Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-04-12
"ONLY AN OLD BONE"

AGES and ages ago this world of ours
was not like what it is now. Where we
have land, hard, firm, and rocky, there
We're seas and again, where We now have
seas there was land. In fact. it was all so
different that had you lived then, as l did.
and survived till now, you could tell
strange stories. of the changes you had
witnessed.
NY first introduction to life was in the
huge jaws of a megatherium; for | was
one of its teeth. had many brothers and
sisters; we were a very united, loving
family. Now we are all dispersed. do
not even know whether they are living or
dead. You wonder, perhaps, that | can
speak so calmly on the subject, but if you
had lived ages as have, you would know
that one cannot mourn forever.
A wild, merry life we led i'm those days.
] should not like to return to it now, but
enjoyed it then. The world was at that
time muddy, marshy place; even the firm
land was not very stable. What else could
You expect? Those iron rocks you see
now were very young then, and just
. forming, and fierce battle they had to
wage for their existence, what between the
. fire and the water. There were no men at
that time, nothing but animals, huge
trees. and plants; and fine time they had
of it.
My master was a sOciable creature. He
was the eldest of large family of The
RUNS; his brothers were called AnO,
Anthraco, Paleo. and Dino. They all
roamed over the ground together, seeking
food, and lots of acquaintances we made in
our wanderings. There was the family
of Dons-Masto, Smilo, and GlyptO; but
they were small creatures, and we rather
looked down on them, though they were
agreeable enough in their way. Much
more interesting were the Sauri, whom
we came to know on the shores of huge
lake. They were called lchthy, Plesio,
Megalo, and lido. The only objection to
them was that they were rather inclined
to conceit, for they would insist that their
family was older than ours. As if that
made them whit better!
All! il you had known all those fine
creatures, am sure you would only pity
their puny successors now living In the
world. With their nice names, too! 1t
seems to me such a pity those good old
cOgnOmens are gone out of fashion.
AS said, it was a curious living world
tlen-giant reptiles trailed their bodies
on the sand, hide0us winged creatures
darkened the sky, and our colossal selves
and friends stalked through magnificent
Well, suppose, nothing can last for
ever: have found it so, at least, in my
experience of life: So our free, joyous
existence came to an end too.
There was a grand upset of the whole
world; the sea rushed over the land, the
ground heaved and tOttered; in fact, it was
c,nvulsiOn of the system. and all then
living on the globe persisted. What be-
came of my master do not know, for was
dashed out of his mouth. was tossed
hither and thither for very long time
during which witnessed several more oi
these revolutions, being now upheaved
now buried. Wherever was thrown
met with general contempt. was named
IAN Old Bone" and no one paid me tho
slightest attention.
At first l was inclined to resist this
treatment. and to despise all those per
sons came in contact with, for the day!
when my master had stalked the fores
were still green in my memory, and for
got that l was no longer in the same po
sition. A tooth under his mighty protec
ton and q solitary tooth cast by itsel
mnon the world are quite different things
So am afraid made myself very disa
.greeable, and If any stone, plant, or In
Sect was kind enough to speak to me
doubtless taking pity on my miserable ex
istence. I would turn from it with con
tempt, saying that such small creature
were quite beneath my notice. If the
had known the days had, and seen m
master and his friends, they would nc
have dared to address even one of his N
.So' No wonder tha hey soon gave u
speaking to r. s0sn9 how despise
them. All! f6aYe-grOYn humber sine
then-much humber. learned many
sev%re lesson as the centuries rolled on
and If had my life q live again, de- NJ
say but what | would live it very ditiel
emily. got my pride taken down. how
ever. as say but It was sharp, paint
work. and if | had been wise, and recOs
nized my changed position at once,
might have saved my self world Of su
ferlng. Now know that each state