Evening star., 1940-08-28
Bedtime Stories
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS

BY THORNTON w. bUHGESS'
Unc' Billy Possum crept along ir
the darkest shadows he could find
as he drew near the great hollow
tree which is his home. "Ah 'spects
Abs In fo' 1t! All 'spects All shoIy
is in fo' 1t this time" he kept NUT
tering.
You see, old Mrs. Possum had sent
Unc' Billy to find something for
dinner, but Unc' Billy had been Sc
excited because he thought he had
heard the voice of an old friend
from way down in OF Virginny that
he had forgotten all about that din
ner and had spent the whole day
hunting through the Green Forest
for the friend whose voice he had
thought he heard. Now 1t was dark
and Unc' Billy was disappointed, for
he hadn't found his friend; he was.
oh, so tired; he was footsore and
hungry. Worst of all, Unc' Billy
dreaded to go home, for ne knew
Just what old Mrs. Possum would
say, and you know her tongue is
very sharp.
So Unc' Billy crept along in the
blackest shadows until he got where
he could look up and see his own
doorway. Then he sat down and
watched a while. All was still.
There wasn't a sound in the great
hollow tree.
Perhaps NAH oil woman am out
calling and All can slip in and 60 to
bed before she gets back" said Unc'
Billy hopefully to himself as he start
ed to climb the great hollow tree.
But at the first scratch of his toe
nails on the bark the face of old
Mrs. Possum appeared in the door
way.
Good evening, NAH dear" said
Unc' Billy in the mildest kind Of
voice.
Old Mrs. Possum said nothing, but
Unc' Billy felt. as if her sharp black
eyes were looking right through
him. Unc' Billy grinned a sickly
kind of grin as he said:
"Ah hopes yo' all am feeling good
tonight
where's that dinner All sent yo
for?" demanded old Mrs. Possum
sharply. Unc' f1dgeted uneasily
"Ah done brought yo' two eggs from
Farmer Browns henhouse," he re.
piled meekly.
1.-TWO eggs! Two eggs! How de
yo' think All am going to feed eighr
hungry mouths on two eggs?
snapped old Mrs. Possum.
Unc' Billy hung his head. He
hadn't a word to say. He just
couldn't tell her he had spent the
whole day tramping through the
Green Forest just looking for an ole
friend whose voice he had thought
he heard when he ought to have
been helping her find dinner for
the eight little possums. No, sir
Unc' Billy hadn't a word to say.
My, my, my, how old Mrs. Possum
did scold as she came down the
great hollow tree to get the two eggs
Unc' Billy had brought! Unc' Billy
knew that he deserved every bit OF
it. He felt very miserable and he
was too tired to have a bit Of spirit
left. So he just sat at the foot of
the great hollow tree and said moth
ing while old Mrs. Possum bit
hole in the end of one egg and be-
gan to suck it. All the time she was
looking at Unc' Billy with those
sharp eyes of hers. When she had
finished the egg she pushed the
other over to him. "Yo' eat that!
she said shortly. "Yo' look as If
yo' hadn't had anything to eat to-
day (Which was true). Then yo
hustle up to bed; it's all ready fo'
yo'."
Unc' Billy did as he was bid, and
as he tucked himself into his snug
warm bed, he murmured sleepily:
"Or Mrs. Possum has a sharp, sharp
tongue.
But her bark is worse than her
bite;
For OF Mrs. Possum has soft, soft
heart,
Though she hides 1t way out oi
sight"