Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-02
Bedtime Stories
Bv THORNTON w. BURGESS


Happy Jack Squirrel sat way out
on the tip of one of the highest
branches Of big hickory tree. Hap
py Jack was up very early that morn
ing. In fact, Jolly. round, red Mr..
Sun was still In his bed behind the
Purple Hills when Happy Jack
hoped briskly out of bed. He
washed himself thoroughly and
was all ready for business by the
time Mr.. Sun began his climb up
the blue, blue sky.
You see, Happy Jack had found
a big hickory tree just loaded with
nuts, all ripe and ready to gather.
He was quite sure that no one else
had found that special tree, and he
wanted to get all the nuts before
any one else found out about them.
So he was ready, and off he raced
to the big tree just as soon as it
was light enough to see.
Tts nuts that grow in the hickory tree
They're all for me! They're all for mel
And when the ground is covered with snow
These nuts will keep me from hum
ger. you know.
Happy Jack was humming this
little song as he rested for a few
minutes way up in the top of the
tree and wondered if his store
house would hold all these big fat
nuts. Just then he heard a great
scolding little way over in the
Green Forest. Happy Jack stopped
.humming and listened. He knew
that voice. 1t was his cousins
voice-the voice of Chatterer the
Red Squirrel. Happy Jack frowned.
Il hope he won't come over this
way" muttered Happy Jack. He
does not love his cousin Chatterer
anyway and then there was the big
tree full of hickory nuts, such beau
tiful, fat hickory nuts! He didn't
want Chatterer to find them.
I am afraid that Happy Jack was
selfish. There were more nuts than
he could possibly eat in one winter,
and yet he wasn't willing that his
cousin Chatterer the Red Squirrel
should have single one. Now,
Chatterer is short-tempered and a
great scold. Some one or some
thing had upset him this morning,
and he was scolding as fast as his
tongue could go as he came running
right toward the tree in which Hap
Ply Jack was sitting. Happy Jack
sat perfectly still and watched. He
didn't move so much as the tip of
his big gray tail. Would Chatterer
go past and not see that big tree
full of nuts? 1t looked very much
as if he would, for he was so busy
scolding that he wasn't paying much
attention to other things.
Happy Jack smiled as Chatterer
came running under the tree with
out once looking up. He was so
tickled that he started to hug him.
self, and didn't once remember
that he was holding a big fat nut
in his hands. OF course, he dropped
it, and where do you think it went?
Well. sir. it fell straight down,
down from the top of that tall tree
and it landed right smack on the
head of Chatterer the Red Squirrel
My stars!" cried Chatterer. stop
ping his scolding and his running
together, and rubbing his head
where the nut had hit him. Then
he looked up to see where it had
come from, and of course he looked
right straight at Happy Jack.
you did that purposely!" screamed
Chatterer, his short temper far
ing up.
Il didn't" snapped Happy Jack.
you did,"
81 didn't"
Oh, dear! oh, dear! Such a sight!
Two little squirrels, one in a gray
suit and one in a red suit, contra
dieting each other and calling
namesl It was such a sad sight,
for you know they were cousins.