Imperial Valley press., 1922-08-17
Bedtime Stories
UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE
CRICKET
Copyright, 1922, by Mcclure News
paper Syndicate)
By HOWARD r. GARIS

|
| paper Syndicate)
| BY HOWARD r. GARIS
Once upon a time, when Uncle Wig
lgily was out walking with Woodie
and Waddie Chuck, the grounding
boys, they saw the bunny gentleman
suddenly stop and give little hop, as
though he had jumped over stone.
| "What IS the matter, Uncle Wiggi-
ly," asked Woodie, as he picked
head of red clover and ehewed it. For
groundhogs, or woodchueks, like red
clover tops just as you like candy.
"Did you stub your toe'' asked
| Waddie, who was Noodles brother.
90 Cause if you did l II get mother to
| put some witch hazel on it, and make
| it all better
"Thank you, Waddie. But / didn t
stub my toe,' answered Uncle Wig
gily.
"You jumped as though you did,"
said Woodie.
81 was just jumping out of the way
Of a black cricket" explained Uncle
Wiggily. "You hoped so slowly
went on the bunny speaking to some
thing on the ground, "that l nearly
stepped on you.'
~ IN glad that you didn t, though
spoke jolly, merry voice. Woodie and
Waddie Chuck, the two grounding
boys, looked amid the dried leaves on
the ground and saw the black, hopping
cricket chap.
"You aren t very lively this morn
ing,' said Uncle Wiggily. "I've seen
you before, Mr.. Cricket, and generally
you give lot of jumps and get out of
my way. Why are you SO slow this
morningW
because of the cold rain last
night" chirped the cricket. "You
know / can 7 stand cold weather. i m
sorry that the summer is almost over,
for it is on warm nights that / sing my
best. But / must prepare for cold, for
! it will be frosty in another month or
| two. And it was colder than usual
last night. That IS why l am not SO
lively this morning.
"Look ont, Woodie!" suddenly cried
| Waddie, as he saw his brother leaning
over with his nose close to the cricket.
Look out, or that black chap may
bite you'll"
"Oh, no, I wouldn't do anything
/ Ike tndt1 SaH& tnC SiAthSl'
would never bite any of Uncle Wiggi-
iys friends. 1t is true that l have
strong nippers, or pincers, and | can
eat holes in cloth and also bite. But
don 7 be afraid, though if / saw the
Woozie Wolf or the Fuzzy Fox-why,
that would be different story"
4 care you feeling warmer now, Mr.
ICricketf, asked Uncle Wiggily. "The
sun is up higher now and the dew has
dried
Eyes, am much warmer,' chirped
the cricket. "And because you wers
4 kind to me / al do the only thing
:. can dc except eat and hop, and that il
to sing. In sing you a song.
So the cricket sang for Uncle Wig
gily aud the grounding boys, the jol
liest song to which they had eve
listeneU 1t was q song of warm
popping corn and roasting apples.
- "Ha! That was a very fine 'songl'
: said Uncle Wiggily, seeming to awak
J len from day dream. "It remindc'
me of many happy times. Now know
! lyou will want to hop along, MI
I. .lCricket, and get something to eat!'
al "Ha! That's just what I'm goin
r to do!'' cried one savage voice.
ssAnd just what I'm going to do!
I howled another voice. And out 0
e the bushes hoped the Woozie VOL
the Fuzzy Fox ~ I'm going to ea'
+ and what ! shall eat will be nibble
j, off Uncle Wiggily's ears" went o
Y the WOLF. The two bad animals wer
z hopping close to the bunny whe
/