Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-09-10
T1nnth' q Column.
The Strawberry KING.


so small. He would like to see and
eat one as large as his head. ''Don't
be SO greedy, my boy" said his faith
er, "a plate of strawberries is good
enough for king, to say nothing of
a little boy like you. Take care or
some day you will have more than
you can eat" Well, it happened,
one warm afternoon in June, that
Johnny went home from school, and
feeling tired sat down in a fence
corner. He looked around at the
buzzing bees busy among the clover
heads, and at the yellow butterflies
chasing each other through the air.
And Johnny unused and said to him
self, 81 wish, just now, [ had some
strawberries sweet and big-O, so
big p measuring the size of his head.
At once he heard voice near him
saying, "My little boy, [ will fulfill
your wish A little scared at first,
Johnny looked round and saw the
figure of a small stout gentleman, not
much more than two feet high, clad
in a dress after the fashion of many
years ago, with peaked hat, Span.
ish cloak, and red jacket-a veritable
little Knickerbocker. He wore a
pleasant smile on his round, rubicund
face that looked like a ripe straw
berry. 81 am glad, my boy" said
the man, "to see you here in my do
mains for you must know am the
King of Straw berries, and as you are
so fond of my beloved fruit, | have
concluded to give you treat of some
of my rarest, sweetest and largest. .
And waving a tiny wand which he
held in his hand, he lightly touched
Johnny's head with it. The boy OBJ
served with wonder and delight how
in the twinkling of an eye a mighty
strawberry plant grew up, with bright
green leaves, and hanging on their
stems were ripe strawberries, some
deepening in color, while at the top
there were snowy blossoms, their pet
ais unfolding yet. On the ground
a basket lay filled with ripe fruit,
while on a table formed with green
leaves was laid a strawberry of gigan-
tic size, that made Johnny's mouth
water. "Now is your time, fall to
and help YOURSELF said the little
smiling gentleman. So Johnny help
ed himself, and as he could not swal-
low the fruit, large as pumpkin,
entire, he took the sharp knife that
was sticking in it and cut away slice
after slice, so sweet and juicy as new
er tasted a strawberry before, and
Johnny manfully stood by his task
and ate and. cut and munched until
he had managed the whole large fruit.
''Well done and bravely, my little
man. said King Strawberry. "Now
for another dish" When 10 J anoth-
er and still larger strawberry was ly-
ing on the leafy table; but Johnny
heaved a sigh of content, and said,
''No, thank you, Mister King, | have
plenty now. II think / will come
again tomorrow. go no my bonny
boy, you don't do justice to this
splendid fruit; don't be afraid, there
are many more and growing larger
all the time. You will be glad to see
them big as house, nay, as the moon
herself" Johnny was frightened
now. How could he eat himself
through such mountain of strawber-
ries? ''Please, Mister King" he
pleaded, crying, ''please let me stop
eating, l am so full of strawberry, or
/ will burst. l will never wish for
such large ones again ''Ha ha p
now laughed with croaking voice an
old and dismal-looking raven from
the fence. "No more, no more"
says Johnny Moore, and like fear
full echo laughed the little man, "No
more no more my Johnny Moore !"
When loi again with tear-stained
face the boy looked round, and in an
instant all was gone. The busy bees
still buzzed around the cloverheads.
Our little friend arose from the gras-
sy nook and cast back a frightened
glance, then hurried home, wondering
on his way that he did not feel so
very full after the great strawberry
feast he had been dreaming of. But
when he came into the house, his
papa looked at him and asked, "Why
do you look SO frightened, my boy?
what has happened to you?" When
Johnny had related his whole adven-
ture with the Strawberry King his
papa smiled. ''Indeed, that's very
strange" he said. ''Now do you
see, my child, your hearts great wish
was fulfilled, and still you are not
pleased ?" 60, papa dear, / was
nearly scared to death; the little man
would make me eat another slice of
strawberry. No, never shall | wish
again SO wickedly for big straw berries,
but just be glad to eat them as they
grow"
THE BLUEBIRD's ANCESTRY
line with these is another observation
which | made two summers ago, and
was enabled to confirm last summer
Our bluebird is no doubt a modified
thrush that is, its ancestor in the
remote past was doubtless of the
thrush family. One evidence of this
is the fact that the Young of the blue-