Imperial Valley press., 1925-07-01
Bedtime Stories
UNCLE wIGeILY's RED FIRE
BY HOWARD E. GARIS
Copyright, 1928, by McClnre
Newspaper Syndicate

"What is in this box, Uncle Wig
gily?' asked the rabbit gentleman s
new wife few days before the
Fourth of July. She picked up
small wooden box which she found
in closet. ''lt looks like powders
and pills from DR.. Possum, she
went on. "I hope you areu't i'll. -
"Never felt better in my life! "
ehuckled Mr.. Hcngears.
els it castor OF, powGcr Ior any
of the little rabbits2'' asked Mrs
Longears.
Nothing OF the sort, - was the
answer. "TThat is some red fire
got from the monkey doodle gentle
man to burn for Fourth of July.
Red fire, - cried the lady rabbit
t Why it doesn t look a bit red. 1t
is white!'
lit will turn red when YOU light
it and make the whole place look
like beautiful sunset explained
Mr.. Longears. but | must put it
away again where Jingle or Jangle
or Scooter or Tooter will not find
It. They might set the red fire off
ahead of time and spoil the jollys
Fourth of July have planned.
"'Put the box of red fire, which
looks like medicine powder, in my
bureau drawer advised Mrs. Long
ears. ''The little bunnies will new
CT think of looking in there for it. :
SO Uncle Wiggily did this and he
went off to seek an adventure. Aud
he had u funny one about help;ng Il
mud turtle lady chase II caterpillar
out of her front yard, where it was
TRYING to tickle rose bush.
And while Uncle Wiggily was off
having this adventure Weezie and
Wizzie, the two twin little rabbits
tone boy and the other Il girl
hoped into their mother S room.
Wezzie was looking for Il button
to sew on her rag. doll S dress, and
Wizzic was searching for !. piece of
string to tie on new kite he had
made. The little rabbits looked
around their mother s. room and
then Wezzie opened one of the bn,
reau drawers. Inside, she saw a
small, round, wooden box.
What S thai cried her broth
or, looking over her shoulder. "k
is candy? If it is let S take some.
Mother would want us to, have some
m sure But when Wezzic open
cd the box she saw no candy.
1T S white medicine powder.
Wizzie.' she whispered. 81 guess
Daddyicums got this powder from
Dr.. Possum to give us. He and
mother hid it here where we could
not find it, and they re going to
give us some of this medicine to-
night, when we re asleep-when we
won t know it.
81 m not going to take any med
icine!' cried Wizzie, holding his
paw over his mouth.
81 me not either!' > said Weezies.
"'But maybe it ism t for us. Maybe
it 5 for Jingle and Jangle or Toot-
! er, and Scooter. - sass e
''Thev can have all the medicine
they want, said Wizzie. And then
his twin sister cried:
"Oh, Wizzie. know what we can
do! We don't want Tooter or
Scooter or Jingle or Jangle to have
to take this medicine. So let 5 take
il and put it in the stove and burn
II up. Then nobody will need to
take it! Let 5 burn this medicine. >
"All right" agreed Wizzie.
Gwen do it, There was Il fire
down in the kitchen stove, for
Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy was bak
ing a cake for Fourth of July. And
when she was out of the kitchen Il
moment Weczie took the box of
powder she had found and emptied
It into the fire. A moment later
big cloud of red smoke filled the
room and Nurse Jane, hurry:ng back
cried:
"Fire, Fire. The bungalow is
on fire.!
"No, 1t 5 only some nasty medi-
cine We found and we re burning it
50 none of us will have take it! =
explained Wcezic.
I Uncle Wiggily hopping back from
his adventure. saw the cloud Of red
SNAKE. At first he thought his bun
gaow was burning, but when he
came nearer he saw 1t was only
smoke. And Wcezic told about
putting in the stove the medicine
she and Wizzic had found.
"Did you get it out of mother S
bureau drawcr!' asked her daddy,
and when Wezzic said she had Uncle
Wiggily laughed and cried: "That $
the end of the Fourth of July red
fire, might have known those
little tykes would find it. But
never mind, guess the monkey
doodle gentleman VIII have more.
! But its very funny thinking It was
mt dicine!' And he laughed, as
did his wife, Nurse Jane and Weezle
and Wizzie.
And if the rubber bail doesn t
bounce up and hit the head Of cab
bage on the end Of its nose, ] III tell
, YOU next about Uncle Wiggily and
I the pin wheel.
The only thing an amElteuf gar
dcncr raises is blistcra.