Show BEDTIME STORY FOR CHILDREN by THORNTON W BURGESS THE JOKER OF THE OLD ORCHARD aana A S pearn RABBIT sat blin blinking Ling x and staring at the sober looking stranger who abere he had expected to see glory the cardnal cardinal the stranger opened his mouth and from it came glorys own beautiful whistle then the stranger looked flown down at peter and his eyes tinkled tt with mischief fooled aou ou that time 1 I reter lie he chuckled you ton thought 4 4 I 1 from that wonderful throat poured out song after song you were going to see glory the cardinal sou nou alen without waiting for peter to reply this sober looking stranger gave a concert such RS as no DO one else could gle from that wonderful throat poured out song after son song and note after note of peters familiar friends of 0 the old orchard and the perform ance wound up with a lovely song which was au all the strangers own ovin peter have to ask who ho the singer was it was mocker the mockingbird oh gasped peter oil oh mocker how under the sun do you do it I 1 was sure it was glory whom I 1 heard whistling never again will I 1 be able to believe my own ears mocker chuckled youre not the only one ive fooled peter said lie be 1 I 1 flatter myself that I 1 can fool almost anybody if 1 I 1 set out to its lots t of fun I 1 may not be much to look at but when it comes to singing there Is no one I 1 envy 1 I think you are very nice looking indeed replied peter politely ive been finding out this morning that you cant tell much about folks just by their looks 11 and now youve learned that you cant always recognize folks by their voices you said mocker yes replied peter hereafter nere after I 1 shall never be sure about feathered folks unless I 1 can both see and hear them somebody told we me once that down in the south you are the best loved of all the birds Is that so not for me to say replied mocker modestly but I 1 can tell aou ou this peter they do think a lot of 0 me down there and it Is all on account of my voice I 1 would rather have a beautiful voice titan than a fine coat peter nodded as if he quite agreed which when you think of it Is rather funny for peter has neither a fine coat nor a fine voice A glint of mischief sparkled in mockers eyes theres mrs goldy the oriole over there said he be watch me fool her ile he began to call an exact imitation of goldys voice when he Is anxious about something at once mrs goldy came hurrying over to find out what the trouble was when she discovered mocker slie she lost her temper and scolded him roundly mocker and peter laughed for they thought it a good joke a T W wlm ser ice |