Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1941-12-19
Bedtime Stories
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.

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Poor Old Granny Fox! She had
thought that she had been in tight
places before, but never, never had
she been in such tight place as
this. There stood Farmer Browns
boy looking along the barrel of his
dreadful gun straight at her. and
only such very, very little distance
away! 1t wasn't of the least bit of
use to run. That dreadful gun would
go Bang" and that would be the
end of Granny Fox. and she knew
ii. For a few seconds she stood
staring at Farmer Browns boy too
frightened to move or even think.
Then she began to wonde- why that
dreadful gun didn't go off. She was
sure that it would at the first step
she took. And yet she diCn't dare
stand there.
How could Farmer Browns boy
do such a dreadful thing? Somehow
his freckled face didn't look so cruel.
He was even beginning to grin.
That must be because he had caught
her mapping and knew that she
couldn't get away from him this
time as she had so many times
before. "Oh!" sobbed Granny under
her breath. And right then at that
very minute Farmer Browns boy
did something. Yes, sir, he did
something to Old Granny Fox. What
RI hi, he Iva
shoot her. He didn't fire his dread
full gun. What do you think he did
do? Why, he tossed handful of
snow at Granny Fox and shouted
"Boo!' That's what he did and all
he did except to laugh as Granny
gave a great leap and then made
those black legs of hers fly as never
before.
Every instant she expected to hear
that dreadful gun, as she had heard
it many times before when it was
fired at some one else, and it seemed
as if her heart would burst with
fright as she ran. But the gun didn't
bang, and after little when she
felt quite sure that she was safe
she turned to look over her shoulder.
Farmer Browns boy was standing
right where she had last seen him
and was laughing harder than ever.
Yes, sir, he was laughing, and
though Granny Fox didn't think
so, his laugh was good TO hear, for
it was good-natured and merry and
all that an honest laugh should be.
Go it, Granny! Go it," he
shouted. And the next time you
are tempted to steal my chickens
just remember that I caught you
mapping and let you off when I
might have shot you as easily as
could be. Just remember that,
Granny Fox, and leave my chick
ems alone"
Now it happened that Tommy Tit,
the Chickadee, had seen sll that
happened and he fairly dubbed over
with joy. Dee, dee, dee, chicEadee!
It's just as I said. Farmer Browns
boy isn't bad at all. He'd be friends
with every one If every one would
let him!" he cried.
Maybe, maybe" grumbled Sammy
jay, who also had seen all that had
happened, but he's altogether too
smart for me to trust. Oh my! Oh
my! What news this will be to
tell! Old Granny Fox will never
hear the end of it. If ever she
boasts again Of how smart she is
all we will have to do is to remind
her of the time when Farmer
Browns boy caught her mapping
Ho, no, no! I must hurry along
and find my cousin, Blacky the
Grow, and tell him" And. still
chucking, he hurried away.
AS for Old Granny Fox, she feared
Farmer Browns boy more than ever,
not because of what he had done
to her, but because of what he had
not done You see, nothing would
have made her believe that he
would like to be her friend. She
thought he had let her get away
just to show her that he was
smarter than she and could get her
when he pleased, and instead of
thankfulness in her heart hate and
fear filled it. You know
People who themselves do Ill
For others seldom have good will.