The Great Big Treasury of Beatrix PotterPotter, Beatrix
General
The Great Big Treasury of Beatrix Potter
Potter, Beatrix
Animals -- Juvenile fiction; Children's stories, English; Short stories
"It is your own fault for
being a terrier; _I_ do not
require a license, and neither
does Kep, the Collie dog."
"And I feel sure that Anna
Maria pockets things--
"Where are all the cream
crackers?"
"You have eaten them yourself."
replied Ginger.
Ginger and Pickles retired
into the back parlor.
They did accounts. They
added up sums and sums, and
sums.
"Samuel Whiskers has run
up a bill as long as his tail; he
has had an ounce and three-
quarters of snuff since October.
"What is seven pounds of
butter at 1/3, and a stick of
sealing wax and four
matches?"
"Send in all the bills again
to everybody `with compliments,'"
replied Ginger.
Pickles nearly had a fit, he
barked and he barked and
made little rushes.
"Bite him, Pickles! bite
him!" spluttered Ginger behind
a sugar barrel, "he's only
a German doll!"
The policeman went on
writing in his notebook; twice
he put his pencil in his mouth,
and once he dipped it in the
treacle.
Pickles barked till he was
hoarse. But still the policeman
took no notice. He had bead
eyes, and his helmet was
sewed on with stitches.
After a time they heard a
noise in the shop, as if something
had been pushed in at
the door. They came out of the
back parlor. There was an
envelope lying on the counter,
and a policeman writing in a
notebook!
At length on his last little
rush--Pickles found that the
shop was empty. The policeman
had disappeared.
But the envelope remained.
"Do you think that he has
gone to fetch a real live policeman?
I am afraid it is a summons,"
said Pickles.
"No," replied Ginger, who
had opened the envelope, "it is
the rates and taxes, 3 pounds 19
11 3/4." [pounds are British money,
the 19 is schillings, and then pence]
"This is the last straw," said
Pickles, "let us close the shop."
They put up the shutters,
and left. But they have not
removed from the neighborhood.
In fact some people
wish they had gone further.
Ginger is living in the warren
[game preserve for rabbits].
I do not know what
occupation he pursues; he
looks stout and comfortable.
Pickles is at present a game-
keeper.
After a time Mr. John
Dormouse and his daughter
began to sell peppermints and
candles.
But they did not keep "self-
fitting sixes"; and it takes five
mice to carry one seven inch
candle.
The closing of the shop
caused great inconvenience.
Tabitha Twitchit immediately
raised the price of everything
a halfpenny; and she continued
to refuse to give credit.
Of course there are the
tradesmen's carts--the butcher,
the fishman and Timothy
Baker.
But a person cannot live on
"seed wigs" and sponge cake
and butter buns--not even
when the sponge cake is as
good as Timothy's!
And Miss Dormouse refused
to take back the ends when
they were brought back to her
with complaints.
And when Mr. John
Dormouse was complained to, he
stayed in bed, and would say
nothing but "very snug;"
which is not the way to carry
on a retail business.
Besides--the candles which
they sell behave very strangely
in warm weather.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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