The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-25
Bedtime Stories
Uncle WiggiIy and Father William.
By BRINKERHOFF-
BY HOWARD r.. GARIS

Uncle Wiggily and Father William.
One morning, soon after he finished
his breakfast, having taken his red,
white and blue striped barber pole
rheumatism crutch down from behind
the clock. Uncle Wiggily Longears, the
rabbit gentleman, started out from his
hollow stump bungalow.
There were quite a few friends of
Alice in Wonderland whom he had not
yet met, and he hoped to have an adj
venture with one of them. So tossing
up in the air his tall silk stovepipe hat.
and letting it bounce three times on
the end of his pink, twinkling nose,
Uncle Wiggily hurried off.
The rabbit gentleman had not gone
very far, over the fields and thru
the woods, before he saw something
very strange indeed. This was what
seemed to be a funny sort of flower
vase, with two things sticking up in il,
and on the end of them were two
shoes.
MY goodness me, sakes alive and
some chocolate cake puddingi" cried
the surprised bunny uncle. Whats
this?"
Then, as he looked again, he saw
funny face, and pair of bright eyes
looking at him from the bottom part
of what had seemed to be a flower
vase.
why, it's mani" cried Uncle Wig
gily.
''Of course I'm a man." was the
jolly answer. But don't be afraid of
me; I'm not a hunter man."
And you-you're standing on your
head!" went on Uncle Wisgily. more
surprised than ever.
''Of course I'm standing on my
head" said the funny man. II have to
do that to make things come out as
they do in the Alice in Wonderland
book. I'm Father william, you know"
and with that he gave nimble spring,
turned a back somersault, putting
himself right side up, and began to
recite this-verse:
You are old, Father William, the Young
And your hair has become very white.
But yet you incessantly stand on your head
Do you think, at your age, that is right 2"
But is it?" asked Uncle Wiggily
quickly, as soon as funny Father Will
liam had ceased speaking.
"Of course it is was the answer.
Otherwise it wouldn't be in the book
and wouldn't do 1t. At first it came
very hard to me, but now 1 can easily
manage. And you'll find you get
quite different view of things, look
ing at them upside down as l do every
now and then" he went on.
Il wonder if 1 could stand on my
head?" spoke Uncle Wiggily.
TRY it, said Father William.
I'D like to-" went on the bunny
| uncle But 1 might crush my tall
silk hat
Take it off," suggested Father
William.
Yes. 1 could do that. But suppose
some one were to see me?" asked the
bunny. 1T would look sort of queer -
mo one will see you here behind
the trees" spoke Father William.
Besides, if they do, learning to stand
on ones head is very useful. There
| is no telling when you may want to
do it at home"
That's so,'' agreed Uncle wiggily.
well, I'll try"
At first he couldn't stand up on his
head. at all, just turning over in a
sort of filp-flop every time he tried.
But at last Father William held up
the bunny rabbit by the heels, and
then Uncle Wiggily did II better. After
while he could stand straight, right
side up, on his hind paws. give a little
wiggle, and there he was, standing on
| his head, with his silk hat twirling
around on his upper paws. And
Father william could do the same
thing.
| If you had happened to walk thru
| the woods when Uncle Wiggily and
Father William. who had little hoI-
iday from the Alice book. were stand
ing on their heads, surely you would
have laughed.
And, now that I have learned a
/ new trick, / must go look for an ad-
venture" said the bunny.
| "rl go with YOU" spoke Father