Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-17
ICLE WIGGILY AND THE APRIL
SHOWER.
(By Howard r. Garis.)
Rara< GArv1cA

Paget Newspaper Service.
Copyright by Evening News PUBLISH
ing Company of Newark, N. j., 1879
Where are yotu going, Uncle VIE
gily?" asked Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy,
the muskrat lady housekeeper, as she
saw the old rabbit gentleman getting
ready to leave the hollow stump bunga-
low one afternoon.
"Oh, Just for little walk in the
woods and across the fields" he repll-
ed did you want me to do anything
for your"
"No, thank you," Nurse Jane replied.
"Only I think you had better take your
umbrella. This is April weather, you
know, and you never can tell when
there will be shower" =.
ooh, there won't be any today said
the rabbit gentleman. "See how bright
and blue the sky is, and the sun, how 1t
shines! It never could April shower
today
"Well, just as you please, of course. "
Nurse Jane said, as she wiped some
water out OF the eyes Of the potatoes
she was getting ready to bake for sup
per. "Just as you please, Mr. Long
ears, but l think you will need your
umbrella"
III it rains I will dodge between the
drops and run home and get It," the
rabbit gentleman answered with jolly
laugh.
So off he started, whistling merry
tune and making his nose twinkle IN
the bright sunshine.
april shower!" exclaimed Uncle
Wiggily to himself, as he looked up at
the blue sky. II won't April shower
today. I'm sure. Nurse Jane Is mis-
taken, that's all there is to IT,
So Uncle Wiggily went on and on un-
til he came to little old house on the
edge of the wood In this house lived
Mrs. Mouse, the dear old lady mother
of Miss Mouse, the nice school teacher.
"Ah, how do you do, Mrs. Mouse!
politely exclaimed the rabbit gentle,
man. II hope you are quite well TO-
day!"
Mrs. Mouse, who was out in the gar
den, wedding the flowers that were DUST
beginning to grow, looked up and said:
"Well, if, 1t isn't Uncle Wiggily! I'm
pretty we'll" she said, "and hope you
are the same"
"Oh, pretty fair" Uncle Wiggily re.
piled. "My rheumatism bothers me
now and again, especially when 1t
rains, but it isn't going to rain today
I'm glad to say
"Well, wouldn't be SO sure of that,
went on Mrs. Mouse, tying her tall in
double bow knot so it wouldn't drag
in the dirt. I'VE may get an April
shower" she said, as she looked up at
the sky.
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Uncle Wig
gily, politely. "You are as fussy as
Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy. 1t won't
shower today
well, I hope it won't at least unit
]. get my flower bed weeded," said the
old lady mouse. II have the rheuma
tism myself and / can't stoop over as
well as used to-"
ooh, that's too badv' said Uncle wig
gily. Let me help you weed. can
scratch in the dirt with my paws and
make it soft for you. Then 1t will be
easier to take out the weeds"
THANK you, kindly" said Mrs
Mouse Mouse, and soon Uncle W1gg1ly
was wedding the flowers with the lazy
mouse school teachers dear old moth
err.
"All at once, into the garden came a
bad dog, who began scratching big
hole right in the middle Of what was to
be pansy bed.
stop that" said Mrs. Mouse. Why
do you dig up my flower bed?"
II want to hide bone here growl
ed the dog. Don't bother met"
"Ha! Don't bother you, eh?' exclaim
ed Uncle Wiggily. II don't want tc
seem rude or impolite,' went on the
rabbit gentleman, "but if you don't gel
out Of Mrs Mouse's flower garden a,
once 1 shall have to call policeman
cat, and have her scratch your nose
Go away, bad dog!" :.
ooh, excuse me, Mr.. Longears. die
not know you we're here" the doc
growled. please don't send for the
cat policeman. I'll go away"
T! And go away he did, tucking his tai
in between his legs and carrying OF
the bone he was going to hide.
"Oh. 1t was very kind of you to stoT
him from tearing up my pansy bed,
said Mrs. Mouse. II hope can do yor
favor some day, Uncle Wiggily.''
pray do not mention it," said the
rabbit gentleman modest like and shy
Well. soon the flower garden was
weeded and Uncle Wiggily kept on