The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-19
"HusHr' SAID THE DRAGON FLY.
81 M

"HusH!' SAID THE DRAGON FLY.
nearly killed a lot of my other folks
About $50 of my relatives are break
fasting over there on the next fiat, and
I came over here to stand guard and
give the warning if he comes again. "
"Well, WELL, said the Dragon Fly,
"I do believe it is the very same boy
that almost killed me with the branch
of a treel He stood down there on the
bridge, and just as / came flying along,
not thinking of any harm, swish came
a great bushy, brushy limb that grazed
my wings and frightened me into fit.
The best hunting is along this road, too
right in the very place he can reach
us. What are we going to do?"
81 don't know, I'm sure" began the
Fiddler Crab, and then all at once he
threw up his big claw, and his eyes
stuck out Just as far as ever the two lit
tie sticks would let them.
"Sh," he whispered, "here he comes
nowr' Then he made clicking sound
with his claws, and there was hurry
and scamper behind bunch Of marsh
grass where his $50 relatives were sid
ling into the water.
"Sh!" he whispered once more.
Better lie low, Mr.. Dragon Fly, and
maybe he won't see US.
So the Dragon Fly crept down the
stalk of grass out of sight, and the Fid-
dler Crab sided into the reeds close to
him. Then they kept still and listened.
They heard the little boy talking and
knew that somebody must be with him.
Pretty soon they could hear what he
was saying.
"Oh, mammal" they heard him say,
fright here yesterday saw about mil
lion Fiddler Crabs threw stone at
them, and you ought to have seen them
run, all going sideways-so funny
knocked claw off one Of them, but
didn't quite kill any. Twill next timeP
"Why, Eddiel" answered soft voice
that the Dragon Fly and the Fiddler
liked, because it sounded good and gen
tie.
YES and right over there l saw
big blue Dragon Fly, and l broke
branch off bush, and when he camp
along stood on the bridge and swuhl
the branch around and just grazed him
] waited there long time, but he didn
come back any more.
why do you want to kill the poo
Grab and the Dragon fly" asked tn
soft voice.
"Oh, just becausep' said the littl
boy. Let's sit down here on the ban
and watch for Them
Eddie, said the other voice as the
paused and sat down, don't you knoN
that the Fiddler Grab and the Drago
Fly love to live, just as we do? Tha
they love the blue sky and the sea an
the sunshine?"
Mr. Crab and Mr.. Dragon Fly, peek
ing out through the grass saw the littl
boy digging in the ground with sticl
Think, Eddie, how it would hui
you to be hit with big stone thf
broke off your arm or with limb thf
scratched and tore you, and how SORT
papa and all of us would be. The F1t
dler Crab and the Dragon Fly hay
their families too. You don't want
be cruel, do your
The little boy did not answer rigl
away, and the other voice continued
Everything, Eddie. that lives low
its life. Wekill only in self defense an
for food. If you think moment,
know you do not wish to hurt any d
fenseless creature or take just for fun
life you cannot give back again"
Then the little boy answered, but b
voice was 90 weak that the Grab al
the Dragon Fly had to listen very hal
to hear what he said.
II didn't think about that" he sal
still digging away in the sand. "Cour
don't want to kill them II 1t hurts a
and they have mammas and pap
and-oh, mamma do you suppose tn
ones claw viii ever grow out agains'
'.Perhapa I've heard Of such things