Evening star., 1942-01-29
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON w. BURGESS.

ny ANORN AON W. 0ChOECCs
Where was Grandfather Frog?
Jerry Muskrat didn't know. Little
Joe Otter didn't know. Spotty the
Turtle didn't know. What is more,
not one Of them seemed to care.
They were 80 busy with their own
affairs that they couldn't waste time
thinking about Grandfather Frog.
At least, that is what they said
whenever Peter Rabbit asked them
about him. But to Peter the Smil-
ing Pool didn't seem quite natural
without Grandfather Frog. The fact
is. Peter was beginning to be wor-
ried. What If something had hap
pened TO Grandfather Frog? Who
would tell him stories, then?
"It's very strange" thought Peter.
Mistress Spring had come to stay,
for all the Hylas, who, you know,
are the children and grandchildren
of Sticky-toes the Tree-Toad, were
singing their loudest, and this was
one of the surest signs that Mistress
Spring has come for good. Peter
knew that they had come out Of the
mud where they had slept away the
winter, and he wondered If some of
them knew where Grandfather Frog
was, for it was in the mud Of the
Smiling Pool that he had gone to
bed after bidding Peter good-by in
the fall. He just ached all over to
ask them, but they were so shy that
he never could see one OF them. No,
sir. look as he would, he never
could see one of them. Peter re-
membered an old saying of his
mothers when he was little fellow
and asked too many questions. She
would say: Children should be seen,
but not heard" But that was not
the way the Hylas had been brought
up. They evidently believed that
they should be heard, but not seen.
So while Peter could hear their
voices coming right out of the Smil-
ing Pool on every side, he could
never catch so much as q glimpse
Of one Of them though he nearly
looked his eyes out. And, of course,
it was foolish to ask questions Of
people you couldn't see.
"The old fellow has oversight, I
guess. Perhaps Mistress Spring has
forgotten him. 1t would serve the
lazy old chap right" said Billy
Mink, who Is not always respectful
to his elders.
"Oh, you don't really think that.
do you?" cried Peter, quite upset
at the mere thought Of such thing.
Shouldn't wonder" replied Billy
Mink, winking at Jerry Muskrat.
Probably she thinks he is getting
so old that it isn't worth while to
wake him. I wouldn't blame her II
she didn't"
"Oh. Billy!" cried Peter. "I-I-if
I really thought she had forgotten,
I'd go remind her"
why don't you?" retorted Billy
Mink, once more winking at Jerry
Muskrat. You know Billy is a great
mischief maker and dearly loves to
get other people into trouble.
"She might not like it," replied
Peter, looking very thoughtful. She
might think that I was trying to
NEEDLE in her affairs. Still, I can't
bear to think that Grandfather
Frog has been forgotten. Why, what
would the Smiling Pool do without
him, I'd like to know?"
ut would do very well" replied
Billy Mink. "Of what use is an old
fellow who thinks he knows all there
is to be known. like Grandfather
Frog? He's"
"Chugarum!" exclaimed great,
deep, gruff voice, and it sounded
very indignant, very indignant, in
deed.
Peter Rabbit looked eagerly across
the Smiling Pool. There on the
end of Jerry Muskrat's old log sat
Grandfather Frog, for there was
no big, green lily-pad for him to
sit on yet.
"Oh, Grandfather Frog, I'm so
glad you've walked up!" cried Peter.
"Chugarum" replied Grandfather
Frog. What were you about to
say, Billy Mink?" But Billy Mink
was nowhere to be seen.