Evening star., 1942-02-23
WASHINGTON, c. MONDAY FEBRUARY
Bedtime Stories
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.


Jumper the Hare was sitting under
a low-growing hemlock tree deep
in the Green Forest, where he could
look out over the pond Of Paddy
the Beaver. Jumper was not feel
ing at all good that morning. No,
sir; Jumper was feeling anything
but good. In the first place, 1t was
a long time since he had had real
good sleep. In the second place,
he couldn't rest easily minute
even with his eyes wide open. All
the time he felt as If his heart
might jump right up in his throat
any minute. And it was all because
Reddy Fox had set out to catch
him, and gave him no peace night
or day.
"Old Mother Nature certainly
takes better care Of some than she
does of Others" thought Jumper,
just wee bit bitterly, as he watched
Paddy the Beaver swimming about
in his pond. Now, there is Paddy,
perfectly safe out there in the water,
and here am I, not safe anywhere.
It isn't fair. 1t certainly isn't fair"
Then Jumper looked and listened
anxiously for the least sign Of Reddy
Fox. But all was quiet. and once
more he began to thing about the
unfairness of Old Mother Nature.
Now, that isn't a bit like Jumper
the Hare. Jumper Is almost as
happy-go- lucky as Peter Rabbit and
@olr {Iaiy,rC ttJct fhavv TT
wasn't long before he began to feel
a little ashamed of himself for
having such thoughts. He thought
of those long legs Old Mother Ma
ture had given him to take him
quickly out of danger and then he
remembered how Paddy the Beaver
has to get his food on shore, or most
of 1t, anyway, and how slow and
clumsy Paddy is out of the water.
The more he thought of this the
more ashamed he grew OF the
thoughts he had had of Old Mother
Natures seeming unfairness and
pretty soon he knew right down In
his heart that he wouldn't change
places with Paddy the Beaver If he
could, not even to get rid OF Reddy
Fox.
He was still thinking of this when
stick snapped little way from
him and his heart gave a great,
frightened thump. You see, ne had
grown so anxious and nervous that
whenever he heard q stick snap or
a leaf rustic he was sure 1t was
Reddy Fox trying to steal up on him.
Jumper held his breath and looked
in the direction from which the
sound had come. There, shufhing
along and muttering to himself, was
Buster Bear. Jumper grinned. 1t
was a very great relief to see Buster
Bear instead Of Reddy Fox. You
see, Jumper isn't the least bit afraid
of Buster, because he knows he can |
keep out of his way. Buster knows |
it, too, and so he wastes no time
trying to catch Jumper. So they
are very good friends. You see,
they understand each other per-
fectly.
Jumper hoped out and sat up in |
front of Buster Bear. Buster sat up,
too. Very funny they looked as they |
faced each other, one so very big |
and one so small, and both sitting
up in Just the same way. PADDY
the Beaver had to laugh as he looked
across at them.
Hello, Buster!" said Jumper.
"How do you like the Green Forests"
Busters little eyes twinkled as he |
grinned down at Jumper. Pretty |
well, Jumper; pretty well, so far.
Seems to me you are looking thin.
Yes, sir, you are looking thin. That
ought not to be in the beautiful
springtime in such q nice place as
the Green Forest Buster shook
his head as If he didn't understand
it at all.
ITS all your fault" cried Jumper
Buster Bear looked puzzled. How
is it my fault?" he demanded.
Then Jumper told him the whole
story, how he had been sent to in
vite Buster to meet the other little
people of the Green Forest, how
Reddy Fox had tried to catch him
and then had been terribly fright
ened by the sudden appearance OF
Buster and had run, and then how
he (Jumper) had run after him just
for fun, and how all the little people
were making fun of Reddy now, so
that he was spending all his time
trying to catch Jumper so as to get
even. Busters eyes twinkled more
than ever as he listened.
Perhaps can help you," said he.
"Oh, will you? That would be
perfectly Splendid" cried Jumper.