Polite Bunny

Polite Bunny
by
Laura Rountree Smith

Illustrations
by
Penny Ross

C. H. VanVliet Co.
CHICAGO

Copyright 1922
C. H. Van Vliet Co.
Chicago
Printed in United States of America

CONTENTS

List of Color Illustrations.

POLITE BUNNY

CHAPTER I.
A LETTER FROM AUNT ETIQUETTE

This is the tale of Pretty Bunny,

And though her story is very funny,

To read it you will not regret

When you meet old Aunt Etiquette!

Pretty Bunny Manners lived with Old Father and Mother Bun, in a little wee house in the woods.

As soon as she woke one morning she called to her brother, Healthy Bunny,

“Pretty Bunny gives fair warning,

She will always call, ‘Good morning’.”

Healthy Bunny often forgot to say “Good morning,” and be polite, so Pretty Bunny continued, “I will make up a ‘Good Morning Song’,” so she wrote on a card some words for Healthy Bunny to learn, and soon they sang to the tune of “Twinkle Little Star,”

“Say ‘Good Morning’ when you wake,

Be polite, make no mistake,

And when friends you chance to meet,

Say ‘Good Morning’ on the street.”

They took so long learning the song that Old Father Bun cried,

“Hurry your dressing, I don’t like to scold,

But your coffee will all be cold.”

Old Mother Bun said,

“Hurry up, Bunnies, as like as not,

Your oat-meal will get too hot.”

The Bunnies laughed and,

Hippety-hop with never a care,

They came dancing down the stairs.

They said ‘Good Morning’ to Old Father and Mother Bun and began to eat breakfast.

At this very minute the Postman came “pitter, patter, rap-a-tap,” and left some letters in the mail-box; among them was a certain pink envelope addressed to Old Father Bun.

Pretty Bunny went to get the letters and came dancing in, handing them to Old Father Bun.

As luck would have it, Old Father Bun took up the pink envelope first and looked at it closely through his horn-rimmed spectacles.

He said,

“This handwriting I’ve seen before,

Two or four times, six or more.”

Old Mother Bun remarked, as he passed her the letter,

“Whom can it be from, how can we tell?

I think I know that handwriting well.”

Healthy Bunny got up and peeped over her shoulder, saying,

“This letter’s addressed to Father Bun;

It was not meant for every one.”

Pretty Bunny asked politely,

“Let’s open the letter, then we’ll see

What it contains of mystery.”

Old Mother Bun said,

“Surely, this little Bunny is wise;

The letter may have in it a surprise.”

Old Father Bun took a knife, slit open the envelope and looked at once at the end of the sheet to see whom it was from. It was signed, “Bunny Etiquette.” The letter read,

“Bunnyville, March 9th, 1921.

Dear Brother Bun:

It is chilly this spring and the wind blows round my cottage, and I need some one to bring in wood and water and cheer me up.

I am writing to ask if you could spare Pretty Bunny to come and make me a visit. I am lonesome and I often think I can hear the “pitter-patter” of little feet on the stairs.

I am sending by express a warm cap and pair of mittens for each of the Bunnies.

Write me soon. With kind regards to Old Mother Bun,

Your affectionate sister,

Edna Etiquette.”

Pretty Bunny said, “May I go, Mother? May I go, Father? May I start at once?”

Healthy Bunny said, “May I go, too? May I go, too?”

Pretty Bunny turned to him and said,

“Healthy Bunny, it is not polite

Your own self ever to invite.”

Healthy Bunny hung his head, for sure enough, Aunt Etiquette had only asked Pretty Bunny to come for a visit.

Pretty Bunny then said again, “Oh Father and Mother, may I please go?”

To this Old Father Bun replied,

“You very seldom need to tease,

When you use that small word ‘PLEASE.’”

So it was decided that Pretty Bunny should go and visit Aunt Etiquette next week, and such a hurrying and scurrying as there was to get ready!

Up in the garret they went and brought down Old Father Bun’s suit case and began to pack it full of clothes for Pretty Bunny. They never once imagined that at that very minute, up in another garret, another Bunny was packing a suit case that looked exactly like this one.

Healthy Bunny looked sad for he wanted to go too.

Suddenly, without any warning, Old Father Bun clapped his paws and shouted,

“I think of little things like these,

We should reply, if you please.”

Sure enough, at the end of Aunt Etiquette’s letter they found the letters, “R. S. V. P.”

While these letters were usually put only on a formal invitation to a party, Aunt Etiquette had used them just for fun to see if Pretty Bunny would know that they stood for French words meaning, “Reply, if you please.”

Now, who was going to write the letter in reply?

Said Old Father Bun, “Don’t you think we’d better

Sit right down to answer this kind letter?”

Then he went off in his cozy corner to smoke.

Said Old Mother Bun, “It makes me sigh,

Every letter really needs a reply.”

Then she went off to make apple dumplings!

Healthy Bunny said,

“I hope some one will not forget

To write to Old Aunt Etiquette.”

Then he went out to take exercise and Pretty Bunny was left to answer the letter, of course.

She drew up a stool beside Old Father Bun and said,

“I will write the answer now, to-day,

But, Old Father Bun, what shall I say?”

Old Father Bun smoked a while in silence collecting his thoughts and then replied,

“Pretty Bunny, now, let us hope

You know how to address an envelope.”

Pretty Bunny did not know, for she had never addressed an envelope in all her life.

Said Old Father Bun kindly,

“Pretty Bunny, notice, as you’re bright,

Address each line farther to the right.”

When the envelope was addressed it looked like this:

Miss Edna Etiquette,

106 Wood Avenue,

Bunnyville,

Wisconsin.

Old Father Bun said,

“Put a comma after each line but one;

Place a period then when you are done.”

Pretty Bunny said,

“Father Bun, had I not better

Buy a stamp to carry the letter?”

Old Father Bun looked in his coat pocket and after quite a search found a postage stamp. He remarked,

“Right side up you will agree,

On the right hand corner a stamp you see.”

Now, do you know Pretty Bunny put the stamp on the right hand corner of the envelope, but she put it on the lower right hand corner, instead of on the upper right hand corner, by mistake, and so she had to soak off the stamp and paste it later in its proper place.

She was now ready to write her letter.

Old Father Bun said, “Now, I guess,

At the top, to the right, put your address.”

So Pretty Bunny wrote,

“Woodville, Wisconsin,
March 10th, 1921.

My dear Aunt Etiquette,

We received your letter with its kind invitation and Mother and Father say I may go to visit you soon.

I can hardly wait for the time to come, and Healthy Bunny and I are anxious to receive the pretty things you are sending us.

Father Bunny says he will bring me to your home on Friday.

I hope you are real well, and I will be very happy to come and keep you company and do any errands I can for you.

Your loving niece,
Pretty Bunny.

P. S. I wonder if you really did hear ‘pitter, patter’ of little feet on the stairs, or could it have been what we call ‘imagination’?”

Old Father Bun said this was a very good letter for it answered Aunt Etiquette’s questions and told her what she wanted to know.

Old Father Bun had just finished his pipe when Old Mother Bun called,

“Dinner is ready for every one;

My dumplings, too, are exactly done.”

Pretty Bunny went out to call Healthy Bunny and just then the expressman came with the caps and mittens.

Of course, the Bunnies had to try them on at once.

Mother Bun said, “I don’t mean to scold,

But my dinner will all get cold.”

She might have added that it shows very bad manners to be late to meals if we can possibly help it.

The Bunnies took off their new things and came to dinner. Said Pretty Bunny,

“Excuse us, Mother, we just had to wait;

To dinner we do not mean to be late.”

That night after they had all gone to bed, Pretty Bunny began to wonder about the “pitter, patter” of foot-steps on Aunt Etiquette’s stair-case.

She wondered if there really was another Bunny in the house.

Said the Old Family Clock in reply,

“I knew once, but I forget,

I lived long ago with Aunt Etiquette.”

Pretty Bunny crept out of bed and pressed her face close to the Old Family Clock and whispered,

“I’m afraid I’ll be lonesome, don’t you see,

Without a young Bunny for company;

You see, I really truly care

If a Bunnie travels on the stairs.”

The Old Family Clock ticked in the usual way for some time and then sang,

“I knew once, but I’ve forgot,

As like as not, as like as not.”

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.

CHAPTER III.
THE BED-ROOM BUNNY

Pretty Bunny, please don’t forget

This Bed-Room belongs to Aunt Etiquette,

So, Pretty Bunny, don’t you suppose

You can put it in order and pick up clothes?

Pretty Bunny woke early next morning and sprang out of bed and looked in the mirror. She saw another Bunny just her size and called, “Who are you?” The other Bunny replied,

“Said the Looking-Glass Bunny, ‘it’s funny but true,

The more you see me, the more I see you.’”

Pretty Bunny nodded her head and the Looking-Glass Bunny did the same.

“How many Bunnies live in this house?” asked Pretty Bunny. The Looking-Glass Bunny answered,

“I can’t count, though you think it funny;

Perhaps you will meet the Shadow Bunny.”

It was very early, and Pretty Bunny was beginning to feel a little homesick when the Looking-Glass Bunny said,

“Pretty Bunny, you should rejoice,

Everything in this room has a voice.”

Right then and there, there was a humming sound and a voice from the window called,

“Pretty Bunny, don’t you care

About letting in fresh air?”

Pretty Bunny had forgotten to open the window.

My! How close and stuffy the room was!

She ran now and opened the window and was wondering what to do next to put the bed-room in order when a voice called,

“Here is the foot, and here is the head,

Do you know the way to make a bed?”

The pillows danced round in the most comical manner and sang,