Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-02-18
NEDDiE's NAUGHTY TONGUE.
Paaet Newspaper Service.

Paoet Newspaper Service.
| Copyright by Evening News Publish.
| ing Company of Newark, N. j.,
1850
One day, as Neddie and BecNe
Stubtail, the two bear children. were
playing about in the cave where they
lived all through the long, cold win
ter, there came knock on the door.
Gracious! | wonder who that can
be-" exclaimed Mrs. Stubtail, the bear
lady, as she used the bottom of the
shining tin dishpan for looking
glass, to see If her frizzes were on
straight 81 hope it isn't company
at this hour"
But it was, for Mrs. Wibblewobble,
the duck lady, came in all excited like.
ooh, what do you think" Mrs,
Wibblewobble quacked. "We animal
ladies are going to have a sewing
bee"
"a sewing beef exclaimed Mrs
Stubtail. us that anything like a
honey bee?"
mo, it's very different quacked
the duck lady I'VE have just heard
that Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy, the
muskrat lady, who keeps house for
Uncle Wiggily Longears, the rabbit
gentleman, is ILL.,"
Nurse Jane ill?' cried Mrs. Stub
tail in surprise.
Yes" the duck lady went on, and
she can't mend Uncle Wiggily's socks,
nor sew buttons on his shirts, and the
poor rabbit is in dreadful way
do tell" said Mrs. Stubtail You
must excuse the way look she said
to Mrs. Wibblewobble, ''for | slept
SO late this morning that I'm away be-
hind with my work"
"Oh, that's all right" spoke Mrs.
Wibblewobble. II just ran over the
way | was myself. But | thought, II
all we animal ladies got together, we
could do the sewing for Nurse Jane,
and Uncle Wiggily wouldn't have to
go about with holes in his socks, or
no buttons on his shirt. That Is what
sewing bee is"
"Well, I'll be glad to come and buzz
at that bee,"- said Mrs. Stubtail. and
then she and Mrs. Wibblewobble talk
| ed about the different kinds OF sew
ing. and thread and needles, not TO
say thimbles and things like that.
All this while Neddie and Beckie
were playing nicely together, and
finally Beckie did something that Ned
die didn't like. So, all at once, the
bear cub boy called out loud, right be-
fore Mrs. Wibblewobble:
you're mean, sassy girl cup!
| That's what you are!' cried Neddle
to his sister. 81 don't like you! I'm
mad at you. You're a slurggle! That's
what you are! A bad slurggle!'
"Why Neddie!" exclaimed his moth
or. 81 am surprised at you! Your
tongue is very naughty today" For,
when a bear boy calls his sister a
Struggle he's just as bad as he can
/, be.
II don't care" growled Neddie. "she
she wouldn't play engine and cars.
"Ouiet. Neddie,' said his mother,
who was ashamed that he should act
so and especially before company. u
shall have to punish your tongue 10
make you remember that you must
hold it still, even in your paws, II
YOU have to. when it wants to say I'M
pleasant words"
GLOW are you going to punish his
tonsue?" asked Mrs Wibblewobble. i
might like to know, as my Jimmie ana
Alice and Lulu are not always as po-
lite as they might be. How can you
punish a tongue?'
"Tll show you, said, Mrs. Stubtall:
Then she took clean white cloth, and
tied it tightly around Neddie's little
black nose and mouth. There, now
Neddie can't use his tongue until he
thinks for some time how unpleasantly
he spoke with it and wagged 1t at his
sister," she said. II punish Needless
tongue by taking the use OF 1t away
from him, just as would take away
toy if he misbehaved with it,
..Oh, see," said Mrs. Wibblewobble.
Neddie didn't say anything. He could
not. with that rag tied around his
mouth. And Beckie, with sorrowful
look at her little brother, went out to
give her best DOLL Sarah Janet Multi
plication-table ride In the snow.
So Neddie had to stay in a corner OF
the cave, with his tongue tied up, be-
cause he had used 1t wrongfully, and
Mrs. Wibblewobble and Mrs. Stubtail
talked about the sewing bee to help
Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy and Uncle
Wiggily.
Well, the two animal ladies were
talking away, and speaking about a
new kind of thimble made from the top
Of an acorn, when all at once, Neddie