see it clearly
Peter Rabbit Spreads The News
By Thornton W. Burgess
Peter Rabbit was so excited that he forgot all about going home. He forgot that he had been up all night and that he ought to go home and sleep a little. Indeed, Peter was so excited that three times he stubbed his toes and nearly fell flat on his way to the Green Forest. You see Peter had news, good news, to tell, and Peter is never so happy as when he is telling news.
The first on Peter ran across was Happy Jack Squirrel. "Hi, Happy Jack! I've got some great news!" cried Peter.
Happy Jack grinned. Peter Rabbit always had great news. At least Peter always thought it was great.
"Well, what is it this time?" asked Happy Jack.
"Winsome Bluebird has just arrived!" cried Peter. "And he says that gently Sister South Wind and Mistress Spring are close behind."
"It's too good to be true," declared Happy Jack. "Are you sure you saw Winsome Bluebird?"
"Listen!" said Peter, pricking up his long hears. Happy Jack listened. The sweetest of whistles came to his little round ears. It seemed to come from nowhere in particular, yet from everywhere.
"Hurrah! cried Happy Jack, "It is Winsome Bluebird!" And round and round he chased his tail just for joy.
But Peter Rabbit didn't stop to watch him. Peter just hurried along bursting with the news. He stopped at Unc' Billy Possum's house in the big hollow tree. He knocked a long time before anyone answered. Finally old Mrs. Possum poked her head out.
"What do you want, Peter Rabbit"" she asked crossly. Peter told her the news. Old Mrs. Possum looked at Peter sharply to be sure that he was telling the truth. Then she turned. "Get up, yo'alls!" she snapped. "Ah done got to do mah house cleaning."
Peter hurried on to tell Jimmy Skunk. Jimmy was sleepy and cross, too sleepy and cross to believe what Peter said, so Peter hurried over to Bobby Coon's house. He knocked and he knocked at the big hollow tree where Bobby Coon lives, but the only reply he got was an occasional snore from Bobby Coon. At last Peter gave it up and started for the Smiling Pool to see if Jerry Muskrat was anywhere about. When he got there he found that the Smiling Pool was still covered with ice and if Jerry Muskrat was there he was in his house or his castle where Peter could not reach him.
"Oh dear!" sighed Peter Rabbit. "It is dreadful to have such splendid news and not be able to tell people."
You know Peter is a great gossip and nothing pleases him quite so much as to be the first to tell a piece of news. When he told Sammy Jay Sammy just turned up his nose. "Pooh!" said he "I heard that long ago!" Now this wasn't true for he had only just heard it a few minutes before. In fact he had heard the whistle of Winsome Bluebird himself.
Peter almost ran his legs off that day carrying the news, and when finally he did get home to the dear old Brier Patch there was Danny Meadow Mouse worried almost to death for fear that something dreadful had happened to Peter.
"Why, I only stayed away to tell the news," said Peter sleepily.
"What news?" asked Danny Meadow Mouse.
Peter's eyes flew wide open. "Why, hadn't you heard?" he cried. "Winsome Bluebird has arrived and Gently Sister South Wind and Mistress Spring are close behind!"
Danny Meadow Mouse drew a long breath. "I must get ready right away to move back to my home in the Green Meadows as soon as they arrive!" he exclaimed.