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Show DADDYSllpa EVENING fit lFAlRYTALE.f "Mary Graham BDnner PROUD POPLARS Down by one bank of a river was a row of weeping willow trees, and on the opposite side stood a row of poplar pop-lar trees. One day the brownies thought they would like to have a breakfast party underneath the row of weeping willows. wil-lows. "Yes," said one of the elves, when the brownies were inviting them to their breakfast party, "I think It would be a tine idea. "But somehow, we've always felt sorry for those poplar trees standiug opposite. "I will tell you what we'll do. "We'll each have a breakfast party, and then we'll tell our experiences. "How about it, brownies?" The next morning the brownies with picnic baskets, and the elves with their picnic baskets started off for their breakfast parties. They went in boats of pond lily leaves down along the river until they came to the weeping willows and the poplars, and there they separated. "flood-by," they shouted to each other. And soon they could be seen from either side unpacking their baskets. "Well," said the elves to the poplar pop-lar trees, "we've come to honor you!" And they made deep, low hows before be-fore the poplar trees. The poplar trees paid not the slightest slight-est bit of attention. They still stood In Boats of Pond Lily Leaves. with their beads straight up In the air. Soon the elves heard the poplars muttering. This Is what they said: "Weil be much obliged if you go to those silly weeping willows." they whispered, as they waved Just a Utile In the wind. "The Idea of thluklng'you've paid us a compliment to come and oat your silly food here. "Why, It's almost an Insult to us why, wl we are the friends of the sun. "We're great friends of his. Io you suppose we care about silly people, or even elves, when we can chat with Mr. Sun? "Ami our little leaves play with the breezes. "Aren't they far more Important than anything else? "llreezes have their own way. you know. They're most Independent and do Just as they choose. "And we're very friendly with Mr. Moon we have very high-up friends. "And we'll thank you If you'll leave us." .Vow the elves couldn't help but laugh when the poplars said their ! friends were very high up. for cor- talnly no one could deny that Mr. Sun ; mid Mr. Moon were anything else hut high up In the world. I Put off they went to Join the brownies by the weeping willows and they told their story. "Why." whispered the weeping willows, wil-lows, "that's why we have so many f ticntls. "We like everybody we don't try to reach for the moon. "We're so glad you've all come. "We'll keep you so cool and If you want to know why we weep It's for Joy sheer Joy !" |