El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-04
Bedtime Story For the Little Ones
oUncle wiggily the Slippery Elm"
By HOWARD, B. 6ARIs.

you home hickory nut CAKE P'-
haps'
well, whatever you like" spoke
Nurse Jane. But don't get lost " Ia ~,
ever you do. and if you meet win ~
adventure I hope il will be ni09
one"
so do T." Uncle Wiggily said, as nc
hoped off, leaning on his RED WHY
and blue striped rheumatism cruz ~
which Nurse Jane had gnawed Tor MN
out of a cOrnstalk
The old rabbit gentleman had NOT
gone very far before he met Dr- 80
sum walking along in the woods win
his satchel of medicine on his tall' I9I
Dr. Possum cured all the i'll anlnlaiS
you know.
What in the world are you doing.
DR.. PossumE' asked Uncle Wigglly' as
he saw the animal doctor pulling SOME
bark off a tree. Are you going 10
make a canoe, as the Indians used TO
do?"
"Oh, no. answered DIT. Postum
This is a slippery elm tree The I'M
derside Of the bark. next to the tree,
and the tree itself, is very slippery
when IL is wet Very slippery indeed
well. 1 nope YOU don't Slip sara
Uncle Wiggily kindly
Il hope so. too" DR. pOssum said.
"But I am taking this slippery elm bark
10 mix with some Of the bitter medi-
cine / have to give Billie Wagt9il, the
goat boy When put some bark from
the slippery elm tree in BilliC's medicine
it will slip down his throat so quickly
that he will never know he took it."
Good cried Uncle Wiggily, laugh
ing. Then the bunny uncle went close
to the tree, Off which DR.. Possum was
taking some bark. and felt Of it with
his paw. The tree was indeed as slip
perry as an icy sidewalk slide on Christ
mas eve.
MY" exclaimed sir Longears. IF
1 tried to climb up that tree I'd do
nothing but slip down"
That's right" said DR.. Postum.
But I must hurry on now to give Bill
lie Wagtail his medicine.
So. DR.. Possum went on his way and
Uncle Wiggily hoped along until
pretty soon he heard a rustling in the
bushes, and a voice said:
But, SQueaky- Eelly dear. I can't find
any snow hill for you to ride down on
your sled. The snow is all gone, you
see It is spring now"
"Oh, dear." cried another voice.
such a lot Of trouble On, dear! Oh,
dear"
'Ha, TROUBLE" said Uncle wiggily
to himself 'This is where I come in.
I must see if cannot help them"
He looked through the bushes, and
there he saw Jillie Longtail, the little
girl mouse. and with her was Squeaky-
Eeky. the cousin mouse. And Squeaky-
EelIy had a small sled with her.
why, what's the natter asked
Uncle Wiggily, for he saw that
Squeaky -Eeky had been crying. What
is the matter little mice?'
oh hello. Uncle Wiggily," cried Jill
lie. Il don't know what to do with my
little cousin mouse. You see she wants
TO slide down hill on her Christmas sled
but there isn't any snow on any Of the
hills now"
'No. that's true. there isn't" said the
bunny uncle. But. Squeaky. why didn't
you slide down hill in the winter, when
there was snowT'
Because I had the mouse-trap fever
then" answered Squeaky -Eeky," and 7
couldn't go out But now 1 am all bet
ter and can be out, an doh, deari I do
so much want TO ride down hill on my
sled. Boo, hooi'
Don't cry. Squealy. dear" said Jillie.
IF there is no snow you can't slide
down hill, you know"
But I want to-" said the little cousin
mouse, unreasonablelike.
But you can't; so please be NICE
begged Jillie.
"Oh. dear!" cried squeaky. Il do so
much want TO slide down hill on my
aAnd you shalli" suddenly exclaimed
Uncle Wiggily. Come with me,
Squeaky."
why. Uncle wiggilyr cried JilHe.
How can You give Squeaky slide
down hill when there is no snow? You
need a slippery snow hill for sleigh
Il am not so sure Of that" spoke
Uncle Wiggily, with a smile. let US
see"
OFF through the woods he hoped,
with Jillie and Squeaky following.
Pretty soon Uncle Wiggily came to a
big tree that had fallen down, one end
being raised up higher than the other,
like a hill, slanting.
With his strong paws and his sharp
teeth. the rabbit gentleman began peel
ing the bark off the tree, showing the
white wood underneath.
What are you dOing?" Uncle Wig
RilyY' asked Jillie.
This is a slippery elm tree and I
am making a hill so Squeaky Eekie
can slide down." answered the bunny
uncle. Underneath the bark the
trunk Of the elm tree is very slippery.
DR.. Possum told me So See how my
paw slips2" And indeed il did, slid
ing down the sloping tree almost as
fast as you can eat a lOllypOp.
Uncle Wiggily took off lot OF bark
from the elm tree, making a long,
sliding. slippery place.
Now try that with your sled.
SquealIy- Eekie," said the bunny uncle
And the little cousin mouse did. She
put her sled on the slanting tree, sat