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Tale of Mrs. LadyBug

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<h3>XIV BUMPS</h3> Some busybody went straight to Jennie Junebug and told her what Mrs. Ladybug had said. "Mrs. Ladybug is going to have a talk with you," this meddling person told the fat and frolicsome Jennie. "She wants you to stop eating leaves. She says you are doing your best—or your worst—to hurt the trees that she is trying to save. She claims that you are no friend of Farmer Green's. She—" Jennie Junebug broke in upon her companion with a loud laugh. "I'd like to have Mrs. Ladybug try to[Pg 66] speak to me," she chuckled. "If she does, I'll have fun with her. I'll knock her over. I'll send her spinning." Jennie's friend seemed somewhat alarmed at that. "Now, be careful!" she begged the fat lady. "Don't forget that Mrs. Ladybug is a little creature! You'll injure her if you're too rough with her." "Ho! ho!" laughed Jennie Junebug, and also, "Ha! ha!" She had to stop and hold her sides, while she rocked back and forth. "This is a great joke!" Jennie cried. "Imagine Mrs. Ladybug trying to talk with me! Why, she'll be lucky if she can get her breath after I've flown into her once." "Dear me!" said the tale-bearer. "I wish I hadn't mentioned this matter to you. Of course, everybody knows that Mrs. Ladybug talks too much. And I[Pg 67] thought maybe you'd enjoy meeting her and making her keep still. But I had no idea you would do her any harm." "Bless you!" cried Jennie Junebug. "I wouldn't harm a hair of her head!" And she roared with laughter, for she had made a joke. You see, Mrs. Ladybug had no hair. She was quite bald. Well, Mrs. Ladybug found Jennie Junebug that very evening. She knew that Jennie wasn't often seen except after sunset. For Jennie loved to see the lights twinkling through the gloom. And she delighted in surprising people in the dark, by flying bang! into them and knocking them down. So Mrs. Ladybug didn't leave her work and set out to seek this dangerous fat lady until twilight came. "Good evening!" said Mrs. Ladybug as soon as she spied Miss Junebug. "Have[Pg 68] you a few minutes to spare? If you have, I'd like to talk with you." Jennie Junebug grinned broadly. "I can give you a few seconds of my valuable time," she replied. "I was just going over to the meadow, for Freddie Firefly will be there soon. He dances in the meadow every night. And I like to see his flickering light—and watch him bounce when I hit him. So you'll have to talk fast, for I'm in a hurry," said Jennie Junebug. "Good!" thought Mrs. Ladybug. "She's going to listen to me, after all." And then she fixed Miss Junebug with her eye and spoke to her severely. "Don't you think you ought—" she began. And then Jennie Junebug bumped into her, sending Mrs. Ladybug sprawling. "Don't I think I ought to frolic with[Pg 69] you?" Jennie cried. "Certainly I do." Mrs. Ladybug managed to rise off the ground. "Won't you please—" she started to say. "Won't I please knock you down? Of course I will!" Jennie Junebug exclaimed. And thereupon she struck Mrs. Ladybug again. Poor Mrs. Ladybug was much shaken. In her fall she had dropped her umbrella, and her handkerchief too. But she didn't stop to pick them up. She scrambled to her feet and rose into the air again, angrier than she had ever been before in all her life. "I'll thank you—" she spluttered. "You'll thank me if I'll do that again, eh?" said Jennie Junebug, interrupting her rudely. "Very well! Here goes!" This time she gave Mrs. Ladybug a terrific[Pg 70] blow. She dropped upon the grass, where she clung to a blade and swayed up and down for a few moments, dizzy and trembling. And she was gasping so hard, in order to get her breath, that she couldn't speak. Watching her, Jennie Junebug shrieked with laughter. Then, seeing Freddie Firefly's light flashing in the meadow, Miss Junebug hurried away.[Pg 71] <hr style="width: 65%;" /> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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