Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-07-22
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UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE
SEAWEED.


SEAWEED.
1t did not take Uncle Wiggily long to
get to the hut Of the cocoanut monkey
after the old gentleman rabbit had
been set free from the hole by the nice
sand-piper. l told you about that In
the story before this one, II you re-
member, and how the rabbit gentleman
hoped to get shovel so he and Grand
pa Goosey could dig their ship out OF
island.
well this must be the monkey
place." said Uncle Wiggily when, after
hopping on for some distance, he came
to little cabin in the woods. Cocoa
nut trees grew all around and so did
pineapples and the rabbit knew the
monkey must live there.
But don't see any Of his children,
spoke Uncle Wiggily. However, I sup
pose they are off somewhere playing
If can find the shovel will be glad.
So he went around to the backyard
where, naturally, he thought the mon
keys children would have been playing
in the sand pile with the shovel, but 1t
was not there.
"This Is strange" thought Uncle
Wiggily. ''He said I would find the
shovel sticking up in sand pile, but
zee nothing Of 1t. l wonder
But just then the rabbit saw the fire
shovel and the funny part of 1t was
that the shovel seemed to be walking
off by itself, through the grass, or rath.
er, instead of walking, it was crawling
off.
Now that is certainly funny"
thought the rabbit gentleman. II nov.
or saw a crawling fire shovel before.
but this one seems to have legs. May.
be it heard I was coming and wanted
to get away. 1 must look into this.
SO Uncle Wiggily softly hoped on
to the crawling fire shovel and then he
saw curious thing. The shovel wasn't
crawling by itself at all, but 1t was
being pulled along by a clam, who had
hold of the handle of the shovel in its
shell and was dragging it along by
pushing it, two little feet down on the
ground-clam's feet, you know, not the
fire shovers. Goodness me! I guess
not! Shovels don't have feet.
"Wow! Me, oh, my!" cried Uncle
Wiggily, when he saw the curious
sight. THAT Is certainly odd! How
very funny to see q clam pulling a
shovel"
mot at all funny" said the clam,
letting 60 Of the handle Of the shovel
so he could speak more plainly. mot
at all funny, when you know who
am"
who are your" asked Uncle Wig.
gily.
Il am the comical clam" was the
answer. Listen to my song and then
you will be sure Of IT,"
So the shellfish sang In cold and
clammy voice this song:
II am the comicalest clam,
That ever was in chowder.
The more the thunder bangs and
rolls,
The more like 1t louder.
Sometimes sit upon the sand,
And look across the sea-
l wonder II fairy ship ~
VIII ever sail to me-"
why, the very thing! have just
thought Of the very finest thing" ex-
claimed Uncle Wiggily, joyfully, as
the clam stopped singing.
wait, have not done yet" spoke
the comical clam. And then and
there he stood on his head. and made
a conlical face at the fire shovel And
then he turned a somersault and look
ed 80 very add that Uncle Wiggily had
to laugh. 1t isn't very often that you
see a comical clam turn a sornersault
you know.
""Now you may tell me what you
were going to-" spoke the clam, and
Uncle Wiggily said:
"Oh, perhaps our ship is your fairy
ship. It ia fast in the sand, and II
you would like to come on board you
will be very welcome. We will sail
as soon as we can. That's why came
after the shovel to dig our ship out
with, but see YOU have It,"
Eyes, am taking the monkeys
shovel away to hide IT," spoke the
clam. II am playing trick on him,
because he dropped cocoanut on me
out Of a tree the other day, and near
ly broke my shell. But II you want
your ship dug out, why don't you let
me do It. With my big shells I can
get It out Of the sand quicker than
If you used shovel7"
Good" cried Uncle Wiggily. Twill
you do IT,"
II WILL promised the clam. Come
on"
So he left the shovel there in the
grass where the monkey would have