The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-10
Bedtime Stories
Uncle wiggiIy and Charles Crow.
BY HOWARD Il. GARIs

Uncle WiggiIy and Charles Crow.
well, Charlie. where are you go
ing this morning; to a picnic?" asked
Uncle Wiggily Longears, the rabbit
gentleman, as he saw little rooster
boy come along the road thru the
woods one day.
"A picnic? Oh, no, Uncle Wiggily
Why do you ask that?" Charlie wanted
to know.
Because you are so dressed up; as
tho you were going to Washington to
! look at the big monument there, or
| to Atlantic City to hear the waves
whisper to the sand.''
And, indeed. Charlie was looking
very nice. His tail feathers were
shiny, black and curled. His wings
were all fluffed out and the red dingle-
bangles under his chin were as bright
as circus balloon.
No, am not going away" said
the little rooster boy. But you see
today 1 make my first crow and we
young ROSTERS always dress up when
that happens
Your first crow? What do you
mean" asked the bunny uncle.
II mean 1 am going to make my
first big Observation-Disclosures said
Charlie. You see we young roosters
! have to stay with the girl chickens
and hens when We are young, then
! clucking noise, and not proper crow
at ALL
But when we get older. as 1 am,
we get crow noise-makin.s thing n
our threats, and then the old ROSTERS
listen to us. If we crow well enough
we are allowed to travel around with
them, to crow, and tell the hens when
there is danger from a hawk.
| $50 today the old roosters are go
ling to listen to me make my first real
loud regular cock -doodle-do crows,
and, if l do WELL then I'll be all grown
Up" and Charlie sort of looked at his
tail over his shoulder to see if it hung
properly. He was almost like a girl
with her first new party dress.
DO you think you can crow all
right Charlie?' asked Uncle Wiggily,
DIS he came down eff the steps of his
hollow stump bungalow and walked
along with the little rooster boy.
"Oh yes, indeed" was the answer.
DO YOU want to hear me 2" and then
Charlie stood up on his tiptoenails and
gave such a number of loud cock-a-
doodle-oodles that Nurse Jane Fuzzy
Wuzzy, the muskrat lady housekeeper
for Uncle Wiggily, had to cover up
her ears.
What's it ell about?" she asked,
"Oh, Charlie is just practicing his
Growing lesson" said Uncle Wiggily-
81 must come to hear you,' he went
on. But first 1 have to go to the
store to buy Nurse Jane tin dinner
horn. Then I'll come"
"A tin dinner horn for Nurse
Janet" clucked Charlie. You don't
mean to say she is going to, eat that
for dinner do you? 2"
"Oh, no, indeed" laughed Uncle
Wiggily. But you see summer is
coming and 1 will be at work in my
garden, sometimes far from my bun
galow. At such times Nurse Jane will
blow the tin horn to call me to dim
ner."
"Oh, 1 see," said Charlie, and he
gave another crow to keep in prac-
tice. Then Uncle Wiggily went to buy
the horn and Charlie started to get
ready to show the old roosters how
well he could frighten hawks. 1t was
a sort of lesson examination for the
rooster boy, you see.
Well, that afternoon, as Uncle Wig
gily was on his way back to his hol-
low stump bungalow with the big tin
dinner horn, that went "squawk-
squawk!" he stopped at the barnyard
to listen to Charles crow. And as
he hoped over a fence he saw Ara
bella, who was Charles sister and
Susie Littletail, the rabbit girl talk
ing together.
isn't it too bad" said ArabelIa to
Susie.
1T certainly is" said the little rab-
bit girl. IF only Uncle Wiggily were
here he might help him..
Help who? What's too bad?
What's the matter?" asked the rabbit
gentleman himself.
why, IL s ABOUT SAID Ara
bella, his sister. He was going to be
examined for growing todays but just
now he fell in the brook, when he was
having race with Jimmie Wibble-
wobble, the duck, and Charlie got all
wet. He suddenly caught cold and
now he is so hoarse he can't crow
| hardly any, and he won't pass his
examination and be allowed to go with
the big roosters and scare hawks. oh,
dear"
It's too bad said Uncle wiggily.
But don't worry. Maybe 1 can help
| him.
Howl asked Susie. 'clapping her
paws.
| Wait and see" said the bunny
| twinkling his pink nose.
Pretty soon the old ROSTERS gath
cred together on top of the fence, for
they can always crow best there. Then
Mr.. Cock A. Doodle, the oldest rooster
| of them all, said:
/ Now then, bring out the Young
ROSTERS that want to crow" A num-
Der of them came, crowed very WELT
indeed, passed their examinations and
were told they could be regular big
ROSTERS now. Then Mr.. Doodle ask
ed: ANY more'?'
IF you please said Mrs. C1uck-
Cluck, Charles mother, my little bov
was to have his voice tried TODAY. b1,t
he fell in the brook and has a cold.
We'll hear him anyhow" said Mr..
Doodle. IF he can't crow, well he'll
| have to try another time
Poor Charlie was very nervous. He
wanted to crow and pass, but he was
afraid he could only squeak. But still
| he flew up on top of the fence. and
! opened his beak- He only expected
little squawk to come out and really
that's all that did come, but Uncle
| Wiggily was watching down behind an
old stump. and when the bunny rabbit
saw Charlie start to try to crow ITucIe
| Wiggily made believe he was all CIV
horn.
The horn went: '"Tooti Toot,
Squawk! Honk! Doodle.' and what