The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-09-06

| WIN W hOOP uP, iOl, u COuioO, l. hOA
lowed him.
Seeing that was following he quick
ened his pace, and, as he was SO very
small, I soon lost him in the tall grass
and shadows.
But I kept on in the direction he had
taken, till in my haste ran plump into
a bramble- bush that stood in the
shadow, scratching my face and hands
numerically.
"Ough !" I exclaimed; and just then
I heard something that sounded like a
suppressed chuckle.
sob, no, little MASTER" said to my
self, 'tif I can find out your home I'll
not mind the scratches" and without an
other sound I sank down in the shadows
and remained perfectly silent.
For long time I saw aud heard moth
ing save the sights and sounds common
to summer nights, and was beginning
to think [ must have been mistaken
about the chuckle had heard, when I
noticed, full in the moonlight, clump
of tall grass, and suspended from it
dark, round ball. Moreover, this ball
was moving when I first noticed it; L was
sure of that, although not breath of
air was stirring.
Very cautiously I crept toward the
bush, so slowly and cautiously that it
took long time to reach it, and all the
while I was conscious that I was
watched, and that one or more tiny-
shadows, they seemed like, were con-
stantly fitting around me. At last I
stood close to the queer object, so close
that I could have touched it easily, and
[ was more puzzled than ever.
1t seemed to be perfectly round ball
made of some light material like straw
or grass, loosely but skillfully woven
together and firmly attached to the
grass stems, but attached in such way
that it could swing lightly back and
forth at the gentlest touch. But what
in the world was it for2 And who could
have made it?
Being somewhat familiar with fairy
wiles and articles, I suspected that I
might be the victim of NJ boots,
and that [ should discover 1senGly that
the woven ball was all delusior or an
illusion, SO I determined, in case this
were so, to meet stratagem with strata
gem, and walked off in the direction
from which I came, as if I were going
home. But I only went part way back,
and then, by a roundabout route, re
turned to the spot, coming out again
close to the clurnp of tall grass and tax
ing care to keep in the shadow.
AS I stopped I heard a queer noise,
as if halt dozen tiny penny-whistle.
were going all at once, and then I saw
a0hat do you think saw?
What, indeed, but Mr.. Pink-boots
himself, walking directly toward me
and I noticed that every now and then
he cast watchful glances around him, as
if he half expected to catch glimpse OF
me. But he was not making the noise
which I still heard at intervals, and
which, unless my ears deceived me,
came from that unaccountable ball.
Still I watched, and saw Mr. Pink
boots stop beside the clump of grass,
and an instant afterward he was standing
on the top Of it, just above the ball
How he got there was more than I could
tell, for I could see no sign of wings
sticking out of the little brown coat, and
If he ran up he must have moved indeed
"hke lightning" Anyhow, there he
was, and another instant there he was
not, and the question was, Where was
he? / was certain that he had not de
scended to the ground, and what evel
could have become of him2
But while L wondered the queer
sounds grew louder; and, determined tx
find out what made them. I moved few
steps nearer, till [ was close to the hang
| ing ball, and then indeed the myster,
> was explained; for inside the ball-lik,
those china dolls that glass-blowers pu
inside glass balls-sat Mr. Pink-boots
and beside him a little lady whom
knew at once must be Mrs. Pink-boots
Nor was this all; for there were also 81.
, or eight little bits of Pink boots, and al
( cuddled into this woven ball, which
could see through the meshes-wa
4 lined with softest silk and cotton.
; But how did they get in-and out?
thought 1 would find out if I stage,
| there all night. And 1 did find out; TO
before 1 had waited long Mr.. Pipk-boots
{ evidently preferring moonlight ramble
, to quiet evening in the bosom of hi
family, started out again, and how d,
| you suppose he got out? He jus
walked right through the side of hi
{ house, and the wall closed up benin,
/ him 1t is fact, although I admit tina
. 1t does not sound very reasonable. Blu
the funny part of it was that he poke,
his head out SO suddenly that he almos
bumped it against my nose, had crep
so close IN my interest, and you wouIt
have laughed to see how quickly h,
pulled it (his head, not my nose) bacl
again.
"AeSA Z" "Aiie longer, out, as he d1C
not appear again, and as had found on
as much about him as I was likely to
L left him to peaceful slumbers, ant
went home.
And the next time any of You children
go through a wheat-field in harvest-time
goa may see Mr.. Pink-boots in hi.
pretty hanging nest of home, though
possibly you may have to inquire foI