Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-09-30

tortured him. There he lay, founder.
ing and kicking about, but fast asleep
all the while He snarled and snap
ped and parked like a dog, dreaming
that he was pursuing some poor,
harmless creature, a lamb, probably.
And while he lay in this gluttonous
agony the Rabbit family returned
home, for it was late in the after
noon and they had enjoyed the day
immensely The Great Rabbit Pic.
mic had been a success, and the re-
union of old friends had brought
much pleasure to all the participants.
But towards shutdown the merry par
ty broke up and all went to their re-
spective ways. When Mr.. Robert
stepped up to his own door and be-
gan to place the key into the lock, he
heard some strange noises coming
from inside the house. He put his
4 paw to his lips, signing silence to his
wife and children. Then he bent his
long ear to the crack of the door and
gave knowing look.
"Ah, ha," he said, lone Of those
thievish wolves has gotten into our
house. But where did he enter?"
Then he went about the house and
examined every window and the back
door. All were AS securely fastened
as when he had left them in the
morning. Then Mrs. Bobby made a
discovery. She noticed the whiting
vine over the porch. 1t had been
bruised by some one climbing over it.
She called her husbands attention to
it. He made close examination.
Yes, there in the soft earth at the
porch post were a VOLTS paw-prints.
"Ah ha He's gone in through the
chimney! Now We'll fix him. So
said Mr.. Robert. Then, with his wife's
and children's assistance, he began to
carry straw and dead leaves in a
quantity to the upper porch. Blink
climbed noiselessly to the roof and
Pink went up to the top of the porch.
Their parents handed up the straw to
Pink and she In turn passed it up to
Bling. He cautiously crammed 1t into
the chimney. After several armloads
were put into the chimney, Blink laid
two flat stones over the top Of the
chimney so that fire might not get
out to the roof And as an ezra pre-
caution, bucketfuls of water were
handed up and poured over the roof
all about the chimney. When the
preparations were complete, Blink
precocious little fellow, as wise. as
young rabbit can Delighted long
faggot and thrust it deeply into the
packed straw and leaves in the CHM
ney.
A slow fire was ignited, and burned
downwards on account Of the covering
at the top A great deal Of smoke
poured into the kitchen, and from
there into the other rooms and soon
got into the nostrils and throat of the
still sleeping and gorged wolf. He
awoke with a start, strangled, wiped
his eyes and got Fire" he said,
coughing and trying to breathe.
must get out" He ran to the doors,
but remembered they were locked aod
that he could not reach the outside
through them. The windows also were
formidable Then he remembered the
chimney. He made for that, and as the
smoke had hurt his eyes SO, he had
been obliged to shut them. and to
feel his way to the fire place. There
he attempted to climb up, but two
things kept him from succeeding In
his purpose. First, he had eaten so
much that he could not get his body
into the chimney. Secondly, the smoke
came down in such volumes that 1t
sent him back, strangling. Ard just
as he was about to give up in despair
he heard a door opening; then he
heard another door open. and voices
in conversation startled him. Strang-
ling and coughing and rubbing his
smarting eyes, he rushed towards the
place where came the fresh air. But
four pairs of strong rabbit paws seized
him and bore him out into the grassy
yard, and there he was tumbled to
earth on his back and while two strong
pairs of paws Chose of Mr.. Robert
and Mrs. Bobby held him down, two
| little pairs of paws carried bucketfuls
| of cold water and deluged him.
In vain he tried to cry out,
but the smoke still in his eyes
and throat and the water strang-
ling him if he drew in breath,
he could not make sound. SO he was
obliged to take his punishment, and
to learn this lesson.
! But Mr.. Robert was a merciful rab-
DlC, ana MIS-. 6ODDy "dS hluu"icdItcu,
so they forbore continuing the pun
ishment very long. When they
thought old Wolf = the sneaking
| thief-had got enough to teach him
lesson they let up their drenching,
and told him to sneak away as he
| had come. And the mean fellow,
rising to four shaking legs - partly
through fear and partly through
weakness from over-eating and
drenching- made his way off in a
shamefaced manner. And the rab-
bits stood looking after him. AS he
was about to turn corner, which
would take him from the rabbits
sight. he turned to take on glance at
the place Of his defeat.
Get along with YOU" cried Mr..
Robert. shaking his ears fiercely at
old Wolf "And If ever you return
this way again-well. I'll call in the
rabbits of the neighborhood and to-
gether we'll make an end of you So
take the warning in time"
And old Wolfe, wiping water from
his blOod-shot eyes tucked his tail be-