El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-02-08

III 90 10 the woodland spring and get
{ "a pail OF water for you. That VIII an
swer until DR.. Possum can come and
thaw out the frozen pipes"
But the spring in the woods may be
I frozen over, too" said Nurse Jane.
No matter" said Uncle Wiggily. u
can cut a hole in the ice, as Simple
simon did when he went fishing TO
catch a whale, and then III get the
water FOR you. Have no fear
50 Nurse Jane had no fear, and
when the bunny uncle had finished his
breakfast. he put on his warm fur coat,
slipped his hind paws into his over
shoes and with the water pail on one
front paw, while with the other he
striped rheumatism crutch, he hoped
over the fields and through the woods
10 where the spring dubbed up the
clear, sparkling water.
That is the water bubbled up IN the
summer, but now IL was cold winter,
and the spring was frozen over, though
II was too cold for any one except
fairy TO skate on.
gily. and with the Ratchet he had
brought with him he began chOppinS
q hole In the ice, so he could get AT
the water underneath.
Uncle Wiggily had not chopped more
than a few ice chips, when, from under
the hard icy covering Of the frozen
spring, he heard voice calling 10
him:
OA- take care II you please II you
are not careful you may cut off my
fingers and toes, to say nothing Of my
ears and my nose. Oh, please take
caret'
7 will said Uncle Wiggily. kindly,
but who are you. if you please
Il am the Water Queen, was the
answer, and I am down in the spring.
frozen over Please chop me out but
be careful how you chop
"I'Il be very careful said Uncle
Wisgily, and he Clipped and chopped
with his Ratchet, until he had chopped
down to the open unfrOzen water, and,
as he did so a little lady, dressed in
waterproof cloak Of purple and gold,
swan to the top of the spring.
'Oh, myi You'll catch cold,' cried
Uncle Wiggily, as he helped her out of
the water. for she was very small
not much larger than Z baby wax doll.
I am not afraid OF water, as long
as IL is not frozen" said the queen. u
can do anything 1 like with water eX-
cept TO freeze or thaW II. That be-
longs TO the Ice King, and he never
lets me NEEDLE"
Did he freeze you up in that
spring. asked the bunny gentleman,
put her in his warm. fur overcoat
pocket And, strange to say. though
the Water Queen came right out OF
the spring she was not wet at all Per-
haps the waterproof cloak kept her
dry
NO. the Ice King did not freeze me
up in the spring" went on the Water
Queen. 1t was my own fault. went
in the spring to see how the moss ,
covered stones on the bottom were !
feeling, so as TO get Them ready for !
next summer. when, all Of q sudden,
the Ice King blew MS cold breath on J
the water, which was not then frozen. {
Instantly the spring was frozen
over, and there I was caught, under !
the ice But the king did not know
I was there, and before ] could tell /
him he had gone away 10 freeze other /
springs, lakes and rivers.
Il called TO him, but he did not hear. /
and I tried to get out. out l could not ,
Then you came along chopped hole
in the ice, and set me free. ! cannot
thank you enough, and if ever I can do ,
you favor I WILL
We'll, II is kind of you 10 offer 10 !
DO that" said Uncle Wiggily, but 1 I,
don't know what favor you can do me. /
I'll take this pail of water to Nurse !
Jane, and you can come with me 10 my J
hollow stump bungalow. On the way
must ask Dr.. Possum to come and
rhaw out the frozen water pipes. That
IS unless you can do it"
NO" answered the Water Queen. II
only have charge of water that is not
frozen. such as that in your pail. You
will have to get T: Possum or the Ice
King I am sorry"
Never mind" said Uncle Wiggily. ct
dare say DR. Possum can fix the pipes"
So, with his pail OF water, he went |
on with the Water Queen, and Just as
they came. out of the woods they heard I
'Firei Fire, Fire, Grandpa Goosey
5ander's house is on fire.
oh. so IL is" cried Uncle Wiggily,
his pink nose all a twinkle like as he
saw the goose gentlemaI's house all
ablsze. ooh, what shall do? Call out
the water bug firemeni Throw water
on the blaze. On. do something's
We can do nothing cried Jackie
and Peetie Bow Wow. the puppy dog
boys, who came racing up with their !
toy fire engine
Why not?" asked Uncle Wiggily.
Because al! the water pipes are |
frozen. and We can get no water for |
De fire"
''Ha. Here is where help" said the
Water Queen quick, Uncle Wiggily.
throw on the burning house your pail
= water that is not frozeni"
But one pail fur VIII do no good [
said the bunny.
NO matter, throw t." cried the
Water Queen, "and as fast as the pail
: emptied It will fill itself again, as
many times as you like. until the fire
$ all out For that is the magic can
10, as long as the pail OF water is not
rozen- Throw on the water
Uncle Wiggily threw the pail OF
Eater on Grandpa Goosey's house.
Then. as soon as the pail was emptied,
I filled itself again, as the Water
brew on the fire 49, ) pals of water,
md the fire went out with a hiss like /.
snake. and stayed out
So Grandpa Goosey's house was
iaved after all, you see. and It is a
GOOD thing Uncle Wiggily helped tho
Water Queen out Of the frozen spring.
Aud soon the frozen water pipes were I
hawed and everybody was happy.
And # the electric light doesn't 20
,ut to see the goldfish hide under the I
mbrella plant and leave the coal bin
ID dark, + tell you next about Uncle
Niggiiy and the magic fiddle-COpy-
light. 1917, by Mcclure Newspaper
.vndicate.