El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-09-14
Copyright By George Mathew Adams
Bedtime Story For the Little Ones
UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE CUCUMBER
By HOWARD 3. GAKTS

thsm Up TO the house TO be stored
away for winter After that I'll 90 %
the five-and-ren-cent store for you
What do you WANT
Another pair OF diamond earrings
answered the mUskrat LADY I need z
new pair for the party Mrs Wibble-
wobble. the duck lady, is going TO give
next month"
You shall have them" said the
bunny uncle
Then he started down toward the
potato field trundling the wheelbar-
row The rabbit gentleman had not
zone far when he heard voice down
among the vines suddenly cry
on. look out, You're going 10 run
over me with that wheelbarrow-'
To 3e sure III look OUT said the
bunny gentleman I don't want to
one who lives on my farm But who
are you2"
One OF the cucumbers." was the
answer. Most OF my friends. you or
Nurse Jane, picked off the vines when
they were very little But I hid down
IN under the leaves and was not seen
Vow I am getting big and fat and
yellow soon I viii 90 to seed, and
when my seeds are planted more little
cuCumb ers VIII grow up from me next
year So you see 1 don't want TO be
run over by your wheelbarrow just
yet"
And you shall not be" spoke Uncle
Wiggilv in his most jolly voice. -f'll
steer away 10 one side Of you. and
not harm you in the least
Thank YOU" said the cucumber
Perhaps some day I may be able 10
do YOU = favor
Pray co not mention it." spoke the
bunny uncle. in his usual polite man
ner. Then he went on to the potato
field, where the ear-scra itching cat was
n
mustn't call him the ear-scratching
cat any more. for he isn't He has
turned into a pOtato-di gging cat or
feline, as the professor calls them
Glad 10 see YOU, Uncle Wiggily,"
meaowed the cat
The same TO YOU and many Of
them. said the bunny
Then the two friends began digging
the brown potatoes With his strong
claws with which he always used to
want TO scratch Uncle Wiggily's ears
the nOw-E good cat pulled away the dirt
from the side Of the potato hills and
out rolled the big brown fellows that
are so good when roasted in the oven.
And Uncle Wigglly. with his earth
digging paws. also dug potatoes. load
ing them on his Wheelbarrovv until il
was well filled.
All, Nurse Jane viii be glad 10 see
so many potatoes, said the bunny 9
ne filled the wheelbarrow W 10 the
ton Now I'll take these home Mr.
Cat. and you can keep on digging so
as 10 have some ready for me when [
come back"
Very good" said the cat. scratching
away with his claws in the dirt
All went well with Uncle WigZily
until he came to the place where he
had spoken 10 the big cucumber. when,
all OF a sudden. there was a crashing
sound and the wheel of the barrow
broke all to pieces. letting the front
end down, and spilling some Of the po-
oh. dear" cried the bunny. This is
too bad How shall / ever get the
potatoes home to Nurse Janee Per
haps ] can drag II even If my wheel
barrow hasn't any wheel
He tried TO drag it. but that plan
would not work.
Wei, then. I'll have TO carry the
potatoes few at 4 time. until have
them all safe in my cellar" went on
the bunny 4 can't fix the wheel, as
it is too badly broken"
'Ah. perhaps ] can help you" said
voice down in the vines
Who are yOu2 asked Uncle Wiggily,
holding some potatoes in his paws
The big cucumber" was the answer.
u am round. like wheel. and l an
very strong 7 am now ripe enough
to be pulled from the vine and II you
end of the stick in the place on the
wheelbarrow where the broken wheel
was, I think you could ron your pO-
tatoes home"
Thank you ever so much. I'll try it,
said the bunny gentleman So he fixed
the ripe. yellow cucumber on the
wheelbarrow for a wheel. and IL went
Drefectly fine. rolling around as nicely
as you please
SO Uncle Wiggily was able to get
home all the potatoes which the cat
dug for him. and when he was all
through he thanked the cucumber and
put the seeds away TO plant next year.
So this teaches US that even an old
cucumber that has gone TO seed may
be of some use in this world. and II the
automobile tire doesn't blow the head
light out so that II has to go home
alone I'm the dark and maybe stumble
over the box of matches. I'll tell you
next about Uncle WigSily and the old
goat iady.-Copyrigh 1916, by Mcclure
Ne1VsnaDer syndicate