Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-11
Children's Evening Story


| and before Buddy knew what was
happening, If something didn't 90
lam-bang-crack into the lamp, and
put it out, leaving the poor little
guinea pig boy In the dark.
Then how frightened he was! He
shivered, and crept down with his
head beneath the bed clothes, but all
the while he kept hearing that "thump-
ity- thump- bump hump lump Dump"
against the ceiling. First he thought
1t was the bad fox, who had gotten in
to eat him up and then he knew the
fox couldn't fly around the room that
ever so much more noise. Then he
thought 1t might be an owl, with big,
round, staring, yellow eyes, but when
he peeped out from under the clothes
the least bit, he didn't see any eyes,
so he knew it couldn't be the owl.
/ "Oh, dear! Oh, dear!" cried Buddy,
when he was SO frightened he couldn't
keep still any longer, "Oh, dear!
wish my papa and mamma would
come home; and Brighteyes, tool"
What for?" asked a voice, away
high up on the ceiling.
Because Tm-Pm lonesome-and
afraid-and-and-" but Buddy was
almost crying. 50 he couldn't. finish
what he had started to say.
| What are you afraid off," asked the
voice, and this time it was on the side
wall, close to Buddy. No.
I'm afraid Of you'll" cried the little
boy guinea pig, and he got further un.
der the bed clothes.
! NONSENSE! Afraid of me-" exclaim.
ed the voice, and this time, bless me;
II 1t wasn't on the blanket, right over
Buddy's nose. Don't be afraid little
boy" the voice went on. l wouldn't
hurt you for the world Why, I'm
only harmless, old June bug, you
know. I blundered in here by mistake,
somehow, because saw your light, but
now it's dark, and I can't see to get
out But land sakes, goodness me, and
some buttermilk! Don't be afraid OF
me! wouldn't hurt you for the world
and the moon too" ... ...
"Well, II don't-exactly know if I'm
afraid of you or not went on Buddy.
First thought you we're fox or an
owl. I-Iguess I'm a little afraid Of
the dark too"
l
anyone" said the June bug. "The dark
is good for sleeping. But If you're
afraid, how would you like me to tell
you story? And that will pass the
time until your papa and mamma
come home" .-..-
"Oh, fine!" cried Buddy, and he was
not afraid any more, for he loved to
hear stories So the June bug perch
ed upon the bed clothes, where they
were nice and soft and he told lots
of stories to Buddy.
He told about the COW that went to
school, and about the bear who was
bitten by big, black bug and about
two good boys, an dabout three bad
boys, who lived In a cave, and about
an elephant, and about horse that
had four legs and, oh, don't know how
many stories. .,.
| Then the June bug sang this little
verse, only, as I have a cold in my
head you'll have to get some one else
to sing it for you. Anyhow this is how
1t goes:
II love to flip and flop and flap,
And buzz around the room.
leap up to the ceiling high r..
And hit it with boom!
I turn double somersault.
My wings they play a tune.
It's lots Of fun to be a bug,
Especially. in June"
And then, land sakes, and feather
pillow; If Buddy Pigg wasn't fast
asleep. Then the kind old June bug
sang his song over again, softly and
was about to fly away, when he saw a
mosquito going to bite the little guinea
pig boy.
And what did that bug do but grab
the mosquito and throw him out Of the
window. And the June bug stayed I'M
til he heard DR.. Pigg and his wife COM
ing back, and then he flew away for
he had managed to find the place
where he had come in and crawled
out again.
Buddy woke up when his mamma
came in his room to see how he was,
and he told her all about the June bug
and how kind it had been and how 1t
had told stories.
"You must have had a lovely dream.
said Mrs. P1gg, but Buddy knew It had
actually happened and wasn't dream
at all. Now If my typewriter doesn't
| fall down and sprain its hair ribbon
we'll next have story soon about
Brighteyes and bad boy.