St. Landry democrat., 1881-10-29
THE TAIL OF A KITE,
And What Hung Therefrom.

1t was particularly fascinating kite,
to begin with. 1t was made OF gay
Japanese paper, ornamented with hg-
ures even more grotesque ana charm,
ing than usual. A woman, who seemed
to be dressed in pink-and-ye'loW
meal-bag, with red parasol over her
head, was blowing soap-bubbles from
queer, long pipe, while three or tour
children--apparently put together after
the fashion of jumping-jacks ana ex-
periencing no difficulty in extending
their legs at right angles with their
bodies were capering, to show their
delight, and five curious animals stood
on their heads. In the distance pink
mountain stood on its head, and sky
blue villa, tipsily askew, seemed on the
point Of falling into yellow lake.
Row was in a hurry to get the kite
done, and he pasted the paper on the
frame in a one sided fashion, SO that
the figures were somewhat mixed up;
but it was all right if you only looked
at it rightly, which is the way with a
great many things in this world. Roy
thought he shouIdn't mind that, and he
hoped Teddy OBrien wouldn't. The
kite was for Teddy. 1t was "a swap. =
Teddy was Irish, but there was not a
Yankee in Millville who could out
white him. He had whitfield vessel
to which Roy had taken great fancy,
and which he had agreed to trade Tor a
kite. Teddy might have made kite
for himself which would have rivaled
any in Millville-he was hard to beat at
anything-but he had broken his arm
in the mill where he worked, and was
not able to use it at all as yet. He had
been confined to the house for more
than month, and, as he expressed it,
1.-the HART was worn out iv him intire-
ly wild frett' n" He thought it might
be little solace to sit in the doorway
and fly kite; for if Teddy had weak
ness it was for kites.
Roy and Teddy were great friends,
although Roy was the only son OF the
richest man in the town, the owner Of
the great mills, where hundreds of mer
and women were employed, and thou
sands of bales of cotton were turned
into cloth, while Teddy was the oldes
of the seven children of the WILDLY
O'Brien, whose chief worldly possession!
were a poor little shanty, a ''pratie'
patch, and pig. Then, too, Roy hae
plenty of time for play. having tuto
who was very indulgent in the matte
of lessons, and almost every amuse
ment that could be devised. while
Teddy worked ten hours day in thu
mill, and had no toys excepting thos'
of his own make. Teddy was a littl'
condescending to Roy, sometimes; b.
knew how to make and do 50 man.
things, while Roy had only things tina
came out of stores. and couldn't evel
turn somersault without making hi
head ache. But Roy never thought 0
i, being condescending to Teddy, becaus
he was rich and Teddy was poor; b
which you will see that Roy was an un
commonly good and sensible boy, an
Teddy well, you will soon know wha
kind of boy he was.
Roy was glad that there was on
thing that he could make almost a
well as Teddy-doubly glad that Tedd
wanted kite of his making He woul
willingly have given it to him, bu
when Teddy offered the vessel he coul'
not resist it; besides, Teddy would no
have it otherwise; he twas afthe
dom business ON the square, he said
Now it was important that this beaut
full kite should have a proportionatel
beautiful tail. Roy was of the opinio
that the glory of a kite is its tail. N
newspaper nor old rags might be use
in the making of this kites tail! II
knew how to get to his sister Emily
store Of tinery, and she always had
great many pieces of bright-colore
silk and gauze which would be just tn
things for this fine kite. Teddy Nigh
not appreciate this elegance; he wa
practical and wanted s flier." abov
every thing, but Roy wanted it to b
handsome. for his own credit and sati
faction.