NEWS FROM THE OLD BRIAR-PATCH
To use your eyes is very wise
And much to be commended;
But never see what cannot be
For such as you intended.
Peter Rabbit.
Jenny Wren is a busybody. Yes, Sir, she certainly is a busybody. If
there is anything going on in her neighborhood that she doesn't know
about, it isn't because she doesn't try to find out. She is so small and
spry that it is hard work to keep track of her, and she pops out at the
most unexpected times and places. Then, before you can say a word, she
is gone.
And in all the Old Orchard or on the Green Meadows there is not to
be found another tongue so busy as that of Jenny Wren. It is sharp
sometimes, but when she wants it to be so there is none smoother. You
see she is a great gossip, is Jenny Wren, a great gossip. But if you get
on the right side of Jenny Wren and ask her to keep a secret, she'll do
it. No one knows how to keep a secret better than she does.
How it happened nobody knows, but it did happen that when Peter Rabbit
came home to the clear Old Briar-patch, bringing Mrs. Peter with him,
Jenny Wren didn't hear about it. Probably it was because the new home
which she had just completed was so carefully hidden that the messengers
sent by Peter to invite all his friends to call didn't find it, and
afterward she was so busy with household affairs that she didn't have
time to gossip. Anyway, Peter had been back some time before Jenny Wren
knew it. She was quite upset to think that she was the last to hear
the news, but she consoled herself with the thought that she had been
attending strictly to her duties, and now that her children were able to
look out for themselves she could make up for lost time.
Just as soon as she could get away, she started for the Old Briar-patch.
She wanted to hear all about Peter's adventures in the Old Pasture and
to meet Mrs. Peter. But like a great many other busybodies, she wanted
to find out all she could about Peter's affairs, and she thought that
the surest way to do it was not to let Peter know that she was about
until she had had a chance to use her sharp little eyes all she wanted
to. So when she reached the Old Briar-patch, she didn't make a sound.
It didn't take her long to find Peter. He was sitting under one of his
favorite bramble-bushes smiling to himself. He smiled and smiled until
Jenny Wren had to bite her tongue to keep from asking what was pleasing
him so.
[Illustration with caption: “THE QUICKEST WAY FOR ME TO KNOW IS FOR YOU
TO TELL ME,” REPLIED JIMMY.]
“He looks tickled almost to death over something, but very likely if I
should ask him what it is he wouldn't tell me,” thought Jenny Wren. “I
guess I'll look around a bit first. I wonder where Mrs. Peter is.”
So leaving Peter to smile to his heart's content, she went peeking and
peering through the Old Briar-patch. Of course it wasn't a nice thing to
do, not a bit nice. But Jenny Wren didn't stop to think of that. By and
by she saw something that made her flutter all over with excitement. She
looked and looked until she could sit still no longer. Then she hurried
back to where Peter was sitting. He was still smiling.
“Oh, Peter Rabbit, it's perfectly lovely!” she cried.
Peter looked up quickly, and a worried look chased the smile away.
“Hello, Jenny Wren! Where did you come from? I haven't seen you since I
got back,” said he.
“I've been so busy that I haven't had time to call before,” replied
Jenny. “I know what you've been smiling about, Peter, and it's perfectly
splendid. Has everybody heard the news?”
“No,” said Peter, “nobody knows it but you, and I don't want anybody
else to know it just yet. Will you keep it a secret, Jenny Wren?”
Now Jenny was just bursting with desire to spread the news, but Peter
looked so anxious that finally she promised that she would keep it
to herself, and she really meant to. But though Peter looked greatly
relieved as he watched her start for home, he didn't smile as he had
before. “I wish her tongue didn't wag so much,” said he.