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Show TONIGHT'S BURGESS BEDTIME STORY By THORNTON W. BURGESS (LD MR. TOAD was so puffed out with pride as he started for the Green Forest to dine with Buster Bear that those who saw him wondered if he wouldn't burst before he got there. Everybody knew where he was going, and this made Old Mr. Toad feel more important im-portant and proud than ever. He might not have felt quite so puffed up if he had known just how it had come about that he received this second invitation to dine with Buster Bear. Jimmy Skunk had brought it to him, but Jimmy didn't tell him Buster had been asked to send the invitation and that it was all part of a plan on the part of some of Old Mr. Toad's old friends and neighbors neigh-bors to teach him a lesson. "What very good taste Buster Bear has," thought he, "and how very fortunate it is that he found out that I also am fond of ants." He was so busy with these pleasant pleas-ant thoughts of his own importance and the good dinner that he expected ex-pected to have that he took no notice of what was going on about him. He didn't see his old friends and neigh- He didn't see his old friends and neighbors peeping out at him and laughing. bors peeping out at him and laughing laugh-ing because he looked so foolish. He was beginning to get pretty tired by the time he reached the Green Forest and came in sight of the rotten old chestnut stump, where he was to meet Buster Bear. Buster was waiting for him. "How do you do this fine day?- Vou look a little tired and rather warm, Mr. Toad," said he. "I am a little warm," replied Mr. Toad in his most polite manner, although he couldn't help panting for breath as he said it. "I hope you are feeling well." Buster Bear laughed a great grumbly-rumbly laugh. "I always feel fine when there is a dinner of fat ants ready for me," said he. "It is very fine of you to honor me by coming to dine." Here Mr. Toad put one hand on his stomach and tried to make a very grand bow. Peter Rabbit, hiding behind a nearby near-by tree, almost giggled aloud. "I have ventured to invite another to enjoy the dinner with us," continued con-tinued Buster Bear. Mr. Toad's face fell. You see, he was selfish. He wanted to be the only one to have the honor of dining with Buster Bear. "He's a little late," went on Buster, "but I think he will be here soon, and I hope you will be glad to meet him. Ah, here he comes now." Old Mr. Toad looked in the direction direc-tion in which Buster Bear was looking. look-ing. He gave a little gasp, and turned quite pale. All his puffiness disappeared. He didn't look like the same Toad at all. The newcomer newcom-er was Mr. Blacksnake. "Oh!" cried Old Mr. Toad, and then without even asking to be excused, he turned his back on Buster Bear and started back the way he had come. "Ha, ha, ha!" shouted Peter Rabbit, Rab-bit, jumping out from behind a tree. "Ho, ho, ho!" shouted Jimmy Skunk from behind another. "Hee, hee, hee!" shouted Johnny Chuck from behind a third. Then Old Mr. Toad knew that his old friends and neighbors had planned this to teach him a lesson. TV W. Burgess. WNU Service. |