Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-07-20


The day Uncle Wiggily Longears,
the rabbit gentleman, had blown beans
through a hollow macaroni stick at the
bar ear.scratching cat. Nurse Jane
Fuzzy Wuzzy saw Mr.. Longears start.
Ing out for walk through the woods.
WELL" she asked, what do you
think will happen to you today, Uncle
Wiggily?"
Il don't know, I'm sure" the rabbit
gentleman answered. II shall prob.
ably have some kind of an adventure,
though"
And he did. He was hopping along,
leaning on his red. white and blue
striped rheumatism crutch now and
then, to look and see If the spring
clover were high enough to nibble: and
he was wondering If he would meet
any Of his ANIMALS friends, when, all
OF sudden, looking of between the
trees, Uncle Wigglly saw funny
sight.
He saw a man coming slowly along
wheeling baby carriage, and IN front
Of him the man held something black
that now and then glittered In the sun.
At the sight Of this Uncle Wiggily
cried:
"Ha! I know what that is-a gun!
That man Is hunter, and he has come
out to the woods to see II he can shoot
any rabbits like myself, or any SOUR
rels, like Billie and Johnnie Bushytall!
Here is where must hide until ne
goes past!"
Uncle Wiggily Longears was wise
old rabbit gentleman, and soon he had
scooped out for himself little hiding
place in q pile of dried leaves at the
foot of an old stump.
"There!" he exclaimed; II don't be-
lieve the hunter man will find me
here"
But the man wheeling the baby car
rage came on, looking from side to
side, and the black thing in his hand
glittered more and more as the sun
shone on it.
IT wonder If he has baby In that
carriage, or If it is only a wax doll, as
I once wheeled one in mistake, think
ing had Mrs. Llittletaips baby rab-
bit?" thought Uncle Wiggily to him.
self "Tll listen, and perhaps | snall
hear the baby cry"
Uncle Wiggily listened with his big
ears, which were just made Tor nearing
danger sounds, but he heard no baby
voice coming from the carriage the
man was wheeling.
Perhaps the baby is asleep and
won't cry until it wakes up said
Uncle Wiggily softly, as he burroWed
farther down in among the SOFT leaves
And then, all at once, the man began
singing.
Bye Baby Bunting,
Papa's gone a-hunting,
To get a little rabbit-skin
To wrap the baby's tootsies 1n!"t
"My gracious, goodness me, sakes
alive!" whispered the rabbit gentle
man to himself "That must be Baby
Bunting in that carriage, and the man
wheeling it is the baby's father! ne
has come out hunting for me. He
wants my skin to wrap the baby
tootsies in. l suppose tootsies mean
feet. Well, he shall not have my skin
to use for that. want my own skin.
And with that out sprang uncle
Wiggily from the nest In the dried
leaves at the foot of the stump, and
away he ran through the woods a
fast as he could 90.
"Ha! There he is, Baby Bunting!
cried the man. There's the rabbit
l was singing to you about! ! see
him! Now we'll get him.
Uncle Wiggily looked back over
his shoulder and he saw sitting up IN
the carriage a nice, pretty baby. Sne
held out her hands toward the RABBIT
gentleman and went:
600! Cool"
"I suppose that's her way OF saying
she wants my skin to wrap her tool
sizes in" thought Uncle Wiggily well
like children and I'd do almost any
thing for them, but to lose my skin
never"
Then he hoped on faster than be-
fore. but the man wheeling the DaDy
carriage also hurried on and ne coulo
run very fast, this man could-almost
as fast as Uncle Wiggily, who had the
rheumatism you know.
Bunny! Bunny" cried Baby bunt'