Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-11-12
Dear Little Folks
w. GLADDEN..

1Se'A A<ASIiN 4 olhS
Do you know that it isn't only the
little boys and girls who are fond of
mischief? Sometimes even after they
grow big enough to go to college, and
want to be called young men and
women, they are as fond of it as ever.
Some of this sort have given us a
chance to hear from Mr.. Brown Toad,
however, SO we will forgive them.
This is the way he tells it,
Dear Little Boys and Girls
Ifspiders and flies and squirrels can
write to the Children's Corner, why
can't toads? That is what | have
been thinking, and as have some
thing to write about, why, that's all
it needs to make a letter.
| ought to be able to write better
than most tOads, too, for | am learned
at least have been in very learned
place--a library-and wonder how
many tOads can say as much. This is
the way it all happened:
One morning | was hopping about
on the warm, green grass on the col
lege grounds; the sun was shining,
and it was fine morning; some peO-
pie think toads don't care about the
weather, but they know fine dav as
well as anyone, and like it, too.
Well, | was out on this nice green
grass, when lot of those people they
call students came along. | knew
them very well by sight, for | have
always lived on the college grounds,
and there are hundreds ofthem around
there all the time. They have never
paid any attention to me before, and
/ didn't suppose they ever would, but
this time one of them said:
"Oh, let's have some fun with this
toad"
How" said another.
"We'll take him into the library and
let him loose, and see what will
happen"
Then one Of them picked me up and
put me right into his pocket, and |
was very much afraid, for that had
never happened to me before, and |
didn't know what they would do to
me; besides had things to do, and |
didn't want to be interrupted.
But | couldn't do anything, though
| tried to get out; the student kept his
hand over me, and had to stay there
till they went into a big stone build
ing which knew must be the library.
When they got inside the student
took me out of his pocket and put me
down on the floor, and then | was
more frightened than ever, it was all
so strange. There was a great long
aisle down the middle of the building,
with little aisles leading out of it all
the way on both sides, and all the
aisles were just lined with books and
tables with more students sitting and
reading, and students were coming
and going all the time.
l was so frightened that | Just sat
still and tried to look on every side of
me at once, for felt so small with all
those big things and people around
me, that | thought should be walked
over.
AS soon as the student had set me
down. he and the others began to
laugh, and soon all the students sit
ting near where | was began to laugh,
too, not loud, but as though they
were afraid someone would hear them.
1t didn't seem funny to me.
Pretty soon one of them said: "Oh,
Miss A has gone to tell the librarian
we are disorderly."
well, let's wait and see what she
will do when she finds the toad, " said
the one who had brought me in. They
say she likes all kinds of queer things,
and never let's anything be hurt; let's
see what she will do with the toad in
the library
In few minutes | saw a young
lady coming down the long aisle, and
one of the students said; "Sh.' and
then they were all very still
She came down quite slowly, not
looking at all cross, but quite pleas
ant, as though she liked "all kinds of
things" whether they were queer
or not.
She didn't see me until she was quite
close to the archway at the end OF the
aisle, where | was sitting; then she
smiled, and didn't look as though she
wanted to hurt either me or the stu
dents, and tried to say;
ooh, please don't let me be hurt;
please take care of me" ! think she
understood me- for she bent down,
still smiling, and put out her hand
toward me.
lust then the students made n
strange sound behind me, something
between a laugh and a sneeze. and l
was SO startled that ! jumped away
as fast as could; but the young lady