green Forest. Did
you come here from the Big River?'
Mrs. Quack nodded.
Did you stop at the Smiling Pool
down on the Green Meadows?" asked
Paddy.
There isn't any Smiling Pool and
there are no Green Meadows" replied
Mrs. Quack
WHAT" cried Paddy and Buster
together.
1T is a fact" replied Mrs. Quack
The water from the Big River covers
the Green Meadows"
Did you see anything Of Jerry
Muskrat?" inquired Paddy anxiously
NO" replied Mrs. Quack. 81
couldn't even tell where his house
was in the Smiling Pool for I couldn't
even be sure where the Smiling Pool
used to be. Jerrys house has either
been swept away or it is under water
didn't see a sign Of it or of jerry"
Probably he is using his house in
the bank" said Paddy
Mrs. Quack shook her head sadly
'You forget that told you the Green
Meadows are flooded" said she. That
means that his house in the bank
must be filled with water If they
haven't been drowned Jerry and Mrs
Jerry are homeless right now and
goodness only knows where they may
be-"
They can swim, can't they?"
grunted Buster Bear.
of course they can swim" retorted
Mrs. Quack, but unless they started
early before the flood became too
great they couldn't possibly have
reached the shore And there are
other people who live on the Green
Meadows and are not at all good
swimmers. I don't like to think what
may have happened to them. I have
seen many floods. but this is the
greatest flood within my memory. and
it means a lot of dreadful trouble for
a lot of people"
She turned to Buster Bear. "You
fully. You don't know what real
trouble is. Tender feet! If that is all
you have to complain about you are
lucky. Yes, sir, you are lucky. Tender
feet-bah!"
Did you come straight here?'
asked Paddy
NO replied Mrs. Quack. Il flew
far up the Big River and it is the
same all the way. Everywhere it is
over its banks and it is filled with
ice and logs and trees and all sorts
of things. I tell you what, I am
thankful I have wings. And I am
sorry for those near the Big River
who haven't. am going to rest here
a while and then I am going back to
see If I can learn what has become
of some of my old friends"
Paddy shook his head. "It is bad
news you bring, Mrs. Quack, bad news
and sad news. But I expected some
thing Of the kind. Too bad. Too bad.
(Copyrisht. 1e34.)