Out of Context

No, I do not celebrate 4/20

The Burgess Animal Book for Children
Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo) Burgess

“Probably he has just found out that the only way to get anywhere on time is to start soon enough”

“No such thing!” declared Peter indignantly. “You –“

“Never mind him, Peter,” interrupted Old Mother Nature soothingly. “What was it you discovered?”

“That the very one we are to earn about is only a little way from here this very minute. Miner the Mole is at work on the Green Meadow; close to the edge of the Green Forest,” cried Peter eagerly. “I thought perhaps you would want to-“

“Have this morning’s lesson right there where we can at least see his works if not himself,” interrupted Old Mother Nature again. “That is fine, Peter. We will go over there at once. It is always better to see things than to merely hear about them.”

So Peter led the way to where he had stumbled over that little ridge on his way to school. It was longer than when he had left it, but even as the others crowded about to look, the earth was pushed up and it grew in length. Old Mother Nature stooped and made a little hole in that ridge. Then she put her lips close to it and commanded Miner to come out. She spoke softly, pleasantly, but in a way that left no doubt that she expected to be obeyed.