Evening star., 1943-05-15
Bedtime Stories
By THORNTON w. BuRG

A1oRIN w. nOhNIESS,
When Chatterer the Red Squirrel
thrust his head in the hole in the
old apple tree in the Old Orchard.
without first making sure that it
was a safe thing to do, he received
one of the very worst surprises of
his whole life. 1t isn't often that
Chatterer is really frightened badly,
but he was this time. He was so
frightened that he screeched as he
pulled his head back out of that
hole and at the same time he quite
forgot that he was up in a tree and
tried to Jump backward. The result
was that Chatterer fell In the most
undignifled way. He fell from that
old apple tree to the ground, and
the instant he touched the ground
he raced for the old stone wall A
fast as his legs could take him.
His fall from the tree hurt him not
at all, unless it was in his dignity.
and at the time he was too fright
ened to think OF this. He had Just
one thought and that was to get
away as soon as possible. From the
doorway of Drummer the Wood
pecker's old home, which was the
doorway in which Chatterer had
so carelessly thrust his head, an
other head was now thrust out. It
was fiat, smooth black head and
from the mouth a slender, forked
tongue kept darting out and in. Two
sharp eyes which never winked or
blinked watched Chatterer, and If
ever there is laughter in eyes it was
in those.
Old Mr.. Toad happened to be un-
der that old apple tree and Chat
terer very nearly fell on him. It
gave him such a start that he lost
his, temper for just minute. He
opened his mouth to tell Chatterer
his opinion Of him, but before he
could find his voice Chatterer was
too far away to hear him. Then Old
Mr.. Toad glanced up to see what
had frightened Chatterer so. When
he saw that black head thrust out
from the old home of Drummer
Woodpecker he seemed to lust
shrink right up. His big popeyes
popped out more than ever. He
flattened himself down close to the
ground and held his breath. He
knew now why Chatterer had fallen
from the tree and then run with all
his might. He wished with mighty
wish that he could run as Chatterer
could.
Presently, that black head disap-
peared back inside the hollow in
the tree. Old Mr.. Toad waited a
few minutes. Then, with his eyes
rolled up at the hole where the
head had been, he stole softly back
of the tree. Once sure he couldn't
be seen from that hole, he began to
hop for all he was worth, and those
hops would have been a credit to
Grandfather Frog. All the time he
kept his eyes rolled back and in
them was just such fright as had
been in the eyes of Chatterer when
he fell from the tree. At last Old
Mr.. Toad had to stop for breath.
He crawled under piece Of board.
"As I live, that was Mr.. Black
snake!" he gasped.
He was right, was Old Mr.. Toad.
Chatterer was not the only one
who had taken 1t into his head that
some fresh eggs would taste good
that day. Mr.. Blacksnake knew just
as we'll as did Chatterer that it was
high time that Winsome Bluebird
should have set up housekeeping.
Being very good tree climber. he
had decided that he would have a
look in some of the holes in the
trees of the Old Orchard. If he
found some eggs, well and good, and
If he found the owners of the eggs
at home, so much the better. He
had had no success, and when he
reached the big hollow which had
been the old home of Drummer the
Woodpecker he had curled up in it
for a nap, for he was tired. He
had walked at the sound of Chat
bClCl CLAWS Ms ne CllHlDeQ Cne
tree, and when Chatterer had poked
his head in at the doorway, he had
almost poked it into the mouth of
Mr.. Blacksnake. Do you wonder
that Chatterer had tumbled out Of
the tree?
Once he had reached the stone
wall Chatterer hurried home Some
how, he didn't want eggs The very
thought of eggs gave him sick,
shivery feeling. He had no desire
to explore any more holes in the
trees of the Old Orchard. He was
perfectly content with other food. of
which he had plenty. The very
thought of the eggs made him shud-
der and gave him creepy feeling.
AS for Mr.. Blacksnake, he once more
curled up for nap and chuckled
as he thought of the fright he had
given Chatterer the Red Squirrel.
To him, it had been very, very
funny.
(Released by the Associated Newspaper