The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-18
Bedtime Stories
rnc,c> vtratIy and the Bluebird.
BY HOWARD r. GARIs


keeper. as the bunny uncle started
away from his hollow stump bungalow
one morning on his way to look TOT
an adventure.
I'll be as careful as can, "
promised. ,,.x
tors catch you," went on Miss FUZZY
Wuzzy as she brushed some dust OH
the end of her tail before she went IN
to bake the carrot pies Tor over sun
day.
Not if 1 can help it. they won't
catch me-" Uncle Wiggily said with a
laugh. Then on he hoped, over
the fields and thru the woods untli
he came to a little dingle-oeil. II
was called a dingle-dell because there
were bluebell flowers there that din
gled. and t was called a dell to make
it rhyme with bell. And there you
are. No prettier place could be
imagined.
..i'll just sit down on this green
messy log, that is soft like sofa Pill
low. and rest. After that, III look Tor
an adventure" said the bunny.
But Uncle wiggily had not been
resting for more than two cricket
chirps (by which animal folk tell time
instead of by watches) when. all OF a
sudden, he heal a sad voice crying:
"Oh, woe is me! Oh, sadness. Oh.
unhapplness. On, what troupie OH
in"
..Ha. I might have known it!' said
Uncle Wiggily, twinkling his pink
nose No sooner do 1 get here than
l have to help some one out OF
trouble! But / like it, I wonder for
whom 1 shall have the pleasure OF
being helpful now?'
So he looked around and there he
saw a poor bluebird caught in a tangle
of wild grape vines The birds had
flown in among the vines. looking for
something to eat and it's legs and
wings were all caught fast.
'Ha, No wonder you are sad"
kindly sail. Uncle Wiggily. 1T is no
fun to be tangled this way. Just keep
quiet and I'll set you Tree"
Then, using his red, white and blue
barber pole striped rheumatism
orutch, Uncle Wigsiiy poked aside the
wild grape vines and set the bluebird
free.
"Oh, thank you.' chirped the pretty
creature as it spread it's wings to fly
away Some day 1 hope 1 may do
you a favor"
las to that" spoke Uncle Wiggily,
with a low and polite bow, II did not
set you free so that you could help me.
l did it because 1 could not bear to see
| you suffer-
We'll, Wen see what happens"
sang the bird, and soon it was lost to
sight high in the air.
Uncle Wiggily rested a while longer
! on the messy log and then he travelled
on. He had not gone very much far
i Their before he came to a little Kennel
house where Mrs. Bow Wow, the dog
lady. lived. She was standing in the
| door as Uncle Wiggily came along and
| she looked rather sad.
what is the matter. my dear Mrs.
! Bow Wow" asked the bunny gentle
man.
a"Oh. it's Jackie" answered the dog
lady
What has he been doing?" asked
Mr.. Longears. HAS he been digging
up the front lawn, looking for bones,
or has he run away again and Joined
the circus he and Peetie once did
some time ago?"
Neither one" answered Mrs. Bow
Wow with sigh. Poor Jackie is
rather ill and peevish. He is not so
very sick, but everything frets him
and DIR. Postum says he will not get
better until he is happier
Why IS he unhappy" asked Uncle
Wiggily.
"Well, just now he is unhappy be-
| cause the sky is covered with clouds
and isn't blue and pretty" said the
| dog lady. Jackie would like to see it
nice and clear. But it looks like rain,
I'm afraid
Pm afraid so. too" spoke the
sky always. We must take our share
| of clouds. But I'll come in and see if
| 1 can't cheer up Jackie"
The rabbit gentleman tried, but the
| little puppy dog did not smile, even
when Uncle Wiggily twinkled his pink
nose like frosting on a strawberry
/ shortcake.
'Iwant to see blue sky and have the
T clouds go away" whined Jackie. I'm
so unhappy"
But can't make the sky blue"
said Uncle Wiggily. mo one can do
that You must not fret"
But Jackie did fret and when Dr.
! Possum came the animal doctor shook
his head and whispered:
| Unless Jackie gets his wish and
sees some blue sky, he may be very
| i'll. l know it seems silly thing, but
sometimes when animal children are
Ill, especially puppy dogs, they never
get better until they stop fretting."
Well 1 don't see how I can make
the sky blue when it is covered with
Clouds" spoke Uncle Wiggily. Meth
er I. nor anyone else, except one of
the kind winds, can blow away the
clouds"
perhaps not blow away the
| Clouds" said a little voice outside the
window where Uncle Wiggily was sit
| ting. But we can cover up the
clouds for time and make it look as
| tho the blue sky were there, if you
want us to-"
"How can you?" asked the bunny.
| Very easily. Watch" was the an
swer. And then up flew the bluebird
whom Uncle Wiggily had saved from
the tangled grapevine. And, calling to
| hundreds of other bluebirds. they all
| flew high in the air. Their blue wings
spread out under the clouds. hiding
them from sight, and when Jackie
| looked he saw only a big sheet of
| pretty blue and he thought it was the
I blue sky.
Now / am happy" he said, and he
fell asleep, soon to awaken all better,
and not a .bit fretful. So. after all,
I the bluebird did a favor for Uncle
! Wiggily and Jackie, you see, and
brought happiness.
And If the cherry tree doesn't go
over in the apple orchard and forget
| to come hack at ME time I'll tell rn,,