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Show AARY GRAHAM. -BOOMER. SHY DOODLE BUGS "Daddy," said Nancy. In a pleading tone, "tell us a story about some new bug." "Well," answered Daddy, "bow about the spider?" "Oh, dear, no," laughed Nick and Nancy together, "we know all about spiders!" Daddy smiled and said: "I'm sure now that you've nevet heard about the doodle bugs, for they are very shy bugs, and very few peo pie ever see tiiem." "Do tell us about them 1" said Nancy "I've never even heard of a doodle bug." "The doodle bug," commenced Dad dy, "is a little gray bug with sharp, beady black eyes. "He is so gray that his back almost looks fuzzy. The doodle bugs always have their homes in the ground-usually ground-usually in as sandy a place as they can find. "I suppose they have their homes in the ground because they are afraid that the storms may blow over their homes or that people might walk over them as they do over the homes of ants. "The doodle bugs like to be alont most of the time. Neither do thej like to come out of their homes, for they're so used to the underground world that the light above hurts theii eyes. "Sometimes, however, the little ants give a party and invite the doodle bugs to it. "Now, the ants are the only play mates the doodle bugs like, but the ants have to beg hard before the n T m The Ants Have to Beg Hard. doodle bugs will come out of theii holes, and they always have to call: "'Doodle bug, doodle bug, come out of your hole 1' "The doodle bugs were so fright ened, though, at the ants' parties thai they decided they'd give up ever going out of their holes. "They thought the ants were verj reckless to play out-of-doors, where any moment they might be trodden over, but the ants were brave and didn't think of such things happening, and, besides, they liked the fresh air. "They were very fond of the doodle bugs and enjoyed playing with them. "So again, they tried to get the doodle bugs to play with them, but the doodle bugs would not budge from their holes. "Tlie doodle bugs' mother called out that all the little doodle bugs were sick from having eaten so much at the last party of the ants, and could not pos sibly go. "The ants didn't like it at all thai the doodle bugs wouldn't play with them, so they thought up a way to trick them. "They called : " 'Doodle hugs, doodle bugs, come out of your hole! Your house Is on fire, your chimneys will fall, and your children will burn !' "So out scampered all the doodle bugs as fast as they could, to the huge amusement of the ants, for the trick they had played was such an old, old trick." |