The Van Buren press., 1873-10-07
sunshine's Stories.
eY A. n. POE.

ing! Hope he basn caught MS Ioot III
that big crack in the smoke house door.
He's caught somewhere else = ex'
claimed Willie, putting in excitedly.
"Why. Sunshine, what d'you spose he's
gone and climbed clear tip top o that
biggest stack % stove wood, and all !
can do, can't get him down.
Uncle Ben sawed the wood. and had
way Of stacking it in pyramids This
particular pyramid, which he called " The
tower o Babel" was full as high as the
kitchen chimney. To tell the truth the
queer old genius had made it the praeli'
cal demonstration of broblem which
had for some time been under discussion
between himself and the schoolmaster.
Sunshine hurried out to the wood yard
there sat Rubie, high in air, while Rosa
and Matte stood at the foot OF the stack
chewing their bonnet strings despairing
ly.
II don't rec why he can't get down
the way he got up grumbled Willie
:" He's reg'lar Jraid
"Don't you see. the wool slips p
said Sunshine, compassionately, and then
ne 3 UNe, W illle
Take me down. Sunshine piped a
voice from the top; lin coolest as can
be up here. The wind hurts !"
And you'll catch your death Of the
Group" groancd Matte.
wish | was like the man with long
arms said Sunshine. willie did you
try the step LADDER
It's over to Mr. Millers they Dor
rowed it
Where's mamma p called Rubic,
she could take me down
Guess she couldn't" argued Rosa {;
mo more'n us She amt az tall $ that
pile Of wood. and then she amt here
She's at Mrs Days seen their sick ba
by
Oh" suggested Matte, there's a
long pole out I barn, with hook on The
end Of it; couldn't we take that and hook
him DOWN."
~ don't want to be hooked. object.
ed Ruhle; cause maybe you might hook
my skin. "
"Well, said Willie, relectively, "if
you cant get down you'll have to stay
up; but | know one thing I've got to
blacken fathers Sunday shoes.
And I've got to finish the knives"
.aid sunshine: I'm tell you what let's
do Let's bring our WORK out Oh this
big log. and then we can keep Rubie com
pany, and watch for Uncle, when he
comes with his load Of corn. Babys
taking her long nap. and won't miss us. y
"Oh, yes. cried Rubie, AN play !
was the king on his throne, an the
throne was 50 cold you had to tell sto
res TO keep me from frcezin!"
"Youre about as helpless as most
kings, laughed Sunshine, running in for
the knives.
These children were Intelligent beyond
their wears, not so much from what they
had studied rs from what they had listen.
ed to ; for such matters rs history. poll
tics. religion, etc were freely and com
monty spoken Of around the fieSide Of
this plain farm house.
"A story demanded the little despot.
us soon rs they we're fairly settled ON
their log.
"Whnt was that you said bout some
body having long arms - enQuired Ro
sa. You said something that way. p"
"Ohw exclaimed Sunshine, reckon
that would do! You See Holly Warner
has got an old lame uncle that's always
telling curious stories. They aint true
but they've got what Hollic call moral,
aud this is one OF them. It's named
THE MAN WHO HAD LONG ARMS
"Once there was man aud he had
long arms, SO long that they could reach
round the world The way it happened,
he didn't use to have long arms, but he
kept reaching after gold aud silver and
houses and lands. and tho more he reach
cd the longer his arms grew, till at last.
il he wanted city Oh the other side Of
the earth. he could reach out and take II: :
and he cold take gold mines, and silver
mines, and diamonds, and palaces, and
ships, and stores, and all kinds Of riches
II lie wanted pearls he had only to reach
do wn into the sea aud bring them up,
80, 70 matter what lie wanlc he cou.ii
get it, because his arm were nearly long
enough to reach round the world.
Now all the people were starving be
cause of the man with the long arms. but
he was glad, and he piled the riches
around him and piled and piled, till they
touched the sky. and when he cenldn t
pile them any higher then everything
that he had gathered seemed as nothing
ut all to him, and the gold and the dia'
monds seemed rs dull rs lead, and he
was very miserable, 80 he said, IL will
pluck the stars from heaven and weave
mc a CROWN but when he tried to reach
the stars, his arms got heavy, and he Tell
down among his riches and died.
"Ho must o had lots o elbows to his
arms, SOS to double EN- up nights, y
said Rubic. .
What did the people do2' asked
Matte Z"
"rd hated to been him, ;" said Rosa
with q wise shake OF the head
"'raint true exclaimed willeb brush
ing away as grave AS aphilosophcr, but
| suppose the long arms meaa ambition
or something, don't they. Sunshine Tel
you what. Mr. Rubic, you'd better not
climb any more wood stacks, or your
arms might grow long.
Might they ?" asked Rnbie. exsmn.
ing his little stubs with interest; spcct
I'd like that, cause. . Willie, then
could reach a Santa Claus, aud have all
things"
"Im afraid they'd be too long to hug