Imperial Valley press., 1923-01-17
Bedtime Stories
Copyright, 1929 by Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate
BY HOWARD r. GARIS
UNCLE WIGGILY AND THE
WHITE OWL


of feathers on his head, making him
seem to own Il pair of ears, almost
as large as those of the gentleman
himself.
The white owl was always hungry
for frogs, mice and rabbits, and
more than once he had tried to catch
Bully and Bawly No-Tail, the frog
bows. The owl had also tried to
catch Jollie and Jillic Longtail, the
mice children.
But, most of Ill, the white owl
wanted to catch Uncle Wiggily.
Now this white owl, in spite of
his big, round yellow eyes, could not
see well in the daytimc-no owls
can. So the white owl used to fit
silently about at night, looking for
some animal on whom he could
rounce.
One night the owl flew from his
nest i'll the hollow tree and sailed
over the dark forest. The owl could
see very well i'll the dark night, and
soon he saw FcX and Wolf stink
ing along under the trees. But the
Fox and Wolf were too large for
the owl to try to eat.
q think vel catch him this
time said the Fox to the Wolf.
Wh9o, Whoo! TuWhoo?'
hooted the owl.
u was speaking of Uncle Wig
ullv,' said the Fox, thinking the
white bird had asked him who he
was talking about. ''Uncle Wiggi-
~, the rabbit, you know"
Eyes, | know hooted the owl.
but you can t catch him, you are
net wise enough. Leave it to me.
We owls arc the wisest birds i'll the
world.'
"'I know you look so," said the
Wolf, but 1 don't believe you can
catch Uncle Wiggily.''
eyes, / can," hootcd the white
owl "You were speaking of him
Just now,'' he went on to the Fox.
"Tel me where that rabbit is, and
I'll get him. And when | do III
give you two chaps some nibblcs
from his cars
This sounded good to the Fox and
Wolf who, though they had tried
for many days to catch the bunny
uncle, had not been able.
"Uncle Wiggily just hoped out
Of his hollow stump bungalow said
the Fox. "We saw him go, and we
were going to wait for him to come
Lack. When he does we were going
to catch him"
"Ill do tn;t,' said the white
owl. Where did he go?"
"Nursc Jane sent him to borrow
something at the home of Mrs. Twis-
:ytail, the pig lady" said the Wolf.
"But what he Is going to bring
back we dom It know said the Fox.
"No matter, l shall catch him in
my sharp claws, anyhow" boastcd
the white owl. "You go to sleep
end soon I'll catch the rabbit -
The Fox and Wolf cuddlcd up on
the dried leaves of the forest, while
the white owl flew to perch lit a tree
just outside the house of Mrs. Twis-
tytail, the pig lady. Soon out came
the rabbit, carrying something large,
round and shiny.
81 wonder what he has?' thought
the white owl. "No matter, 1 can
catch him just the same. I'll fly
after him, stick my sharp claws in
his back and carry him off to my
friends, the Fox and Wolf.'
Whistling a jolly tune and twink
ling his pink nose, Uncle Wiggily
hoped away from the piggic house.
But he had not gone far before he
heard a swishing of wings in the air
behind him and over his head. Look
ing up and back, Uncle Wiggily
saw, i'll the moonlight, the white
owl!
"Whoo. whoo!' hooted the
owl. "Now I'll get you'. Down
he swooped.
Uncle Wiggily started to hop but
that would have done him little
good, for the owl could swoop and
fly down much more quickly than
the bunny could hop. But, all of a
sudden, Uncle WiggiIy crouched
down and pulled oyer himself the
bright, shiny thing he had carried
from Mrs. Twistytail's house.
"Clatter! Chatter! Bang!" went
the beak and the claws of the owl.
"Oh, what have | struck" hooted
the savage bird, as he made dash
for the bunny.
"A tin dish PAM" laughed Uncle
Wiggily, who was safely under it.
"With this big dish pan over me,
Mr.. Owl, you cant get me!' And
the owl could not, though he dashed
with all his might at the bottom of
the pan.
Back through the woods flew the
owl.
"Did you get the rabbit ?" asked
the Fox and Wolf.
"No, he fooled me, wise as | am,
hoOted the owl. 81 III have to 90 to
the five and ten cent store for my
SUPPER and away he flew as the
Fox and Wolf skunk off in the dark.
ness.
Uncle Wiggily hoped safely
home to his bungalow with the dish
pan for Nurse Jane, and told her
his adventure. And how the muskrat
lady laughed at the white owl! But
if the rag doll doesn't laugh at the
puppy dog when he tries to go to
sleep in the cat's cradle, II tell
you next about Uncle Wiggily and