PETER'S BRAVERY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 31, 6 February 1932, Page 16

PETER'S BRAVERY

(Original.)

THERE was trouble in the Sparrow family. Bessie wanted to marry a - sparrow named Peter. Bess ana the other bird used t0,.-go for little flights together. They loved each other, and had not had a quarrel yet The trouble was that Mr. and Mrs. Sparrow wanted ■Bessie to stop at home, ana Bess and her parents argued for hours over this simple matter. One day Bess was sent to grandmother Mary Ann on an urgent message. Under her little strong wing she held a basket, which contained crusts, feathers, twigs^ and moss. After flying a good way she felt very tired, and seeing Peter on a nearby tree, she flew to it to have a chat. "Tweet, Peter! Tweet, Peter!" she cried. "Bess! What are you doing out in these lonely woods? You ""will get lost!" ■-.-; "Oh, Peter!" screamed Bessie, for she was falling. Peter had seen a stone hit her, and looked around quickly to see the Elf-Who-Is-Very-Queer. Somebody had namea, him "Elf Queerlin." He laughed at Peter and cried, "Now save Bess! Ha, Ha! Ho, Ho! Now, this elf was not a kind elf, and did all the mischief he possibly couia. Nobody loved or liked him. However, he made up his mind to have little Bessie for a wife, f She would come in handy to tie my bootlaces when they get all knotty, and make my porridge," he thought. But Bessie hated the idea of it. "Well, Peter flew to his little friend, and was very pleased to see she was not hurt, as she had fallen on soft moss and grass, Ethel was picking up the

contents of her basket (Ethel was Bessie's sister). Ethel sat ana talked to Bessie while Peter took the basket and delivered it to grandma Mary Ann.. Then he carried some wheat and water from Granny's house to Mrs. Sparrow's house. It was long after dinner-time now, and the grain was for dinner. Mrs. Sparrow was looking for Bess from the nest, and was fluttering her wings in an anxious way. When she saw Peter she naturally thought he was Bess, and cried, "Bess! Bess! Bess! Come quickly 1" When Peter reached the nest, she slapped his ears harder than he had ever felt before. Then Mrs. Sparrow, looking more closely, discovered it was not her own child. "Peter, tell me your story, and what has happened to Bess arid Ethel!" Peter then poured out the story, and to his joy he sighted the two girls not far off. "Well, Peter, I think you are a very brave little bird for going and getting the food, for if you had not we would have starved." Then Bessie's mother cried, "Ethel! Alice! Eric! Alan! Ben!" and five little birds flew swiftly to their mother. Then orders were given: "Ethel! Get sticks.'* "Alice! Get hair." "Eric! Get wool." "Alan! Get moss." "Ben! Get feathers." So, a comfortable home was made for Peiter and Bess. Soon there lay five little eggs in the nest, with the little wife sitting on them, while on the topmost bough Mr. Sparrow—the beloved husband—sang in a shrill voice. "CAROLINA MOON" (10). Brooklyn,