Evening star., 1943-04-30
Bedtime Stories
BY THORNTON w. BURGESS.

It's sammy's nature to suspect
And then to silently fit about
And watch and peer on every hand.
There are many people just like
Sammy Jay. 1t is very bad habit
At least, most people think so. 1t
Is very apt to make trouble for
others, especially If the one who
goes peering and spying about isn't
wise enough to guard his tongue and
keep to himself the things he finds
out, particularly if they be bad OF
unpleasant things. Sammy Jay
rather prides himself on knowing
when to talk and when to keep still
There are certain people for whom
Sammy delights in making trouble
Reddy Fox is one of these. Sammy
never is so happy as when he can
spoil Reddy's hunting. There are
others for whom he delights in
doing good turn. You remember
how he found Mr.. Quack for Mrs
Quack, and how he found Nanny
Meadow Mouse for Danny Meadow
Mouse. And many time he has
given his neighbors warning OF
danger.
OF course, Sammy Jay was one OF
the first to know about Reddy and
Mrs. Reddy. He saw Reddy's great
fight with the stranger fox up in the
Old Pasture, with beautiful Miss
Swiftwood looking on, and he knew
then that she would become Mrs
Reddy. There being nothing slow
about Sammy, he guessed right
away that sooner or later there
would be a new house, for he knew
that Reddy would not take Mrs
Reddy home to live with old Granny
Fox.
They'll dig new house either
on the Green Meadows or in the
Green Forest" thought Sammy
I'll just keep my eyes open.
find it is very good plan to know
just where my neighbors live. There
are times when the knowledge is
very useful"
So, as he went about his own
affairs, day after day Sammy kept
his eyes open for signs OF a new
house, but without success. Often
he saw Reddy Fox and Mrs. Reddy
sometimes on the Green Meadows
sometimes in the Green Forest, and
always together. But after the
arrival of sweet Mistress Spring
there came time when he seldom
saw either of them. This was the
time they were so busy digging their
new house up in the Old Pasture
Somehow Sammy hadn't once
thought Of looking up in the Old
Pasture for that new house. He
knew that Old Man Coyote lived
there. and he knew that Reddy Fox
had great deal of respect for Old
Man Coyotes strength and cunning
and 1t didn't occur once to Sammy
that Reddy could for a minute
think of making his home anywhere
near that of Old Man Coyote.
After a time Sammy noticed that
almost always when he met him
Reddy Fox was alone. The first
time Sammy didn't think anything
about it, but after he had met
Reddy alone several times. and had
noticed that Reddy was too intent
on hunting to stop and gossip as he
used to do. Sammy's sharp wits be-
gan to work. He began to grow
suspicious. Yes. sir, Sammy began
to grow suspicious. He went of
where he could be quite by himself
and there he sat down to think.
"Reddy and Mrs. Reddy have dug
that new house." thought he
There is no doubt about it. They
have dug that new house, and j
haven't the least idea where. Now
Reddy hunts alone most of the time
and he does a great deal more hunt
ing than I ever knew him to dc
before at this time of year. There
must be reason for 1t. There is a
reason for everything. He must
be taking food home. II he is doing
that 1t must be for some one besides
himself. / think I'll take q day on
and watch Reddy.. I have an idea !
may find out something interesting
That's what I'll do. I'll follow
RAddy without letting him know it,
Sammy chuckled. Then he spread
his blue wings and started to look
for Reddy Fox.
thsasassd b ths Associated NswspAsers) )