Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-04-13
Bob S April Fool

oiie p-O"u ear anu q UTOWu UP W. HIS
tail Bob is very bright dog. We
think he's the brightest dog in town,
but I'll tell you the story and you can
judge for yourself.
Uncle Ted is lawyer. Maybe that's
the reason he's so hard to fool. Any
way, we three boys each tried it and
none of us could catch him. When I
say eve three" | mean Joe and jim
mic and myself Pm Jack. Uncle Ted
calls us ''the Three jays" because he
says we chatter so. Uncle Ted likes
to tease, but we don't mind. for he's
the jolliest kind Of an uncle. Mother
ten what it means to be boy. Some
men do forget, she says.
But about our jokes! ] tried mine
first. Uncle Ted always eats an
orange for his breakfast. April Fool
morning | picked out nice big one
and cut it In two, scraped out the in
side and put the empty halves together
so carefully that you could hardly see
where they came together. put it
at Uncle Ted's place as Nora always
does, then we boys waited.
When Uncle Ted came in he said
good morning to us, then he unfolded
his napkin and took UP his fruit knife.
We boys were watching all this time.
Then he laid down the knife and took
out his watch.
"I'm little late" he said. "Please
bring my cereal, Nora, l think l won't
have any fruit this morning
His face was just as sober. only his
eyes were dancing. Then he passed
the plate over to me, holding it very
carefully.
You'd better try it, Jack" he said.
1T looks like a juicy one"
81 guess III have a banana" | said;
then everybody laughed and Joe hol-
Tered out
april Fool yourself. jack"
He needn't have been so quick to
laugh at me, for he had no better luck
himself. AS it was Saturday we didn't
have to go to school. Along about 10
o'clock. when we were sure Uncle Ted
would be in the office. Joe went over
% the telephone in the hall. Jimmie
and stood right by him to see how
he would come out. He was going to
pretend he was Miss Lucy Gray call
ng up Uncle Ted. Re had been prac-
Using so that his voice sounded almost
ike girls.
He called, 1880, please"
Sure enough, Uncle Ted answered. /
els this Mr. Burroughs?" said Joe.
He started in all right, but just at
he end, his voice went up in kind
Of comical squeak He said after
wards that it was because Jimmie and
laughed, but I think it was because
lie was excited.
We heard Uncle Ted say: eyes.
This is Mr.. Burroughs. How are YOU
Toe? Pleasant day for the first of
April, isn't it?" And before Joe could
;ay another word, he had hung up the
'eceiver.
Jimmie and danced up and down
and yelled April Fool! April Fool!'
Joe didn't like it very we'll. It's
strange how much different you feel
when the joke Is on you than when
It's on other people. Mother says
hats human nature.
Jimmie is only four so we had to
plan something simple for him. This
was It The Courier boy comes about
five every night, just after
Uncle Ted gets up from the office.
Jimmie usually runs out into the hall
10 get the paper, for he likes Petey
Evans, the boy who brings 1t. We
planned to have Jimmie bring in a
week-old Courier.
II all happened just right. Uncle
Ted had settled himself in big chair
before the fireplace. Nora had turned
IN the lights but hadn't pulled down
he curtains yet, because, though you
couldn't see to read inside it was still
quite light out Of doors. The bell rang
md we heard the boy call out
Courier" Jimmie went to the door.
md in minute he came running in
With a paper that we had left on the
lall rack
He went up to Uncle Ted and said
n his cunning little voice, Here's
,our paper, Uncle Ted"
Uncle Ted started to hold out his
land 1t looked almost as If he were
,oing to be caught at last. and we had
'ur mouths all open to say april
FOOL" I think he was kind of sorry
o disappoint Jimmie. but he looked !
It Joe and me, then he said
Thanks, old man, but / read the |
PAPER coming up on the car"
Then he picked up Jimmie and
wung him to his shoulder. Joe and .
made a dive for them both and we
ad regular fro!ic.
After a time we settled down. Jim
ME lay on the rug, and Joe and I /
urled up at opposite ends of the big
ettle by the fireplace. Uncle Ted lay
ack in his chair, with his legs
tretched out to the fire Uncle
eds legs are pretty long.
Suddenly Bob trotted in from the
itchen, where Nora had been giving
i'm his sunner early. Bob has par
cular chair in every room, and in
ne living room it happened to be the
ne Uncle Ted was sitting in. Bob ,
are M IN front Of him. sat down on
is hind legs and looked at him ap-
erling'v then he vagged his tail, but .
'ncle Ted didn't stir. Then Bob gave
little whine, but still Uncle Ted paid