And Daddy Longlegs looked a bit uncomfortable as he explained that he had a new name, and told her what it was.

"You haven"t given your consent, I hope?" she said.

"I"m afraid I have," Daddy replied meekly.

"Then withdraw it at once!" she commanded sharply. "I don"t like this new name at all."

Poor Daddy Longlegs looked as if he wished he might sink into the ground and vanish. But since he couldn"t do that, he stammered that he was much obliged to his friends for their kindness, but he really would have to insist that they call him by his old name, and he hoped they would understand.

But they didn"t understand even then. And the whole company stood silent, with their mouths open, and watched Daddy Longlegs follow the strange lady away. She had beckoned to him. And he had started after her without a word of protest.

His friends noticed that she was considerably bigger than he was.

Well, they might have been standing there yet if little Mrs. Ladybug hadn"t arrived just then, quite out of breath from hurrying. And of course she wanted to know what had happened.

"For pity"s sake!" she cried, after she had listened to the strange story. "Do you mean to say you haven"t heard the news? Didn"t you know that Daddy Longlegs had a new wife? Naturally, a _bride_ wouldn"t care to have her young husband known as "Grandfather Graybeard.""

"Ah! But he"s very old!" said little Mr. Chippy.

"How do you know?" Mrs. Ladybug inquired.

Mr. Chippy had to admit that he had no means of knowing.

And then Mrs. Ladybug looked very wise.

"I have reason to believe," she said "that Daddy Longlegs is a much younger person than we have always supposed."

THE END

BY ARTHUR SCOTT BAILEY

AUTHOR OF SLEEPY-TIME TALES (Trademark Registered)

THE TALE OF JOLLY ROBIN THE TALE OF OLD MR. CROW THE TALE OF SOLOMON OWL THE TALE OF JASPER JAY THE TALE OF RUSTY WREN THE TALE OF DADDY LONGLEGS THE TALE OF KIDDIE KATYDID THE TALE OF BUSTER b.u.mBLEBEE THE TALE OF FREDDIE FIREFLY THE TALE OF BETSY b.u.t.tERFLY THE TALE OF BOBBY BOBOLINK THE TALE OF CHIRPY CRICKET THE TALE OF MRS. LADYBUG THE TALE OF REDDY WOODp.e.c.k.e.r THE TALE OF GRANDMOTHER GOOSE

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