South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-12-22

Christmas morning after santa Claus
has ben down the chimneys."
III get the nuts" offered Uncle
iWiggily. ''The best place TO get
them is at the home OF Johnnie ana
Billie Bushytail. the squirrels. They
are great nut gatherers."
Giving his pink nose another
twinkle. Uncle Wiggily hoped over
the fields and through the woods un-
I'll he came to the squirrel tree.
Good afternoon. Uncle Wiggily!"
chartered Mrs Bushytail. the SPUR
rel lady when Uncle Wiggily had
knocked on the door with the end
of his red. white and blue striped
rheumatism crutch. IF YOU have
come TO see any Of the children they
are all out looking in the Christmas
windows Of the ten and eleven cent
store" said Mrs. Bushytail.
no. 1 didn't come 10 see the
children, though 4 love them" an
swered Mr.. Longears. Il came to
see if I could get some Christmas
nuts. Nurse Jane Gays they are the
only things we lack"
Yes. we have plenty of nuts this
year answered Mrs. Bushytail.
Johnnie and Billie gathered a great
number OF them. See. our store house
Is more than filled"
She showed Uncle Wiggily part
Of the hollow tree that was rbrimful
and running over with hickory nuts,
chestnuts. butternuts and black well
nuts
Take as many as you wish, Uncle
Wiggily.' invited Mrs. Bushytail,
and she gave the bunny gentleman
a birch bark basket filled with all
sorts Of nuts for Christmas.
Uncle Wiggily thanked the SPUR
rel lady politely and then he started
back over the fields and through the
woods to his hollow stump bungalow
But the bunny had not gone very
far before he began to feel hungry,
having come away early that day
with only light breakfast.
II think I'll stop and eat a few
nuts" thought Uncle Wiggily. Il
have more than Wen need at Christ
mas So. finding a fiat rock on
which TO hold the nuts and a round
stone with which 10 hammer and
crack them. Uncle Wiggily began.
If he had been a squirrel or chip
munk he could have gnawed the
shells off the nuts with his teeth, as
Johnnie and Billie Bushytail did.
But, being a rabbit his teeth were
not made for such hard gnawing.
Uncle Wiggily cracked a few nuts
between the stones, and was eating
the meats, when. all OF a sudden
along came the Fuzzy Fox.
'Ah, hat" growled the Fox, 81 am
just in time 10 nibble your ears.
"Oh, please don't nibble my ears
now begged the bunny
Yes. I shalt" 'barked the Fox.
Well. If you will l can't stop
you,' sighed Uncle Wiggily But
will YOU please let me eat one more
nut?"
Yes" answered the fox. Il will
Then you hold the nut on the
stone, in your paws. while I rack
it, went on Uncle Wiggily. The
Fox held a nut between his paws
on the big fat stone. Uncle Wiggily
raised the round. hammer stone and
then. all OF a quicknes Uncle Wig
gily banged the stone hand down on
the paws Of the Fox, giving them 4
good crack.
ooh. wouch. oh, ouch! oh,
smouchl" howled the Fox. "you
made a mistake; YOU hit my paws
instead Of the nut"
"Oh no." said Uncle Wiggily sly
~. as tho Fox ran away. Il didn't
make any mistake. I intended all
the while to smash YOU paws. And
I did" Then with the Fox away
Uncle W.ggily gathered up the
Christmas nuts and hurried with
them to his bungalow. safe anu
sound
And II the little dog doesn't wag
his tail so hard that he knocks all
the dust off the chair TO the floor
for the broom TO gather up, I'll tell
YOU next about Uncle Wiggily's
Christmas.