2O THE NUTCRACKERS OF NUTCRACKER LODGE. 



ment and elevation be forever tied down because of some 

 distant relationship ? Now there are our cousins the High- 

 Flyers, if we could get them, there would be some sense 

 in it. Young Whisk rather promised me for Christmas ; 

 but it's seldom now you can get a flying squirrel to show 

 himself in our parts, and if we are intimate with the Chip- 

 munks it is n't to be expected." 



" Confound him for a puppy ! " said old Nutcracker, when 

 his wife repeated these sayings to him. "Featherhead is 

 a fool. Common, forsooth ! I wish good, industrious, pains- 

 taking sons like Tip Chipmunk were common. For my 

 part, I find these uncommon people the most tiresome ; 

 they are not content with letting us carry the whole load, 

 but they sit on it, and scold at us while we carry them." 



But old Mr. Nutcracker, like many other good old gen- 

 tlemen squirrels, found that Christmas dinners and other 

 things were apt to go as his wife said, and his wife was 

 apt to go as young Featherhead said ; and so, when Christ- 

 mas came, the Chipmunks were not invited, for the first 

 time in many years. The Chipmunks, however, took all 

 pleasantly, and accepted poor old Mrs. Nutcracker's awk- 

 ward apologies with the "best possible grace, and young 

 Tip looked in on Christmas morning with the compliments 

 of the season and a few beech-nuts, which he had secured 

 as a great dainty. The fact was, that Tip's little striped 

 fur coat was so filled up and overflowing with cheerful 



