The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-25
Bedtime Stories
BY HOWARD r. GARIs

Uncle Wigsily Longears, the rabbit
soldier gentleman. was hopping along
over the fields and thru the woods
one day, lightly and blithesomely
swinging his red. white and blue
striped barber pole rheumatism crutch
that Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy, his
muskrat lady housekeeper. had gnaw-
ed for him out of a cornStalk, when
he suddenlyrstopped as he heard a sad
voice say:
"Oh, dear! What trouble 1 am I'M"
Ha! That sounds like old times,
exclaimed Uncle Wiggily. II have not
had a chance to help very many of my
animal friends since L became a SOL
dier-I have been so busy fighting the
mosquitoes. But now, it seems, some
one needs me. 1 wonder who it is 81
1T is 1. if you please" went on the
little voice.
And who are your Uncle Wigsily
wanted to know.
II am the lady bug" was the an
swer, and one of my feet is caught
in a crack in this rail fence. l wish
you would help me out
Il WILL" said Uncle Wiggiisf, and he
did.
Thank you. kindly" spoke the lady
great favor, and 1 would like to do
one for you
Pray do not mention it," spoke the
bunny uncle, diffident-like and I'M
twas a SInail matter.
Not to me, tho 1 am not very
large" spoke the lady bug. But
how COMES it, Uncle Wiggily, that you
are not on guard in front of your SOL
der tent? l thought you never left It
since the mosquito war started"
u am off for the afternoon" said
the bunny. ''Sammie Littletail, my
rabbit nephew, is getting to be quite
bunny boy now, and he is almost
as large as / am. So dressed him up
4 n hal IA n old
put my fur overcoat on him. with my
trench boots. and SO, with my talcum
powder gun on his shoulder, he looks
almost like me. The mosquitoes will
think 1 am on guard and will not try
/ to blow up my trench or capture my
tent"
Then you are out looking for ad-
ventures?" asked the lady bug.
II am" said Uncle Wiggily, and,
thanks to having helped you, 1 have
had one. And that reminds mel" he
said, suddenly. Nurse Jane Fuzzy
| Wuzzy, my muskrat lady housekeeper,
asked me to bring her bottle of per-
fume, as she is going to a party at
| the home of Mrs. Wibblewobble, the
! duck lady, tonight. But 1 forgot; all
about the understanding stuff. l shall
have to go back to the drug store
| for it, and / hardly will have time,
/ for 1 promised to be back early and
let Sammie Littletail go play marbles
, with Johnnie Bushytail, the squirrel
1 oh, dear!"
! Don't worry" said the lady bug.
woods that will be as nice as any you
could get Nurse Jane in the drug
store"
And will you do it?" asked the
bunny.
Il will, indeed. because you helped
me- Wait here"
With that the lady bug flew away
home, not because her house was~on
fire, but because she wanted to help
Uncle Wiggily, and soon she came
back with a bottle almost as large as
herself, but quite small at that
This perfume is very strong" she
said, land all Nurse Jane will have to
use will be drop as large as the
smallest tear of a tiny gnat or hum
ming Bird
hat is very little" said Uncle Wig
gily. I'm sure Nurse Jane Will like
it. Thank your
Then Uncle Wiggily hoped back on
his way to his soldier tent and the
trench near his hollow stump bunga-
low. where he kept guard against the
mosquitoes who were at war with
him.
Uncle wiggily put tie tiny bottle of
perfume in his pocket, and, pulling
his tall silk hat down tightly over his
ears, he hurried on, for he did not
like to keep Sammie on guard too
long, since the rabbit boy had said he
| 10 nave some Iun.
But the bunny rabbit man had come
farther than he knew. and afternoon
was almost over when he was still
a long way from his bungalow
Il know what I'll do said Uncle
Wiggily. "FH take a short cut thru
the mosquito swamp. 1t is daylight
yet, and 1 don't believe any Of the
bad bugs will be flying about to bite
me. I'll take a chance"
So he took short cut across the
1
ly thru it, leaping from one clump OF
grass to another, all of a sudden out
, swarmed the bad buzzing mosquitoes.
Hal Now we have himi Now we
can get Uncle Wiggily! He has no
gun with him. they cried.
Right at him they flew, some get
ting ready to bite him on his ears,
others on his legs and still others on
his pink, twinkling n -se.
oh, deari" cried Uncle Wiggily'
Stamping his paws about as you do
your hands when you're in cloud OF
mosquitoes And. all of a sudden, as
h slapped, Uncle Wiggily hit the bot
tie of perfume in his pocket, and the
: glass brokei
the air. The mosquitoes shifted it and
cried:
, "Oh. we must run away. quickly.
Oh we can not stand that smell IL
will give US the epizoouc.
"tJaf OF course it will" cried Upcls
WiggiIy, 'for that perfume Is penny
i-roval. and no mosquito can sand that
. any more than he can the smel! OF
citronella I'm glad the lady bug gave
me this kind of perfume for Nurse
Jane"
Then Uncle wiggily sprinkIed nno-s
of il around, driving off the last of the
/ MOSQUITOES, who were almost choked
by it. But the pennyroyal smell did
, | not bother Uncle Wiggily at all. He
used up all the lady bug had given
: him, but she brought more so Nurse
[ Jane could go to the party, and every
? thing came out all right. you see.
SO the mosquitoes didn't get ths
bunny uncle that time, and Sammic
: had fun playing marbles. And II the
rain drop doesn't fall down stairs and
| splash all over the June bugs dTess
Il III.