Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-07-24
The Chocolate Bush

CnOCOlaleS QOn SIoW vi SNSAs
bush!" leased father, slipping out or
four pairs of hands that chung like
burrs to his coat and his collar and his
furry fingers The children always
pounced on him for kiss when they
saw him go whisking out of the door
and trying to catch the car for the Of
flee.
wouldn't it be fun if they did, gig
gled Marion, curling up in corner OF
! the soft when he had got away from
them. Like huckleberry bushes, you
know! My! wouldn't l like to go berry,
ing!"
"Wish't I could' said Connie. we
could make believe a tree if we wanted
to-an April fool tree. Let's DO IL To-
nisht-to father"
Every year when April Fools day
came around they always had had some
funny joke ION" father. Sometimes the
joke was the other way, for mother
helped them, and mother was the best
fun in the world to help you think up
little jokes that couldn't hurt anybody.
One year it was stuffed eggs in all the
lunch boxes-oh, if you could have seen
the rice and oatmeal "stuffing that
flew all over the office when father
opened his! 1t made the children giggle
again TO remember what he had said
about it at supper time.
Mother would help us-let's ask
her!" cried the other children. I'VE
could, get a bush and fix 1t up with pa
per chocolates the way we made the
paper oranges, you know, and tied them
on. Mother can show us
81 think it would be great fun" said
mother. You two boys go and find your
bush-a good scraggly one, with lots OF
sharp twigs and thorny tips all over It.
I'll show you why when you bring It,.
And what can we do, mother?"
"Why, up in the garnet, Connie. is
great heap of brown tissue paper, in be-
hind the big trunk where the boxes are.
You can get some of that and take II
down into the kitchen, and get Myra
to let YOU smooth it out with a warm
flatiron. On a shelf in my closet, Mar
ion, you will find some bits Of jewellers
cotton, all colors. Here is some paste
(or a drop Of mucilage is just as sood)
to finish the chocolates with, and when
you come back I'll help you make fine
supper table ornament"
Don't they look just exactly like the
candy ones?' admired Connie, as the
soft brown balls grew under their fin
gers. Each one was stuffed tightly with
cotton till the thin brown outside was
plump and smooth and looked good
enough to eat A drop Of paste on the
under side made it nice and firm, with
no edges showing. On some Of them
mother stuck a snip OF red paper to
look like candied cherry. Others were
topped with a piece Of broken walnut.
It did not take long to make them,
and then there was the fun of sticking
them on the tree. First, mother made
place in the middle Of the table for the
,><ls ha6 Wi
nice white sand and stuck the bush in
it. Next they carefully pushed a paper
"chocolate' on to every sharp little
twie and thorn, till the scraggly thing
looked as If it had blossomed out with
big brown berries. 1t was beautiful
bush and almost made the children's
mouths water.
IF it was only really and truly"
sighed Connie.
Then there wouldn't be any April
Fool to it," returned Marion. And it's
April fool day, and somebody always
| has to be-"
1t must have been overhearing this
that made mother think of turning the
joke on them. A few minutes after,
when they We're busy over a game
! she went to the telephone. All I can
give you is what she said at her end of
| the line, but perhaps you can guess
what the other person said, or part OF
| it.
| "You-papa?"
You're going to be dreadfully April
fooled tonight"
You know what you said when yol
went away-about Chocolates growing
on bushes?"
well, they've made BUSH Paper
hocolates-stuffed with cotton. Under
stand?"
"Um-huh! That would be fine
pound would do nicely. Could you take
off the paper ones and change them fol
real ones in ten or fifteen minutes? Al
right, I'll get them singing round the
| piano or something. Come home early
Now you can guess. can't you? Thai
was just what happened. When they
were called out to supper, the candles
were lighted and the children all stooc
| with shining eyes to see how father
would look when he saw the chocolate
bush, and especially how he would look
when he tasted one of the chocolates.
you see they do grow on busiest
leased Marion.
Il see!" said father. First time
ever saw such bush in my life! Are
| they good to eat?"
Just try one!" screamed the chill
dren.
| "Fine!' said father trying one obed
| iently "Have one yourself" he urged
politely. reaching one to Marion. MOP
as she drew back. why, they aren't al
for me, are they? This is delicious!"
The children began to look doubtful
He didn't seem to mind the cotton g
bit, but kept on tasting. Mother looked
on with twinkling eyes, but said moth
ing. Suddenly, the boys slyly reached
out hand and helped themselves tc
one apiece. 49,
They're real!" They're real" they
cried out both together. TITS father
fooling us! He's changed the paper
chocolates for real ones!"
Ruth NJ. Kutcher's Compost
tion Kindness tn