Bumper, The White Rabbit | Page 6

made a grab in the basket. It was a blind-man's bluff grab,
for she couldn't see one of the rabbits huddling in the corners. Bumper
was the nearest, and her hand closed over him.
"That's the prettiest one I have, ma'm," she said. "He's my pet, an' I hate
to sell him, but I need the money an' you can have him."
It was raining pitchforks outside, or something like that, and, for a
moment, Bumper couldn't see anything but the big drops of water
splashing in his eyes. Then the lady held the umbrella over his head,
and he looked up into her face. She was a sweet, womanly lady, but not
exactly the kind of mistress Bumper had pictured belonging to.
"He is a dear little thing," the lady said, taking him in her arms and
rubbing his back. "And so friendly! Why, he's trying to cuddle up under
my arm."
The fact was, Bumper was trying to get in her muff away from the
dripping umbrella. He made a dive for the nearest open end, and
squeezed all but his tail through.
"How cute of him! I believe I must take him. How much is he?"
Now Bumper's heart nearly stopped beating when he heard the lady ask
this question, for had not his mother told him that he cost too much
money for most people to buy? Did this lady have plenty of money, or
did she put it all on her back and starve her stomach? She was
beautifully dressed, and her cheeks were not very plump and fat--not a
bit like those of the red-headed girl with a freckle on the end of her
nose.
"Two dollars, ma'm, an' he's cheap at that! You don't find rabbits like

him once in a year."
Bumper's hopes took a sudden drop. Two dollars! Why, Jimsy had been
sold for one dollar, and Wheedles for seventy-five cents, while Topsy,
who was old and fat, brought only fifty cents. My, two dollars was an
awful lot of money!
"Two dollars!" repeated the lady, fumbling in her dress with one hand.
Then, to Bumper's surprise and delight, she added: "I think I'll take him.
I want him for my nephew. Toby's hard to suit, but I think he'll be
pleased with a rabbit. What did you say you called him?"
"Bumper, ma'm!"
"That's a queer name, but I like it."
"It was because he was always bumping his nose when he was a tiny
mite," the old woman explained, taking the two dollars from the lady.
"His mother named him first, and then his brothers and sisters took it
up, and, of course, I had to follow 'em. Rabbits don't like to be called
by two different names, and if I was you, ma'm, I'd keep on calling him
Bumper. He wouldn't know any other name."
"I will always call him Bumper, but"--sighing--"I'm afraid Toby will
want to nickname him. He makes up the funniest names for all his
pets."
"Tell him then Bumper will run away and never come back. Rabbits are
more knowing than you think, ma'm."
"I always thought they were very cute and gentle, but very stupid,"
replied the lady. "But maybe I was wrong. Bumper doesn't look
stupid."
"Lordy, ma'm! he ain't no more stupid than that Toby you speak of,
whoever he may be."
"Well, Toby isn't stupid, whatever else you may say of him," smiled the

lady. "He's bright enough, but he's sometimes very thoughtless, and I
fear a little cruel."
"Cruel, ma'm!" And the old woman who sold rabbits for a living
stiffened her bent form, and frowned. She stretched forth a hand as if to
reclaim her Bumper, but the lady moved away with her purchase under
her arm.
"Oh, I'll see that he isn't cruel to Bumper," she said.
While listening to all this conversation, Bumper experienced strange
and unusual emotions. He had learned more about white rabbits in a
few moments than his mother had ever taught him in all the days of his
youth. They were considered stupid, were they?--but cute and gentle.
Huh! He wasn't stupid! No, indeed! If the lady thought so he'd show her
what a mistake she'd made.
Just to prove it, Bumper began to gnaw at the lining of the muff, and
pretty soon got his whole body under it, and then he began to kick and
wriggle to get out. He felt he was being smothered alive, and he
squealed aloud. The lady finally rescued him, but not until she had torn
away half the lining from her muff.
"Oh, you stupid little Bumper!" she said, reprovingly. "You mustn't do
such things!"
Bumper felt so crestfallen at this rebuke that he remained perfectly
quiet during the rest of the walk. He snuggled up