Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-08-12
UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE CRAW-
LY SNAKE.
(By Howard r. Garis.)
Paget Newspaper Service.
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' Wy ilOWuiu n. NdIlb.J
Paget Newspaper Service.
Copyright by Evening News Publish
ing Co., Newark, N. j., 1850
Uncle Wiggily! Look out! l
heard something rustic in those dried
leaves!" exclaimed Nurse Jane Fuzzy
,,Wuzzy, the muskrat lady housekeeper,
as she and Uncle Wiggily Longears,
the rabbit gentleman, were out in the
garden one morning, watching the
lima beans climb up the poles.
"You heard something rustic? In
the dried leaves? What? Where?'
asked Uncle Wiggily, sort of excited
like.
"Over there! Hark! Hush!" Nurse
Jane whispered, as she held her apron
up in front Of her face so she couldn't
see. IL think it's the bad fox she
went on.
| Nonsense! Begging your pardon
for laughing at you" went on Uncle
Wiggily with chuckle that made his
nose twinkle like package of popcorn
balls. But, nonsense! What you
heard in the dried leaves was probably
the wind"
1.-THE wind isn't blowing" declared
Nurse Jane.
"Well. it wasn't the fox, that's sure"
said the rabbit gentleman. He
couldn't hide under the leaves; he's
too big. think it must be a"
"Oh, it's snake. A big, Gravity
snake!" cried the muskrat lady. "Oh,
look!" and she pointed to the pile of
leaves in one corner of Uncle Wig
gily's garden Surely enough out did
crawl big snake. But he was very
kind-looking snake, fat and good natrr-
ed. Lazily he blinked his eyes In the
sun and curled himself up in the shape
of a round kitchen mat
why, 80 it Is, a Gravity snake"
Uncle Wiggily said. II hope you're
not afraid Of him, Nurse Jane"
"Oh, but I ami" cried the muskrat
lady. HE might bite mel"
"Oh, no; never!" said the snake
himself. II never bite any one. Nurse
Jane Besides, have just had good
meal, my first one since | crawled IN
hollow log for my long winters
sleep. I awakened yesterday, ate a
good meal, and now shant want any
thing for six months"
"Well, that's one good thing" said
Nurse Jane, keeping Uncle Wiggily be-
tween her and the snake. you would
| be cheap to have for a boarder, I'm
| thinking" went on the muskrat lady.
would you like me to come to live
in the bungalow" asked the snake.
ooh, no-no!" Nurse Jane cried. Il
don't want to be impolite,' she went
on, but, really-you see-ahem-"
II understand" Kissed the snake like
a steam radiator on hot day. I'll
not come l had rather be out in the
woods this fine weather, anyhow"
| So the snake crawled out Of the
dried leaves in Uncle Wiggilys garden
! and went over to the woods. Nurse
Jane went in the house, as she said
she did not like to look at snakes, and
Uncle Wiggily remarked:
You must excuse her, Mr.. Snake.
You know muskrat ladies' are sort OF
nervous, and all that sort of thing"
"Pray do not mention it, said the
snake politely. II don't mind in the
least" Then he shook his tail good
by at Uncle Wiggily and crawled on.
Well, day or so after this, when
the rabbit gentleman was on his way
home from the store,' where he mad
gone to get Nurse Jane bunch Of
parsley for her new hat, Uncle Wig.
gily heard sad voice saying:
"Oh, dear! Oh, why did he do It?
Oh, what am l going to do about it?
On, this is terrible!"
"Ha! Some one in trouble" Uncle
Wiggily exclaimed. II must see IT
can not help them"
He looked carefully around, and
there at the foot Of big tree, the
rabbit gentleman saw the Gravity
snake, all tied up in knots-single
knots-double knots bow knots, sailor
knots and many kinds of hard and soft
knots
my, how did this happen? Who
did it," asked Uncle Wiggily.
TT was the bad old tail-pulling
chimpanzee," said the snake. II
guess he doesn't like me- because I'm
friend of yours. Anyhow, as I was
sleeping just now, he came up and,
before could awaken, he tied me full
Of knots. An oh! have the indiges-
ton something terrible!"
THAT Is too bad!" Uncle Wiggily
said. I'll see what ! can do for you"
The snake was trying to wriggle out Of
the knots, but he could not.
However with the help of Uncle Wig
gily, the Gravity creature was soon
! Strengthened out and his Indigestion