The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-12-04
Tommy's Dream.

Tommy had been to the school treat
away out from the dirty, crowded, hot
streets in which he lived, into the
beautiful green, fresh country.
And Tommy had enjoyed the treat !;
but am afraid that many of the but
terflies and other insects, and some OF
the birds, too had cause to grieve that
Tommy and his mates had been there
TO treat, 1t was none for them. A
great part of the day Tommy had
spent in what he thought good fun.
He chased beautiful butterflies; but
when he caught Them, he could do lit
tie with them. They were a source OF
amusement to him for short time,
and then he would let them tlulter
away with spoiled and broken wings.
He tried to capture the large bees
which he saw flying about; but as he
laid hold of one, it stung him, so
thinking himself badly used, he let
90. Then he had frightened many OF
the birds by throwing stones at them,
only, fortunately, he aimed badly,
and never hit his mark. And when
he and some of his companions, wan
dering through the green fields, had
come across q large, scaly beetle
he had seized it and, in spite of its
struggles. had put it into his pocket.
And now Tommy was back from the
treat and in bed.
He had not long fallen asleep when
he seemed to he again in the fields in
which he had played all day. But all
the butterflies and bees and beetles
and birds seemed to have changed
places with him in point of size; for
they appeared as large as boys, and he
as small as q beetle. And Tommy
was terribly frightened.
"Oh," he thought, Il must hide un-
der the sticks or those great creatures
will catch me! Oh, dear, J. wish
were at homeu' for Tommy was fright
ened.
So he hid quickly under some small
sticks until all the butterflies and 9TH
er things should go away; but it was
no use, Soon he felt the sticks lifted,
and heard something scream out. He
did not know v hat the thing was at
first he dared not look up.
"Oh, oh! come and look. Here's
such funny thing! Four legs, and
it only walks on two of them! and
such q funny headn
Then Tommy felt himself snatched
up and pinched and, screaming and
struggling, he looked up at the thing
that held him. 1t was beetle, of gi-
gantic size, it seemed to him.
"Oh ~ screamed the beetle again,
"come and look what I've caught.
Such funny thing! Whatever is
itm
What ht We you got?" asked but
terfy, about one hundred times Tom
my's size, flying up.
"Why, look here! Idon't know
what it is"
"Oh," said the butterfly, it's only a
boy! They're com mon enough. II
YOU didn't livs so much under the
ground you'd know a boy when you
see him. That's only little one, but
I've seen big ones and I've good
cause to remember them, too. They've
chased me often enough"
The butterfly spoke very fiercely for
such gentle creature. and Tommy
trembled.
"A boy! shrieked the beetle,-"a
boy! I know something about them,
only / didn't know this was one.
Ugh you ugly little brute, ,"-shaking
Tommy,-"you're boy, are you? I'll
pinch YOU" And the beetle did, and
Tommy screamed and kicked; but the
beetle held him tightly.
"What's going Oh here" asked q
passing bee. "What have you got ?"
/ ooh, only boy" said the butterfly
and we're going to pinch him to see
him kick"
"Oh, oh !" screamed Tommy, "you
towards You wouldn't dare to do it
if 1 were not so small" But the in
sects took no notice of his cries.
Here, hand him over to me-" said
the bee. II owe boys a grudge let
me sting him."
"Wait bit," answered the beetle.
Lets have some fun with him first.