The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-10-15
Tommy's Dream.

! Tommy had Oeen 10 Tie scuool ueaC,
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 I 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 little mates had been
there to q treat-lt was none for them.
A great part of the day Tommy had
spent in what he thought good fun.
! He had chased beautiful butterflies,
but when he caught them he could do
little with them. They were source
of amusement to him for short time,
and then he would let them hutter
away with spoilt and broken wings.
He had tried to capture the large bees
which he saw flying about; but as ne
laid hold on one it stung him.. SO
thinking himself badly used, he let IT
20. Then he had frightened many OF
the birds by throwing stones at them
only fortunately he aimed badly,
and never hit his mark q! And when
he and some of his companions, wan.
dering through the green fields, had
come across large, scaly beetle, he
had seized it, and in spite of its strug-
giles, had put it in his pocket.
And now Tommy was back from
the treat and in bed.
He had not long fallen asleep when
he seemed to be 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. Tor
they appeared as large as boys, and ne
as small as beetle, and Tommy was
terribly frightened.
"Oh," he thought, II must hide un-
der the sticks, or those great creatures
will catch me! Oh dear, l wish l
were home ~ for Tommy was fright
ened. >,
SO he hid quickly under some small
sticks until all the butterflies and oth'
er things should 20 away but it was
no use. Soon he felt the sticks lifted,
and heard something scream out; he
did not know what the thing was at
first. for he dared not look up.
"Oh, oh! come and look; here's
such a funny thing. Four legs and II
only walks on two of them and such
a funny head"
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 81
gantic size it seemed to him.
"OhW screamed the beetle again
"come and look what I've caught
Such funny thing; whatever is it"
What have you got?" asked but,
terf1y, about one hundred times Tom
my's size, flying up.
"Why look here! I don't know
what it is"
"Oh p said the butterfly, cts only
boy. They're common enough. Ii
YOU didn't live 80 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 chas'
ed me often enough"
The butterfly spoke very fiercely fol
such gentle creature, and Tommy
trembled.
"a boy w shrieked the beetle-"a
boy! know something about them,
only I didn't know this was one.
Ugh you little brute''-shsking Tom
my-"you're boy, are you? I'll pinch
you.n And the beetle did, and Tom
my screamed and kicked; but the bee
tie held him tightly.
"What's on here ?" asked passing
bee. What have you got ?"
"Oh, only boy" said the butterfly
land we're only going to pinch him to
see him kick"
"Oh, oh !" screamed Tommy, "you
towards! you wouldn't dare to do it il
I were not so small" but the insects
took no notice of his cries.
"Here, hand him over to me-" said
the bee; II owe boys grudge let me
sting him."
"Wait Bit" answered the beetle
"let's have some fun with him first
You'll kill him if you sting him."
mot I. Besides, boys can't feel"
"They can !! they can !" shrek ed
Tommy, but no heed was paid to his
words.
Just as the bee was about to sting its
shrieking victim q linnet Ito Tommy
it seemed the size of an eagle) flew up
The butterfly fitted away sharply
and the bee suddenly became impress
eQ WIFI tue ueCeSSlty VI SoIuS dleo
and went. Only the beetle remained
holding Tommy tightly still, for the
beetle knew that its scaly coat would
protect it against the linnet. But the
bee and the butterfly had not such pro-
lection.
"What have you got?" asked the
linnet.
"a boy. I owe boys a grudge, SO
I'm pinching him !" and the beetle
squeezed Tommy again, and again he
squealed.
"Will you give him to me? I'd like
to take him somewhere said the lin.
net.
So the beetle dropped Tommy, who
was now quite sore, and the linnet lift
ed him in its beak.
Dreams are very funny things.
The linnet seemed to be suddenly in
the room of a house, and Tommy saW
it was his own bedroom.
whats the matters" squeaked a
funny voice. 1t was Tommy's white
mouse speaking; for Tommy kept q
white mouse.
/ = L