The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-02
Bedtime Stories

Bx HOWARD r. CARS

the muskrat lady housekeeper, as she
saw her friend, Uncle Wiggily Long
ears, the rabbit gentleman, hopping
down off the front porch Of the hollow
stump bungalow one morning.
"Oh. yes. I'll be home" he answer
ed, I'm just going to look for little
adventure
Then, not having been there in
quite a while, Uncle Wiggily went
down to the ocean seashore beach.
For said the old rabbit gentle
man to himself. 81 have not had
seashore adventure in some time. And,
perhaps. my friend. Alice, from Won
derland, may be down there. l know
in her story book there are many cur
ious things that happen near the sea.
So down to the shore went Uncle
Wiggily and as he was walking along,
looking at the funny marks his feet
made in the wet sand, all of a sudden
he came to pile of damp, green sea-
weed. and from underneath it he
heard a voice calling:
"Oh, help me out! Please help me
out!'
"Ha. That sounds like some one in
troublei' Uncle Wiggily said. Il must
help them" Then with his red. white
and blue striped rheumatism crutch
that Nurse Jane had gnawcd for him
out of lollypop stick, the bunny polk
ed away the seaweed, and underneath
move. was a Lobster gentleman.
"Oh. it was SO good of you to get
me out" said the Lobster as he gave
a flip-flap with his tail. AN old crab,
who doesn't like me, piled the seaweed
over me as 1 was taking nap in the
sun. My long thin legs We're all tan
gled in it. and even with my big
pinching claws I could not get loose
and I was SO afraid I'd be late
Late for what?" asked Uncle Wig
gily, wondering where the Lobster was
going.
ITO the dance-the quadrille, of
course" was the answer.
"Oh, now l remember said the
bunny. ITS in the Wonderland Alice
book. You have to go to dance,
Exactly said the Lobster. I'D
be pleased to have you come with
me-"
II will" promised Uncle Wiggily,
thinking maybe he would have an ad-
venture there. So down the beach
started the Lobster gentleman and the
bunny uncle. On and on they went
for a long, long time. it seemed to
Uncle Wiggily, and it was getting
quite late, as he could tell by the star
fish which were twinkling on the
beach, and still they had seen no signs
of a dance.
Il can't understand it, said the
Lobster Alice said l was to walk
until / met her. and she'd take me to
the party And we certainly have
been walking a long time"
We have, agreed Uncle Wiggily.
1T is SO late I'm afraid I'll have to
leave you and go home to supper as
l promised Nurse Jane"
That's too bad" went on the Lob
ster. Il wanted you to see how well
can dance on the end of my tail
But l can't understand why we don't
get to the quadrille. We certainly
have walked down the beach, haven't
WEI"
I'VE have answered the bunny
HBut-Ah! I have it," Uncle Wiggiiy
suddenly cried. You have been walk
ing backward, and I have been fol-
lowing you. We have been going
away from the dance instead of
toward it,
'Of course," cried the Lobster in
cold and clammy voice. WHY
didn't 1 think of that before? [ al
ways have to go backward on ac-
count of my claws being so heavy I
of pushing them ahead.
ana so. of course, going backward
as L do, and, as all HOLSTERS do. when
want to get anywhere I always turn
my pack toward it, and get to it that
way rms tune L forgot to do that
But what can we do now ?" Uncle
Wlgglly wanted to know How car
we get to the dance?"
IL tust turn around, and back I'D
TO 1t. spoke the Lobster. I'm sorry
70 nave mixed things up for you,
especially as you We're so kind as 70
get me from under the pile of saao
weed VI 9ea
On don't worry" laughed Uncle
Wiggily, jollylike. Il dare saw if viii
| be all right. Come on
n he JoI,
began TO back toward where he boped
To ma the dance. 1t grew darker and
| Gafker' and the star fish We're twin
hnhS more than ever, and then. all
or sudden. they came to the hollow
stump bungalow where Uncle Wieei1v
lived. -79iiS
Murray" cried the lobster. Here
We are at the quadriIle Now m ex-
! plain to Alice"
No, this isn't the dance. said In
Gle Wiggily. This is where I live
But I'd he pleased to have vor come
IN TO supper and we can 90 to the
dance tomorrow"
Il will" cried the Lobster. after
thinking about it.
Into the hollow stump bungalow
they went, the Lobster hacking in. of
course. and Uncle Wiggily cried
supper for two. if you please.
MRS. Jane"
rat lady. And she began to set the
| table. And then. while Uncle viggily
and the Lobster We're talking together
Nurse Jane called:
"Oh. dear. I've lost the can opener.
and [ can't omen this tin of peaches.
What shall l do?"
Let me try" begged Uncle WigeiIy
But his paws were not hig enough.
I'll do it, said the Lobster And
with his strong, pinchire claws he
punched open the can of -n9 ohes as
easily as YOU oan eat chocolate
cream dror. II vas no +ro-rhIe ut all
for him. So It is a good thing Uncle
Wiggily brought the lobster home for
supper. you see. And if the stairs don't
stand on their head and kick the rub
her haals off the Ia yEn tennis neg I'll