Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-24
The Tickle Spree

A LII was quiet and still in the Under
ground forest Not n sound or n
stir came from the upside down woods.
The Tree Spirits were snugly asleep.
So were the Flower Spirits and the
Shrub Spirits
Nothing moved-nothing except
Tickle Toe Timmy and Peggy, and
Billy, and Judge Owl. All except the
Judge had long tickling feathers in their
hands. The judge had feathers Of his
own which he could use in their tickling
spree.
Tickle Toe Timmy held up warning
finger.
"Now We can wake up everything ex-
eept Mother Nature he whispered
''Don't go near her for If she wakes
up and catches us she will surely have
MS all spanked. Are you ready|'
Tread. :" answered Peggy, Billy and
Judge Owl.
"Theu one. two. three Tickle, tickle,
tickle !" chucklcd Tickle Toe Timmy,
The long underground root branches
of the sleeping trees were stretched out
all about them. Peggy. Billy, Judge
Owl and Tickle Toe Timmy tickled
these root branches with their feathers,
and tickled, and ticklcd SO sound asleep
were the trees that for moment the
tickling had no more effect than if they
had been tickling dead sticks of wood.
"Tickle harder whispered Tickle Toe
Timmie, tickling with all his might
Peggy, Billy and Judge Owl tickled
harder, and all of sudde nthe sleeping
trees woke up with q startled jump.
The root branches squirmcd and
twisted like children getting their ribs
tickled Tickle Toe Timmy Uttered
and ticklcd the harder. The root =
Branches thrashed out more fiercciy and
little signing voices sounded from the
hearts of the rrees-thc voices of the
Tree Spirits:
Our feet are tickling Our feet are
tickling That's a sign of spring Our
sleep is ended We must awaken and
greet the sunshine, the birds, and the
warm spring breezes."
Thus sighed the Tree Spirits, and at
once the root branches began to seek
around in the ground for the sap that
would arise up through them to the
trunk of the trees and thus or above to
put life into the bare limbs that were
swaying in the wintry breeze.
darted Tickle Toe Timmy, Peggy
Billy and Judge Owl. and wherever
their nimble feathers touched, tree
began to squirm and stretch. 1t was
Jolly. jolly sport seeing the giant trees
rousing out Of their comfortable snooze
and thrashing around blindly as il try
ing to dance a welcome to spring.
Peggy, glancing up, saw the roots
of the flowers remaining unmoving amid
all this confusion. She stretched VI
her feather and tickled them. They
curled up and the flower spirits drOWS-
lily awakened.
"Our toes are tickling" they sang
"Spring is here! We will arise to give
him happy greeting Instantly the
flower spirits began to push their way
4 upward through the frozen earth.
"Ho Ho! They'll freeze their noses
when they get up in the snow" laughed
Tickle Toe Jimmy. Peggy hadn't
thought Of that. 1t would be dangerous
for the delicate flowers to expose theil
heads to the blasts of old Father Win
ter. They'd be nipped off in a second.
"Wait! Wait Spring isn't her,
yet :" she cried. But the flower spir.
its paid no attention to her. Perhaps
they didn't understand human talk.
Just then came a surprising happen
ing. Tickle Toe Timmy ticklcd q
striped, slender stick and the stick be
gan to wriggle, and a head arose. l
was a snoozing garter snake The heat
of the snake dartcd toward Billy anC
Billy lodged behind tangle of tree
root limbs and right into a sleeping
form.
Hiss! Hiss! Spring is here!" sale
the snake.
what's that?" said sharp voice a
Che sleeping form sat up quickly. "WhC
says spring is here, when winter ism
half over?"
Rum" shouted Tickle Toe TimmS