English
BrownieBeavercouldn’thelpfeelingthatMr.Crowhadnottreatedhimverywell,becauseMr.Crowhadn’ttoldhimallthenewsaboutFriskySquirrel’stail.
HethoughtthatmaybetherewerethingsaboutanewspaperthatevenMr.Crowdidn’tknow.
Anotherweekhadpassed.Brownieknewthatithad,becausesinceMr.Crow’slastcallhehadcutanotchinastickeachday.Andtherewerenowsevenofthem.
LateSaturdayafternoonMr.Crowcamebackagain.HelightedontopofBrownie’shouseandcalled“Paper!”downthechimney,justashehadaweekbefore.
BrownieBeavercameswimminguponcemore.
“Lookhere!”hesaidtoMr.Crow.“Idon’tbelieveyonknowmuchaboutbeinganewspaper,doyou?”
ThatsurprisedMr.Crow.
“Whatdoyoumean?”heasked.
“Anewspaper—”saidBrownieBeaver—“anewspaperisalwaysleftonaperson’sdoorstep.I’vetalkedwithagoodmanypeopleandnotoneofthemeverheardofapaperbeingleftontheroof.”
Mr.Crow’sfaceseemedtogrowblackerthanever,hewassoangry.
“Howcananybodyleaveanewspaperonyourdoorstep,whenthestep’sunderwater?”hegrowled.
BrownieBeaverdidnotanswerthatquestion,forhehadsomethingelsetosaytoMr.Crow.
“I’vetalkedwithagoodmanypeople,”hesaidoncemore,“andnotoneofthemeverheardofsuchrudenessasshoutingdownaperson’schimney.
Iftherewasanybodyasleepinthehouse,itwouldcertainlywakehim;andifapersonhadafireinhishouse,shoutingdownthechimneymightputitout.”
Mr.Crowlookedratherfoolish.
“I’lltrytothinkofsomewayofleavingyournewspaperthatwillsuitusboth,”hesaid.ThenhehemmedandbegantotellBrownietheweek’snews.
“OnSunday,”saidMr.Crow,“therewasafreshet.”
“Iknewthatbeforeyoudid,”saidBrownieBeaver.
Mr.Crowlookeddisappointed.
“How?”heasked.
“Why,Ilivefurtheruptheriverthanyou,”saidBrownieBeaver.“Andsincefreshetsalwayscomedownariver,thisonedidn’treachyoutillafterithadpassedme.”
SomethingmadeMr.Crowpeevish.
“Idon’tbelieveyou’dcaretohearanymoreofmynews,”hesaid.“Youappeartoknowitalready.Perhapsyou’llbekindenoughtotellmethesortofnewsyouprefertohear.”
“Certainly!”BrownieBeaverreplied.“Now,there’stheweather!I’vetalkedwithagoodmanypeopleandtheyallsaythatagoodnewspaperoughttotelltheweatherforthenextday.”
Mr.Crowcockedaneyeupatthesky.
“Tomorrowwillbefair,”hesaid.
“I’mtoldthatagoodnewspaperoughttotellafewjokes,”BrownieBeavercontinued.
ButMr.Crowsneeredopenlyatthat.“I’manewspaper—notajest-book,”heannounced.
“Thenyourefusetotellanyjokes,doyou?”BrownieBeaveraskedhim.
“Icertainlydo!”Mr.Crowcriedindignantly.
“Verywell!”Browniesaid.“IseeI’llhavetotakesomeothernewspaper,thoughImustsayIhatetochange—aftertakingthisonesolong.”
“Ihopeyou’llfindonetosuityou,”Mr.Crowsaidinacrossvoice.Andheflewawaywithoutanotherword.Hewasterriblyupset.
Yousee,hehadenjoyedbeinganewspaper,becauseitgavehimanexcuseforaskingpeoplethemostinquisitivequestions.
HehadintendedallthatweektoaskAuntPollyWoodchuckwhethersheworeawig.
Buthehadn’tbeenabletofindherathome.
Andnowitwastoolate—forMr.Crowwasanewspapernolonger.
AsforBrownieBeaver,hesucceededingettingJasperJaytobehisnewspaper.
ThoughJaspertoldhimmanyjokes,BrowniefoundthathecouldnotdependuponJasper’snews.
Andasamatteroffact,Jaspermadeupmostofithimself.
Heclaimedthatthenewestnewswasthebest.
“That’swhyIinventitmyself,rightonthespot,”heexplained.
Share this article to
FINISH