Show BURGESS I I BEDTIME STORIES IIO 1 STOLE STOIE THE TIIE GGS By Dr THORNTON A W BURGESS Some Somi one or something it is clear Must cause a a. thing to disappear Downy the Woodpecker Yoo Downy the tho A Woodpecker and Mrs Downy had nested early this yeat yeal It was nas an early spring The feath- feath feathered ered folks who had spent the thc win win- winIt winIt r rp f 0 f 1 I 0 I It as just the Ilic Kind of stump slump that stilted ll ter In the Sunny Sunn South had re returned re- re returned returned turned early and anti some of ot these thes were already housekeeping Downy and an 1 Mrs Irs Downy Down not having been away had chosen their home ear tar ly It was WIS In ah an old dead stump In the Green Forest They had locked that old stump over many times during the winter It was Just tho time kind of or stump that suited them So when they thy had Iad made up their minds that the tho cold weather was eerily over they the had promptly set setto setto setto to work orl to cut out the thc nicest snug snug- snuggest snuggest snuggest gest little home that ever was in that old stump When the hole was finished they the built buill no nest All Allt they t ey did was waa W 3 to make make- a little bed Lcd of tiny tin chips chip'S and on this little bed betl of ot tiny tin chips Mrs Irs Downy laid one egg two two eggs gs three eggs s four eggs ggs They The were tho daintiest of ot little white eggs At first they the would have looked pink to you ou could you ou have looked at them be be- became because came cause the tho yolk olk could bo seen through the pearly white shell II My 1 how proud Downy and Mrs Downy were wert of ot those eggs sl My ly dear said Mr Downy Down wo w o have such an early carly start this year that perhaps we can cen raise two families I lies H N Walt until weve we've raised one be before b bb- bb fore foro you talk of ot raising two re returned re- re returned returned turned Mrs Irs Downy and anol see to It that you ou help protect these preci preci- precious precious ous OilS eggs Whenever I have to leave them to get s-et something to eat at you must be on hand to see seo that noth noth- nothing nothIng nothing ing happens to them What hat could happen to them 7 asked Downy Down I dont don't know but something might replied little Mrs Downy Down as she popped Into tho the nest and an settled herself herselt on those precious eggs I or a 1 day da or two Downy couldn't coul be induced to leave for more than thin thina thana a fL few minutes at a time When hen Whenever ever it became time for Mrs Mrs Ir Downy to go hunt for her meals meals Downy was right there to take care of or those precious eggs Never I did he see se anything that might be b dangerous Never r once did he see am anyone one who would woul l be likely like to be looking for those eggs He Tie didn didn't t worry over o them at nt all for the doorway to hK his hl home was so small 0 that few tew could l get tt through It It Of course If It Mr Ir Blacksnake should happen to find that home those eggs would be In danger But Downy Down had bal never ne seen Mr Black Black- Blacksnake Blacksnake snake over o in that part of ot the Green Forest so lie he didn't worry about that Of or course Chatterer the th Red lied Squirrel was to be con con- considered but Chatterer had his home some distance away and he was very ery busy there So Downy didn't worry Then carne came a II day when MM Mrs 1 rd Downy left Downy In In charge w while hils she the went to get h her r dinner For afew afew a afew few moments after Mrs Downy left leit Downy eat rat in the doorway of or his hits home As he sat there he saw over on a I tree a short distance away his cousin Hairy the Wood Wood- Woodpecker pecker Downy hadn hadn't t seen Hairy ir about out for some time and he lie Ie was anxious to lo know if It Hairy had be be- begun begun begun gun nesting yet jet yetI et I wont won't be gone but a minute or orto two to said Downy Down Those eggs are aro perfectly safe sate With Ith this he flew flow over to pay his his' respects to ls his cou cou- cousin cousin cousin sin sin Hairy Hair HP lie was prone gone longer longel than t 1 f. f he realized In fact ho he got back Just as Mrs Airs Irs Downy Donny returned She whisked In through the door door- doorway way In a a. moment she was out again and such a look as there was wason wason wason on her face tace hats hat's the matter my dear cried Downy Some one has stolen my preci preci- precious precious precious ous precious eggs eggs' eggs sobbed Mrs Downy Dow ny Copyright 1927 1921 T T. W Burgess The next story stor The story The The Thief Is Discovered |