Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-18

like that as she mad heard the amman
ladies talk who called on Mrs. Stub
tail At first Neddie was surprised.
and he looked up, but when he heard
| Beckie speaking, and saw that she
| was only make believe lady, the lit
| tie bear boy shifted and snuffed and
said:
Pooh. That's not funny! You
needn't think I'm going to laugh at
you'll"
Oh, but wasn't Neddie cross, though!
Bur-r-r-r!
"Oh. dear!" thought Beskie. There
| went and dressed up, thinking |
could amuse Neddie, and he just
won't be amused! Oh, dear! Well,
anyhow, I'll pretend came to call on
my dolls"
SO Beckie talked to her family Of
thirteen dolls. making up new names
for them, and she WAS really having
good time, when all of sudden
there came knock on the cave door.
"Oh, that must be mammal
thought Beckie. II hope she has
brought home something with which
to amuse Neddie, for he isn't bit
happy and | can't make him jolly
Beckie went to open the door. but
first she looked out of a side window,
as her mamma had always told her
to do when she or Neddie were home
alone And, instead of seeing her nice
bear mamma, Beckie saw the bad old
tail pulling chimpanzee monkey on
the front steps waiting to come in.
"Oh, dear!" thought Beckie. What
shall I do? If he comes in here hell
pull my tail, and Neddie's too. Oh,
dear!"
Come, come" Open the door,"
cried the bad chimpanzee. Il know
you're in there, you two bear chill
dren, for I saw Uncle Whitewash. ire
polar bear go out, and Mrs. Stubtail
is out also. You're in there all alone,
Neddie and Beckie. and I'm going to
pull your tails good and hard!'
"Oh, please DON'T begged Beckie,
but she might as well have said moth
ing. For. the next moment, the
chimpanzee burst open the door, and
into the cave he jumped.
"Oh, Neddie!' cried Beckie. What
shall we do?"
I'll make him get out!' cried the
bear boy. "Ill tickle him with an
icicle."
Pooh! I'm not afraid of you, or
an icicle, either!" said the chimpanzee,
most impolitely.
"Ah! But maybee you're afraid OF
the big broom, and stepped right IN
front Of the chimpanzee with 1t.
And no sooner had the tail-pulling
monkey seen Beckie, all dressed up in
her mothers clothes, as she was, and
with broom in her paws, than the
chimpanzee cried out:
"Oh, l beg your pardon, Mrs. Stub
tail. l didn't know you were home.
I'm sorry I came in. didn't mean any
harm Really l didn't"
And then the chimpanzee jumped
out of the door into snowbank for
he really thought Beckie with long
dress on, was the big mamma bear,
and the monkey was afraid of her.
"Oh, Neddie! He's gone! He's
gone!" cried Beckie jowfully, and she
bolted the door so the chimpanzee
could not come back again.
Yes, he's gone and you were the
brave one who scared him away,
dressed up as you were,' said Neddie.
q am sorry I was cross, Beckie. Now
I'll play anything you like.
So Neddie dressed up in some Of his
fathers old clothes, and he and
Beckie had fine times until Mrs. Stub
tail came back. and she said Beckie
had done just right to scare away the
chimpanzee. And the next day Ned
dies cold was better and he could\go
out
And in the story after this one I'm
going to tell you about Neddies baked
apples. And l hope the fire shovel
doesn't take the stoves legs away, so
it can't dance the cinder hop with the
ash can.