Evening star., 1942-04-11
Bedtime Stories
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.
funny thing it is to see
How those who bravely fight
30 bashful and so timid rroy

30 bashfui and so timid grow
Within lady's sight.
There was Danny Meadow Mouse
He hadn't been the least bit afraid
when he had met the fat, impor-
tant-looking stranger in front of the
house Of little Miss Nanny Meadow
Mouse. No, indeed, he hadn't known
what fear was. He had fought the
stranger unit! the latter had cried
for mercy and at last had run away.
Danny had chased him, nipping at
his heels and tail, until he was sure
that the stranger never, never
would dare come back. Then Danny
had brushed the dirt from his coat,
washed his face and hands. and had
started back for the house of little
Miss Nanny to make the call he mad
intended to make before he met the
stranger.
He felt very good. very good in
deed, did Danny. He had won a
great fight, and he felt sure that
little Miss Nanny had seen him win
1t. He was glad of it. She would
think him a real hero. At least he
hoped she would. He felt as If he
could fight any one in all the Great
World lust to win a smile from little
Miss Nanny. He even strutted as
he started back up the private little
path to Miss Nanny's house. But
as he came in sight of her house
funny thing happened. Yes, sir,
funny thing happened.
He stopped strutting. Quite sud-
denly all feeling Of boldness and
bravery left him. He couldn't be
sure, but he had had a feeling that
two soft little eyes were watching
him from behind the long grass that
hung over Miss Nanny's doorway
and the very thought gave him
funny, all-gone feeling inside. He
stopped and pretended to be look
ing for something. Then he went
on few steps, only to stop again
and pretend to be very busy brush
ing his coat. The fact is Danny
Meadow Mouse wanted to 60 on
more than he ever had wanted any,
thing in all his life before, and at
the same time he wanted to run
away.
Supposing, just supposing, little
Miss Nanny should refuse to see
him! The very thought quite up
set him. Or supposing she should
be angry because he had chased
away that fat, important looking
stranger! What should he do then?
When he had started out that morn
ing Danny had been the happiest
Meadow Mouse in the world, be-
cause-why, because he was in love,
you know. He was just as much in
love now, perhaps little more so,
but he wasn't happy, all because he
had suddenly grown so bashful. He
had thought himself very handsome
but now, quite Unexpectedly, he
found himself thinking that he
wasn't handsome at all. His coat
had been torn in the great fight
and he stopped to try to cover up
the rents. So little by little he drew
near to the house of Miss Nanny
Meadow Mouse
All the time little Miss Nanny had
been watching him. Danny would
have felt lot better If he could
have known just what she was
thinking. How splendid and brave
he is, and how handsome!" thought
Miss Nanny. HE must be the hero
1 have always known would come
for me sometime. Oh, dear, I won
der If look all right? Why doesn't
he hurry? I-I-Isn't he a dear?"
BY this time Danny had almost
reached her doorstep. Quite sud-
denly little Miss Nanny became very
shy, quite as shy and bashful as
Danny. What do you think she did2
Why, she slipped out the back door
and ran away and hid. Yes, sir,
this Is just what she did. Was there
ever anything so funny? There was
Danny, brave Of heart and bold in
a fight. so timid at the thought of
her soft eyes that he was afraid to
knock at her door, and there was
little Miss Nanny, sure that he was
the hero she had waited for, yet
running away and hiding.