Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-06
Bedtime Stories
Nv THORNTON w. BURGESS.

Peter Rabbit didn't believe that
the Merry Little Breezes had told
the truth when they said that they
had found flowers in bloom. Not
that he thought they had delloer-
ately told an untruth. No, indeed.
He didn't think that. He thought
that they either were just trying to
tease him or that they had been
mistaken. But he couldn't get rid
of the thought that perhaps they
had seen something that he hadn't
seen, and nothing upsets Peter more
than the thought that others know
more than he does about what Is
going on in the Green Forest ana
on the Green Meadows. The Merry
Little Breezes had told Peter to use
his eyes. Just as If Peter isn't for
ever using his eyes! You know how
curious he Is.
If there are any signs of spring
which they have seen, I'd like to
know where they IRE, nauttereo
Peter, as he hoped all through the
dear Old Briar Patch looking sharp
ly at all the bushes and little trees
and brambles to see If any OF the
sleeping buds of leaves showed any
signs Of waking. But they didn't
and Peter felt satisfied that there
we're no signs Of spring in the Old
Briar Patch. And there certainly
we're none on the Green Meadows.
for these still were covered with
snow.
Then Peter made up his mind to
visit the Green Forest just to make
sure that he had missed nothing
there. They were just fooling or
dreaming or simply crazy" he NUT
tered, as he scampered about
through the Green Forest. Nowhere
could he find the least sign OF the
coming of Mistress Spring. There
was snow everywhere. Suddenly an
idea popped into his head. If they
really saw any flowers, it must be
that they saw them through the
window of Farmer Browns house.
I've seen them there myself"
thought he. why didn't I think
of that before? But the flowers up
there are no sign OF spring"
A few minutes later Peter came
to that part of the Green Forest
where Lightfoot the Deer had spent
the winter. 1t was quite sheltered
there-one of the warmest places in
all the Green Forest. In places 1t
was swampy. You know, a swampy
place is where the ground always
is very wet. In places the snow
had disappeared, and in one of these
places there was very tiny stream
Of water coming from place where
it dubbed up out of the ground. 1t
was a spring, and the tiny stream
was just the beginning of the Laugh
ing Brook. Peter stopped on the
edge of it. Just then along came
the Merry Little Breezes, and one
of them tickled his nose with
queer smell Peter shifted.
Smells like the scent Jimmy
Skunk carries around with him, but
I haven't seen Jimmy's tracks any,
where" thought Peter. Again he
shifted, and it seemed as II that
smell came right out Of the water
In front Of him. He stared at it q
minute. and for the first time he
noticed several brown things like
pointed hoods sticking above the
water. Peter leaned forward to look
at one a little closer, and then he
made a discovery. That smell like
Jimmy Skunk's perfume came from
the queer brown hood! Peter hoped
a step nearer so that he might see
better. On one side of that queer
brown hood was an opening, a mar
row opening. Peter was all curl
osity now. He crept still nearer and
held his nose while he peeped in
at that narrow opening. You see he
didn't like that smell, and so close
TO that little brown hood 1t was
very strong.
At first he couldn't see anything
but in q minute he discovered down
in the bottom of that little hood a
sort of thick stem all covered with
something yellow. Peters eyes
popped right out, and he looked
harder than ever. Then he saw
that thick stem was covered with
very, very tiny flowers, all yellow
with the dust-like gold which most
flowers have and which Is called
pollen.
Peter jumped foot straight up
In the air. why, the Merry Little
/ Breezes did tell the TRUTH he ex-
| claimed.
"Of course. we did" cried the
Merry Little Breezes, who had been
watching him. I'VE always tell the
truth. Those are the first flowers
~ TIA S-Aar and esapA ci~n <ket