The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-04
Bedtime Stories
Uncle Wiggily and the Catbird.
BY HOWARD R. CARTS

BY HOWARD r. GARIS
Uncle Wiggily and the Catbird.
Good morning, Uncle Wiggily.
How do you do?" called Mrs. Robin
Redbreast from up in the cherry tree
as the bunny rabbit gentleman hoped
out from his hollow stump bungalow
one day.
"oh. hello!" answered Mr.. Long
Very WELL" answered the bird
lady. But I'm in such trouble 1
want to go to the store to get some
early worms for my little birds, and
yet 1 don't like to leave them alone
in the nest while I go. And if l
don't go the early worms will all be
gone
.sWeli, now you just go right along!"
exclaimed Uncle Wiggily in his most
jolly voice. II can't tell early worms
from late ones, or I'd go to the store
for you. But I can stay here at the
foot of the tree and watch that no
harm comes to your little brides"
"Oh, if you'll do that I'll be ever so
much obliged" said Mrs. Robin Red
breast.
So away she flew to the store, while
Uncle Wiggily, taking the morning
paper, sat under the tree to keep
watch until the mother or father bird
should come back. for Mr.. Robin had
gone to work in the wheat field, look
ing for some bugs for dinner. Mrs.
Robin got the breakfast and he the
dinner, you see, and they did the sup
per between them.
Uncle Wiggily was reading away
when all of a sudden he heard a funny
sort of mewing sound in the bushes,
and a sad little voice said:
"Oh, how hungry am! But since
hurt my wing 1 can't fly around as I
used to and get something to eat Oh,
deari"
! why, you poor pussy cat!" ex-
| claimed the kind bunny rabbit, twink
ling his pink nose. Come here, and
I'll have Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy
give you some warm milk"
| "Oh, if you please, Uncle Wiggily,
I'm not a pussy was the answer.
You NEW like one"
Yes, but that's because I'm a cat
bird. And I can't drink milk" and
really did NEW like a cat, fluttered
out of the bushes. She had hurt her
wing flying against a tree in the dark.
We'll, since you can't drink milk
I'll get you something else to eat,
said the bunny, and he did, Nurse
Jane giving him fine plateful OF
crumbs for the cat bird
Thank you, kindly" said the new
ing creature. as it hoped away. Then
! Uncle Wiggily went on reading his
paper, and he was thinking it was
about time for Mrs. Robin Redbreas1
to come back, or for the little brides
to awaken, when, all at once, a real
big savage cat jumped out from be-
hind a stone, and, lashing its tail, be-
gan to climb the cherry tree.
Here! Come down out of that
cried Uncle Wiggily to the cat. 'You
mustn't take any cherries
I'm not after cherries" snarled the
cat. I'm after young robins, and I'm
going to have some" and up she went
higher and higher in the tree toward
the nest house with the little brides
that had been left in charge of Uncle
| Wiggily.
ooh, don't you dare touch those
birdies!" cried the bunny, hopping UT
and down. IF you do. Mrs; Robin
Redbreast will say I didn't take good
care of them. Come DOWN.
No. No! Mol" mewed the bad
cat
Poor Uncle wiggily didn't know
what to do, and the bad cat was near
er and nearer the nest when, all of a
sudden, soft voice, hidden down in
i the ferns at Uncle Wiggily's feet
said:
"Hushl Don't say anything more
and I'll make that cat come down."
Howl" asked Uncle Wiggily.
by mewing like a little lost kitten
She'll think it's one of hers and shell
come down in a hurry" and the cat
bird, for it was she, at once began tc
go:
"Mewi New! Mew!' just as cat.
birds can.
"Oh, my goodness me sakes alive
and a saucer of hot milk" snarled the
cat. There's one of my kittens stray.
ing away, 1 expect, and she'll be lost
I must go to her at once. I'll como
back and get the baby robins later"
Down from the tree scrambled the
bad cat, and the catbird, keepfnl
hidden, but mewing all the while
moved off thru the bushes, drawins
the hungry cat far away from the st
by pretending to be a lost kitten. And
then the father and mother robin.
came home and there was no NOR,
danger to their little ones, for they
could drive away the cat if she came
back But she didn't.
So the catbird did the bunny and
the robins a kindness, and il the wa,
termelon doesn't throw seeds at tn,
pincushion, and scare the dress hook.
so they can't see the needles eyes, II
tell you next about Uncle Wiggily and
the tortoise.-(Copyrigh 1917, b,
Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)