Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-01-13
STORY XIV.
The Bushyrails Have Company.

The Bushytails Have Company.
Billie Bushytail was so anxious to
get home to his nest and see what
trick the fairy hen was to perform
for his special benefit, that he ran
ahead of Johnnie and Sister Sallie.
Cant you waltz" called Johnnie
after his brother. 3
NO" answered Billie, Il can't. I
want to see what it is"-just as you
children do on Christmas morning,
you know.
Well, as he was running through
the woods he met Grandma and
Grandpa Lightfoot, and Jennie Chip
munk.
where are you going in such a
hurry" asked grandpa, who, being a
little lame, from having stepped on a
pine needle, walked with a cane.
Il am going home to see what trick
the fairy hen has DONE" answered
Billie.
We'll, we are going to your house;
so tell your papa and mamma We are
coming added grandma. and as for
Jennie Chipmunk, she just laughed,
she was so glad to see Billie again.
When Billie got to the nest he
scrambled up the tree as fast as he
could, as fast as a fly walking on a
window pane, | do believe. The first
thing he saw was a sharp little lose
poked out from the hollow in the
tree, then he saw some wiggily whis-
kers, and next two of the sharpest
eyes he had ever beheld.
This must be the trick" he
thought. Il wonder what it is?" and
he trembled, he was so anxious. Then
he looked again, and saw some sharp
teeth, and, a moment later, what
should happen but that Nurse Jane
Fuzzy-Wuzzy sprang up and looked
right at him. You remember Jane
Fuzzy Wuzzy-Sammie and Susie
Littletairs nurse?
oh" exclaimed Billie. just the
least bit disappointed. Il thought
there was going to be a trick here"
There is" said Jane Fuzzy-Wuzzy.
81 am the trick and here are two
more,' and she waved her paw and
what should happen but that Sammie
and Susie Littletail, those little bunny
rabbits. came running out of the
leaves where they had been hidden at
the foot of the tree, and sat up on
their hind legs. Just then up came
Johnnie Bushytail and Sister Sallie,
and they wanted to know what the
trick was that the fairy hen had done.
They all agreed, eve Billie. that it
was a wonderful thing for the hen to
know without being there, that some
thing strange was going to be at the
squirrels nest. $50
How do you suppose she did it?"
asked Johnnie.
Easy enough answered Nurse
Jane Fuzzy-Wuzzy. 81 happened to
meet Mrs. Cluck-Cluck in the woods,
and l told her we were coming here,
so. of course, she knew" -
Then it isn't a trick at ALL de.
clared Billie.
"Well. it's a sort of a trick" said
Sammie Littletail. II think that fairy
hen is wonderful. We are going to
have some of her eggs to color for
Easter, Susie and l."
Then who should come along but
Grandpa and Grandma Lightfoot, and
Jennie Chipmunk. Mr.. and Mrs.
Bushytail and Sister Sallie began to
set the table, for they wanted their
friends and relatives to have a quiet
cup of tea, and Sammie and Susie and
Billie and Johnnie began to play about
in the leaves.
Then, all at once, along came Papa
and Mamma Littletail, and, right be-
hind them, limping on his crutch
which Jane Fuzzy-Wuzzy had gnawed'
out of a cornstalk, walked Uncle
Wiggily Longears, and his rheuma-
tism was almost as bad as ever.
Doesn't it make you sorry to hear
that?