Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-11
I'm Fun.

Billy sat all alone. He was, as he
said himself, mot feeling good" He
really mean that ne was not feeling
happy, or cheerful, or contented. The
grown-ups, however, would have said
ne could not be feeling good because
he had been behaving badly.
he seemed to have started the day
out wrong, somehow. He had begun
by chasing the turkey till the turkey
put an end to that by chasing him.
Next he had pulled the cats tail till
she too turned and scratched him. Az
ter this you might have thought that
ne would settle down and be good:
but, no! he hid. the dogs bone, and up-
set the kittens milk saucer, next he
took Susy's new doll away and (but
this was an accident; he didn't mean
to DO this) cracked her nose-of
course, the dolls nose, not Susy's! At
that point father came home to dinner
and heard about the misdeeds, and said
Billy had better not do more stunt
like that before supper or he certainly
wouldn't go to grandmother's next
Sunday. So, not to get into any more
mischief, Billy sat alone in the yard,
though every minute it seemed get.
ting colder.
Il did it only in fun" was all the ex-
cuse he could think of.
Well, don't have any more fun of
that Sort" said father.
The afternoon seemed very, very
long and very cold, SO that at last
Billy had to 80 indoors, although he
could not hope that any one would be
particularly glad to see him. AS a
matter OF fact, Susy put her toys
quickly into a box and sat on the box.
Mother smiled at him (you could al
ways count on mothers smiling), but
she was hushing the baby to sleep, SO
ne couldn't do more than that.
Billy took a book-one of his Christ
mas presents-put a stool by the fire,
and sat down to look at the pictures.
But the fire made him sleepy. He want
ed to be out in the fresh air. But he
also wanted some one with him. He
thought that he would not get into so
much mischief. Even If he did ne
other person would get some c
blame!
He looked at Susy.
Come out and play?" he said.
Susy wasn't speaking to him." But
1T was very quiet when mother was
getting baby to sleep-Susy felt in
clined to answer. However, what she
said at first was
"You can't play with my things"
Don't want to! They're only gtrls'
things, anyway"
If the baby had been either awake
to play with or safely asleep 50 that
mother was at liberty, Susy would
have refused to speak again. But 81
was dull, the sky was getting beautiful
ly red, and she daresayed she wouldn't
be allowed out without Billy, who wai
nine, while she was only seven.
"Ill go for a little teeny WHILE" sha
decided. And I'll come in when
want to-"
Billy said nothing to this. She
couldn't come in unless he opened the
door. Perhaps she had forgotten that.
Mother looked toward the nail where
coats and caps were, SO they put those
on and went out. Oh, how nice the
air was, after the fire! Billy gave q
shout, and ran over to the show man.
"Oh!" cried Susy. Her tone sound
ed as If she had seen something new.
Billy looked.
At the foot of the tall tree that lean
ed against the wall of the house a
chipmunk was trying to fix a little wad
Of paper into his mouth. Susy crept
up to him very quietly. Billy followed
her.
"Sh-sh!' she whispered, Lets see
what he does"
So they stood very quietly, and Mas
ter Chipmunk began to climb up the
tree in a very jerky way. Every now
and then he would stop and seem to
have trouble with his paper. But at
last he went up and out of sight.
Whats he doing?' asked Susy.
Taking up paper for his nest, and
it's a sign it's going to be colder" re-
piled Billy, who had been told this the
last day of school. when he comes
down, I'll shoe him up again. That'll
be fun!'
ooh, MOI" cried Susy. Lets put
some more paper for him, and watch
him take it UP. That'll be more fun"
Billy was surprised.
80 it will" he said.
.Susy ran back into the house oillvs
opened the Goor!-and brought out
some soft tissue paper, left w from
Christmas presents. She and Billy had
a beautiful time for half an hour. They
puC the paper IN nlCe-Slzed DltS at the
foot of the tree and then hid. Master
Chipmunk didn't seem surprised at all.
He took the bits quite as a mater Of
course, and % had the last n up.
He didn't come down again.
How nice and warm and soft his
nest isl" Susy cried. Wasn't it fun?"
"What was fun?" Father had come
when their back were turned.
Susy told him.
did you like it, Billy?" father ask
ed him.
Fine replied Billy.
"Then"-father laid a hand on each
shoulder as they went to the house
always have plenty Of that fun-the
fun that helps, and doesn't hurt!"-
Two Little Girls Were Play-