The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-09
Bedtime Stories
Uncle wiggily and His Coat
BIZ HOWARD =. GARIs

Uncle W1gg1iy ana BIS SoaI.
Well. I suppose you are gong gong on on
guard duty in your soldier trench. OF
ditch, in front of your tent tonight
are you not?" asked Nurse Jane F'uz-
Zy Wuzzy. the muskrat lady mousse
keeper for Uncle Wiggily Longears,
the rabbit gentleman, as she waved
'Hello!" to him one morning from
the hollow stump bungalow.
Uncle Wiggily himself was march,
ing up and down in front of his tent,
where he had stayed all night, being
on guard or awake part of the dark
hours, to make sure the mosquito bus
enemy did not come aand carry him
off.
YES" he answered Nurse Jane. ct
expect to do guard duty tonight. /
will march up and down in my
trench, or ditch, into which the mos
quitoes cannot throw stones at me-
But why co you ask ~
Because L have IL little surprise for
you,'' went on the muskrat lady. See.
1 have mace for you a long overcoat.
such as the real soldiers wear when
| they are on guard. 1t must get cold
in the right, especially about IL
/ o'clock, and if you wear this coat you
will not he chilly
That's fine. Thank you," cried
Uncle Wiggily as he saw the coat the
muskrat lady nurse had made for him
1t was long, reaching down almost to
| his heels. and it had a big collar.
which could be turned up around the
rabbit gentlemans neck. 1t did not
cover his ears, for they were Iery
tall (if you remember his picture), and
| it would ha we taken a whole overcoat
anc part of another one. to say Moth
ing of collar. to have covered IN
Gle Wiggily's ears.
Put it on and let me see how it
fits said Nurse Jane. II made it
/ from your last years fur coat. and It
may want a lietle changing"
But it didn't-not bit. 1t fitted
| Uncle Wiggily just like a postage
stamp on letter. and he looked fine
| in it.
| "IIl wear it tonight when I go on
guard duy," he said. Thank you.
very much, Nurse Jane"
| That afternoon Johnnie and Billie
Bushytail. the squirrel boys; Billie
Wagtail. the goat; Jimmie WIbble-
wobble the duck, and many others
came to have Uncle Wiggily show
them how to drill and practice soldiers
| in the trench and in front of the
tent.
I'VE must be always ready for the
| mosquito enemy" said the bunny rab-
bit. There is no telling when they
| may swoop down on US! So-atten-
ton. Fall-ini"
do you mean fall in the ditch ?"
asked laughing Jollie Longtail. the
mouse boy.
''Nonsense!" cried Uncle wiggily.
ct mean fall in line; or get in line to
So the animal boys marched back
and forth. sometimes up and down
| and sometimes in the middle, learn
ing to be soldiers to fight the mosquito
enemy.
day" said Uncle Wiggily, after he had
passed out peanut lollypops to the
animal chaps. I'm go on guard in
my new coat tonight, and tomorrow
We will drill again."
Wiggily marched up and down in his
trench ditch, wearing his military
overcoat which Nurse Jane had
gnawed for him out of a cornstalk.
Oh. please excuse me. That's Uncle
Wiggily's red. white and blue striped
rheumatism crutch, isn't it? Well, he
did not need that now, being brave
soldier. So he wore the coat Nurse
Jane had made for him out of cloth.
! But, somehow CT other, it grew
| very warm that night. Uncle Wig
gily, marching up and down in the
trench, first turned down the collar
of his coat. Then he unbuttoned 1t.
Finally he said.
II guess; I'll have to take 1t off al
together, it's SO hot. I'll hang 1t UP
on the h1ndle of the rake l used to
dig my .rench.''
So, hanging his coat up on the
rake, the handle of which was stuck
in the ground. and draping the arms
| over the two iron ends of the garden
| tool, Uncle Wiggily m Irched up AMI
down in more comfort.
| The night grew warmer and more
warm. And, as might he expected, IT
! was warm in the swamp where the
mesquite enemy lived. They flew up
from the marsh, buzzing and bizz.ng.
and the captain called:
| What TO- my Merry Mem Tonight
| will be n good time to capturs Uncle
| Wiggily, l think. He is sure to be
sleepy anG dreamy tonight and we
can grab him and fly away with him
Come on to capture that rabbit SOL
dierr"
Buzz Buzz! We're with you" sang
the biting bugs. Off they Flew to the
trench where Uncle Wiggily was on
guard in front of his TEN near his
hollow stump bungalow.
Halt" whispered the mosquito
CAPTAIN.
All the flying insects stopped fit
tering their wings
| There he is. I see hfrni" said n
young lieutenant me squito rext to the
captain. See, he is standing in the
trench; How still he IS He must be
asleep"
He is" said the captain, and be-
fore he awakes we will capture him.
! Advance en- Captain Uncle Wigafly
Longearst"
Down buzzed the mosquitoes, but IL
was only Uncle Wiggily's coat. hang
| ing over the rake with the arms
stretched out like those of a scare
crow, which the bugs saw About
fourteen million of them grabbed
hold of it. and then. with a great
buzzing of their wings up they flew
with the empty coat, thinking they
! lad Mr.. Longears.
Here, come back with that" cried
the bunny from the far end of the
trench, he heard the rnosduitoes
buzzing. Let my nice coat, that Nursa
Jane malt for me, alonev'
What. Have we only captured hia
coat?" cried the captain MOSQUITO
| "Oh, dear Bad lucki'
But it was good luck Tor Uncle Wig
giiy. as The biting bugs dropped his