Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-02
The urly Tail of
Lemual

except Lelluel, anC ne was D!aCk, anu
they had all curly tails except
Lemuel. and his tail was just as
straight as string.
Mrs Mullins that was Lemuel's
mother - was very proud of her fam.
lily and she kept them all nice and
tidy. Every morning she scrubbed
each piglet with soap and a scrub.
bing-brush, and tied blue satin rib.
bon on each of their tails. so that
they were beautiful to behold. But
LemueIs tail wouldn't curl, and this
made himsve sad and sorrowful;
and while his brothers and sisters
gayly played tag all over the pen.
Lemuel sat in corner and thought
and thought. Whatever shall I do to
make my tail curly" And at last
when he had thought for two weeks
and seven days that made it al
most three weeks he had an idea
81 will go" said he, Into the wide
and expansive world; and when 7
have found something to make my
tail curl, then I will come home
again."
So one morning when Mrs. Mullins
was busy scrubbing his fourth brother
and his fourth brother was squealing
loudly because some of the soap had
gotten into his eye. Lemuel scrambled
hastily over the side of the pen into
the wide world And he scampered
squeals of his fourth brother grew
faint in the distance. and then he
stopped to take breath and to look
about him.
There. right before him, what do
you suppose he saw? A row of pink
sweet peas, with everyone Of their
little green tendrils curled in most
beautiful curls! Lemuel was so
happy he just squealed. And then he
walked up to the sweet peas and said,
with his best dancing-school bow,
"Will you please tell me, you pretty
pink sweet peas, how you get your
lovely curls?"
Then he waited, but the sweet peas
never answered word. So he said
again little louder. "Will you please
tell me, you pretty pink sweet peas
how you get your beautiful curls?"
But the sweet peas only smiled and
shook their heads in the breeze
Lemuel shifted. 81 think you are not
bit polite" he said with dignity.
Still the sweet peas wouldn't
answer, and just kept on smiling in a
very teasing manner. 81 think you are
Just horrid, CROSS old things, and Pm
going to bite you and he did and
then he wished he hadn't: for the
gardener who was watering the
flowers nearby saw Lemuel bite the
sweet peas. and he turned the hose
on Lemuel till the little pig was so
wet that he looked as If he We're made
of patent leather He was black
pig, you remember, and the water
made him look all shiny.
Lemuel's mother had washed him
once that morning and he didn't feel
like being washed all over again, so
he scampered off down the path just
az hard as he could. He ran so fast
he didn't look where he was going.
and the first thing he knew he bumped
right into little girl who was run
ming up the path so fast she didn't
look where she was going.
The little girl was very much aston
ished and Lemuel was very much
astonished; but he remembered his
manners and said with his best dane
ing school bow, excuse me -
am so sorry - didn't see you" -
He had to talk like that because he
was all out OF breath.
And the little girl said. Excuse -
me I am - so sorry - ] didn't
see you" She was all out Of
breath, too.
Then Lemuel looked at her, and he
saw that her hair vas just as straight
as a string. "Ah" he said, you poor
little girl. haven't you curls ether"
"Curls!" cried the little girl, with
scorn. Don't talk to me about curls'
Horrid things! Nurse says there is
nothing she likes better than making
curls, ard she will do up my hair in
eurl-papers every night, and it's just
like sleeping on five horse chestnuts.
That's why I am running away into
the wide and expansive world"
Then the little girl looked back the
way she had come, and she cried "Oh
dear! Oh, dear! Oh. dear! There's
nurse, now!" and she started TO run
away again.
"Stop!" cried Lemuel 81 have an
idea So the little birl stopped, and
they stood together watching the
nurse come up the path. She was a
large nurse. so she couldn't run very
fast after the little girl, and she had
comb and brush in one hand and a
lot of curi.papers in the other When
she came close, Lemuel slipped for
ward and said: ooh. nurse, | under
stand that there is nothing you like
better than making curls. Now just
love curls, and this little girl just
hates them. Won't you curl my tail
instead of her hair?' and he smiled
in a winning manner.
The nurse thought for five minutes
and three-quarters. and all that time
Lemuefs heart went thump. thump,
thump. ever so fast, he was SO afraid
she would say no. At last the nurse
said very. very slowly yes; and
LemueI and the little girl took hold
Of hands and jumped up and down for
JOY. -,
I'm curl your tail for you now"
said the nurse.
.Oh. thank you said Lemuel. He