Evening star., 1942-01-02
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON ". BURGESS.

BY THORNTON W. BURGESS.
It was only . little while after
Granny Fox and Reddy Fox had
given up trying to break through
the snow crust at the place where
poor Mrs. Grouse was q prisoner
that Peter Rabbit came hopping
along. Peter was going slowly, for
he found it very slippery, and he
had no mind to tumble. He was
thinking how very, very beautiful
the world was that morning, all
sparkling and flashing as If every
thing in it were made of glass.
Suddenly he heard a feeble tap,
tap. tap.
whats that?" exclaimed Peter
and sat up with his long ears held
very straight that he might hear
better. There it was again-tap, tap,
tap. 1t seemed to come from under
the snow crust of to one side. Pc
ter approached the place very cau-
tiously. He wasn't quite certain
whether to be afraid or not. 1t was
very curious. He hoped a step
nearer. Yes, indeed, it certainly
was very curious. He hoped an
other step nearer. Then, all in
flash. he knew what that tapping
meant. How he knew he couldn't
have said. He just knew. that was
all. 1t was Mr.. Grouse caught un-
der that great, thick, hard snow
crust.
Right away Peter thumped back.
as only Peter can thump. Somehow
it comforted Mrs. Grause to know
that he was there. although she
couldn't see him or talk to him.
She pecked at the cruel crust once
more. but she was so tired and weak
that her taps were very feeble. But
Peter was listening with all his
might, and right away he thumped
back. 1t was his way Of telling Mrs.
Grouse that a friend was close by
and to keep up courage.
Then Peter did some hard think
ing. What could he do to help Mrs.
Grouse? He knew perfectly what
had happened to her and what a
dreadful fx she was in. why, If
she doesn't get out pretty quick she
will starve to death. and that would
be perfectly dreadful" he exclaimed.
Il must do something"
Then Peter thumped as hard as
ever he could. He thumped and
thumped and thumped. hoping that
he could break through the crust.
But he couldn't, and when he was
quite out OF breath from humping
so fast and so hard he stopped to
rest and think.
Now, all this time jolly, round,
bright Mr.. Sun had been looking
down from the blue, blue sky and
smiling his broadest, for the Green
Forest and the Green Meadows were
very beautiful to look at. He had
seen Reddy and Granny Fox try to
break through the snow crust to get
Mrs. Grouse. Then he had watched
Peter Rabbit thump and thVnp in
the very same place. Then he had
guessed what was the matter. Yes.
sir, he had guessed that some one
was a prisoner under that beautiful,
cruel, hard crust. and he thought
right away of Mrs. Grouse He
hadn't seen her that day. and he
knew how she was in the habit of
sleeping under the snow.
Dear me! Dear me! This will
never do!" thought jolly, round
bright Mr.. Sun. II must help Peter
Rabbit set Mrs. Grouse free II she
is there" You know Mr.. Sun is
always trying to help others and
bring brightness and happiness into
their lives. So he pounded his warm
est beams right down on the spot
where Peter had been humping. for
he thought that he might be able
to break through 1t. But though he
did his best he couldn't help much
You see, Jack Frost was abroad
that day, and his breath was SO cold
that the warmest sunbeams couldn't
melt the icy crust.
Peter Rabbit saw what Mr.. Sun
was trying to don, and he looked up
and smiled. Then he thumped hard
er than ever. But after a while he
saw that 1t wasn't Of the least bit OF
use, and his heart sank. There isn't
anybody can break through that
crust unless 1t IS Farmer Brown &
boy," said Peter to himself. Right
then he had an idea. 1t was q
splendid idea! You know. Peter al
ways thinks his ideas are splendid
He jumped up in the air and kicked
his heels together for Joy. He
thumped once more to let Mrs
Grouse know that he was trying his
best. and then away he hurried
lipperty, lipperty slip, and where do
you think he was going? He was
going straight toward Farmer
Browns house. He was going fol
help.