New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-07-26
Arthur on his knee and Helen at his

GABu JOb AlOb 10 0bAO W lCluI II VI bItdh
to us. Twill tell you all l can remem-
Der of-it.
"0nce there was a beautiful pond in
| the centre of wood. Trees and
flowers were growing about it, birds
sang and insects hummed about it..
Under the water, too, there was lit
tie world of beings. Fishes and little
creatures that live in water filled it full
of busy life. Among them was the grub
of dragon fly, with large family of
brothers and sisters"
What is a dragon fy!" interrupted
\ Arthur.
"It's just darning needle" said
Helen.
Eyes, you children call it darning
needle" said their father; THAT beau
tiful swift creature, with long gilt
tering blue and green body and bril-
liant gauzy wings. Now, before he
became dragon fly, darting through
the air and flashing back the sunshine,
he was a dark scaly grub, and lived
down in the forest pond. He and his
family were born there, and knew no
other world. They spent their time
in rowing in and out among the plants
at the bottom of the water in search of
food.
'But one day this grub began to
talk among his mates about the frog.
Every little while,' said he, the frog
goes to the side of the water and dis
appears. What becomes of him when
he leaves this world What can there
be beyond =
"'You idle fellow replied another
grub, attend to the world you are in
and leave the "beyond' to those that
are there = So said all his relations,
and the curious grub tried to forget
his questionings. But he could not
do it; so one day when he heard
heavy splash in the water and saw
great yellow frog swim to the bottom,
he screwed up his courage to ask the
frog himself.
'Honored frog said he, approach
ing that dignifed parsonage as meekly
as possible, permit me to inquire
what there is beyond the world!'
"'What world do you mean = said
the frog, rolling his google eyes.
"'This world, of course our world
answered the grub.
"'This pend, you mean remarked
the frog, with a sheer.
~ mean the place we live in; call
it the world cried the grub with spirit.
"'Do you, indeed!' reioined the
frog. Then what is the place you
don't live in; the beyond the world,
Ell ?
"'That is Just what 1 want you to
tell me- replied the grub, briskly.
"'Well, then said froggy, 1T is dry
land
"'Can one swim about there!"
"tDry land is not water, little fell
low chuckled the frog; that is just
what it is not
"'But tell me what it u.s. persisted
the grub.
"7Well, then, you troublesome
creature cried the frog, dry land is
something like the bottom of this
pond, only it is not wet, because there
is no water
"'Really,' said the grub; what is
there, then =
"'They call it air. replied the
frog. 1T is the nearest approach to
nothing
Finding that he could not make
the grub understand, the good-natured
frog offered to take him on his back
up to the dry land, where the grub
might see for himself. The grub was
delighted, He dropped himself down
upon the frogs back and chung closely
to him while he swan up to the rushes
at the waters edge. But the moment
he emerged into the air the grub fell
reeling back into the water, painting
and struggling for life. Horrible .
cried he, as soon as he had rallied a
little; there is nothing but death be-
yond this world. The frog deceived
me. I can not go there, at any rate.
"Then the grub told his story to his
friends, and they talked a great deal
about the mystery, but could arrive at
no explanation.
That evening the yellow frog ap-
peared at the bottom of the pond
's' You here cried the startled
grub. You never left this world at
all, suppose
- Clumsy creature replied The
frog, why did you not cling to my
back : When l landed on the grass
you were gone
1.-The grub related his death-like
struggle, and added: Since there is
nothing but death beyond this world
all your stories about going there
must be false
81 forgive your offensive remarks,
said the frog, gravely, because IhaYe
learned to- day the reason of your tire,
some curiosity. AS l was hopping
about in the grass ON the edge Of the
pond l saw one of your race slowly
climbing up the stalk Of a reed. Sud
denly there appeared a rent in his scaly
coat, and after many struggles there
came out of it one of those radiant
dragon flies that float in the air | tolt
you Of He lifted his wings out of the
carcass he was leaving, and when they
had dried in the sunshine he flew gilt
tering away. l conclude that you
grubs will do the same thing by anC
by
1.-THE grub listened with astonish,
ment and distrust, and swan off to tel
his friends. They decided that it wa:
impossible, nonsense, and the grut
said he would think no more about it
He hurried restlessly about in the
water, hunting for prey and trying t.