Evening star., 1941-05-22
Bedtime Stories
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS


Those cousins don't look much
alike, do they?" remarked Jenny
Wren, as she poked her head out of
her house to gossip with Peter
Rabbit.
What cousins?" demanded Peter,
staring all about very hard.
"Those two sitting on the fence
over there. Where are your eyes,
Peter?" replied Jenny rather sharply.
Peter stared harder than ever.
On one post sat Winson.e Bluebird
and on another post sat Welcome
Robin. Il don't see anybody but
WinSome and Welcome, and they
aren't even related" replied Peter
with a puzzled frown.
Tut, tut, tut, tut, tut, Peter" eX.
claimed Jenny Wren Tut, tut, tut,
tut, tut. Who told you any such
nonsense as that? OF course they
are related. They are cousins. I
though everybody knew that. They
belong to the same family as
Brownie the Trush and all the other
thrushes. That makes them all
cousins"
"What?" exclaimed Peter, looking
as if he didn't believe a word of
what Jenny Wren had said. Jenny
repeated what she had said, and
still Peter looked doubtful. Then
Jenny lost her temper, thing she
does very easily. IF you don't be-
lieve me, go ask one of them" she
snapped, and disappeared inside her
house. where Peter could hear her
scolding away to herself.
The more he thought it over, the
more this struck Peter as good ad-
vice. So he hoped over to the foot
of the fence post on which Winsome
Bluebird was sitting. Jenny Wren
says you and Welcome Robin are
cousins. She doesn't know what she
is talking about. does she?"
Winsome chuckled. 1t was a soft,
gentle chuckle. Yes" said he, nod
ding his head, I'VE are. You can
trust that little busybody to know
what she is talking about every time.
l sometimes think she knows more
about the affairs of other people
than she does about her own. We'll
come Robin and I may not look
much alike, but we are cousins Just
the same. Don't you think Cousin
Welcome is looking unusually fine
this spring?"
Not bit finer than you are
yourself, Winsome," replied Peter.
politely. Il just love that sky-blue
coat of yours What is the reason
Mrs. Bluebird doesn't wear as bright
coat as you do?"
Go ask Jenny Wren" chuckled
Winsome, and before Peter could
say another word flew away.
Peter scampered back to tell Jenny
Wren that he was sorry he had
doubted her and that he never would
again. Then he begged her to come
out and tell him why Mrs. Bluebird
was not SO brightly dressed as Win
some.
Mrs. Bluebird, like most good
mothers, is altogether too busy to
spend much time on fine clothes,
and fine clothes need lot of care"
replied Jenny Wren, sitting in her
doorway and looking down at Peter.
Besides, when WinSome is about
he attracts all the attention. and
that is very great advantage"
Peter shifted. Il don't see any
advantage in that" said he.
DO You know where Winsome's
nest is?" asked Jenny. abruptly.
No" replied Peter, but I guess I
could find it if I wanted to. What's
that got to do with the difference
in the way Mr.. and Mrs. Bluebird
dress?'
only that it makes it easier for
them to keep their nest a secret"
retorted Jenny Wren. "Winsome's
beautiful bright coat draws every
ones attention to him, and Mrs.
Bluebird slips in and out of her
home without being noticed at all.
A plain suit often is a very great
advantage, Peter, especially when
one doesn't want to attract atten-
ton. I suspect that Mrs. Bluebird
is mighty thankful that Winsome is
so much better dressed than she is.
would be if I were in her place.
But. goodness me, I can't sit here
goSsiping all the morning"
Jenny Wren disappeared inside
her home, and Peter was left to
think over what he had learned.