The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-02-19
A BUBBLE STORY.


Tom was usually good boy; but one
Monday, when his mother was washing,
he bothered her very much, and was
scolded several times for playing near
the great suds tub and getting his jacket
wet while making great mountains OF
pretty water bubbles.
After time, when his mothers back
was turned, Tom attempted to plunge
his pipe deep into the tub, intending to
bring up the bowl full of suds. He sue
ceeded in balancing his body on the
| edge of the tub to reach forward, but
when he tried to raise the pipe and
drop his feet to the floor he 'lost his
head" as they say, through fear OF
a tumble and the possibility of being
discovered by his mother, and so he fell
headlong, with splash, into the soapy
water.
He did not shout and cry-he was too
much scared for that-but kept quiet
and thought over the best means Of
getting out of the scrape. He conclud.
that he would blow monster bubble,
and see if it would not lift him from his
warm bath.
Pretty soon there arose on the surface
of the water handsome bubble, and in
two minutes its sides touched the rim OF
the tub.
Tom was now in great glee, and he
blew so hard that the bubble took the
shape of big balloon, and he felt him
self rising from the water. Placing his
tongue at the end of the stem, so that
the air should not escape, Tom took
several long breaths preparatory to a
final blow. At last he began to puff away
again, and in moment he was holding
on to the stem of his pipe with one
hand, while with other he guided him
self out of the window.
He saw his mother look up at him as
he sailed into space, and for moment
his heart sickened, and he was filled
with regret; but as he saw rivers, lakes,
housetops, trees, the butcher and chill
dren, all fading and melting into one
mass, he felt proud of himself and for
got every thing else.
Away, upward and onward, went the
pretty bubble and the silly child; nor
did he care which way or how high he
went, and he doubtless would have been
going on to this day, but from the fact
: that he struck cloud with such force
that the bubble bounded about like a
rubber ball.
, 1t Jared him so much that he wished
himself in the backyard Of the house
| III mi 40
after awhile, he came to the edge o.
the cloud, and then up he shot like q
rocket
just as he was beginning to feel hap
by, new trouble appeared; the sun wa
setting, and its golden rays reflected 81
strongly on the bubble that it blinded
1 him; added to this, came a sorry feel
ing that he had not minded his poo
y mamma, and he began to cry; in trying
to wipe his eyes, he struck the bubble
which bust with terrible noise Hor
ror filled his breast; oh, what should h
:, do up in the heavens? He shouted
for his mother, but that was useless
, she was miles below, and could not hea
l or even see her Eighty child. OF a sud
den he wondered why he was not fall
9 ing to the ground-his eyes now begal
to dry-so he looked below him, and t.
: his delight discovered that his tear
had been turned to bubbles, and that h
was covered with them.
Tom had aged considerably within al
: hour, and was now on the alert for an.
thing new that might happen, so he be
gan to study out the means OF escap
from his terrible condition.
Bubbles brought me up" said Tom
: aloud; ''if there were no bubbles,
would go down." so he commenced t
i burst the bubbles about him, one by one
and gradually began to descend to tn
a earth, and when he pricked the las
bubble he shouted with all his nigh
for Joy, and cried Justify for his mother
= Tom bounded hastily toward the back
door of his house; but finding it locked
!, commenced knocking and pounding /
v with all his might and screaming
"Mother, mother, I've come home"
J. ''Yes, yes, my dear boy" said hi
a mother. '.You have been dreaming
g Tommy: turn over on your side; there
: kiss for you"
a Tom gave sigh, murmured some
thing about ''mince-pie," and glad
l. amt true" then went to sleep again. :
k Frank T. Robinson, in Santa Claus.