Show ak BEDTIME STORY my by IV nuncess f WHAT THE TWINKLING LITTLE STARS SAW H HIGH IOU up in the darkened sky shy the little stars twinkled and twinkled as they looked down on tile the green meadows and the green forest on the old pasture the old orchard and the smiling pool no sign was there of 0 the little people who sleep at night for they were hidden away in their secret places trusting to their stillness and the clack black shadows shadows to keep beep them safe from those who were hunting for them but of the little people who see by night many were abro abroad ad over the green meadows and the green forest on noiseless wings coming and going as silently as one ot of the black blach shadows themselves ves paddy felt responsible for their safety was booty the owl looking for a dinner just beyond the edge of the dear old brier patch little mrs peter rabbit hunted for some clover leaves still green and sweet ready to run back to the safety of the friendly brambles at the least sound up the trucked crooked little path walked jimmy skunk the little stars winked and twinkled more than ever they knew where he fie was going he was headed straight for F farmer armer crowns browns henhouse down the lone little path through the green forest came uncle billy possum une unc billy was waa very fat on tile the edge ot of the laughing crook brook sat bobby coan very still and gazing very hard into a little pool bobby was fishing in the smiling pool was jerry muskrat so busy putting tha final touches on ills his house for or the winter that he could hardly take the time tor for a hasty lunch you tou know jerry Is a great worker but the most interesting place on which the little stars too looked ked down was the pond ot of paddy the beaver deep in the green forest all around in the edges the black shadows lay but out in intha the middle the pond was silvery in tile the starlight just where the black shadows and the silvery part met floated twelve queer looking things the little stars twinkled harder than ever tor for never before had bad they seen anything like these in the pond of paddy the beaver they were bonker Honk erthe the goose and ills his followers sleeping peacefully after their long long journey from the far north and the little stars saw more they saw paddy the beaver as busy as jerry muskrat his cousin of the smiling pool ile he was laying in supplies for the winter at the same time paddy was doing more f was keeping watch for danger not only for himself but for ills his visitors tor for paddy felt responsible for their safety that Is he be fe felt it that he should prevent any harm coming to them so he was very wide awake ills ears and his nose were busy every minute on guard for sounds and odors which might mean that ene enemies rules were coming the little stars twinkled as the they 7 watched and presently they saw three forms creeping stealthily among aming the trees toward the pond of paddy the beaver one came fro from the direction of the old pasture it was old man coyote the other two were together coming from the direction ot of the green meadows they were reddy and old granny fox the little stars have looked down on many exciting things that have happened in the night just as jolly round bright mr sun has looked down on many exciting things that have bap penel in the daytime this promised to be quite as exciting as anything they had seen for a long time for it was very clear that 0 old ld man coyote and granny and reddy ready fox were after a goose for dinner and you know there are no hunters more clever than these three As long as those sleeping geese we were re out in the middle of the pond they were safe quite safe but the watching stars saw that several of them were drifting antle little by little toward the shore would they wake up in time CS CE by J G lloyd service |