Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 156, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1918 — DADDYS EVENING FAIRY TALE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DADDYS EVENING FAIRY TALE

by MARY GRAHAM BONNER

NEW ARRIVALS. “They don’t make the fuss over us they should,” said the rat kangaroo. “I don’t believe they know we’re here,” said the tree kangaroo. o “What is that you are saying?” asked the oldest kangaroo inhabitant. “We’ve only just arrived from Australia which is many, many miles away, and here we are in the Zoo ready to be admired,” said the tree kangaroo. “We admire you,” said the oldest inhabitant, “but we’d like to become better acquainted first.” “We’ve had a most Interesting trip,” said the rat kangaroo. “You should hear about it.” „ "I don’t believe it compares with, our many adventures and stories we could tell,” said the oldest inhabitant. * “Nonsense,” said the tree kangaroo, “we have traveled very far. We are new arrivals and the head keeper of this zoo was delighted to see us.” “He’s a very polite man,” said the oldest inhabitant kangaroo, not wishing to flatter the newcomers. “Why do you say that your adventures are finer and more interesting than ours,” asked the tree kangaroo. "Because we see a great deal of the world too. We don’t walk out to

meet the world, but the world comes to our cages to meet us,” the oldest inhabitant said proudly. The rat kangaroo looked at the tree kangaroo and they both rubbed their heads as though to say: “Poor old inhabitant —his brain is a little queer. 6 But while they were thinking this and saying nothing aloud the oldest Inhabitant went on talking. “You see people from all over the world come to see us. There are people who speak different languages and they stand in front and chat about us. Ah, the many languages which have been used in describing our charms!” And the kangaroo who had lived longest in the zoo waved his tail delightedly. “We have seen people from the South, the North, the East and West, and even from the center.” “Whatever do you mean by the center?” asked the tree kangaroo. “I mean here, of course,” said the oldest inhabitant. “I am judging the other directions from where I stand. Here in the zoo the keepers come to see us,‘ and then the outsiders come to gaze and admire as I’ve said before. “You see,” he continued, “it is true, though we don’t travel, we see people who have traveled! And that’s fine. We hear their stories. It’s far greater and more superior to hear of many journeys than it is to know of just one which we have taken ourselves.” The oldest inhabitant certainly did bring out his point, and the tree and rat kangaroo visitors wished they hadn’t boasted quite so much. It’s fine,” he continued, “to be talked of in many languages.” “Soon we will be as lucky as you are,” the tree kangaroo said. The oldest inhabitant smiled. He had made them feel less superior which w T as what he wanted, and now he felt he could satisfy his curiosity and hear about the trip. He had seen to it that they wouldn’t boast by making out his life a far more interesting one. “Who came along on this trip you speak of?’ the oldest Inhabitant asked. “Well,” said the tree kangaroo, “there was the rat kangaroo and then there was myself to begin with.” “That’s right,” .smiled (the oldest inhabitant, “begin with yourselves.” The tree kangaroo felt ashamed once more and began again. “There were two rabbit-eared bandlcots, two rufus-necked wallabies, two Tasmanian black phalangers, four marsupial mice, two water mongooses, two West Australian rat kangaroos—one my friend here —three yellow-footed rock wallabies, twelve snake-necked turtles, six blue-tongued lizards and ten dragon lizards.” The tree kangaroo paused for breath. ’ “ “Any more?” asked the oldest inhabitant, as if he had not been in the least impressed with the number. “That’s all,” said the tree kangaroo, and the rat kangaroo agreed by nodding his head and saying: “That’s all, but when we were all on one seemed like enough.” •‘Well, I give you all a cordial welcome,” said the oldest inhabitant with a low bow!

“I Give You a Cordial Welcome.”