Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1927-07-16
Bedtime Stories
BY HOWARD E. CARTS
Copyright, 1897, by Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate
UNCLE wIGGILY's BIRD PATH

] "My, but it is very hot today"
/ said Mrs. Longears as she sat on
the front porch of the hollow stump
, bungalow, tanning herself with the
/ broad green leaf of a burdock plant.
| eff we would only get some rain
it would make us cooler,' said I'm
Gle Wiggily, who, sitting next to his
wife, had rhubarb leaf, or one
from the pieplant, for his fan.
"The birds are suffering, too
squeaked Nurse Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy.
"'See how they sit in the shade with
their beaks OPEN"
Uncle Wiggily looked and saw
four sparrows, three robins and two
bluejays lying on their sides under
the shade of a currant bush. AS
Nurse Jane had said, each bird had
its beak open to get as much air in
its mouth as possible.
81 should think they would fly
down to the brook and take BATH
spoke Mrs. Longears. ''That would
cool them"
cit is CT no use to go to th"
brook, - painted one of the robins.
-"The weather is SO hot and we have
had no rain in such a long time
that the brook is dry. There is no
place we can take a bath, or we
would be splashing watsr now
"What!" cried Uncle Wiggilv.
"No bath for you birds! That is
too bad. I'll make you a bath at
once,
"You cannot put water in the
brook. You cannot make if rain! -
said the muskrat lady housekeeper.
No, but I can put a shallow,
earthen dish out here in the yard.
in the shade, and fill it with water
said Uncla Wiggilv. "Ant that Is
what l am going to do
1t did not take the rabbit gentle
nan lerg to make the bird bath.
Nurse Jane gave him The rcd clay
sa'"er from an old flower pot and
this vas soon filled with v.ater from
tue sprinkling can and set in the
shade The birds watched anxious
" ard no sooner was the bati ready
than the blrejays, being holGest. AZ
once fluttered in and splashed to
their hearts content Then fine
srarrows CROW ned in and Tic robins
had their turn. After that cam"
many birds to cool themselves in
the water.
A. he water was splasho1 away,
TGcle Wiggilv poured more in, keep
ing it e'ean and fresh, vet not max
,nc it too decr 70: a bird mrtt
The in shallow WI :er, standing UT
s.ni scattering the drops over HI,
,rei- and flut ing \ wings.
While Uncle Wiggily was watch
ing his bird bath and wishing it
was cool enough weather so he could
go adventuring, all of sudden
along came creeping Mrs. LongtaiI.
the mouse lady.
ooh, Uncle Wiggilyl" she.
squeaked, ~ am in such trouble. -
DO you want bath?" asked
the rabbit gentleman. eff you do !
will ask the birds to let you have a
turn.
Cl' my Eid'lp"o, NJ he'' ny
bath at home" squeaked Mrs.
Lopgtail. "But / am in trouble
about Squeakie Eekie, the cousin
mouse. She crcpt out with her red
parasol saying she was going to
look for cool spot. But it is a long
time, now, aud she has not come
home I am afraid the Weasle has
caught herr
"Oh, that would be too bad! y
said Uncle WiggiIy. "1'H go look
for Squeakic Eekie. III find her
and her red parasol."
mo, Uncle Wiggiiy.' sang a
robin. cit is too hot for you to 60
hopping around. We birds can fly
through the air mich easier, espe-
cially since you helped us to cool
off in your bath. We will fly
around and look for Squeakie
Eekie. -
You can easily tell her by her
red parasoi." said Mrs. Longtail.
So the birds fluttered high up