The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-07-20
A DEWDROP'S STORY.


know to be true.
About ten years ago / first visited this
beautiful meadow What Did you know
that am as old as THAR Oh, dear, yes,
and a great deal older But let me tell
you my story.
/ wakened one beautiful morning TO find
myself swinging In a hammock formed by
a fresh blade Of grass which grew on the
bank OF this same little stream. The sun
was just peeping over tho hills, and the
morning was cool and delightful The
breeze swung my hammock gently, and i
lay half dreaming l was still in cloud
land when heard the voices OF children
lust below me on the bank. / wakened at
once and listened, for the children and
are always friends, and l never tell their
secrets--except To other children like you.
"And Willie" little girls voice was
saying. che sent his picture with the let
ter, and he looks just splendid.
"ADd he Is coming tomorrow, you
said, ;" came in boys voice and In dis
consulate tone quite In contrast TO the
eager speech of his companion.
Ipeeped over the edge Of my grass leaf
and discovered a girl and a boy of perhaps
10 and IL years, just seating themselves
on the grass a short distance down the
stream. The girls hair and eyes were
dark, and the latter shone with pleasure
at the news she was imparting. The boy
was lighter, and there was troubled look
about his hazel eyes--a look which
thought the girl saw and rather enjoyed.
eyes Cousin Harry is coming tomorrow
and will probably stay and go to school
here next term"
"But, Bessie, you will let me carry your
4 o. oft no onVnase I
can II quite bear to give that up" His look
was tender as well, so peeped over just to
see, when-I leaned too far, lost my bal
ance and rolled off the end of my grass
blade into the stream below.
The water swallowed me up and hurried
me on, and much as l wished to hear Bes-
sle's answer felt sure that never, never
should.
soon forgot my disappointment, how
ever, in my enjoyment of the wild frolic
was having over the stones with the many
companion drops which made up the
stream. Many days we danced on over the
pebbles and by the grassy banks were the
wild flowers grew and bent to kiss us as
we passed Other little streams Joined us
from time TO time and when we finally
reached large city the stream had become
SO many times larger than when tumbled
In that people spoke of us as river. To
such dignity had we attained.
On and on we went until we came to
the beautiful wide ocean, and then In Its
great depths our river was swallowed up
rs had been in the little stream. AT first
/ was afraid Funny, wasn't It, that l
should be afraid of the ocean when IL was
Just made up Of little drops like myself
But there seemed such great crowd OF
them that l could not realize that was
| Just as important as any other drop, and
so for awhile l kept feeling scared and
| wondering what was going TO happen to
| me.
One day found myself right down at
| the bottom of the ocean, and wish could
tell you all the wonderful things / saw
there. can't begin TO, but IL was much
more interesting than anything had ever
seen upon the land. There were the most
beautiful shells and pieces of coral and
sponges And there were fishes of all kinds
and some OF them looked pretty ugly, tell
YOU Ii makes me tremble yet to think OF
them-but some of them were as beautiful
as any flower that grows up here on the
earth
Well, after long time l reached the top
of the ocean again and as lay there toss
ing, tossing in the light breeze and look.
ing up at the glorious sun, suddenly had
| the strangest feeling as though was light
as air and | seemed to be going up, up,
up. You may imagine l wondered what
was happening to me then, for though
had had some queer experiences couldn't
remember ever feeling like that before. As
soon as became composed enough TO look
around discovered to my amazement that
II 4 far tho and floating
| about on a cloud-in fact, that was part
| of cloud. 1t was delightful as soon as
| became used to It.
At times we floated idly about, enjoying
| the scenery below us and the warm sun
| shine above. At other times sharp
| breeze would strike us, and we would scud
| along like the wind itself. Some OF these
| rides were very exciting. We could see be
| low us the great trees bending, sometimes
| breaking In the storm, and the rain
/ drenching everything as IL fell. After
| some time spent in this delightful cloud
| life we were suddenly chilled one night by
/ a cold wind which seemed to almost freeze
| us. At the same time / felt myself be-
| ginning to fall Down and down went,
| when, behold 1 found myself alighting In
| this very meadow, almost on the spot
| where / had swung In my hammock so
| many years ago. To complete my sur
| prise, l heard voice down by the bank OF
the stream saying, And, Bessie, | have
thought of you all these years, and IL Is
the thought of you that has brought m'
back"
ooh, Will" was all the answer heard
Once more peeped over "just TO see. y
Yes; surely they were the same, only grown
to young man and woman hood.
And may l take you with me when
90 back agains" will asked, and his voice
had the same wistful tone l remembered
so we'll And Bessie, very sweet and yer,
rosy, answered, Eyes"
And then he slipped on her finger Q
beautiful pearl ring, and 1 do believe II
was tho very same pearl that saw at the
bottom OF the ocean and wished so mucf
to possess, but really this was better thar
to have it for myself.
watched them as they wandered dowr
the stream. Then they turned rs the,
came nearer, and heard Bessie ask, De
you remember Cousin Harry, WHIP"
81 think l do" he answered, and
laughed to myself at the tone In which h
said IL.
"we had letter from him yesterday
and he is coming to visit us. Ii Is tel
years since he was here and"-a brigh
little blush land he will be here for on
wedding"
And wasn't IL queer that after all thos
years 1 should have heard Bessie's answer
Julia ID. Cowles In Brooklyn Eagle.