Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 December 1891 — Fatty Grunt. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Fatty Grunt.

I wonder why it is that everybody calls me Fatty. The first thing lean remember I saw two little children peeping over the top of our sty, and one of them said: “See the little fellow looking out from behind his ma, isn’t he a regular fatty?” and ever since that day I’ve been called by that name. Well, I don’t much care what they call me as long as 1 get plenty of nice food to keep me fat. John, the hired man, is very good to our family, and every one of ns, from papa Grunt down to my sister Nosey, has plenty to eat. I like living very much. Life is one great sea of skimmed milk for me now, and when ma tells stories

I am as happy as any little pig can be. Ma tells one story of three pigs— Pigg5 r Wig, Piggy Wog and Piggy Wee. These three fellows thought they would try to walk on stilts one day, and as they came to a brook thought it would be great fun to cross it on their new wooden legs. “Be careful,” said Piggy Wig to Piggy Wog. “or you'll step on a flsh and slip over into the water.” “Oh, no,” said Piggy Wog, “I’m all right. Just see me wade off into the deep water now.” And away he stamped off into a very deep place, when the first thing they knew down went Piggy Wog in the water away up to his neck. “Hi, Hi,” shouted Piggy Wog, as he splashed around in the water, “help me out! Help me out!” “All right,” said Piggy Wig and

Piggy Wee. So they went tn the bank and reached out one of the stilts, and poor, wet Piggy Wog took hold of it and was drawn to the.shore. Both of his stilts had floated down the stream, and he hardly knew how he was to get across the brook and home again. The other pigs could not carry him. He couldn't swim, and there was no bridge. How was he to get home? Very soon Piggy Wee spoke up. “I have it.” said he. “I see a board over there by that fence. We’ll get that, and you get on it and we’ll push you across on the board ferry. “A good idea.” said Piggy Wig. “Hurrah,” said Piggy Wog. “Just the thing.” said Piggy Wee. The board was brought and placed on the water, and on it walked Piggy Wog. Then began the journey across. It took some time to reach the opposite shore, and several times did Piggy

Wog come near upsetting. Finally thd board ferry arrived on the other side, and Piggy Wog was very happy to think that he wasn’t drowned. When the three little pigs arrived home their mother asked them where they had been, and how Piggy Wog. got his tail so wet. The little fellow hacl to tell, and their mother said, thaJt they must go to bed early and wimiout any supper, because little pig» ought to know better than to wade in the brook without asking their mother? Don’t you think that is a good story 1*

I don’t like to washed very wett, so every time I take my bath ma tells me about a little pig that she knew once that always cried when he was washed. One day his mamma put him into a dry tub and he began to cry, and cried so many tears that it filled the tub, and his mamma washed him in his own tears. Pa always says that’s a pretty big story, but I think it is very funny. Pa is a very funny fellow. We have lots of fun on sunshiny days, anC

when he takes a nap I very often take a straw and tickle his ear with it. That makes him grunt, and sometimes he jumps up and chases me around the pen. One day he caught my tail in his mouth and gave it a bite that made me squeal. I was Just about scared to death one night awhile ago. You see there are woods quite near our home, and great big black bears live there. One night one of those naughty bears came to our pen and climbed over into it. My sister Nosey, who was always running away from ma, went out to see what was going on, and the bear just took her in his arms and carried her away. I suppose he made a breakfast of her the next day. We have all been very careful at night since that time. I heard pa say, though, tnat John shot the bear a day or two after he ate my sister. Well, here comes John with the supper. I cannot write another line. Good by. Patty.—New York Press.

CROSSING THE BROOK.

“HELP ME OUT!”

BATHED IN TEARS.

NOSEY GOES TO BREAKFAST.