Imperial Valley press., 1926-01-18
Bedtime Stories
By HOWARD r. GARIS
Copyright, 1926, by Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate
UNCLE WIGGILY'S BIG
CHESTNUT


the snow covered road enc day on
his way back to his hollow stump
bungalow. The rabbit gentleman
carried basket on his paw, but the
basket was empty. That is what
MIR. Lonsears told Mr.. Whitewash,
the polar bear, whom he met when
half way home
What is in the baskets' growl-
ed the polar bear, smiling.
Nothing now,' answered Uncle
Wiggily. 1t is empty But a little
while ago there was an apple pie in
the basket
'Oh, l wish the pie was there
now!' growled MIR. Whitewash, rub
bing his red tongue over his white
teeth. II am very fond of pie
$50 is Aunt Lettie, the goat,
laughed. Uncle Wiggily. Il just
took the apple pie to her. Nurse
Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy baked it. If you
come home with me now III ask
Nurse Jane to bake you a pie.
No sooner said than done. -
cried Mr.. Whitewash, just as if he
we're in Il story book. Then he be
gan shuffling along the road with
Cncle Wiggiiy. All of a sudden, on
the snow IN front of him, the bunny
gentleman saw something dark
brown, like Il small muck kicked
football.
But it ism t football" cried
Uncle Wiggily, as he picked it up.
It's a great big chestnuty Oh,
what large one. Never have l seen
such an immense chestnut.
- That s right agreed Mr..
Whitewash, looking at it. "A regu
lar giant of an Italian oragn grinder
gentleman must have dropped this
big chestnut.
II think So, said Uncle Wig
gily. well, l don see the giant
gentleman now, though if | did see
MIN | would give him back his big
chestnut. As it is, | will put it in
my empty basket and take it home.
If the giant calls for the nut he
may have it. If he doesn t l will
give it to Johnnie and Billie Bushy
tail, the squirrels.
"Why don t you eat it yourself -
asked Mr.. Whitewash.
Because a rabbit s teeth are not
made for gnawing the hard shells
of nuts" answered Mr.. Longears.
And very hard, indeed-extra
hard -
Putting the nut in his basket,
Uncle Wiggily hoped along, and
the polar bear shuffled along beside
| him. The rabbit hoped for an ad-
! venture, but none happened. If the
Fox or Wolf saw Uncle Wiggily
| they kept themselves out of sight.
| They did not want to be clawed by
| the bear.
Reaching his bungalow, Uncle
Wiggily put the big chestnut up on
the mantel, intending to give it
back either to the giant or to the
! squirrel boys. Then the bunny ask
ed Nurse Jane to make a pie for
Mr.. Whitewash, which the muskrat
lady housekeeper did right gladly.
Mr.. Whitewash was out in the
kitchen, watching Nurse Jane put
| the apples in the pie, and Uncle
Wiggily was looking at the big
/ chestnut on the mantel, when, all of
a sudden, into the bungalow jumped
the Bob Cat. Uncle Wiggily had
! forgotten to close the door and the
bad chap crept in. The Bob Cat
made jump for Uncle Wiggily, but
/ the rabbit hoped out of the way
and, in doing so knocked the big
chestnut down off the mantel.
1t fell to the floor with a crash
the big chestnut did-and then it
seemed to burst apart. The outer
shell opened and about Is other nuts
popped out from inside. Some of
them bounced up and hit the Bob
Cat on his nose.
! Wowchie!' howled the Bob Cat,
holding his paw on his sore nose.
Uncle Wiggily has a new kind of
gun! I'd better run!' And away
ne ran.
''Ha. Hal laughed the bunny.
That WASH t gun! The big chest
nut just broke open, that S all. But
| never knew big chestnut to have
little nuts inside it. -
THAT ism chestnut you pick
ed up" said Mrs. Longears, coming
into the room just then. THAT is
a nut from Brazil, in South Amer
lea. 1t is like coeoanut, but inside
the outer shell are many small nuts.
The squirrel boys will be glad to
| get these Brazil nuts.'
II guess they.wili be more glad
| than the Bob Cat was." laughed
the rabbit, as he picked up the scat
tered nuts. And the squirrel boys
were ,for no giant ever called to get
the Brazil nuts. So it ayy happened
for the best, and if the orange juice
doesn't jump in the lemonade to
hide away from the strawberry
! shortcake | shall next have the