Imperial Valley press., 1923-11-20
Bedtime Stories
Copyright, 1923. by Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate
BY HOWARD r. GARlS
UNCLE M6GGIL.x AM THE
FIRE STICKS

lV was HOppHH tF tHt hNUAN "hVi'
Sammie aud Susie Littletail, the
rabbit children, lived, the bunny
gentleman Saw Sammir, looking sad,
standing at a window.
II wonder why Sammic isn t at
school this morning - thought Tn
Gle WigsiN. something must be
wrong. Perhaps he doesn t know
his lessons ana Is afraid Of the
Lady Mouse Teacher. But he
shou1 Init be. II just hop across
the street and find out.
50 Uncle Wiggi'v tapped with
his red. white and blue striped rheu-
matism crutch on the door of the
rabbit house Mrs. Littletail invjt-
cd Nh Longears in.
''Why ism 1 Sammie at school"
asked the bunny gentleman. is
anything the matt2r?'
.'Sammie had a little cold and
sore throat, so | kept him at home, -
explained Mrs. Sittletail. But now
| almost wish / had let him 20 20
school.
..Whv3" asked Uncle Wiggily,
for Mrs. Littletail shook her head
very discouraged like.
"Oh, Sammie is such tease,
she answered with Il sigh. ''Hc
wants to play soldier all the whiln
and he shouts and makes believe
bang guns and
"Excusc me, mother, said sam
ME. as politely as he could, but
| cant have any fun playing sold
ier when | can t beat my drum.
That $ why | have TO hollcr so-rub-
a-dub-dub-''
".Oh, sammic. viii YOU please
stop that dreadful noise!' begged
the rabbit lady, holding her paws
over her ears.
Il have to make the noise like
that cause [ haven t any drum
sticks,'' went on Sammie. elf |
had some drum sticks | could play
soldier and beat the drum softly
and | wouldn have to hollcr rub
adub-dub' >
"Oh, dear! This is dreadful! =
sighed the rabbit lady.
"Where are his drum sticks ? y
asked Uncle Wiggily. - might
beat the drum for him very softly,
you know he whispered to Mrs.
Littletail. "'Then it wouldn I make
your head ache. | know what it is
to have boys stay in the house to
play
"Sammie 5 drum sticks are lost
and we can t find them, said his
mother.
"Then III 90 look for new ones
and l will play soldier with Sam,
mie," offered the bunny gentle
man kindly. You sit by the win
dow, Sammie, he said, land watch
for me to come back with the
drum sticks.
"Then Wen have some fun!
cried the rabbit boy. 81 IN glad
you came, Uncle Wiggily.'
$50 am l." thought poor Mrs.
Littletail.
Uncle Wiggilv hoped across the
fields, his pink nose going twinkle,
twinkle, inkle, tink. He looked here
and he looked there to find sticks
for Sammie 5 drum. On a hillside
grew the sumach bushes with their
bright red leaves. And from each
cluster of leaves stuck slender
branch and on the end grew
cluster of velvet red berries.
"Oh, h6!" exclaimed Uncle Wig
gilv. as he hoped to the hillside.
"'Those red sumach clusters of beI-
ries are just like drum sticks. Ii
take two to Sammie and he can
beat his drum softly, so it will not
make his mother s head ache. Su-
mach drum sticks will be fine.
SO Uncle Wiggily broke off two
of the branches with clusters of
sumach berries on. True they look
ed more like the sticks for bass
drum than for Il small, snare drum,
but what matter.
Holding the red drum sticks IN
his paws, Uncle Wiggily began to
hop back to Sammie 5 house. But
:Le rabbit gentleman had not gone
vcrv far before, all Of a sudden, out
/ tlom behind a big rock popped the
/ Bob Cat.
cone moment" howlci the Bob
Cat, wiggling his silly little tall
and shaking the tassels On ms
ears. cone moment. IN going to
nibble you.'
''Oh. are you?" asked the bunny
and from behind his back, where he
was holding them in one paw, he
brought out the red sumach drum
sticks. "Wcll, if YOU nibblc ne,
shall have to be inlpoIitc enough
10 bang you on the nose with Sam
mie S drum sticks." said the rab-
| bit.
But as soon as the Bob Cat saw
the red sumach he howlcd: con,
he has fire sticks! He has red ho5
fire sticks to bum my nose! ! d bet
ter not stay here!' And away ran
the Bob Cat, taking his silly LITTLE
( tail with him.
"Ha! Hal" laughed Uncle Wig
/ gily. "IIe thought the sumacE
1 drum sticks were red hot and blaz-
.ng. He thought ! would burn him
50 he ran away without oibbling
my ears! Well, I'm Glad Of that!
Then the bunu, hoped on and soon
he was beating Sammie S drum with
/ the sum9ch sticks.
lie and the rabbit boy had Jolly
good fun until Sammie 5 throat wa.
better and be could 90 to school
So whenever you see clumps Of
red sunach think Of the bunny anf
| hnw he fonled the Bob Cat. Anl