The Ostrich and the Necklace

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1930, Page 20 (Supplement)

The Ostrich and the Necklace

and Illtulralecl by Frank M. Willidimon).

Christopher Kangaroo’s handsome villa was the scene of «■ festive gathering. All the best people had been; invited to a wonderful Christmas party bnd it was nrdbalbly the finest of its kind ever known in the history of Uungleland.

All the giiests.were in evening dress; silk frocks and flashing -jewels were everywhere, and the brilliant rooms had : never been known to be sb full of prosperous and distinguished people. Christopher Kangaroo was an ideal host, being here, there and. everywhere in his efforts to. make this particular evening an occasion io be remembered by all present.' ; • , Unfortunately, as things turned out,

something happened about midnight which spoilt the remainder of the evening for everybody. and placed Mr. Kan- ( garoo ‘in a very awkward situation. It was soon after supper when all the guests were filing out of the dining room. Everybody A seemed happy and there was a noisy chatter going on when suddenly a shriek came from Mrs. Chimpanzee, a wealthy widow of very good family.

“I’ve lost my necklace,” she cried,gazing wildly at a group standing near. Mr. Kangaroo joined the group, greatly concerned that one of his guests should be robbed, of her jewellery. “All the doors shall be locked and I will telephone for a detective from th© police department,’’ he said briskly. An ostrich who had stolen the necklace, hearing his host telephoning for n detective was filled with alarm, and

fearing that the jewels -would' be found on his ■'person, ha promptly ’Bwallowed the necklace whole. But on glancing in the hall mirror he saw that the meek- ~ lace had only gone half-way;ddwn, causr ing a lump to show .in. his'neck-whic?i '

.would give him. away, at' once 'to any ' sharp-eyed detective.:' As he was wandering what on earth to 1 do, there came a ring at the front door bell, and in a very ahort time Mr. Sleuth 1 , Baboon, of the Jungleland police, w?s announced. .. - . . .. When the detective came into the room, the bstrich knew he would have to . do something quickly, «o he decided to hide himself, and as there was no sand

about he put- his head underneath the ■ carpet, leaving his neck exposed to view. . Mr. Sleuth Baboon ‘looked at the ostrich and turned.with a smile to Chris- / topher. Kangaroo;;-/. \ . ‘ ‘•There stands= the ‘ thief,” he said.' „ “Shall I put the handcuffs on him?” “But where is the necklace?” asked Mr. Kangaroo. ' “I’ll make the thief cough it up,” said the detective. ■ . ' , 1 ’’

It was a sad finish fop the ostrich to spend Christmas Eve in prison, and ho was amazed at being caught aftering* such pains to-hide himself, but .as Detective Sleuth Ba'boon remarked-: to one of the guests: “There isn t an os* trich in Jungleland knows, how-to hide himself properly.” • - ( ,