A
x - THE . SUNDAY BEE; OMAHA. JULY 0, 1922.
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nets., it. OCXT. OF.
5Ave5 TH6 Teewie vyeeNie fcftKDett.
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ffALL out the army I Call out tlie army!" shouted the Dunce one morning as he
I burst into the Teenie Weenie library where the General sat working over his
. accounts.
"What's the trouble, Dunce?" asked the General calmly, for the head of the Teenie
Veenies knew how excited the Dunce could become over the most simplest thing. y
W-w-why, t-t-t-there's a t-t-t-toad out near t-t-the g-g-g-garden I exploded the
Dunce, dancing up and down in his excitement, his eyes as big as pinheads and as bright
a tinii itlimniifli "H' a-i-awful hie i-t-t-tnarl. tnrt Hp's almost a hie as a as a
I don't know what; but he's t-t-t-terrible b-b-big."
"He must be big if he is as big as all that," smiled the General.
"He's awful ugly, t-t-t-too.'
"Well, just keep away from him and he won't hurt you," said the General. "Toads
arc harmless. Just keep away from him."
"B-b-b-but, Generall" shouted the Dunce. "W-w-vjc're all liable to get w-w-w-warts
r s-s-s-sometinV -
"Ah, that's all foolishness," cried the Doctor, who had been listening to the talk.
"The toad is a good friend to have around."
' "A f-f-f-friend?" gasped the Dunce, staring at the Doctor.
"Why, certainly," cried the Doctor. "He is just as harmless as a butterfly. And if
you let him alone he will catch most of the bugs and worms that are destroying our
garden.".
"But, Doctor," said the Lady of Fashion, who had been,dusting the furniture in the
Hitting room and had heard he conversation, "they are so tetfrtbly ugly I'm dealy afraid
of them," and the little lady shuddered so violently she almost shook off her tiny dust
ing cap. . '
"I'll admit they wouldn't take a beauty prize," answered the Doctor, "but in spite of
their looks they are almost gentle and harmless. I'll tell you what we can do. We will go
over to the garden, and watch the big fellow catch some bugs. It will be most interesting
nd you can see what a useful fellow that toad will be in our garden."
"Come on, let's go," cried the Dunce. . . . , .
"We had better wait until evening," said the Doctor. That is the time they catch
most ff the bugs.'
' Don't they catch bugs during the day?" asked the curious Dunce.
"Well, occasionally," .answered the Doctor. "But usually they hunt bugs in the
evening and at night, for that is the time most bugs are out."
That evening the Teenie Weenies made their way to the garden back of the
little village, where they soon discovered th big toad sitting near a stone. From a safe
distance the Teenie Weenies watched the toa'd with round eyes. Presently a black beetle
made its appearance, and the toad waited patiently until it crawled quite near, then,
leaping forward on his mighty hind legs, he snaped up the bug with his long tongue so
quickly the Teenie Weenies could hardly follow the movement.
The toad pushed the bug into his big mouth with his front feet and blinked his
round eyes hard as he swallowed the beetle.
"The toad's tongue is sticky and anything it touches sticks to it," the Doctor told
the Lady of Fashion, who leaned on the top of the stone and watched the performance
with wide open mouth. - . . '
Every evening the little folks gathered near the garden and watched the. toad de
stroy the bugs. They grew quite fend of him and named him Mr. Hopper. Even the Lady
of Fashion learned not to be afraid of him, and she even patted him a couple of times.
Mr. Hopper spent many happy hours in the Teenie Weenie garden, and he kept the
place quite free of bugs, which saved the little men a lot of work, for the worms and bugs
were doing much- damage to their vegetables. ...
- The Teenie Weenie Poet asked to have this poem, which Mr. Hopper inspired,
printed, afid here it is just as he set it down:
Listen! Listen! Hear that sound?
A sort of flep upon the ground,
Ker (lop, ker flop.
It's old man toad who's hoppin' out
For bugs that chance to be about.
Ker flop, ker flop,
i And any bug that comes his wax
Will never see another day.
RHUFUS RHYME, Teenie Weenie Poet.
(Copyright, 22.)
Letters From Happyland Readers
The Easter Bunny.
"There ain't no Easter Bunny 1"
scoffed Ned. "Its just mamma
colors the eggs-and hides 'eml"
"Why, Ned Gray!" exclaimed his
small sjster. Rose, drapping her
precious doll in astonishment, "I'll
just bet something awful happens
to you, for talking like that I Of
couse, theres an Easter Bunny J".
Ned only laughed and taking his
can of fishworms, went towards
the creek, where he intended to
spend the afternoon fishing. It
, was very warm: the fish would not
bite -and Ned lay back against a
tree drousily.
As he lay there, a large rabbit
hopped from beneath a bush near
him. It was there, staring at him
with large unblinking eyes, until
be could stand it no longer.
' "What do you want?" he asked.
"I am the Easter Bunny I" was
the reply, "come with me I"
He bopped away and Ned, as
though drawn by some magnetic
force, followed. Down into the
basement they went. Rabbits of
every description were scurrying
about. The rabbit led the way to
a large round tub in the center of
the room. Several rabbits were
taking eggs from baskets and put
ting them in boiling water, after
which they were put upon a chute.
Then another chute led to a large
vat, filled with hot dye, where the
eggs were colored.
"Here is an egg," said the Eas
ter Bunny. "Look at it the next
time you doubt my existence!"
Next Ned was in the creek very
wet and cold. .
"Why!" he spluttered. "T must
have fallen in while I was asleep.
That evening as he told his par
"ents the story, he said: "And I'm
always going to believe in an Eas
ter Bunny, until some one proves
there isn't P Helen Parker, Age
14, Brownville, Neb.
A New Member.
Dear Happy: I am enclosing a
2-cent stamp for the button. I
wish to join the Happy Tribe. I
- am a young lad of 11. I am in the
Seventh grade at school. My
teacher's name is Miss Lor en z. I
like her very much. There are 11
pupils going to our school. Five
boys and six girls. I have four sis
ters, Marie, Anna, Agnes and Mol
ly. . Two brothers, James and Jo
seph. I have two nephews and two
nieces, Rudy, Rose and Raymond
Buzek, and Mildred Steizskal.
Louis James Nadherny, age 11,
Miiligan, Neb.
First Letter.
Dear Happy: This is my first
letter to you. I want to join the
Happy Tribe. You will find en
closed a two-cent stamp for my,
badge. I would like my pin as
soon as possible. I am in the sixth
grade at school and I am 12 years
old. I will close for this time.
Sincerely yours, Helene Smith,
aged 12, Ogallala, Neb.
First Letter.
Dear Happy. I read The Sun
day Bee and I thought I would'
like to join the Go-Hawks. I am
sending you a two-cent stamp and
coupon and please rend me a
badge. My birthday is the third
of October. I will be kind and
will protect all birds and animals
that I can. Elizabeth Sheehan,
Weeping Water, Neb.
Dicky Canary.
My name is Dicky. I used to
live with a lady who had lots of
birds like myself. One day a lady,
a man and a little girl came to see
us. The. little girl said: "I would
like to have him," she said, point
ing to me. They took me home, or
what was going to be my home.
They call me "Dicky." 1 must tell
you how I look. My body is light
yellow, my tail and wings are
streaked with white. I love to eat
plants and pick at a large blue
vase. Well, my story is ended for
this time, so I will close. Bertha
Marguerite Weeth, 2716 Meredith
Ave., Omaha, Neb.
A New Go-Hawk.
Dear Happy: I read about the
Go-Hawk's Tribe and I would like
to join. I am sending a two-cent
stamp for the buttons I am 12
years old and I am in the eighth
grade. My teacher's name is Miss
Rierland. I like school very much.
Well, my letter is getting long so
, I will close., Yours truly, Verle
Dority, aged 12, Shelton, Neb.
A Kind Boy.
Dear Happy: This is the first
time I ever wrote to you. I
promise to do something for some
one every day, and I know I will
be kind and will protect all birds
and animals from all harm. I am
sending you a two-cent stamp, by
which I wish to join. Evert Mag
nuson, Pender, Neb. x
March Wind.
March wind howls around our
howls all night and day.
And when I go to bed at night
He makes me shiver with all my
might.
And when I wake at morning light,
And mother calls to me,
It makes me wish 'twas summer
time,
For then 'tis very pleasant, you
see.
Virginia Hunt, age 10, 2595 Kan
sas Ave., Omaha, Neb.