The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-03
Bedtime Stories
BY HOWARD b. GARIs


BY HOWARD b. GARIs s
Uncle Wiggily and the Dandeiions.
.'Oh, Uncle Wiggily, you're coming.
aren't your" cried Susie Litt1etail, the
rabbit girl, as she hoped up the front
porch of the bunny gentleman's hol-
low stump bungalow one morning
Coming where, Susie?" asked Mr.
Longears.
ITO my party" answered Susie.
Here's an invitation all written out
for you on a white lettuce leaf, and
when you've finished reading you
may eat it. Then you'll be sure to re-
member to come"
oh, I'd be sure to remember to
come to your party, anyhow, Susie"
said Uncle Wiggily with a laugh. ''At
the same time I'm obliged to you for
asking me-" And, to make sure he
would not forget to remember, the
bunny uncle did eat the lettuce.
Susie Littletail was going to have
a grand party. 1t was for her birth
day. and there was to be cabbage, let
tuoe and carrot ice cream, to- say
nothing of lollypops and peanut pud-
ding.
All the animal boys and girls, from
Johnnie and Billie Bushytail, the
squirrels, to JACKIE and JUMBO Kinky-
tail, the monkeys, were to come, and,
of course, SO were Uncle Wiggily,
Grandpa Goosey Gander. and some of
the other animal folk, including Dr.
Postum.
I'll be ready with peppermint and
paregoric, in case the children eat too
many cocoanut macaroon cones'
laughed DR.. Postum.
And We're going to have real
music by the Cricket and Katy-did-
and-didn't band,'' said Susie to Uncle
Wiggily. And there'll be dancing"
I wouldn't miss it for this world
and part of another" said the bunny
uncle, happy like.
Well, the day of the party came at
last and Uncle Wiggily got out his
blue coat with the pine tree cone
buttons the tailor bird had sewed on
for him. He was going to wear that.
But it isn't time to go yet," said
Nurse Jane, as she saw Uncle Wig
gily sprucing up.
Il know" he answered. At just
wat to see if there are any wrinkles
in my blue coat
But the1e were none, I'm so glad to
say. While Uncle Wiggily was out
walking he went past a place where
many tall dandelion flowers had gone
to seed Their long, hollow stems
were sticking up, with a ball of fluffy
white on top, and the wind blew some
of the fuzzy seeds on Uncle wiggily' S
blue coat.
"Ha! I'll have to go home and get
brushed in time for Susie's party he
said.
And when Nurse Jane had brushed
off the fluffy, dandelion seeds it was
time to go to the Littletail stump
given.
Many of the animal boys and girls
were already there So was Grandpa
Goosey Camden, and he and Uncle
Wiggily were talking about the par
ties and straw rides they used to go
to when they were young, when, all
OF sudden Susie Littletai1 with tears
IN her pink eyes, came up to Uncle
Wiggily.
why Susie What is the matter ?"
asked the bunny. Did the ice cream
turn sour?"
Worse than that" answered Susie,
The Cricket and Katy-did-and-d idn t
band can't come to play music, and
what is party without music. I'd like
to know? WHAT"
What indeed?" asked Uncle Wig
gily. Then he thought for a minute,
and said:
Now. Susie, don't you fret. You
go right on with the other parts OF
your party, and when it comes time
for the music. why it will be here
'Oh, will it, really, Uncle Wiggily ?''
cried the little rabbit girl, clappine
her paws in delight
Surely" said the bunny uncle
Then when Susie hurried off to well
come the party guests Uncle Wiggily
said something to Grandpa Goosey and
they hurried off in the darkness. They
were gone for some time, and Susie
was getting anxious about the music
when, all of a sudden it started
foot! loot! Tootite-toot-tootr
went a lot of horns, and they played
the incest dancing tune you can i'm
agine, SO that no ones feet or paws
could keep still. but every one had to
wiggle.
What lovely musici" they all cried.
who is making it, Susie ~
Uncle Wiggily,'' answered the little
rabbit girl, and SO the bunny uncle
was. with the help of Grandpa Goosey
They had picked a greet lot of the
big, long, hollow dandelion stems
making them of different lengths, and
i when they blew on them, ore after
| another, it sounded just like footing
horns, and made beautiful tunes.
So Susie had music for her party
after all, you see. and there was a
most delightful time. And if the
croquet ball doesn't roll over and GO
! to sleep in the pansy bed where the
| hammock can't play puss in the cor
| ner with it, I'll tell you next about
| Uncle Wiggily and the cat bird
| Copyright, 1917, by Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
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