Arthur Scott Bailey

“ BUTTERFLY I BEAUTY AND THE BLOSSOMS Every one of the field people in Pleasant Valley, and the forest folk as well, was different from his neighbors. For instance, there was Jasper Jay. He was the noisiest chap for miles around. And there was Peter Mink. Without doubt he was the rudest and most rascally fellow in the whole district. Then there was Freddie Firefly, who was the brightest youngster on the farm—at least after dark, when his light flashed across the meadow.
p. 2So it went. One person was wiser than any of his neighbors; another was stupider; and somebody else was always hungrier. ”

“ And afterward Daddy Longlegs declared that at that moment he saw the fellow's knees trembling.
"Come!" said Joseph Bumble, turning suddenly to Betsy Butterfly. "I see that we've accidentally fallen in with some rough people; and we'd better be moving on." ”

“ He looks to me to be a very ordinary person. And anybody can see that he's annoying Betsy Butterfly. I tell you, I want him chased away from here at once. For I'm of royal blood; and I'm not accustomed to go to parties with ragtags and bobtails. I'm a cousin of Buster Bumblebee, the Queen's son."
Well, Chirpy Cricket tried hard not to laugh right in Joseph Bumble's face.
"I'll see what I can do," Chirpy promised him. "And I will admit that somep. 77body ought to be barred out of this party."
"Good!" exclaimed Joseph Bumble. "I'm glad to know that you're so sensible." ”

“ Ladybug set out to find Betsy Butterfly again. But meeting Daddy Longlegs near the stone wall, she stopped to gossip withp. 44 him, telling him how she had learned that she liked butter, and explaining that she had not yet tasted any.
"So you looked into a buttercup to find out, eh?" said Daddy Longlegs. "I'll have to do that, myself. Maybe I've always liked butter, too, without knowing that I do."
"You can't tell till you try," Mrs. Ladybug remarked. "But you mustn't be too sure. You may be disappointed. There's Betsy Butterfly! She doesn't care for butter at all." ”

“ XI A SLY ONE When Freddie Firefly reported to Mrs. Ladybug and her neighbors that Betsy Butterfly had taken neither butter nor eggs from Farmer Green during the night the field people were much puzzled.
"She's certainly a sly one!" Mrs. Ladybug exclaimed. "What do you think we ought to do now?" she asked Daddy Longlegs, who was supposed to be very old, and therefore very wise. ”

“ Aren't you friends?"
"We're certainly not enemies," said Joseph Bumble, "though I must admit that we're not quite so intimate as we might be. You see, Buster and I have differentp. 69 tastes. And now that the red clover is in blossom he spends all his time in the clover field. But as you know, like you I am very fond of flowers. And I'd far rather be here in the meadow—or the flower garden—with you, than in the clover patch with Buster Bumblebee."
Naturally such an answer was bound to please Betsy Butterfly. ”

“ They wanted to have a good time among the flowers without being in constant terror of capture at the hands of Johnnie Green.
p. 10But, strange to say, Betsy Butterfly was not in the least uneasy. She was so gentle herself that she couldn't believe anybody would harm her.
Little did Betsy realize that she was really in great danger. Her fatal beauty was sure to catch Johnnie Green's eye. And though Betsy Butterfly did not know it, only an accident could prevent her being added to Johnnie Green's collection. ”

“ Indeed, he began to complain that he was losing his appetite, through thinking about Betsy Butterfly. So he besought Freddie Firefly to help him out of his difficulty.
p. 85Now, while he was talking with Freddie Firefly, this young Moth, who was known as Dusty, never once stopped eating. Freddie Firefly noticed how his fat sides stuck out.
And he wondered what the fellow's appetite could have been like before he lost some of it.
"You don't act like one in delicate health," Freddie Firefly observed, as he watched the greedy Dusty consume more food.
"Oh, but I am!" Dusty Moth protested feebly. ”

“ He was actually suggesting that Daddy Longlegs should be thrown out of the party!
And then Mr. Bumble again paused abruptly and listened.
"There!" he said to Chirpy Cricket. "Don't you hear that buzzing? That's the person that interrupted me. And I'd like to have him put out of the party too, along with this queer old chap who insulted me a moment ago."
Chirpy Cricket looked around, until hisp. 76 eye rested on Buster Bumblebee, who had just arrived and who was at that moment talking with Betsy Butterfly.
"There's the young man you hear!" Chirpy told Joseph Bumble. "Don't you know him?" ”

“ Ladybug.
p. 21"Really," Jennie confided to her companion, "it's a good thing to have backs as hard and slippery as yours and mine. For the dust can't stick to us as it does to some."
"There's no excuse for not keeping oneself neat," Mrs. Ladybug said severely. "And I shall give Betsy Butterfly a piece of my mind."
p. 22
V NO JOKER Much to Mrs. Ladybug's surprise, she did not find Betsy Butterfly in the flower garden.
"It's too bad she's not here," Mrs. Ladybug remarked to her friend Jennie Junebug, who accompanied her. "We'll have to look in the meadow. ”

“ Ladybug, while fat Jennie Junebug wadp. 18dled nearer them, in order to hear everything they said. Though Jennie was sleepy, having stayed out very late the night before, the promise of a bit of gossip made her brighten up at once.
"I mean—" said Mrs. Ladybug—"I mean that Johnnie Green would certainly have brushed Betsy Butterfly before adding her to his collection." And then, seeing a blank look on the faces of her hearers, she cried. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed how untidy Betsy Butterfly is! Can it be possible that the airs she gives herself, and her fine manners, have deceived you?" ”

“ Freddie growled, flashing his light impatiently in Dusty Moth's eyes.
"Are you sure she will let you take the picture?" Dusty asked him.
"Yes! yes! Of course she will! Why shouldn't she, I should like to know? You certainly do ask the silliest questions!"
And yet Freddie Firefly had put the same query himself, to Jimmy Rabbit, onlyp. 97 a short time before. But now he was quite certain that his worries were almost at an end.
"Betsy Butterfly has caused me a powerful lot of trouble!" Freddie grumbled, as he hurried over the hollow, to join in the dance of the Firefly family. ”

“ The old lady looked at the Skipper and shook her head. "I can't help him," she said.
Betsy asked anxiously, "Is his trouble catching?"
"No, indeed!" said Aunt Polly. "He can't stay in one place long enough to give it to anybody." ”

“ Ladybug declared.
p. 32
VII BUTTERFLY BILL Now, a crowd had gathered quickly around Betsy Butterfly and Mrs. Ladybug; for the field people are quick to notice anything unusual. And a sprightly young cousin of Betsy's known as Butterfly Bill said to Mrs. Ladybug, with a wink at everybody else:
"I suppose you'll dust the rest of us, too?"
"Only those that need it!" replied Mrs. Ladybug.
"Then you'll have your hands full," Butterfly Bill told her. "Maybe youp. 33 haven't noticed that every member of the Butterfly family in Pleasant Valley is covered with dust just as Betsy is." ”

“ Betsy Butterfly steals butter! When the field people hear the news they won't think she's so fine." And then Mrs. Ladybug turned to Daddy Longlegs once more and demanded whether he knew of anything else that Betsy Butterfly wasp. ”

“ Well, after that Betsy saw very little of her cousin the Skipper. But she did not mind that, especially since she soon made the acquaintance of a very agreeable young gentleman, who dressed in the height of fashion. He wore a swallowtail coat every day. And the neighbors all said that his manners were delightful.
He never went skipping off while Betsy Butterfly was talking to him.
THE END
The HONEY BUNCH BOOKS
by HELEN LOUISE THORNDYKE
For Little Girls From 4 to 8 Years Old
"Honey Bunch" is a dainty, thoughtful little girl who keeps you wondering just what she is going to do next. ”