Polite bunny

CHAPTER II.
PRETTY BUNNY’S JOURNEY

Pretty Bunny should refrain

From eating peanuts on the train;

She should not stare at any one,

So says good Old Father Bun.

The day for the journey came at last and Old Father Bun and Pretty Bunny waved their paws and cried,

“Good bye, good bye, we are happy, you know;

Good bye, good bye, on a journey we go.”

They went briskly along until they came to town, and stood on the right side of the street watching for a street car.

Pretty Bunny was so excited, she waved her red pocket handkerchief with the white spots in it at the street car conductor, and Old Father Bun said he was surprised to find she had such poor manners, but as she had never seen a street car before, of course, she did not know how to behave.

What a crowded car it was!

Old Father Bun said, “Wait ’till the car stops to get on board.” He was particular to have the fare ready so the conductor did not have to wait. He told Pretty Bunny, in some street cars you had to pay as you enter, and in some the conductor came to get the fares.

Pretty Bunny began to stare at the passengers for they were so interesting, but Old Father Bun remarked quietly,

“Good manners help us everywhere,

And one should never rudely stare.”

One passenger in particular interested Pretty Bunny.

He sat beside her and began to talk in a most familiar manner. He said his name was Bunny Brag, and he was going on a long journey. He said he had his Father’s old suit case to carry.

Pretty Bunny was so interested talking that she would have gone on past her crossing if Father Bun had not been looking out for her and said,

“You can have good manners if you choose;

You had better mind your P’s and Q’s.”

He meant that Pretty Bunny had better pay attention when the car stopped and be ready to get off, and he also wanted to remind her not to talk to strangers.

Said Father Bun pleasantly,

“You are starting on a real vacation,

And here we are at the Railroad Station.”

Pretty Bunny noticed a group of Bunnies who were talking loudly in the station and Old Father Bun remarked to her,

“Those Bunnies ought to hide their faces,

They have no business in public places.”

He went to get their tickets and check their suit-case, then they got aboard the train.

Pretty Bunny was so excited she cried, “Where shall we sit? May I take a seat next the window? Are all the seats reserved? How soon will we start?” She was so noisy that several passengers turned and stared.

Old Father Bun said,

“Pretty Bunny, let me explain,

We should have good manners on the train;

Let no one know where you wish to go,

And always speak in a voice quite low.”

Pretty Bunny was sorry she had made enough noise to attract the attention of other people, so she sat very still until the train started.

She began to think of her visit to Aunt Etiquette and wondered who the strange Rabbit could be who went so quietly on the stairs. She thought that the wheels suddenly said,

“Up the stairs, up the stairs,

Nobody cares, nobody cares.”

It was at this very minute that Old Father Bun asked Pretty Bunny if she could take care of the check for her suit-case.

Of course, Pretty Bunny said, “Yes,” and Old Father Bun added,

“Let me mention this again,

Don’t talk to strangers on the train.”

In a few minutes, Pretty Bunny felt a tap on her back. There stood Bunny Brag who had come on the same train without their noticing him. As Pretty Bunny had talked with him in the street car, somehow she did not look upon him as a stranger.

Bunny Brag sat down in the seat beside her and said,

“I have a check for my suit-case, too;

I tied mine with a ribbon blue.”

He felt in his pocket and found a piece of blue ribbon and tied it on Pretty Bunny’s check. Every once in a while they exchanged checks just for fun, and soon they had them so mixed up they did not know which really belonged to them. Bunny Brag said it made no difference any way, the checks looked just alike. They did not compare the numbers on them.

Bunny Brag said he was going on a long journey but he knew how to take care of himself for he had been in the cars before. He bragged a great deal about his trip.

He offered Pretty Bunny some peanuts and when Old Father Bun returned he found peanut shells on the floor and car seat.

He made the two little Bunnies pick them up and asked Bunny Brag to give him his seat. He then said to Pretty Bunny,

“I thought I told you this before,

Don’t throw things upon the floor;

If anything you have to eat,

Always keep the car-seat neat.”

He saw that Pretty Bunny had her check on a ribbon round her neck and thought no more about the matter.

Bunny Brag ran up and down the aisle for a drink of water.

Pretty Bunny said, “May I get a drink of water, too?”

Old Father Bun replied,

“Can’t you really wait until

We arrive at Bunnyville?”

He took out his little watch and said they would get to their journey’s end in half an hour.

The little silver watch was a magic watch and as Old Father Bun held it up to Pretty Bunny’s ear it said, as it ticked merrily along,

“Here is a true saying, do not doubt it,

You’re not thirsty unless you think about it.”

Old Father Bun continued it was a great annoyance for youngsters to always want a drink of water when they were away from home.

In a short time they arrived at Bunnyville.

They waited until the train stopped to get off and Old Father Bun helped Pretty Bunny down as she was so little. Then he took the check from the ribbon round her neck and got the suit-case and they tripped off merrily to Aunt Etiquette’s home.

When they arrived, there stood Aunt Etiquette in the door-way. She kissed them both and they soon sat down to dinner.

Old Father Bun said he must catch the next train home, so he soon bade Aunt Etiquette good bye, and Pretty Bunny stood and waved at him as long as he was in sight.

Then she said,

“Aunt Etiquette, what is the matter?

I don’t hear your Bunny ‘pitter, patter’.”

Now, Aunt Etiquette had beautiful manners, but when she did not want to answer a question she pretended she did not hear, so she often made an odd reply. Now she said,

“We will go up stairs, never fear,

And unpack your suit-case, dear.”

Up the mysterious stair-case they went, and each board creaked after them, for the house was very old, and Pretty Bunny did think she heard some one else beside Aunt Etiquette behind her, but as she turned she saw no other Bunny.

Pretty Bunny unlocked the suit case and took out the first garment. It was such a suit as Healthy Bunny would wear. As they kept on unpacking it grew worse and worse; there was not a thing for a Bunny Girl to wear.

Pretty Bunny sat down and cried.

Old Aunt Etiquette said,

“Pretty Bunny, please explain,

Did you exchange checks on the train?”

Aunt Etiquette thought of this, for she had once done the same thing when she was a little girl. Then Pretty Bunny explained the whole matter, and Aunt Etiquette said they would try to find Bunny Brag for he had her suit-case, of course!

Aunt Etiquette was a cheerful person and remarked,

“We will learn from a mistake,

Another one we will not make.”

Aunt Etiquette then explained that it was important to keep your own ticket and check on a train, and that though the checks looked alike they had different numbers upon them and each check belonged to its own suit-case.

When bed time came, Aunt Etiquette tucked Pretty Bunny up in one of her own nighties, though it was miles too big, and she kissed her, saying,

“Trouble now we will not borrow;

I’ll make you a dress to-morrow.”

Old Aunt Etiquette went down stairs to read the evening paper, and Pretty Bunny tried to remember some of the things she had learned on her trip.

She wondered if she would hear the “pitter, patter” again on the stairs.

The Old Grandfather Clock ticked away, singing,

“Our big front door we always lock,

Tick, tock, tick, tock.”

Pretty Bunny felt quite at home when she heard the kindly Old Grandfather Clock talking right outside her door, so she said sleepily,

“I’ll say my lesson over again,

We should not eat peanuts on the train;

And if for manners we really care,

At strangers we will not rudely stare;

And we can remember to speak low,

When on a journey we have to go.

Whether we have to ride or walk,

This lesson I hope you’ve learned before,

Please don’t throw things upon the floor;

If you’re a well-mannered son or daughter,

You’ll not ALWAYS ask for a drink of water;

To sum up these jingles as a whole,

Have you learned the lesson of Self-control?”

The Old Grandfather Clock enjoyed that very much and sang,

“Your advice is good but it sounds funny;

Go to sleep now, Pretty Bunny;

The Sandman never stops to knock,

Tick, tock, tick, tock.”

Before Pretty Bunny could think up another jingle she fell fast asleep.

About This Book

CHAPTER II. PRETTY BUNNY’S JOURNEY

CHAPTER II.
PRETTY BUNNY’S JOURNEY