THE MISFORTUNES OF IRIS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 297, 14 December 1940, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE MISFORTUNES OF IRIS

Xine-year-old Iris waf very sulky Mother had said she was not to go down to the farm with her friend, Ann, wlien school was done, and she badly wanted to go, for Ann had promised to show her a whole family of baby rabbits that came popping tip from a burrow in the garden where one of her brother Roy's pet. rabbits had hidden itself. That was what Ann told her, and Iris waa wild with excitement to go and see them for herself. Aunt Amy had arrived just as Iris uns starting for afternoon school, and. Mums had come to the door as she was

r. setting out and called to her: "Darling! i I don't want you to go to the farm todav. Don't forsret." 1 0 Iris had not run hack to know the reason why, .'but had hurried along, trying U> pretend to herself that she had been out of earshot. "Why had Mums said that just today* It was too, too bad!" So a very sulky little girl arrived at school, and the afternoon was very long, and very dull in consequence. Iris fell into sad disgrace with her teacher through her inattention to her lessons, and lost the mid-afternoon recess. She sisnalled to Ann to wait for her at close of school, but she was late out, for the teacher kept her to hear her detention lesson, and it was a very impatient Ann she found in the playground performing a queer kind of hopping jig up and down the asphalt yard. "What made you go and fret kept in to-day ? ' was Anns blunt greeting. "I couldn't, help it!" wae on Iris' lips, but she suddenly felt that it was not true, so was silent. Toe two ran swiftly along until Ann's home came in sight, then Ann slackened her pace. "We needn't go so fast," she panted. "We've made up the lost time, I'm sure." Iris was feeling very hot and out of breath so made no reply, hut just followed Ann to the garden where the burrow wa£. Xothinnr alive was to be teen. Iris felt quite disappointed to have come all the way for nothing. She was just turning awav when Ann squealed: "Look! Look!" Sure enough there was a wee baby rabbit peeping from the burrow—a greyone.

Tlie little girls almost held thei: breath as. after a little hesitation, ou it came, followed soon by a little whit< one. then a black, then another grey, t couple of black and white, and anothei little black coat. ''Oh! the sweet wee things!" whis pered Iris. "The Mother Bunny made this burrow for a safe place for her 'babies," ex plained Ann. "'Rabbits always do, because the baby ones are blind for nine days, like kittens, and have no fur." '"Did you see them*" questioned Iris. '"No, of course not. They were safeh hidden in the burrow with the entrance stopped up. Mother Bunny had clone that. They only came popping up this morning when they were strong enougli tossere through, so they must be a fortnight old now." "How did you know they were blind and furless then?" demanded Iris. "Because daddy said so. and he knows." replied Ann firmly. "Rov does want to see them 'cause the mother rabbit is his," she added. "Why can't he?" inquired Iris. "Oh. I forgot you didn't know! He's very poorly and can't come out." "Then I shall take one in to him." said Iris. "I couldn't catch one." said Ann with a laugh, "nor can von. Mums says we mustn t forget that the babies belong to the mother rabbit; they are hers, and she will take better care of them than we could, and we mustn't touch them." But Iris, always determined to have her own way. pounced on one of the baby rabbits that had slowly ventured near the fresh lettuce leaf" Ann was holding out t-o it, and, to Ann's great surprise, actually caught it.

Then she was off like a bird into the house, heedless that Ann was shrieking "You mustn't, Iris! Mummy wouldn't let me go near him 'cause (the thinks he must be sickening for something." ir Her words fell on empty air. Iris, it w 'ith the baby rabbit, was in the hou-c te an< * ,' n t ' le room where poor Roy wait a prisoner awaiting the doctor's verdict. ?r He was so delighted to see her and the baby rabbit, and to hear the tale of all the bunnies popping up—she and Ann 5 " had finally counted thirteen, and they believed there were even more—that l:'o w gave her a big hug. Theu he drew t . away. s- '"Oh, Iris! I'm 'fectious I 'spec.. Ie Didn't Ann tell you not to come ini do hope the mother rabbit won't ksi! this little bunny," he went on anxiously. "She would if you had touched it before 7 it was nine days old." "Truly?" queried Iris.. "Yes, truly! Daddy says no on. l! ought to keep tame rabbits without a knowing that. Put it back quick!"' It w-as a very sober Iris who walked quietly home to tea. Mother and Aunt Amy had not. returned from their shopping expedition, ° so Iris had her tea. in the kitchen with 8 Dora, who was suffering from toothache and not at all cheerful. When her mother returned a very penitent Iris ran to meet her and pour s forth the story of her disobedience. v "Oh, Iris!" cried her mother. "If Roy has scarlet fever, as I fear he has, and you catch it, then it means six weeks of the summer for you away in the s isolation hospital, where Dad and I can't = be with you." And this, children, is just what did 1 happen to Iris.