About two weeks before the close of school, Miss Hare met with a
misfortune. Because of the great amount of work she had to do, grading
examination papers, her eyes became so weak that she scarcely could
use them. Tiny felt sorry for the patient, hard-working teacher, and
offered to be of assistance to her.
“You may come into the schoolroom and help me,” she said to him one
Saturday morning. “I have a number of important letters to write. You
are very painstaking, and I shall be glad to have your assistance.”
Tiny followed her into the room and sat down beside the desk, very
happy to be of some use to one he so thoroughly respected. The material
upon which he wrote was not so white and smooth as the paper used in
schoolrooms nowadays. It was simply birch bark that could be rolled
up and tied with heavy grass. The ink he used was the juice of the
pokeberry, and his pen was a goose quill.
[Illustration: AS SOON AS HE HAD WRITTEN A LETTER, HE ROLLED IT NEATLY,
ADDRESSED IT CAREFULLY, AND GAVE IT TO BILLY BEAVER, WHO CALLED A
CARRIER PIGEON.]
As soon as he had written a letter, he rolled it neatly, addressed it
carefully, and gave it to Billy Beaver, who called a carrier pigeon to
take it to its place of destination.
During the hour that Tiny spent in the schoolroom that morning, he
learned about money orders and drafts, for it is said that at one time
the more enlightened residents of Animal Kingdom made use of them.
Here are a few letters that Tiny either wrote or read for Miss Hare:
1. BUSINESS LETTER.
Beaver Creek, Joy Co., Animal Kingdom,
May 25,----
Messrs. Sheep, Goat & Co.,
63, 65, 67 Bleat Street,
Herd City, Animal Kingdom.
Gentlemen:
Please send at your earliest convenience the following articles for
use in my boarding school:
2 quarts milk.
15 pounds wool.
1 dozen quills.
I enclose money order for three dollars.
Yours respectfully,
(MISS) MOLLY HARE.
2. BUSINESS LETTER.
Beaver Creek, Joy Co., Animal Kingdom,
May 25,----
Messrs. Fido, Carlo & Co.,
Dogtown, Animal Kingdom.
Gentlemen:
Please send by Pony Express:
1 uniform for janitor, size No. 3.
2 yards horsehair cloth, as per sample.
1 school bench, as per catalogue.
Enclosed find draft for ten dollars ($10).
Respectfully,
(MISS) MOLLY HARE.
3. BUSINESS LETTER.
118 Hill Avenue,
Rolling City,
May 16,----
Miss Molly Hare,
Principal, Beaver Creek School,
Beaver Creek, Animal Kingdom.
Dear Madam:
For the enclosed money order ($1.25) please send to my address “The
Beaver Creek School Journal” for one year, beginning next month.
Yours truly,
JUMPINGTON PRAIRIEDOG.
4. INFORMAL NOTE.
Dear Miss Hare:
Please excuse Glossy Marten from school all next week on account of
illness in the family.
Will you kindly tell her to travel via Central Route to avoid danger?
Very respectfully yours,
MRS. BEAUTY MARTEN.
5. INFORMAL NOTE.
Dear Miss Turkey:
Will you lay aside your work for a short time and dine with me
Wednesday at 5 o’clock?
Sincerely yours,
MOLLY HARE.
6. FORMAL NOTE.
Miss Pet Pheasant requests the pleasure of Miss Hare’s company on
Tuesday evening, May thirtieth, from four to seven o’clock.
13 Forest Edge Street.
7. NOTE OF ACCEPTANCE.
Miss Molly Hare is pleased to accept Miss Pet Pheasant’s kind
invitation for Wednesday evening, May thirtieth.
Beaver Creek, May twenty-fifth.
8. INVITATION.
Miss Brownie Mink
at home
Thursday evening, June first
from six to eight o’clock
14 Water Front
9. NOTE OF REGRET.
Miss Molly Hare regrets that a previous engagement prevents her from
accepting Miss Brownie Mink’s kind invitation for Thursday evening,
June first.
Beaver Creek, May twenty-fifth.
* * * * *
“This has been a very pleasant task, I assure you,” said Tiny, when
his work was done. “I have learned how to write a business letter,
which is an important thing to know. I never before had heard of money
orders and drafts. You know we do not have those things, nor money, nor
stores, at Squirreltown.”
“Only a few of the more intelligent animals know anything about
business,” replied Miss Hare. “I know of only two large department
stores and three banks in Animal Kingdom. I have heard that the
ancient human beings used shells for money; but, finally, they
established the use of coins, because they were valued by all classes
of people. If the hunters would not molest us, Animal Kingdom would
imitate the human race and become very much enlightened. Some day I
hope you may visit the department store of Sheep, Goat & Co., and see
for yourself how animals are advancing in knowledge. I understand that
this great store employs almost a dozen clerks.”
“I have also learned how to write an invitation and notes of regret and
acceptance. They seem to be very simple in their construction,” said
Tiny, placing the quill in a shell filled with sand.
“No self-respecting animal should neglect his correspondence, no matter
how busy he may be,” said Miss Hare. “As a rule, one who hates to write
letters is one who cannot write them well. It is necessary that one
should write social and business letters, and learn how to make them
clear and forceful. Now you may rest. I thank you for your services,
Tiny.”
[Illustration]
The red squirrel, with a polite bow, returned to his room, much pleased
because he had pleased some one else.