Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-14
; CH1LDREN's EVENING STORY


swimming nearer and nearer to the
fails. Then, all at once, before you
could stick a pin in cushion, what
should take place but that the little
boy duck felt himself being pulled
along by the rushing water, just as
the soap floats along when you pull
the plug out Of the bathtub. Oh, row
fast the water swept him along. I'm.
ME splashed and padded with ali his
might, and tried to swim ashore,
where Lulu was anxicusly watching
him. but he couldn't seem 10 move.
There he was. being carried alorc to(
the edge Of the falls. with the e,re,
sharp stones below. and the big 'aill.
wheel going around and around. "'>on
Jimmie knew he was in freat da'' ~er,
and he cried out: Help! Help,
Help!' three times. as loudly as he
could call
Lulu and Alice heard him, and were
much frightened. They started to go
to the aid of their brother, but Grand.
father Goosey Camden warned them
not to.
But who will save Jimmie?" they
cried 49, Z
81 will try -" answered the old.
gentleman GuCk.
So he got rope and threw it to
Jimmie, but the rope wasn't long
enough. and the poor little boy duck
kept getting closer and closer to the
edge Of the falls, and the big mill.
wheel. Oh, how hard lie was swim
ming, but the water was stronger
than he was.
Get board" cried Billy. the frog,
who came hopping along just then.
So the ducks and the geese got a
board and threw it to Jimmie. but it
floated past him, and he couldn't get
upon it. Then it surely did look as if
be were going to be carried right over
the falls. for he was being swept near
er and more near. and ne could. h hr :
the water making terrible roaring,
sound on the rocks. You have no idea
how scared Jimmie was, aud he wish
ed he had never gone near the falls.
Then the other ducks got long
stick and Grandfather Goosey-Gander
held it out, SO the little boy duck
could grasp it in his bill, but the stick
broke, and every one said it was too
bad! Then. just as Jimmie was al
most to the edge of the falls, If Nurse
Jane Fuzzy-Wuzzy didn't call out:
Stand aside, everybody! l am a
good swimmer and I will save him.
Then what do you think happened?
Why that good, kind muskrat jumped
right into the water, and hurried to
where Jimmie was. She dived down,
and got hold Of his yellow legs in her
teeth, but she took hold very gently
so as not to hurt him. Then she was
such fine swimmer that she man.
aged to get to shore, towing and pull
ing Jimmie with her, for the water
could not hurt Nurse Jane Fuzzy
Wuzzy, no matter how hard the mill
wheel splashed.
So that is how Jimmie was saved
from the waterfall, and when his papa
and mamma came home they were
very glad, of course, and why
shouldn't they be-? But, all the same,
Lulu and Jimmie had to be punished
for disobeying, and going near the
falls when they had been told not to,
and their punishment was that they
could not go in swimming for three
days. And if you ever were duck yot
know that was very severe punish
ment indeed, very severe.
But I'm not going to say that Jim
ME and Lulu didn't deserve it. no in
deed I'm not; not if you were to offer
me an orange and half; and I'm
very fond of oranges; very Well,
that's how things will sometimes hap
pen in this world, won't they? do the
best that you can. But now suppose
you want to know what the story will
be- about tomorrow night. Well, If I
see pink grasshopper, shall tell
you about a visit the Wibblewobble
children paid to poor, sick, Billie
Bushytail