Show THE CHIPMUNK how he and belcome Vel come the spring As the woodchuck sleeps away the bitterness of cold EO in his narrower chamber sleeps tho chipmunk happy little hermit lover of the sun mate of the song sparrow and the butterflies what a goodly and hopeful of the earths renewed life is he verifying the promises of his own chalices the squirrel cups set in the warmest corners of the woodside with libations of dew and shower drops of the bluebirds carol the sparrows song of spring he come forth from his long night into the fullness of the sunlit day to proclaim his awakening to his summer comrades a gay recluse clad all in tho motley a jester maybe no fool his voice for all its monotony is inspiring of gladness and contentment whether he utters his thin sharp chirp or full mouthed cluck or laughs a chit lenng mockery as he scurried scurries ries in at hl narrow door he winds along his crooked pathway of the fence rails and forages for half forgotten puts in the familiar grounds brown with strewn leaves or dun with dead grass sometimes he ventures to the top rail and climbs to a giddy tea foot en a tree whence ho looks abroad wondering oa the wide expanse of an acre music hath charms for him and you may entrance him with a softly wins tied tuno and entice him to frolic with a herds grass head gently moved be foro him i when the fairies have made tho white curd of mallow blossoms into cheese for the children and the chipmunk it is a pretty sight to see him gathering his share handily and toothily stripping off green covers 1 filliat fil lint his cheek pouches with the dainty disks abid scampering awny to the cellar wilh his portion alack the day when the sweets of the sprouting corn tempt him to turn rogue for then he i becomes a banded outlaw and the sudden thunder of the gun announces his tragic fate he keeps well the secret of i constructing his cunning house without a show of heaped or scattered soil at its entrance bearing himself honestly and escaping his enemies the cat the hawk and the boy ho lives a long day of happy inoffensive life then when the filmy curtain of the indian bummer falls upon the year again he bids us along good night new england fields and woods |