Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-06-15

(By Rose Brooks.)

cloud shadows on the big blue hills.
and he loved to watch for birds in the
cool green woods and he loved to sail
boats in the pebbly brook, and he low
ed to watch the men cut hay in the
understanding meadows. What little
boy doesn't like hayrides and all the
other fun that summer brings? So
Kenneth was as happy as any little
boy can ,be when he and his mother
opened their cool little white house
under the big friendly maple-trees.
You can imagine, though, just what
an unhappy little boy he was when
one morning he woke up all hot and
uncomfortable with aching head and
throat. Mrs. Morse gently felt his
throat and then said she would send
for DR.. Martin.
When nice old DR.. Martin had
chugged up the hill In his little car,
and had come up to Kenneths room.
he took one look at him and said:
"Mumps, my boy! Too bad. but you'll
have to stay quiet for about ten days"
If Kenneth hadn't been a pretty big
boy. almost seven. he might have
cried, he was so disappointed, but he
winked hard and fast for minute,
and then said, fright in this room for
ten days."
DR.. Martin, who maybe saw how
hard he had tried not to cry, said:
We'll, If 1t doesn't rain, l don't mind
If mother carries you out and lets you
lie on the porch during the the day.
Would that be better than this room?"
The next day was very warm, and
after Kenneth had drunk his warm
milk Che didn't want anything else. be.
cause by this time his face was all
swollen up and his throat hurt him
when he swallowed), Mrs. Morse car
ried him out on the wide porch, all
shady with lovely woodbine curtain,
and arranged him comfortably on a |
little cot she had moved out there for
him. AS she was getting him settled |
she told him she had found, as sur
prise, a friend to play with him!
"Who? Somebody who has had |
mumps?'' asked Kenneth, eagerly.
We'll, don't know about that"
laughed Mrs. Morse, 'But when saw
him on the porch this morning he look
ed as though he were having humps.
Ssh! Don't move! Here he comes
now!"
Kenneth heard the faintest scratch
Of little hurying feet, and plump
little striped chipmunk scampered in
to sight. At sight Of Kenneth and his
mother he stopped short in his tracks,
little whiskers quivering, little bushy
tail twitching, and looked at them out
Of the brightest, blacklist eyes. that
neither wavered nor blinked. Just
off he whisked. intent
again on his own busy errand.
20 mother, isn't he cunning. This is
he first summer he has been her. Did
you use his cheeks-just stuffed! What =
10 you suppose he had in them?" Ken
leth's eyes were happy now and as
bright as little chipmunk's own.
20 mother" he called as Mrs. Morse
vas going in the door, Tets call him +,
Mumps!" II
"All right, that's a good name for
him. mother called back land now
II get little surprise for Mr.. Il
humps.' In a few minutes she came
Jack with pail of hickory nuts, which !
The set in chair beside Kenneth's :
Jed. mo you can roll two or three {
luts out on the porch, and when
humps comes again he'll be pleased
All that day Kenneth had a won I
lerful time with little Mumps, who '
Don discovered, to his great surprise. I
hat every time he scampered over the
'orch he found some delicious nuts. {
each time that he found fresh supply I
lie stuffed his little cheeks to their I
ull capacity and scurried away, re-
urning more and more quickly after t
ach trip. in his eagerness to see if 1t S
we're really true that new feast
would await him. Once Kenneth NOV E
d, and like flash, startled little
Jumps sat up on his hind legs. with !
is little front paws folded over his a
at little stomach. and stared and star
d at the bed, but finally decided Ken a
eth wasn't very dangerous, after all. E
Little by little Kenneth tanned c
Jumps. Day by day he dropped the r
uts little closer, little closer. to
he bed, until Mumps was so tame and S
riendly that he would run right UP to a
he bed without one bit of fear. Then, X
ne day. Kenneth spread feast of a
uts right on the bed itself! Fearless k
Jumps scampered close to the bed as +
sual and what was his establishment Y
, find no nuts-no, not single nut on \
ne floor could his bright little black o
yes see. But surely he smelled nuts, h
,enneth waited breathlessly. Jistle b
Jumps raised his twitching little black
ose and shifted and shifted and - f,
es. In one fving leap he was on the ii
ed and so glad to find his precious Il
uts that he wasn't frightened at ali G.
, find himself face to face with
tile boy 81
It wasn't long before Mumps was as G.
me as little kitten. Every morning a
hen Kenneth was taken out on the N
orch he would reach down with one Il
and and knock with his knuckles on s,
le floor, and Mumps soon learned the
snal and would whisk joyouslv over X
le porch and on the bed for nuts. ls
Lets try something besides nuts. o,
Ist to find out what he likes" said \.
rs. Morse. one morning. "Ill see w
hat I can find" Soon she came back >,
18th two little bags, one full Of beans. q,
I'd one full Of dried corn a,
Kenneth spread few beans on the e
I'd and presently up hoped Mumps.
lifted for nuts pOkad the beans with |