OCR Text |
Show CHILDREN'S STORY By THORNTON W. BURGESS JOHNNY CHUCK DISCOVERS A GREAT TRUTH Whiever'a honest with himself With others will be honest too. Remember this where'er you go And whatsoever you may do. YllEV' Johnny Chuck reached v ' home he was so tired that for a while he even forgot that he was hungry. You know It was a long way from the other side of the Old Orchard down to that far corner for one so fat and stiff and sore as Johnny Chuck. At first I'olly Chuck would have nothing to do with him. But when after a nap Johnny cam-e out to get something to eat she saw how stiff and lame he was and she saw how he had been torn by the teeth of Iteddy Fox. She had heard all about that fight from Sammy Jay and down deep In her heart she was proud of Johnny Chuck. Now as she saw his wounds she was filled with pity. Very softly she sidled up to Johnny and gently licked his wounds. She didn't say a word. Just licked and licked, oh so tenderly. With every touch of her tongue, Johnny Chuck felt his anger because she had refused to go away with him melt away. At last there wasn't a bit left. Never had clover tasted bo sweet and delicious. Never had 1 x3 -. U for any other home anywhere In all the Great World." Polly Chuck smiled wisely, but she said nothing and after a minute or two, Johnny continued. "You mustn't believe, my dear, all that is told you of the wonderful things of the Great World," he said. "It has nothing, nothing at all to equal the peace and comfort and safety of our own home here." Once more Johnny sighed and as before It was a sigh of pure happiness. happi-ness. He had made a great discovery. dis-covery. He had discovered that the secret of happiness is contentment, and that contentment is to be found within, and not without one's self. So despite his stiffness and lameness lame-ness and soreness, Johnny Chuck was happy, and being happy, there was no room for bad temper. Suddenly Sud-denly it came over him that he was glad that Polly Chuck had refused to go away with him when he had insisted on looking for a new home, and he told her so. Polly made no reply, but went right on licking Johnny Chuck's wounds, and in every touch of her tongue was love and Johnny knew It. Presently when he had satisfied his hunger he lay down for another nap and beside him Polly Chuck sat up straight and kept w&tch. And when Johnny Chuck awoke they rubbed noses, which Is the Chuck way of kissing, and each knew that the old home betw on the roots of the old apple tree in the far corner of the Old Orchard was twice as dear as it had been before Johnny Chuck went away to seek a new home. . 1933, by T. W. Burgess. WNTJ Service. "Home Is the Very Best Place In All the Great World," Continued Johnny Chuck. the rustle of leaves in the trees sounded so pleasant. Never had the sky looked so blue or the fleecy clouds so white. Johnny sighed. It was a sigh of happiness and contentment. con-tentment. I'm glad I'm home," he said. "So am I," replied Polly softly. "Home is the very best place in all the Great World," continued Johnny Chuck. "Of course," replied Polly. "I've known that ever since we've had a home." "And this home of ours Is the safest and best home that ever was," said Johnny. "I wouldn't trade II |