Evening star., 1942-01-23
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON w. BURGESS.

O1Ge0 ana OlCeQ naQ TeCef HdD-
bit wondered how or Mistah Bug
zard and all his other feathered
friends, who had flown away to
the far-away South at the first hint
that Jack Frost was on his way to
the Green Meadows, spent the long
winter. It seemed to Peter that
the South must be a very wonderful
and very strange place. He was not
at all sure that he would like 1t. It
must be very nice not to have to
worry about finding enough to eat,
and yet-well, Peter did have lots
of fun in the snow. 1t seemed to
him that all those little people
who went away certainly missed a
great deal. Now, Winsome Bluebird
had returned from that far-away
South with the good news that
Mistress Spring was not far behind,
and Winsome had promised to tell
him all the news of OF Mistah
Buzzard and the other friends.
"You see," began Winsome, "OP
Mistah Buzzard was born and
brought up in the South, where it
is always warm, and he just can't
stand cold weather. No, sir he can't
stand cold weather. Why, weather
that you and I would call comfort
able will make him shiver and
shake. That is why he wasn't ready
to come up with me. Now, I come
ahead OF Mistress Spring, but OF
Mistah Buzzard won't start until
he is sure that Mistress Spring
has been here some time, and he
will be sure not to have cold feet"
Gold feet!" cried Peter. "Who
ever heard of such a thing! Why, I
run around on the snow and Ice all
winter long and I never have cold
feet"
well, OF Mistah Buzzard does"
replied Winsome Bluebird. Yes,
sir. he is always complaining about
cold feet. You know, he hasn't any
shoes or stockings like you, Peter,
so between his bare feet and his
bald head he has, or thinks he
has, a great deal to worry about
every time there is a cool day, and
they sometimes have cool days even
way down South. Then you will al
ways find or Mistah Buzzard warm
ing his toes"
Peter scratched his head In a
funny way. IF you please, Winsome,
how does he warm his toes?" asked
Peter. "I never see him warming
his toes when he is up here. He's
always sailing round and round way
up In the blue, blue sky or else
sitting on a dead tree In the Green
Forest. I've never heard him COM
plain of cold feet or seen him try
to warm his toes"
"Of course, you haven't" replied
Winsome. He doesn't have cold
feet then, because it's summer time.
It's just as you say, If you don't
see him up in the blue, blue sky,
you are sure to find him on that old
dead tree. But down South 1t Is
different. If you want to see him
there and he isn't way up in the
blue, blue sky trying to get nearer to
Mr.. Sun so as to warm his bald head,
why you just look for him on a toe
warmer"
Peters eyes seemed to fairly pop
out with curiosity. whats a toe
warmer?" he demanded. 'T never
heard of such a thing. What does
it look ike?"
Winsome Bluebird chuckled soft
ly. Have you ever been up by
Farmer Browns house?" he asked.
Peter nodded.
Then you've seen that thing on
the roof out of which smoke some
times comes" continued Winsome.
Again Peter nodded. ''Well." con-
tinued Winsome, IF Farmer Browns
house was down South that thing
| out Of which smoke comes would be
one Of OF Mistah Buzzard's toe
warmers"
Peter looked sharply at Win
some to see if he really meant what
he said. Doesn't anybody live in
those houses down South?" he asked
suspiciously.
"Of course" replied Winsome. eff
they didn't how could Mistah Buz-
bard warm his toes?"
"And he isn't afraid?" persisted
Peter, as if it was very hard to be-
lieve.
Afraid" cried Winsome. why,
he hasn't anything to be afraid Of.
Mr.. Buzzard Is thought a great
deal of, a very great deal of, in the
South. and no one would hurt him
for the world. So every house has
a toe-warmer for him, which is
very nice for him. And you won't
see him back here until 1t Is so
warm that he forgets all about cold
feet" concluded Winsoma RlIlehird