The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-09-02
A Little Cyclone.

~
How it is you're all so clean.
Gabriel Setoun.
A Little Cyclone.
Bertram was born and had spent all
his life ON a Kansas prairie. He had
never watched the wave rolling in
from the ocean, nor picked up shells
along the shore, nor dug wells in the
sandy beach. He had never listened
to the wind as it signs gently through
the tops of the pine trees. Indeed, he
had never seen any real woods at all,
nor any high hills; and he knew moth
ing about great rocks that are so nice
to climb upon and that make such love-
ly caves to hide oneself under. But
he knew all about how the meE on
the plains ride over the range to bring
the cattle together in a spring "round-
up" He had often. played at throw
ing a rope" to lasso the stalks of the
tall sunfiowers that bloom so thickly
over the western plains. He had seen
great fires rushing madly through the
dry prairie grass. He had even seen
half a dozen fires at a time far of
on the great round line in which the
wide sky shuts itself down over the
wide earth. He also knew how hard
the winds could blow across the great
open plains. When the spring winds
came blowing all the way from the
Gulf of Mexico or the Polar ocean, Ber-
tram used to watch the great round
tumble weeds" as they rolled rapidly
along faster than a horse could gal
lop. Sometimes when the wind grew
6ercer than usual, 1t brought a thick
cloud of dust to choke the breath and
blind the sight. Then Bertram would
run into the house as fast as his legs
could carry him, and shut his eyes,
almost fearing that the little house
would be lifted from its foundations
and be shaken to pieces by the fierce
wind of the prairie. When Bertram
was five years old his mother took
him to New England to visit his grand
mother and some cousins that he had
never seen. Bertram thought the
rooms in his grandmother's house were
very large-large enough for houses.
he said. He was never tired of run
ming up and down the stairs, because
he had never before lived in a house
where there were any stairways to be
climbed. One day Bertram's uncle
brought home from the city q large
box, and told Bertram and his little
cousin Frank that this contained some
thing which they would like to see.
When they opened the box they found
in it-a toy village. There was a
church with a steeple, a postofice, a
school house, a store and some smaller
houses. There were a good many lit
tie trees to shade the village, and a.
number of little men and women to
walk about its streets. There was also
a depot and a train of cars to bring
people to and from the town. Both Of
the children were delighted. They
took the little things out of the box
and looked at them one by one Then
they began to build the town. Frank
had often been to the city with his
father, and thought that he knew all
about how a town should be built. He
did not think that Bertram knew
much about towns. So it happened
that almost all the things that Ber-
tram set up Frank would soon change
to another place. Bertram soon be-
gan to feel that 1t was ALL, Franks
town, and that he was being left out
Of the play. He looked very sober for
a few minutes. He stopped working
and watched the little town as 1t grew
up under Franks busy fingers. But
he was all the time thinking how he
could have share in the play himself.
At last a new thought came to him.
The town was just finished, with all
the trees and houses set up in beautiful
order, and the little men and women
walking quietly around the streets.
Then Bertram cried out. Here comes
a slycone!" and filling his little lungs
with air, he blew out a great wind Of
breath. In two seconds half Of the
town lay in a heap. with the frightened
little men and women buried under the
overturned houses. Frank looked up,
feeling half angry. But Bertram's
eyes were shining. He was not cross
|.or naughty; he only wanted to have a
part in the play. Franks eyes began
to shine, too. This was a new kind
Of fun. So he said, "That was a bliz-
card, sure enough! Now all the men
will have to go to work and build the
town over again." Then with a good
laugh both Of the boys set to work
with q will, and soon the town was
-. ..n ANFI.IZlEaH 49, 800 I. III