St. Landry democrat., 1889-10-19
Iohnuy's Playnates.

Johnny's Playmates.
Mamma was busy making q little plaid
apron, and there was nobody in the house
for Johnny to play with, so he put on his
little sun-bonnet and stood in the door
looking out At two years and half old,
one sees SO many wonderful things.
should like to know what he thought Of
the blue sky and the light, tieecy clouds
and the rustling apple boughs.
"Ain't it pleasant out here, mammal
he said "Johnny's going to pick grass -
and down he slipped from the steps and
caught the tallest grass tops in his hands
with happy little laugh.
By and BY mamma thought it was time
to look out of the window and see what
the baby was about. She wished she
could draw like an artist, for then she
would have made picture at once of the
little figure in the plaid apron and white
sun bonnet, who stood slightly bending
forward, with parted baby lips and big
baby ewes. before tall dandelion gone to
seed. 1t was such wonderful, flny,
airy, gossamer globe, poised lightly aloft
on the slender stem There was great
deal of surprise in Johnny's face, and half
smile of delight and little bit of timidity,
for he didn't understand it and when he
reached out his small hand to pick it, the
moment he took hold of it it would bend
for1ard lust as if it was nodding to him,
and then Johnny would let go quickly and
stand looking it timidly in the face again.
1t was almost his own height What do
you suppose he thought it was?
When he saw that mamma was looking
at him, his face frightened all over.
Ball, mamma bail ball pretty icky
ball p he said, gleefully.
eyes. I see il. said mamma. "Pick it,
darling
So then, with mamma to encourage him,
he seized it more bravely, and this time
the stem really broke off, and Johnny held
the wonder in his hand. He brought it
up close to the window, so mamma could
see but she looked more at the happy,
contented little face than at the downy
ball Then he trotted off through the
grass, holding the hoary dandelion tightly
in his hand.
The next thing mamma saw of Johnny,
he was down on his hands and knees on
the gravel walk, looking very intently at
something. The dandelion ball lay on the
ground beside him.
"What are you looking at, little boy?'
"Ants in houses Ants want sugar .
m going to feed them"
Aud he came running into the house for
sugar. Mamma had scattered a little on
the ant-hills the week before, to amuse
him, and he wanted it done again. So she
gave him some grains of sugar, and he
threw them down on the little hills and
watched the ants as they began to find out
- ont nff yvh n
grain down the hole into bis house, and
Johnny laughed. Then brown and gold
butterfly lighted down right before him.
Butterfly butterfly p shouted Johnny,
with eager interest, getting up on his feet.
The butterfly foated off little way and
stopped, and Johnny trotted after it.
Away it foated again and stopped, and
again toated, till it led Johnny all over
the yard. Then, at last, it flew in good
earnest right up over his head into the
apple tree. leaving Johnny looking up
with wistful little face. Perhaps be
thought it was playmate reckoning him
to come.
When Johnny grew tired of waiting for
the butterfly, he turned around, and there
was good Gunnar, the great black New
foundland dog, lying on the grass close by
nun. suppose ouHHaT tuouSub Ao Aco4ou
watching, and so he had come and laid
himself down to be on hand, if wanted.
GOOD Gunnar! good Gunnar!' said
Johnny, and he stroked he silky black
mars, and Gunnar waved his superb feath
cry tail, and laid paw on the littly boy s
foot.
A lady had come to call on Johnny's
mamma, and she. too, looked out of the
window and saw him.
'.How lonesome your little boy must
be y she said. "He ought to have other
children to play with, he would be SO
much happier"
Perhaps So" said mamma, 'but our
neighbors have no children" And she
looked thoughtfully out at her little child.
He was clapping his hands in great glee.
for robin had flown down to the ground
and picked up worm.
robin robinI'' johnny shouted. "See,
mamma robin over there!'
The lady went away plying the lone
some little boy, but he did not know any
thing about it, he was so very busy, and
he had so many playmates-the dog, and
the birds, and the flowers, and the butter
flies, and the busy little ants.-Na1y l.
B. Branch.