Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-07-08
UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE
WASHTUB.
(By Howard r. Garis.)
Paaet Newspaper Service.


WASHTUB.
(By Howard r. Garis.)
Paost Newspaper Service.
Copyright by the Evening News Pub
fishing Co.. Newark, N. j.. 1850
Uncle Wiggily Longears, tho rabbit
gentleman, awoke one morning In his
bed at the hollow stump bungalow, and
he felt quite pain In his back.
"Oh. dear!" he exclaimed. There's
that rheumatism once more! thought
had lost 1t, but 1t seems to have
found me again. Ouch! Oh, dear!"
Just then q voice called from down
in the kitchen:
Uncle Wiggily! Oh, Uncle Wiggily!
Are you getting up? I wonder II you
don't want to help met"
That's Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy,"
whispered Uncle Wiggily to himself.
I mustn't let her know l have q rheu-
matism pain in my back, or she'll make
a fuss, and put a lollypop plaster on
the sore spot, or do something like
that. No, I'll just pretend I'm all
right, and go right down stairs to
breakfast"
So brave Uncle Wiggily hobbled
down on his red, white and blue strip
ed barber pole rheumatism crutch, try
Ing not to show that he felt any pain.
Il hope I didn't make you get up
before you were ready" spoke Nurse
Jane, as she went out to fry the break
fast oranges. But ! was up early
myself, Uncle Wiggily." she went on.
and / washed out few clothes and
some clean handkerchiefs for you.
Now, If you don't mind. would you
empty the tubs of water for me?"
Il would do it myself" went on the
muskrat lady housekeeper, but I
sprained my foot and can't lift the
pals of water out Of the tub. know
you won't mind doing It,"
mot in the least! Not in the least!"
said Uncle Wiggily politely. I'll
empty the tub of water for you, Nurse
Jane" But to himself, tho old rab.
bit gentleman went on: "Oh, dear!
How am l ever going to do 1t
with my rheumatism back? really
can't, but l don't want to tell Nurse
Jane I can't, or she'll send for DR..
Postum, and make me soak my paws
in ice cream soda. No, I'll not tell
her, I'll do the best I can, and IL !
cant dip pals of water out of the
washtub, I'll dip out thimblefuls. That
will be the best way out of it."
So, when Nurse Jane went upstairs
to make the beds In the hollow stump
bungalow, Uncle Wiggily took the
muskrat lady's thimble and with It
started to empty the tub ct wash
water.
iii try emptying 1t by the pail
first" the rabbit gentleman said, but
/ know I can't do it. Oh, dear! Isn't
1t too bad to have pain in your
back when you want to help empty
the wash water? 1t certainly is"
Well, Uncle Wiggily tried to use the
pail, but, just as he expected, 1t was
too heavy for him. He had to grunt
and groan and sneeze and cough and
splitter, because his back hurt so.
mo, 1 can't do it! I'll have to use
the thimble," he said. But even lift
ing that little thimbleful Of water out
of the tub panied the rabbit gentleman
very much. Still he would not give
up. for he wanted to help Nurse Jane.
But, every once in while, Uncle
Wiggily would stop and put his paw to
his back. Then he would make HIS
nose twinkle like frosted star on a
Christmas tree, and sigh and say:
"Oh, dear"
Then he would lift out another
thimbleful of water from the tub for
Nurse Jane, and look to see how much
more was left to empty.
why don't seem to have taken
out any at ALL" said Uncle Wigsily
sadly, 1T will take me nearly week.
working this way
He filled the thimble once more, and
just as he emptied 1t on the ground, he
heard voice saying:
ooh, my! Look out II you please,
Uncle Wiggily? You splashed me-!
"Splashed you, did I? My. that's too
bad! l surely am sorry for that" and
the rabbit gentleman looked down, OK
pecting to see Tommie, Joie or hlttie
Kat, perhaps, or Charles or Arabella,
one of the chicken children, for chick
ems and cats don't like to be wet, you
know.
But, instead Uncle Wiggily saw
Bully No-Tail, the frog boy, dressed IN
his green, red and yellow suit, and
Bully was bouncing rubber ball up
and down. -.
ooh, so it's you splashed; was it?'
asked Uncle Wiggily. why, you don't
mind being wet, you know"
mo more do" answered Bully with
a Jolly laugh. II have on my water
proof suit, that never gets wet, even
when l swim under water. l like to
be splashed. Splash me some more,
Uncle Wiggily!"
So the rabbit gentleman lifted out
another thimbleful of the wash water
and splashed 1t on Bully. And, as he