I r
HIE SUNDAY BEE: OMAHA, JULY 2. 1922.
I C?AV OF
B6.r. U.S. TAT. OfF-
Ml5FORTUMe
ENERAL, I was out lookin' at the cherry
tree over in that vacant yard on the next
street, and if we do.n't get busy and get
some pretty quick there will be none to
pick," announced the Cook one evening,
as the little people were about to leave the
tiny dinner table.
m "What's the matter? What's the mat
ter?" cried the General.
"Ah, j-j-jimminic f-f-fishhooks! Ah,
say, aren't we gonna have any jam or noth
ing?" shouted the Dunce.
"Well, if the boys don't get them all
and the robins happen to leave a few, we
might sret one or two," answered the Cook.
If we expect to have cherry jam we'd better get busy, that's all
I've got to say."
"Let's pick 'em tonight!" shouted the Dunce.
"They will keep until morning," said the General. "But we
must get out early tomorrow and get a truck load, and all those
who like to eat cherry -jam want to be up early in the moaning."
"You can just bet your last apple seed I'll be on the job!"
cried the Dunce, who was fond of jam and jelly.
"I should think you would," laughed the Cook. "For you'll eat more than half of
the jam I put up."
1 ne leenie Weenies had eaten their breakfast and were well on their wav to the
cherry tree next morning before the sun was fairly up. The Dunce and Gogo had brought
axes along, and these two little fellows were to climb the tree and chop the cherries off.
Gogo solemnly walked around the tree three times before he started to climb up.
"What did you do that for?" asked the Dunce.
"It's powerful bad luck to climb a tree without fust walkin' 'round de tree three
times," answered the little colored fellow.
"Ah, shucks!" exclaimed the Dunce. "I don't believe in any of those fool charms,"
and he started up the tree.
"You-all will see if we don't have some bad luck befo' the day is ovah," said Gogo
as he climbed up the tree trunk.
The Dunce had just reached one of the limbs, on which hung several big cherries,
when his ax slipped out of his hand and dropped to the ground.
"There!" exclaimed Gogo. "You see, de bad luck done started."
WJri. QOHAHeV.
The poor Dunce had to climb down for his ax, and it was a long trip down to the
ground.
When he had got his ax and climbed again to the branch where the cherries hung the
little fellows began cutting them off with a will. All the Teenie Weenies on the ground
were careful to keep from under the tree while the cherries were being cut, for if one had
fallen squarely on one of the little people, it's hard to tell what might have happened.
When a great number of the cherries had ben cut off the Dunce and Gogo came
down out of the tree, and the Teenie Weenies all began loading the fruit into one of the
trucks, which had been driven up for the purpose. While the little folks were picking up
the cherries a big fat one fell from the tree, and, strikijg Paddy Pin a glancing blow, it
sent him sprawling on the ground. Fortunately it did not hurt the little fellow, other than
to daze him for a few minutes.
"Dat powerful unlucky, climbin' a tree without fust walkin' round de tree three
times," muttered Gogo, staring at the blinking Paddy. "We'll just keep on havin' bad
luck all de day." And, sure enough, the bad luck kept up.
The next bad luck came when the truck, which had been loaded heavily with 83
cherries, ran over a hickory nut shell and broke one of the springs.
The cherries all had to be carried the rest oflhe way to the shoe house on Tcf nii
Weenie backs, and the Dunce begin to believe bad luck had struck them, for her had to
carry 12 of the heavy cherries himself. "
The next bad luck came when Grandpa, who was strolling around, happened to step
into a Teenie Weenie stew pan and almost fell into the fire where the cherries were cook,
ing. The old gentleman was not hurt, although he badly scorched his whiskers.-
Several other incidents happened before the day was over, and most of the Teenie
Weenies were quite ready to believe that misfortune had visited them all day. v
"Well, you were quite right about that bad luck, Gogo." said the Dunce when the
day's work was done. "And you can just bet yout last grape seed I'm going to take your
advice before I climb another tree. I'm going to run around every tree before I climb it
until I'm dizzy."
"Don't do dat! Don't do dat!" cried the little colored fellow. "Dat worser dan
not walkin' a tall. Don't do dat. Jus' walk 'round slow and easy like. Jus' three times,
no mo'e. no less, dat's all."
"Ah. that's all foolishness!" exploded Grandpa, glaring over the top of his tiny
glasses. "I have lived to a wrinkled old age, and I never had to gallop around trees to
keep off bad luck, and. what's more. I never had any bad luck."
"Wasn't that bad luck, steppin' in de stew pan?" asked Gogo. '
"No. That was a pleasure!" bellow-ed the old gentleman, his face growing so purple
with wrath that the Teenie Weenies thought it best to drop the subject.
(Copyright, 1922.)
Letters from Little Folks of Happyland
Why Rabbits' Coats Are White.
(Prize.)
It was Saturday and of course it
was baking day for Mrs. Rabbit.
Floppsy and Fetcr slept late be
cause they did not have to go to
school. Mrs. Rabbit went to the
children's roo-n and called, "Flop
psy. you children will have to get
up."
. As soon as" the children had
their breakfast Floppsy ran to the
parlour to dust. Peter ran to get
some wood and Mrs. Rabbit got
out the rolling pin and was ready
to make a cabbage pie, when in
ran Cottontail, I'eter's and Flop
psy's cousin, and said:
"Aunt Moppsy, won't you please
come over? Grandma is very sick."
Mrs. Rabbit slipped on her shaw l
and went away with Cottontail.
Floppsy finished her dusting and
went into the kitchen and there in
the middle of the floor sat Peter
all white with flour.
"Oh, Peter, what will mamma
say?" ijried Floppsy.
"You see," began Peter, "I
thought I would surprise you and
mamma and finish the pie and
and I pulled the chest" Peter
could not say anymore for the tears
were flowing freely from his eyes.
"Don't cry anymore," comforted
Floppsy. as she threw her arms'
around Peter. "We will ask Mother
Nature to always keep your coat
white because it is so pretty." That
is why some rabbit's coats are al
ways white. Thelma Carlson,
aged 12, W.oodbine, la.
Wants to Join.
Dear Happy: I want to join
the Happy Tribe. I read the pa
per every Sunday. I am in the
Fifth grade at school. My teach
er's name is Miss Bauman. Please
send me my button and I will
try to bo a good Go-Hawk. I would
like to have some of the children
write to me Edith Magnuson,
Route No. 2, Box P5, Pender,
Xcb.
Will Help Always.
Dear Happy: I want to join the
Go-Hawks and I am sending you
a 2-cent stamp fq my button, and
also the coupon. I promise to
help someone every day and be
good to birds and dumb animals.
I am 13 years of age and my
name is Thelma Ruby, Weeping
Water, Neb.
Wants to Join.
Dear Happy: I wish to join
the Happy Tribe. I will tend
a 2-cent stamp for a button. I
am very fond of the letters in The
Omaha Bee. I am 12 years old
and in the Fifth grade. I was out
of school seven weeks this year
on account of the scarlet fever and
;tft abscess in my ear. My birth
day is November 4 Ilia Dasher,
Aged 12, Stanton, Neb.
Dickey.
Dear Happy: I am sending a
coupon and a 2-cent stamp and
1 want to join the Go-Hawk club.
Please send me a button. I am
9 years old, and I am in 4he Third
grade. I have one pet dog. His
name is Dickey. He is white and
has two black ears. Well I must
close. Yours truly, Izola John
son, Aged 9, Bruning, Nell. .
Builds Bird House.
Dear Happy: I wish to join the
Happy club. I am sending a 2
cent stamp, and I wish to receive
my button. I promise to protect
the birds, and be kind to all dumb
' animals. I am very fond of birds
and I am going to make bird
houses this summer and put them
in the tree. Mildred Cooper, Agai
11, Washington, Neb.
A Fifth Grader.
Dear Happy: I would like to
join your Happy Tribe. I am 11
years old and in the Fifth grade.
I am sending a 2-cent stamp for
a button. I promise to be kimf
to birds and dumb animals. I
read the stories all the time and
enjoy them. Your friend, l.av
rence Fletcher, Schuyler, Neb.
.
Wants to Join.
Dear Happy: I enjoy your page
very much and would like to he a
member of your Happyland. I am
enclosing a 2-cent stamp. W ill
vou please send me a button?
George Brasch, Aged 9. 3527 Madi
son Street, Omaha, Neb.
Watch.
Dear Happv: I would like
join your Happy Tribe. I am send
ing a 2-cent stamp for my pin. I
have a dog, his name is Watch.
J