Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-09-29
Children's Evening Story

UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE BOYS
WELL" said the monkey after the
bear had run away. II guess we can
now sit down and talk quietly togetn'
err; Ell, Uncle Wiggily I"
YES" said the old gentleman rabbit
But what is 1t that you want me to
do? l heard you sing that funny little
song, about the boys coming In the
tent. But don't exactly understand
That's just it," replied the monkey
"You see, it's this way. have little
sort of circus show here. and the
troublesome boys don't want to pay
any money to get in. So when my
back is turned they crawl under the
tent and so they see the show for moth
ing-just like at the circus"
ooh, SO that's how it is?' asked
Uncle Wiggily. And you want me to
keep out the boys?"
That's it," said the monkey. Here's
a big stock, with which to tickle the
boys who crawl in under the tent with
out paying. Now I'll practice my
tricks"
So the monkey did lot Of tricks
He stood on his head and he hung by
his tail, and he danced around in a
circle Then he pounded the drum
not SO hard as to hurt it, but hard
enough to make noise, and he played
the fiddle and blew on the horn, and
| then he ran inside the tent and jumped
over bench, making believe 1t was al
elephant. and he did all sorts of fun
ny tricks like,.that. He even stood on
his head and made funny face.
That. will make very nice show.
said Uncle Wiggily after he had
watched the monkey. Now I'll stay
J outside, and keep the boys from com
ing in unless they pay their money
And you can be inside. doing the
tricks"
And, I'll give you money for work
ing for me-" said the monkey. Then
perhaps you can make your fortune
and, besides that, III give you cocoa
nut and you can make cocoanut pie
with it,
THAT will be fine!" cried Uncle
! Wiggily. So he and the monkey prac
ticed to get ready for their show. II
was nice little tent in which it was tC
be given, and there were seats for the
people, who would come and platform
and flying rings and trapeze bars anc
paper hoops. and all things like that
l Just the same as in real circus. Well
finally the time came for the show. I,
was the day after Uncle Wiggily got
to the place where the tent was, and
he had slept that night in hammock
put up between two trees.
Now were almost ready for the
show" said the monkey to the ole
gentleman rabbit, after a BIT 80
hope you will be sure to keep out the
troublesome boys. They always CREEP
under the tent and see the show 70,
nothing. l can't have that going on II
I'm to make any money"
"Oh. III stop them" declared Uncle
Wiggily.
And here's the club to do it with,
said the monkey handing Uncle Wig
gily a stick.
ooh. don't know about that,
answered the rabbit. 81 never hurt the
boys If can help 1t. Perhaps shall
not need the club. I'll leave 1t here.
So Uncle Wiggily hid the club un
der an apple tree. but the monkey SAID
it would be needed and he wanted
Uncle Wiggily to keep it, and take 8
whip, too. But the old rabbit shook
his head.
! "I'll try being kind to the boys" he
said. You let me have my way, Mr.
Monkey"
Well. pretty soon. not so very long
the show began. The monkey went in
side the tent, and he blew on the horn
and he made music on the fiddle anc
sang funny song about little grea,
big pussy, who had red balloon. She
stuck pin inside 1t, and 1t played q
go-bang! tune.
OF course, as soon as the show
started the people came crowding up
to the tent. just as they do. at the cir.
Gus. There We're men and women
and little boys and girls sand big boys
and girls. and they all wanted to get
inside to see what the monkey was do
ing. But. do you know, believe all
that ne was doing WAS playing mon
key-doodle tricks-but, Of course.
might be mistaken.
Well as 1t always happens, some
boys didn't have any money with
which to pay their way. inside the
tent. And. of course, as it will some
tines happen, one boy said to another:
Hey! l know a way We can crawl
in under the tent and see the show
and not have anything to pay"
! But that WOULDN'T be fair" spoke
the other boy. ut would be cheating
and there's nothing meaner in this
world than to cheat, whether it's play
ing a baseball game or going to cir
GUS"
81 guess you're right" said the first
boy What shall we do, though?
want to see the show"
well, we must be fair, anyhow.
spoke the second boy. I'VE can,
crawl in under the tent. but perhaps