Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-08-04
YOUTHS DEPARTMENT
THE WIND AND THE KITE.
ny MARY BEDFORD.

fastened together and covered with pretty
colored paper. 1t had fine, long tail
made of hobs of paper.
When it was all done, the little boy
looked at 1t with pride and delight Then
he took bali Of string and tied one end
of it securely to the kite. "Now," said
he, "you are all ready to fly. If it is a
windy day tomorrow, / will take you out
in the field. and we shall see how high up
in the air you will 60" The Kite all this
time felt little bewildered. He had been
made so lately that he was not quite sure
what his part was to be in life, what should
be his object, and what was expected of
him. But the LAST words of the little boy
gave him new idea.
"Oh," thought he, $50 l am to fly in
the air, to be sure. 1t is strange l never
thought Of that before. And this string,
l suppose, is to prevent my flying away
from my master. don't know about this
string; however, we shall see."
The next morning it was very windy.
The trees waved their branches wildly
and the window sashes ratified.
"This is just the day to try my new
kite" said the little boy as he took it from
the drawer and carried it into the field
behind the house.
This was the first time the Kite had
been out of doors, and he looked about
him with some curiosity. He thought he
should like to fly up into the blue sky, it
looked so sunny and bright Just as the
little boy began to unwind his kite-string,
his mother called him from the back door
to draw some water.
"Tm a comm" said he, rather discon-
solatc,y, and he laid his kite on the top of
the fence, fret carefully tying the string
to the post, and ran into the house.
The Kite was left alone, and he looked
about him and began to feel an irresistible
desire to fly up in the air.
WHO is this pulling me?" said he.
"Why do flutter up aud down SOP"
at is T." said the Wind. "Come with
me. We will have merry times together.
You shall ride on my back, and Wen go
round the world"
But am tied to the fence" said the
Kite.
Never mind" said the Wind. "come
with me. The string will easily break IL
you will only raise yourselfa little. Come |!
l will show you many wonderful things
We will fly to the white clouds, and have
merry games together in the air. You
ought To learn something OF the world"
"But my master who made me, what
will he say when he comes back and finds
me gone p y
"Oh, that is 10 matter" said the Wind.
He can make another any day"
And so the Wind coaxed the Kite, and
kept pulling it little at one coraer, and
twitching Ii at the other, so that lily
the Kite, who was weak and light. 10 had
no solid principles, allowed himself TO be
persuaded.
Then the Wind made one tremendous
effort, and snap went the st1ug, and up
went the Kite on the back of the bolster
Gus. frolicksome Wind.
"Hurrsh |" shouted the Wind "Here
we goi There's bird--let's chase him
Now, down we go, shaking the tree tops
| Let US slam that blind. Rip the states
of the roof! Come. my friend; must
not leave you sticking In that chimney.
Come alongp
"Where are yeu taking me9" asked the
poor Kite. bewildered and out Of breath.
But the Wind rushed on, never mind.
ing his questions, sweeping him on over
trees and houess, woods aud neius, now
low on the ground, now higl, In the air,
whiskipg him hither and thither, wherey.
er he happened to fancy.
They came to village where little fire
"Hullo I" shouted the Wind. "We'll
have some fun here % and down he went,
tanning the fise, 80 that the writing
flames crept up and licked the walls Of the
cottage.
Still the Wind flung himself against the
fire, spreading the flames and Frightening
the blaze every moment. Soon the cot.
tage was on fire, and then the next house,
and by and by the whole village. The
poor Kite was dragged against his will
/ close 10 the flames
"Oh, / shall be burnt up!" he cried.
"Save me ! save me"
"HuzzaW shouted the Wind, delight
| ing in the hot breath OF the roaring fire.
The Kite felt his beautiful floating tall
burning. In another moment he would
have been lost, when-"Come !" said the
Wind. 1--WE are off again !" and for that
time he was out Of danger, though his
beauty was ruined for ever. Then they
came to the city.
"There is boy" said the Wind. Of
with his cap into the mud. Catch that
lsdy's veil. Here 1t is wen land 1t in
this tree"
The Kite glanced down and saw the
poor boy fishing for his cap In the mud
puddle, and caught glimpse OF police
man climbing the tree Tor the veil while
the lady waited below. But he had
scarcely moment to lock, for the Wind
hurried him of again. The next moment
he found himself sticking to the tele-
graph wire and the Wind rushing away
with hooking laugh.
"St0pH cried the unfortunate Kite.
"Help me down from here. Don't leave
me In this way. would never have
come with you II l had known you would
have treated me So"
"Ha! hap laughed the mischievous
Wind AZ he whisked round tho corner.
There hung the poor Kite, torn and
scorched. And there he hung for many
weeks and months. Sometimes he told
his sad story to the birds who lighted on
the wires, but they were all 80 busy with
their own affairs that they could not stop
| TO listen TO him long.
He often thought OF his little master,
and wished he had not left the only per-
son who seemed to care for him. But he
knew it was too late TO think of that.
| The Wind came every day and pulled
the poor, tattered Kite, tearing of little
bits of paper, that would fall fluttering
| do,vr IA tho ~ root and no frOdden intn