GOOD-NIGHT STORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 41, 18 February 1927, Page 17

GOOD-NIGHT STORIES.

DOTTY AND SQUEEDEE VISIT MRS. MOURNING DOVE. (Told by BLANCHE SILVER for PETEK PAN.) When Dotty spied the pretty grayishbrown bird on the fence rail she held her breath and wished for Squeedee, the wee elfin from Joyland. "I'm glad you called me," laughed Squeedee when he hopped down in front of Dotty. Quick as a wink she clapped her hand over his mouth. "Please, don't frighten that stranger away," she whispered in the elfin's ear. "'l'm dying to know who he is." '"Oli, that," laughed Squeedee, pointing to the bird on the fence rail. "Why, Dotty, I thought you knew Mr. Mourning Dove and his wife. Come here Mournv. I want you to meet Dotty, a little friend i of mine." The pretty bird flew down to the fence rail in front of Dotty and Squeedee, and' tipped his pretty greenish-blue head politely. i "I'm mighty glad to meet you, Dottyl he chirped politely. "I was just wondering why you were staring at me *o. I didn't know whether to fly away or nod to you. Thanks to yon, Squeedee." '"I'm sorry if I seemed rude," said Dotty, ''but I've never seen any bird like you before. Was that you I heard coofng over in the trees just a few seconds a»o':"

"None other than myself," chirped Mr. Mourning Dove. "I was trying to keep up my wife's patience. You know her, Squeedee."

"I certainly do," replied the elfin; "and a more shiftless, lazy, lovable lady-bird never lived. By the way, Dotty has never met your wife. Can't we go over and call on her!"

"Certainly you can," chuckled Mr. and Squeedee to ride upon his back. They climbed upon his pretty grayishbrown back, and away they sailed to the tree where Mrs. Mourning Dove was sitting on her rude, loosely-made nest.

"I'm mighty glad to know you, Dotty,'' she chirped, and moving over she showed Dotty her two pretty, white eggs. "Goodness! I should think you'd be afraid to lay them in such a loose nest," Dotty laughed. "Aren't you afraid your babies will tumble down between" the sticks ?"

"I don't know," mused Sirs. Mourning Dove. '"None ever have. Last year we spread our nest on top of a deserted robin's nest, and that kept them nicely. But we couldn't find one this year, so we just bundled the sticks up here, and I hope the youngsters will be careful."

"Can* you imagine how two naked little baby-birds will feel among those sharp sticks?" said Squeedee. "I thought you were going to try to build a neater nest this year, Mrs. Mourning Dove?" "I did intend to," replied Mrs. Mourning Dove, "but someway I did not start in time. Do you know, Mrs. Jenny Wren won't speak to me. I know I'm lazy and shiftless, but I'm going to try and do better next time, Squeedee."

'"I hope you do," laughed the elfin, patting the pretty bird on the head. "I guess Mourning Doves have been lazy and shiftless all their lives, and you just can't help being that way. But here's hoping the next time we come to visit you, you'll have a nicer nest." Then, bidding Mr. and Mrs. Mourning Dove good-bye, Dotty and Squeedee wandered on through the woods in search Of new adventures.