St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-10-26
A Story for the Little Folks.
THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF A MOS
QUITO.

Matched, in a dirty little puddle near
Boston, cute little mosquito that we
will call Tommy, because don't know
what his real name was. He was one
of good, Old-fashioned mosquito fam
lily of two hundred and forty Eleven that
his father and mother had brought up
that summer. Before he was hatched
out he was nothing but little 'wiggler,
squirming around in the water; but
when he came to the top, and his wings
sprouted out, and he could fly, he said
to himself:
'Whew what a dirty place this is !!
Too much water for me, and too many
other skeeters around. Pm off to get
something good to eat. A nice fat
school boy, or a red-and- white little
girl, or even tough, cross old man, is
better eating than this house affords
His mother tried to have him stay
near the puddle, for he was the bright
est and prettiest of all the swarm of
children.
There's nice pig comes down here
to drink, and you can get your break
fast out of his back very reg'lar,' she
said cause his tail is too short to hit
you, aud pigs ale too fat to scratch
their backs with their feet. And you
can lunch off of two little boys that
come here to make mud-pies,- though
to be sure they're awful dirty. For
supper there'll surely be a goat or a dog
along. So do stay at home, Tommy,
and not go off to the big city and be
killed. They have nets, and bars, and
slippers, and wet towels, and boot-jacks,
and other dreadful things up there, and
the folks hunt us morning and night"
But Tommy couldn't see it in that
light. He knew the city was just the
place for u smart young mosquito; and
telling his mother to be good to herself,
and promising to come back often and
visit her, he flew away.
The wind helped him along so fast,
that in less than two hours he was in
town, looking for a situation.
What | want is steady place,
thought Tom, with plenty Of time for
my meals, no bars at the windows nor
netting over the beds, lots of thin
skinned folks, and high ceilings to
hide on
Seeing an open window in an old
fashioned house, Tommy said to him
self, Here's fine opening for young
fellow with his own way to make in
the world and in he sailed.
He was pretty tired by this time, and
so be settled down in the darkest cor
ner of the room, and looked around
him. 1t was pretty little bedroom,
with the whitest bed, the cleanest mat
ting, the prettiest pictures, the incest
books, and no end of tops and balls and
play things all put away on the corner
stand or in the drawers. But there was
netting all around the bed, and Tom
my was afraid he should have poor
chance for a supper, but he thought
he'd wait and see.
About eight o'clock two little chaps,
one five years old and the other seven,
came up with their mamma, and after
undressing and saying their little pray
ers at her knee, and having two or
three kisses on each of their happy lit
tie faces, they were snugly slowed
away under the canopy.
7 Now don't play, boys, nor make a
noise, nor tear the bed to pieces; or
the curtains will get apart and the mos
quitoes will get at YOU
No ma'am,' and Goodnight they
said together.
But by the time she was fairly down
stairs, Fred was outside the clothes
turning somersets on the bed, and jim
my was hitting him with the pillow.
First it was litter, and then laugh.
and then a giggle,-and then of course
cry, as one of them got hurt. So the
tired mamma had to come up and
straighten them out but before they
got to sleep the older one punched the
little chap because he didn't lie still.
| L L L
and the little one was spunky at every
body.
The mosquito waited his chance, and
then went singing all around the bed
looking for place to get in. Sure
enough, on the open side Jimmy had
kicked the curtains apart, in his spunky
fit, and in Tommy went, singing his
most musical song.
Let's see,' he said, this is the little
boy who stings his brother with his
sharp tongue. Well let him see how
good it is himself
And so, picking around with his two
feelers to find the best place. he lit on
Fred's forehead, and jab-:jab -jab =
went his sharp little spear through the
tender skin. Then he hunted for Fred's
wrists, and gave him four jabs more,
and then flew down and traded little
poison for some blood on the ankles.
There 7 said Tommy, Il guess thatll
keep the young chap scratching for one
WHILE
Then he buzzed over to Jimmy's side
OF the bed, and Lit on his cheek.
'Whew ? he said, bobbing off quicker
than he got on, mo camphor sauce in
mine If there's anything can't abide
it's campher on my supper. So he
smelled around till he found slot that
Jimmy's mother hadn't put camphor
on, and settled down for meal. But
he hadn't pumped out drop of blood
before he drew out his sucker, stood up
on his hind legs, rubbed his face with
his fore feet, and made up an awful
| face.
'Auch p he said, 'how sour! This
little chap went to sleep spunky, and
his blood is all out of order-not fit for
a decent mosquito to drink. That's
what makes him sleep so poorly and
get up so cross. I'll pay him, too'
And then he pricked Jimmy in
dozen places with his poison spear, and
the spots swelled up as big as kernel
of corn.
In the morning, when the boys
mamma came to call them, she lifted
up her hands and said
why, boys YOU'RE all bitten up
by mosquitoes. Where is the little ras-