Evening star., 1941-12-23
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON w. BURGESS.
Merry, merry Christmas!
Joy fill every heart!
Spreading cheer and sladness,
ENnru one fake nartl

Spreading cheer. and sadness,
Every one take part!
Peter Rabbit never will forget this
Christmas Day. 1t is quite the glad
dest, happiest Christmas the dear
Old Briar Patch ever has known.
In the first place it is enough to
make Peter as happy as he possibly
could be to feel that he is alive and
safe at home with little Mrs. Peter.
1t made them both shiver to think
of what might have happened II
Peter had not needed the advice OF
Prickly Porky the Porcupine the
night before and come straight
home. They knew that Shadow
the Weasel would almost surely have
got him.
"Prickly Porky is the homeliest
and stupideSt fellow I ever have
seen, but I Just love him. I do so"
said little Mrs. Peter as she snug
gled up TO Peter.
Peter smiled. I've often heard
that you cannot judge people Just
by their looks. and now I know 1t.
l thought Prickly Porky didn't know
what he was talking about when
he told me that Shadow the Weasel
wouldn't follow me here, and l
thought him very heartless when
begged him for help. and all he did
was to send me home. But what
he really did was to give me
Christmas present, the most Won
derful Christmas present IN the
world, and now love him, too"
Little Mrs. Peter looked all around
and then she looked at Peter to see
if he really meant what he said.
Peter looked perfectly serious. II
don't see any Christmas present. l
don't know what you mean" said
she.
Peter laughed right out. Then he
leaned over and rubbed noses with
Mrs. Peter. Fuzzy, dear said he,
I'm right here, safe and sound, am
I not?"
Little Mrs. Peter nodded and
snuggled a little closer to Peter.
while her soft eyes were filled with
a great love and happiness.
well, I wouldn't be but for
Prickly Porky. He gave me my
life. That is, he told me how to
save 1t, which is the same thing.
Can you think Of any more Won
derful present than that?" Peter
looked at little Mrs Peter tenderly.
NO" replied Mrs. Peter softly.
IT hope Prickly Porky is just as
happy as We are. Now let's get some
sleep. We've had terribly anxious
night. and I'm ready for nap even
If it is Christmas morning"
A few minutes later jolly, round,
bright Mr.. Sun, peering down into
the dear Old Brier Patch. smiled as
he saw two little brown forms side
by side under the thickest tangle
Of friendly brambles. Peter and
Mrs Peter were asleep.
They had Just gotten to sleep
when right at the edge of the Brier
Patch the tinieSt noise made the
ears Of both Of them move just a
little. 1t was Farmer Browns boy
and in spite of the fact that they
had been asleep, and that there was
snow on the ground, and that
Farmer Browns Boy had walked as
softly as he could, their ears had
kept faithful guard: they had heard
him before he reached the Old Brier
Patch.
II wonder what he is up to now?'
| whispered Peter, but there was no
fear in his voice, as there would
have been once, for Peter had
| learned to look on Farmer Brown s
Boy as friend instead of the enemy
he used to be. He came right up
| to the edge of the Old Brier Patch
and peered into it in all directions,
but he didn't see Peter and little
Mrs. Peter. Peter knew that by the
| look in his eyes.
Suddenly Farmer Browns Boy
spoke, and the sound of his voice
made Peter jump a little inside. 1t
always did. Merry Christmas in
therel" called Farmer Browns Boy,
and tossed something which landed
with a soft thud right in the middle
of the Old Briar Patch. Then.
whistling merrily, Farmer Browns
Boy went away. When he was quite
out of sight Peter hoped over to
! see what it was that had been tossed
in there. It was half of a cabbage !!
Later, on the edge of the Briar
Patch where Farmer Browns Boy
| had stood Peter found a couple of
| turnips and some carrots. Do you
wonder that that was very, very
merry Christmas in the dear Old
Brier Patch?