Omaha daily bee., 1899-12-17
copyrighted by Charles b. Loomis.J

copyrighted by Charles B. Loomis)
After Sandy McMchael had been to
Harrah, that planet where boys ate thsir
lessons and read their food, he was crazy
to make expeditions to other far away
worlds, but although 1t rained often that
summer the Green Boy never came down
on a rain drop and without him Sandy could
not leave the earth, so he gradually came
20 look upon his wonderful experience as
dream.
But one day he was sitting at his window
during a thunder storm, when suddenly
there came a binding flash and Sandy felt
himself being rushed UP through the air
on a thunderbolt He had never heard OF
thunderbolts going away from the earth and
he had always supposed that they were
hot but before he had time TO think much
about It he had landed in place that was
on planet that was not Harrah and was
certainly not the earth.
The ground was OF n dazzling gold color
which made Sandy think that maybe 1t was
the sum- and although there were many
trees they all grew in pits-not from pits
but In pits. The bigger they grew the
deeper they sank. so that their tops were
elways even with the earth.
"That makes It easier to gather the fruit"
said Sandy to himself, but 1t isn't half as
pretty as our way and 1t can't be any fun
TO climb them"
He had landed in the middle OF large
planful OF tree holes. There was one
house in each tree pit but although he could
see for miles around there was not per-
son in sight. This made him feel lonesome.
30 he began to whistle
AS If in answer to the call little dog
bounded out OF a tree hole and came wrg-
Cling toward him on his back, tail first,
with his four legs stiff in the air.
"I wish there was someone | could ask
questions Of" said Sandy. what in the
world has this dog got legs for IL he squirms
along on his back like a snake?" I don't
think that snakes do squirm along on their
backs. but Sandy knew what he meant so IL
doesn't matter.
The little dog stopped in front OF him
and began to yap and the noise brought
his master out OF the pit. He was little
boy about seven feet tall and so thin that
Sandy Immediately called him the lath boy
and by that title we must know him, as he
didn't tell Sandy his name.
Hello" said Sandy. why does your
dog run on his back?"
How could he carry fruit II he didn't"
said the lath- boy.
"Al our dogs do that. Jobinkum," said
Harrah, "I want to give you a load OF
peachels." And with that he jumped into
the top Of the tree and began to pick fruit
that was shaped like an apple, but had furze
like peach. When he had picked quite a
quantity and thrown them up to the ground
he came out of the pit with little wooden
box that fitted exactly within the upraised
legs of the dog. Then he filled the box with
peachels.
Sandy was delighted. "Ill teach Rover to
do that when go back said he. "only
don't believe he'll ever learn to squirm
along on his back. Can't your dogs run on
their legs?" he asked.
why, of course we could teach them to
II we thought 1t worth while. 1 believe
some have done 1t. but It's useless ac-
complishment."
Sandy was practical little fellow and he
said: "I should think it would be better If
you must have dogs do horses work IL you
made carts and harnesses for them and then
made them run on their legs. They could go
faster"
The lath boy gasped. "Why, our fathers
have done this way for hundreds of years.
1t isn't likely that we'd change now"
Sandy was not convinced, but he changed
the subject. "You don't seem surprised to
see me-" he said.
What good would 1t do to be surprised"