1 6 THE NUTCRACKERS OF NUTCRACKER LODGE. 



of lofty contempt for the Nutcrackers, for Nutcracker 

 Lodge, and for all the good old ways and institutions of 

 the domestic hole, which he declared to be stupid and 

 unreasonable, and entirely behind the times. To be sure, 

 he was always on hand at meal-times, and played a very 

 lively tooth on the nuts which his mother had collected, 

 always selecting the very best for himself; but he seasoned 

 his nibbling with so much grumbling and discontent, and 

 so many severe remarks, as to give the impression that he 

 considered himself a peculiarly ill-used squirrel in having 

 to "eat their old grub," as he very unceremoniously 

 called it. 



Papa Nutcracker, on these occasions, was often fiercely 

 indignant, and poor little Mamma Nutcracker would shed 

 tears, and beg her darling to be a little more reasonable ; 

 but the young gentleman seemed always to consider him- 

 self as the injured party. 



Now nobody could tell why or wherefore Master Feath- 

 erhead looked upon himself as injured and aggrieved, since 

 he was living in a good hole, with plenty to eat, and with- 

 out the least care or labor of his own ; but he seemed 

 rather to value himself upon being gloomy and dissatis- 

 fied. While his parents and brothers and sisters were 

 cheerfully racing up and down the branches, busy in their 

 domestic toils, and laying up stores for the winter, Feath- 

 erhead sat gloomily apart, declaring himself weary of exist- 



