OUR STORY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 15, 15 October 1943, Page 6

OUR STORY

MR SCROGGINS STEPS OUT 1 As Roger P. Scroggins (the hedge 1 liog) stepped toward the front door • with his high hat in one hand all ready to Joe placed on his head, and his cane in the. other, Mrs Scroggins s skipped from the kitchen and put herself between her husband and the front door. This made it necessary for Mr S. to stop, which he did. going into a low bow. "My dear," he said, "so here you are.." ; She smiled and. admitted as much, * then took from Avhere she had been holding it. behind her back a sprig , of pussy willow. "For your hat," she said, and stuck - the branch of shiny gray "pussies" into her husband's high hat. He r looked at the decorated hat; Avith a , broad smile of. pleasure. "My dear." he said, "if I had not been in the mood for spring before, I would be now." ' As he stepped from his cosy home at. the root of the. old Sycamore tree the sun was warm on the Common. Green was beginning to show here and there in the grass. His step was light and the swing of his cane was as jaunty a thing as one would see in miles of walking. He had walked only a short way when a whir of wings sounded—and at his sid.e was Araininta, the first robin. "My dear," said Scroggins warmly. "So you are here." "I've been in the neighbourhood for some time," said the first robin in her choicest spring accents, "but 1 just got to the Common th=is minute. I can show you some snowdrops and. a few crocuses if you'd like to see them." "Like to see them indeed!" said the venerable, hedgehog. "It was for things like crocuses and snowdrops and sunshine and green-turning grass that L canie out this morning —and," he bowed, "for such other welcome sights as yourself." Araminta acknowledged the gallantry by flying hurriedly in to the branches of a near-by tree, returning shortlj'. '"Follow me," she said.

Scroggins followed her along the ground. She Hew some and walked some. In a very few moments they came to a house where there, were window boxes filled with crocuses and .snowdrops. "There they are," said Araminta. Scroggins looked long and hard. So did Araminta. Suddenly she became quite apologetic, and would have blushed if that were her habit. 'Dear, dear!" she said. "My thoughts have been so full of crocuses and snowdrops that I forgot to tell you how splendid the pussy willows are in your hat." Scroggins took off his. hat, bowed low, and, quickly as anything, took off one of the gray buds and handed it to Araminta. She "accepted. it with a murmur of pleasure and flew away. Scroggins' step was high indeed as he turned homeward. "Mrs Scroggins. wiiiow. Araminta. Sun sh.ne. Greening Grass. Crocuses. Snowdrops. In short—Spring," he said to himself as he swung along.