Evening star., 1937-11-29
Bedtime Stories
BY THORNTON W. BURGESS,

Some people never try to please
But never miss q chance to tease.
old Mother Nature.
TT SOMETIMES seems as If Sammy
jays idea OF good time is to
make other people uncomfortable
There are people like that, you know
Sammy never misses a chance. He
doesn't appear to care a flirt of his
tail what others may think Of him.
Not thst Sammy is really bad. He
Isn't. He simply is full of mischief
There is a difference between mischief
and badness. Sammy will torment a
neighbor, and then turn right around
and save that neighbor's life bv
giving warning of danger.
Sammy had had good breakfast
this morning. He was in high spirits
and he hadn't anything to do. 1t is
ut such a time that people most
often get into mischief. You seldom
f1nd busy people getting into mischief.
1t Is the idle ones who do that.
Teasing and tormenting and making
trouble for others seems to be their
Idea OF having fun. Queer, isn't it?
Rather aimlessly Sammy Jay was
hying about in the Green Forest.
He was looking for some fun. At
Least, suppose that is what he would
have replied had you asked him what
ne was doing and could he have re-
piled. And it goes without saying
that Sammy's idea of fun is some
form of mischief. At last he found
himself in the neighborhood of an
old nest. 1t was one that Redtail
the Hawk and Mrs. Redtail were
not using this year. Sammy knew
all about that nest. He had visited
1t many times. In fact, he visited it
every time he came this way. So
now from force of habit he headed
toward that nest. He had Just set
his wings to alight on the edge of
that nest when he made a discovery
that caused sudden change of
mind.
"Awk!" exclaimed Sammy, and flew
over the nest and UP to branch
from which he could look down into
that nest. Could Sammy have
grinned, he would, am sure. have
grnned then. But, like other birds,
Sammy hasn't mouth for grinning,
80 he chuckled. There lay Bobby Coon
asleep.
For few minutes Sammy sat
there watching Bobby and chucklinp.
Then he flew down on the edge of
the nest, close to Bobby's head.
Thief" he screamed right in one
OF Bobby's ears, and instantly flew
up out OF reach. You know, Sammy
screams thief" at everybody. Per-
haps it is because he is a thief him.
self.
Bobby Coon awoke with a start
For Just a second or two he blinked.
Then he saw Sammy Jay and his
lips drew back in q snarl He glared
at Sammy Jay.
Thief! Thief Thiet!" screamed
Sammy as only he can scream, and
ne fairly danced with excitement.
Go of about your business and
leave me alone" growled Bobby Coon.
and turned his back to Sammy Jay
ana tried to go to sleep again.
But there was to be no more sleep
Tor Bobby Coon that morning, not
IN that nest, anyway. Sammy Jaws
voice carries far and all the feathered
folk who heard it knew that Sammy
had discovered some one for whom
feathered folk had no friendly feel
Ing. OF course. they all hurried to
Join Sammy. In surprisingly short
time Mrs. Sammy and several other
Jays. Blacky the Crow and some of
his fiock and number of smaller
birds were flying about that nest or
perched close by. Every one Of them
was screaming. Such a racket Nv
my, such racket
Some grew bold and actually
tweaked the long fur of Bobby. He
growled and snarled and snapped, but.
OF course, that did no good. Finally
he crawled out of that nest and
climbed down that tree, while his
tormenters, led by Sammy jay.
shrieked louder than ever. Once on
the ground, Bobby slipped out of sight
under some tall ferns.
Copyright, 1879