LITTLE JACK RABBIT'S STORE

In a few days Little Jack Rabbit's store was finished, and all the Little People of the Shady Forest and Sunny Meadow were coming to the grand opening. It stood just at the edge of the Old Bramble Patch, on the corner of the Shady Forest Trail and the Old Cow Path.

A nicely painted post had been set in the ground, on which was fastened a sign printed in large letters:

In the doorway, between barrels of cabbages and turnips, stood Little Jack Rabbit, a smile on his face and a clean white apron over his little khaki trousers. His kind mother had made two of these nice aprons so that he would always have one to wear while the other was in the wash.

You may be sure he felt very proud as he stood, bowing and smiling to his friends who had come to wish him success in his new business.

"Too young to run a store," snapped Grandmother Magpie.

"If he's as honest with his scales as he is truthful with his words," answered Granddaddy Bullfrog, looking at her through his yellow-rimmed spectacles, "all his friends will buy here."

Mrs. Rabbit was tickled to death to think that her son at such an early age had started in business all by himself. It meant to her that he would become a multi-millionaire in a few years!

Chippy Chipmunk had left his store in charge of his brother so as to be on hand, and Featherhead stood at a little distance, enviously watching the friendly greetings.

Everybody was there, even Old Parson Owl, winking and blinking, from a shady spot in the forest, nodded pleasantly and wished the little rabbit good luck.

Suddenly a sharp bark came down the Shady Forest Trail, and the next instant Old Sic'em and the Farmer's Boy jumped over the Old Rail Fence.

Into the Old Bramble Patch went Little Jack Rabbit and his mother, while the Forest Folk either ran off or flew away.

"What's this?" cried the Farmer's Boy, kicking over the cabbages and turnips that the poor little rabbit had so carefully placed in front of the store.

Down fell the sign from the nicely painted post. Crack! it went under the heel of the Farmer Boy's shoe.

"Why didn't you catch 'em, Sic'em?" he asked crossly. Then he turned away and went whistling down the path.

"I don't feel much like whistling," said Little Jack Rabbit, "my store has all gone to smithereens!"

But Mrs. Rabbit didn't say anything. I think she was even more disappointed than her little bunny boy.