Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-24

f1E ~ LAI lAlLo w AW Al,
"Why-why, what in the world can
have happened asked Wuzzie, the
little fox boy.
Il don't know" answered his
brother Wizzie. Where is every body ?
And where are all our things?" ask.
ed Wizzie, the little fox girl. There
isn't a chair or table in our house, and
the pictures are all off the wall. Oh,
dear, I'm going to cry Il know ami
she sniffled. N"
mo, please don't cry!" begged Wuz.
zie. ....r
Because we've might cry, too
said Woozie.
The three little fox children had just
come home from having spent all the
afternoon at moving picture show.
And when they reached the stone
house where they lived they saw a
most astonishing sight.
Or, rather, they didn't see anything.
For their mamma was not In the
house, and Grandma Sharpnose, the
old fox lady, was not there - nobody
was there.
And there wasn't thing In the
house to eat, Grandma Sharpnose did
not meet the fox children at the door.
as she usually did, with slices Of bread
and Jam. in fact there was no bread or
jam in the house.
All the dishes were gone out of the
kitchen, the furniture was out of the
other roomr-in fact the whole house
was empty, ...
II wonder what can have happened
said Woozie. Mamma and Grandma
Sharpnose were here when we started
for the moving picture show after din
ner and now they're gone. Oh. dear! V
Something must have happened"
said Wuzzie. Maybe bad giant came
along and carried them off and all our
things, and maybe he'll come back for
u.s."
"Then let's run and hide!" cried
Wizzie. :.
mo, don't let's do that" said Woozie
81 don't believe there are any giants.
And If We go hide, mamma and Grand.
ma Sharpnose might come back and
they wouldn't know where to find US.
Maybe some fairy has just played a
trick on us"
What do you mean, played trick?
asked Wizzie and she was just going to
cry, only she thought she wouldn't as
it always made her nose red.
"Why, maybe some fairy has made
grandma and mamma and all our
things in the house so they are 1nv1s'
ible," went on Woozie.
whats in -in-oh, can't say that
big word" spoke Wuzzie.
Invisible means you can't see them
said Woozie Maybe fairy has
made us so we can't see the things IN
the house."
"Ha, I don't believe that" exclaim'
ed Wizzie. Look here, can go IN the
kitchen, and put my hand right Wnere
the stove used to be and I can't feel It
It might be invisible. but If 1t was
and still was there could feel IT, and
I'd get burned. No sir, Woozie FUZZY
tail, everything's gone out OF our houSe
and so has mamma and Grandma
Sharpnose and feel terrible about II
and I'm going to ="
Don't say you're going to cry beg
ged Woozie.
y wasn't going to-" answered Wiz.
zie 81 was going to say that was
going down. to papas Office and tel!
him about it. He must know what
happened"
That's what we'll do" said Woozie
and Wu2zie. :.
So the fox children, taking last
look at their deserted house, hurried
to the office down town. where their
papa worked. They did not think TO
ask any of the neighbors what mao
happened or they might have 1ouno
out more easily. ,r
But another funny thing happened
Papa Fuzzytail's office was all closed
IN and the Waterman dog said:
IL don't know anything about 1t. chill
dren. Your papa went away from mere
eairly, and in hurry. And l don't
know why everything Is out OF your
house. But I'll go back there with you
and see If I can help you"
ooh, that is very kind of you!" ex'
claimed Woozie. IF you could only
help us to find our mamma and grand
ma and papa -
'Ill do my BEST" said the watchman
dog. 49, T.,
Back to the deserted house he went
with the fox children and when he got
there. the cupboard was bare
Hold on. if you please! Excuse me
was thinking of Mother Hubbard.
But when the Waterman dog and the
fox children got back to the fox house
It was Just the same as before. 1t was
empty and there was no sign OF Mrs.
F,1zzytail or Grandma Sharpnose.
well. this is very strange" said the
dog. "Your folks must have moved
away" - -