Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-08-31
A WONDERFUL DREAM.

The new kittens lay upon an old coat
on top of barrel OF shavings in the
woodShcd. There were six of them
perfect beauties; two all black, two
black and white, one of no particular
color and one lively little tiger-cat,
black and gray with yellow stripes.
"Well," said Grandma Thompson,
when she had admired them duly, eve
will keep one. l think this one is the
prettiest," and grandma touched the
little tiger-cat with her forefinger; "but
you may choose, Mary. Silas will drown
the others in the mill-pond.'
"Ohr' Mary looked at Grandma
Thompson with vague idea that she
had turned into monster, like the wolf
in "Red Riding-Hood, but as grand
mas face wore its usual peaceful aspect.
instead of 30 grandma! what big
mouth you've got" Mary ventured to
say: 80 grandma! why can't we keep
them all! Poor, poor little thingsr'
Grandma Thompson laughed one of
her funny laughs. First she tossed her
head TO one side and half shut her eyes,
so that you would not have thought that
she was going to laugh at all, then came
a little scream, another pause, and at
last such jolly "ha! ha! ha! ha-a-a-arr
that all the merriment of her soul
seemed TO be coming out in little bub-
bles.
90 Mary seven cats in one house,
It's enough to distract person to think
of it. Why, their noise would drive me
wild, and besides, they would eat us out
of house and home"
But poor Tabby'll miss them SOL"
pleaded Mary.
uously, ''Ste won't care; she can count,
you know, and if she has oneleft, it will
be all the same to her." and Grandma
Thompson waddled off into the house to
take her afternoon nap.
Grandma Thompson lay down upon
the wide lounge-it had to be wide, for
grancma was so fat that she reminded
one of the pictures of Santa Claus-and
little Mary sat down upon a hassock,
with box of gaudy-colored paper and
pair of scissors, TO cut "paper-hash'
for the dolls breakfast.
Pretty soon grandma began to toss
and moan in her sleep, and to wave her
arms wildly. Mary. who had been
taught what she must do when grand
ma did that, went and patted her gent
ly, saying:
Wake up, grandma! wake up! It's
only bad dream"
But it seemed to take grandma long
time to wake up. Even when she had
SO far reused herself as to sit up, she
still kept her eyes shut and moaned.
But when she really was fairly awake,
she laughed until the tears rolled down
her fat cheeks.
80 Mary, Mary, childi'' said grand
ma, Il have had such dream!'
Mary brought her hassock and sat
down at grandma's feet, to prepare for
the treat which awaited her. for Grand
ma Thompson, who was great dream
er, loved dearly to tell her dreams, and
Mary, who was the only one in the
house who liked TO hear them, thought
they were as good as fairy-tales.
Il dreamed" began grandma, .4that
we were all in India. At least, the
boys were; I'm sure don't know where
I was" Grandma Thompson stopped
to wipe her glasses, for her seven sons.
two of whom slept beneath the daisies
foreign lands. were still 1.-THE boys to
her, though they were brown and beard
ed men.
Il saw them all, Mary" said grand
ma, impressively, sitting around a
campfire tried to get to them, but
the jungle was SO thick that Icould not.
called them, but they only said: The
wind is rising;' and once, when broke
dry twig, they said: There is wild
beast near Oh, it all seemed so real!,
Grandma stopped to laugh again,
though do not bel eve that the tears
which she wiped away were entirely
caused by her laughter.
"And then" she continued, 'I heard
terrible roar. and looking around
what do you suppose SAW 1t was
Tabby and all the kittens, but they had
all turned into ferocious tigers, and
were crouching, just ready TO spring
upon the boys-nsy boys" said grand
ma. with little CULVER in her voice,
though she laughed at the idea.
But, Mary, what do you suppose
Tabby did? She lifted up one paw,
and pointed right at your father, and
she said-oh dear. it just kills me TO
think of iti--she said: Therei / think
that one is the prettiest; we'll save him,
but kill all the others. All spring now
when / do Yes. Mary. Tabby really
did say that. But that blessed little
tiger-cat. Mary, she looked mp into her
mothers face, just as you did into mine,
and said, oh 20 pityingly; o NANNY,