Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-13
FOR THE CHILDREN
When I ommy Toad
Blossoned
minnie Il Upton,)

Tommy Toad awoko ono bright morn
Ing. He yawned. He blinked his beau
tiful eyes. He stretched nHst one leg and
then the other. No, not the other, but
another and another and another!
Where am II" asked Tommy, Of
himself: 'Hmmrnmn1-why -eeeee! I'm
in my house, Of course. / remember,
now. The flies and the bugs and the
worms all went away, and had
dreadfrllly hollow feeling But soon
became so cold that all could think
about was getting warm. So came
into my house-way, way in, and ther
1 grow SO sleepy that I forgot all about
being hungry or cold, that's the last
remember"
Tommy yawned and blinked and
stretched, some more. Suddenly hi
stopped, and stuck up his funny nose.
What's that smell?" asked he, OF
himself" "Hmmmmmr-why-ee eee! It,
spring! Nothing else in the world
smells like spring. How long I must
have slept Now must make up FOL
lost time"
He started to climb out-stiffly and
SLOWLY. Suddenly he stood still, and
tipped his head to one side
What's that hear? Why -eeeee! its
old Mrs. Robin! remember that funny
little crack In her top note. Now hear
old Pa Robin. too. I must have over.
slept dreadfully! Now IL it had been
Billy Bluebird, it mightn't be so bad.
But those old Robins! I must hurry"
Up and up he climbed, growing sprier
and sprier at every step. Soon he stood
on his own graystone doorstep, putting
and blinking. Oh, but the sky was blue.
and the sun was bright! Close by his
doorstep some crocuses lifted up their
shining heads. A little farther away the
daffy down -dilly family were just be-
ginning to bring out their precious
stores of gold. Daddy Robin and Mother
Robin were bustling about, looking at
the remains Of their last years nest,
and deciding not to use it, but to work
hard and have a beautiful. brand
one. They looked very gay and bright
hemselves-perfectly spick- and span
Everything around sparkled, or shone,
or looked fresh and clean.
Tommy Toad looked down at his
coat sleeves. They were positively
shabby! He looked down at his shirt
front. Dingy-so dingy! He craned his
neck, so as to peek over his shoulder
at his coat. .
"Disgraceful!" cried Tommy Toad.
"And it feels uncomfortable. too-stiff
and queerish. Hmmmmmm-let me see.
Did I feel like this last spring?
yCos NAS.' IL ooi = - AiN'
What did I do? Hmmmmm-oh. l re-
member now! OF course! Here goes!"
When Tommy Toad began to wiggle.
and wiggle, and stretch, and twist and
in a few minutes what do you think
happened? Why, that rusty coat split
a little bit, then a lot, then from one
end to the other. Then it began to peel
off. Tommy Toad tugged at it with his
stout little hands,-oh. how he tug,
ged,-and soon he pulled it right off
over his head! Then what do you sup
pose he did with it? Well, perhaps he
thought it would never do to leave such
dusty, rusty-looking thing around
where everything was so fresh and
bright. so he ate it all up! Yes, he did,
and under it what do you suppose there
was? Why. a lovely new suit, and 1t
fitted beautifully 1t was just as bright
and fresh as the crocuses. and the
daffy down dillys, and Daddy and
Mother Robin! tx -s
"Just like last spring. chuckled
Tommy Toad. H n
Just then his little friend Elizabeth
came running out to the garden. He
was swallowing the last bit. He got 1t
down. with a funny gulp. and sat star
ing at her with very bright, new look
ing eyes,
Elizabeth hoped right up and
down. 2lra
20 mother!" she called. "Come-come
quick! Tommy Toad is blossoming!"