Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1883-10-18
A WONDERFUL TREE,


butter grow?''
''Oh, ho!" cried out his brother Har-
~, before mamma could answer: ''what
a goose you are, Rob! butter don't
grow"
Mamma looked across the table and
saw little lip quivering. for Robbie
hated to be laughed at. Harry saw it,
too, and was sorry.
"No matter, Rob-" said he: 81 had
no business to laugh at you: but it was
such a funny idea and Harry had
hard work to keep back another shout
Il suppose you would think it was
very funny" said mamma, putting
some milk into her cup of tea, If
l told you that there is country
where the people get milk from trees
The great tears in Robbie's eyes for
got to roll out. and Harry stared at his
mother to see if she was joking.
cit is true" said she.
"Now, mamma said Harry, ia a
very coaxing tone, ''you are going to
tell us about it, aren't you? 1t will
make such splendid story
Il haven't time now," mamma said;
"but come to me after supper and you
shall hear it.
The boys went out to play that after
noon, and perhaps you think they forgot
all about the story; but they didn't do
any such thing, and just as soon as sup
per was over, and mamma had taken
her sewing and sat down to the table,
down in front of her.
Nov, mamma, for the story
"Well," began mamma. Some way
or other all mammals stories began
with well" The boys had learned TO
like it very much. 1t was like smelling
hot gingerbread when they went into
the Kitchen; they always knew then that
mamma would give them a piece. SO
when mamma began a story with
"well," they knew something nice was
coming.
"Well," said mamma, s.far away
from here-so far away that people go
in ships, tossing up and down on the
waves -"
''That must be great fun. I'd like to
CO." said Harry. ..,..... ....
Don't talk, Harry said Robbie,
with his eyes on mammals face.
/ 60 So far away" continued man.
ma. ''that very few travellers 90 there,
there is a country very different from
ours. There is never any cold weather,
never any snow or ice There are won
derful things there. The fishes are of
lovely colors, blue and yellow and Or
ange and red; you can see them shining
far down in the clear water. There are
sharks, and alligators, and crOcOdiles,
too, and they are not lovely at ALL
"Don't they eat people sometimes?"
asked Harry.
Sometimes" said mamma
Rob looked frightened, and mamma
hurried on.
''But the birds are even more beauti-
full than the fishes; some of them are as
white as snow, and some of them are
as pink as baby's cheeks, and some of
them have bright red wings; some of
them are green and gold, with lovely
dropping tail-feathers yard long. One
of them has cry that sounds just like
a child in trouble-it would make you
sad to hear it; and there is one that has
SO he can fight his enemies. There are
great many gay little humming- birds
that fly in and out among the trees, and
everywhere green and purple dragon
flies dart about in the bushes.
"But the plants and trees are the
most wonderful of ALL There is flow
er called the fever flower, because at
certain times in the day it gives out
heat and there is Il plant called the
pitcher plant, because it's leaves are
folded up into little green pitchers that
hold water. One of the plants has a
very big Hover that just before it bios
SONS looks like a swan held by its bill,
but when it is all open it turns into
liberty-cap with violet lining. The
vines climb way up to the tops of the
tall trees and blossom there; and ferns,
that grow close to the ground here,
grow there till they are as high as trees.
You would like to 60 to walk there and
see the strange trees: cOffec-trees, with
shining evergreen leaves, and little
white flowers, very sweet to smell; Co
coa-trees, very tall and straight, with
cluster of leaves at the tOp-great
leaves twenty feet long; and orange
trees, with leaves and blossoms and
SICCu duu lpC OIhuSCS I'LL Ou luC -tlCC
at once. But 1 think you would like
best of ali to see the cow-tree-only
YOU would have to climb up very high,
for it likes to live on high places
Il wouldn't mind that" said Rob-
bic; 81 can climb.
''Guess you would get tired" said
Harry.
"No, wouldn't. either" said Rob
bic. would /, mamma?'
elf you lived down in the valley, it
would be a long walk" said mamma;
''for these trees grow way up on the
sides of the mountains. Sometimes it
doesn't rain in that part of the country
for weeks, and weeks. and months. and
The leaves droop, and the poor cow-trees
look as if they were dead; but if you
were to cut little place in the trunk of
one of them, what do you think would
come out?a Nice. sweet milk
is it just like cows milk?'' asked
Harry.
Not Just exactly like it, said mann
ma, '.but almost like it. and Just as
good to drink. You would think so if
you could see the little boys and girls
here drink it The milk runs fastest /
At sunrise. and SO when the sun rises |