Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-19

moved all his uncle's things out Of the
hollow stump bungalow to the rabbits
larger cottage, not far away, and they
were all snug and coy.
1t was few days after this that
Sammie Lttletail, the boy rabbit, went
little way back from the ocean. He
had been In bathing, and had played in
the sand, and now he wanted to cool
|off.
Pretty soon, as he was hopping along
wishing he could have Billie and
Johnny Bushytail, the squirrel broth
ers, and Jimmie Wibblewobble, the
duck boy, with him to play ball, all
of sudden Sammie saw something
moving in the grass.
At first he thought 1t was bad
fskillery-scalery hoptoad, with the war
ty-torties on his back, and then, as
the rustling grew louder Sammie saw
that 1t was turtle
"Ah, ha-" thought the turtle, as he
saw the little rabbit boy. This rabbit
boy must be a friend of Uncle Wig
gily's. I will speak to him"
But, before he could get chance
to utter word, what dM Sammie do
but take a stick and turn the turtle
over on his back. ...
There, nowl" the rabbit boy ex.
claimed, 1.-THE turtle can't get away
and I'll get Susie and Uncle Wiggily
and show it to them" And off Sam.
mic Mapped. 80. .-.....~,. -.u
"Oh, dear MEL. thought the sur.
prised turtle, who concluded not to
speak to Sammie after all. What an
unpleasant creature! l must have
made a mistake. That rabbit boy
could never have been friend OF
Uncle Wiggily Longears, or he would
never have been so impolite to me-
The idea of turning me over on my
back! And I'm old enough to be his
grandfather, too! I shall speak to
Uncle Wiggily aboutFit. I'll turn over
frontward now and hide, so that rabbit
boy won't find me when he comes
back; If he ever does"
Now Sammie was mistaken when he
thought that If he turned land turtle
over on it's back that it couldn't get
away. They can. for their back is
rounded, like a seashell. 49,.
So Mr.. Grandfather Turtle Just
stuck out his long, curving, leathery
neck, like a snakes, and pushed his
nose down against the ground as he
lay on his back. Then in second he
had rolled and pushed himself over on
his legs and he could walk off as we'll
as ever. I've watched a turtle in our
yard turn himself right side up many
times, after the children, just for fun,
had put him on his back, but not to
hurt him, you understand; only to
see him turn.
Well, the turtle was walking away,
thinking what troublesome creatures
even rabbit boys are sometimes, when
all of sudden, the turtle heard
voices.
II turned him on his back, Uncle
Wiggily," said one voice, "andah he'll
be there for you to see"
"Oh, Sammie,' spoke the rabbit
gentleman, I'm afraid you shouldn't
have done that. That turtle was prob
ably a friend of mine and l wouldn't
have him mistreated for worlds"
"Oh, I didn't mean any HARM"
spoke Sammie. So the turtle kept
still and, peering through the bushes
he saw Uncle WiggiIy and Sammie
looking for him. Then the turtle saw
something else. 1t was a snake, all
coiled up and ready to jump out and
bite sammie on the leg. ~.
"Oh, I can't allow that, even if that
boy did treat me so impoltely,"
thought the Gravity turtle. So all of
sudden, pulling himself all inside his
hard she'll, so the snake couldn't bite
him, that turtle just rolled over and
over out on the snakes tail. And, as
the turtle was like heavy stone, the
snake, feeling his tail being pinched,
cried out in surprise:
ouch! Wouch! Spouch!"
Look OUT" suddenly cried Uncle
Wiggily to Sammie, as he saw the
snake, and he pulled his little nephew
rabbit out of the way just in time. But
the snake couldn't do anything with
the turtle on his tail, and soon, feel.
ing rather fiat, he crawled away and
the turtle waddled out into view.
"Oh, how are you!" cried Uncle
Wiggily to the turtle. II thought it
was you whom Sammie wanted me to
come and see. But I'm sorry he turn
ed you"
I'm sorry myself that I TUNED you
on your back" interrupted Sammie po-
htely, "and I'll never do it again"
We'll, perhaps it will be good les
son to you to learn to respect us old
grandfather land turtles remarked
the tortoise, as he shook claws with
Uncle Wiggily and asked about the
rheumatism.
Then Sammie shook paws also and
promised never to be thoughtless
again, and he and Uncle Wiggily and
the turtle went to a drug store, kept
by polar bear gentleman, and had ice
cream soda. And they took vanilla.
pineapple-straberry ice cream cone
home to Susie. .
So that's all now, II you please, but
in case it should happen that the ham,
mock hook doesn't catch a Goldfish and
drop him in the milk bottle to scare