Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-11-23
Ants Aunt Gives Picnic.

AHt <huhU piSes
The ants aunt had to give a picnic,
because she had been invited to so
many places by all her relatives, and
she thought it was time to pay back
some of the invitations.
But it will be such a bother" said
the ants uncle, when he heard about
it.
Don't be foolish, now," replied the
ants aunt. 1--WE cannot go in society
without going to some trouble"
So the ants uncle said that it would
be all right, for he always said some
thing Of that kind when his wife talk
ed about giving party.
He was sleeping early the next
morning, when his wife woke him and
said: Benjamin, Benjamin, did you
remember to get the lemons and the
sugar."
NO" replied the ants uncle, as he
rolled over again in bed. "The gro
Gerry store was closed"
"Then you will have to go into the
kitchen Of the mans house and get
as much as you can carry before the
cook gets up"
"The last time I was there" NUT
tered Benjamin, II nearly got blown
up with the kerosene can"
By the time the ants uncle got back
to his house he found more than a
hundred ants of all kinds walking up
and down and carrying all kinds Of
provisions.
You are very late,' said the ants
aunt. What did you do about the
swing, Benjamin? Did you stop and
see the spider about it?'
Benjamin had forgotten all about
the swing, so he had to go back to
where the spider kept shop, and he
came back after a while with wheel
barrow loaded down with rope. The
ants aunt was lame, and she had to
walk with cane. She was at the
head of the picnic party, and Benja-
min, the ants uncle, came last of all
with his wheelbarrow filled with rope
and baskets and sugar and lemons and
tubs and glasses and everything which
might be used on a picnic. The ants
went to Deacon Jones woods, and as
they got nearer they heard all kinds
of strange noises. All the animals and
all the birds came out to see the picnic
go by. The ants walked on until they
came to a bare spot in the middle of
the woods, and there they stopped and
put down their bundles and baskets.
This will be nice place to set the
table," said the ants aunt. Now,
Benjamin, while l am doing all the
work, suppose you go and put up the
swing for the children"
The ants uncle said something un-
derneath his breath and then took the
rope and the boards and things and
put up 153 swings. He hurt his knee
and sprained his back and cut his fin
gers. He also stubbed his toes.
you needn't feel so badly about
hurting your toes" said a centipede,
who was going fast, suppose you had
toes on 100 feet to stub, then you could
afford to talk"
The ants uncle returned to the place
where the table was being set. He
threw his hat over on the grass and
sat down, saying. 81 am very tired
and a little rest would do me a great
deal OF good.'
"Why just see what Uncle Benjamin
did" cried all the small ants at once
benjamin, Benjamin." cried the
ants aunt, "how could you do such a
thing?"
You ought not to be so careless"
replied Benjamin, "how was l to know
that it was a custard pie? l thought
it was nice cushion you put there for
me-"
The ants uncle started to get his hat
and walk away. He had not gone very
far before he became red il the face
with anger.
Get off my hat" all the ants heard
him say, "how dare you sit on a poor
ants hat like that. Haven't you got
| any manners?"
| What is the matter, BENJAMIN ?"
asked the ants aunt, picking up her
cane and hobbling toward her hus-
band.
This miserable man." yelled the
ants uncle has had the impudence to
sit down on my hat and he won't get
up"
The man looked in the direction Of
Benjamin and then yawned and got
up and walked away,
benjamin, Benjamin." cried the
ants aunt. a few minutes later. little
Betsy Ann has come back and she says
that nearly a dozen of the children
started to climb a mountain. and the
mountain got up and walked away.
Won't you please go and try and find
them?"
The ants uncle jammed his crushed
silk hat down over his eyes, picked up
q big switch and went to find the chill
dren. He walked and walked until he