The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-02-10
A Little Cyclone.

A Little Cyclone.
Bertram was born and had spent all |
his life on Kansas prairie. He had
never watched the waves 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
nothing about great rocks that are so
nice to climb upon and that make
such lovely caves to hide oneself
under.
But he knew all about how the men
on the plains ride over the range to
bring the cattle together in spring
roundup" He had often played at
Throwing a rope" to lasso the stalks
of the tall sunfowers 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 dozen fires at
time far off on the great round line
III WHICH bu0 Wluo bAy CAuso AsoOAA
down over the wide earth.
He also knew how hard the wind
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, Bertrau
used to watch the great round tumble
weeds" as they rolled rapidly along
faster than horse could gallop.
Sometimes when the wind grew fercer
than usual, it brought q thick cloud
of dust to choke tho 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 bo
lifted from its foundations and 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 grandmother and some
cousins that he had never seen.
Bertram thought the rooms in his
grandmother house were very large
large enough for houses, he said.
He was never tired Of running up and
down the stairs, because he had never
before lived in q house where there
were any stairways to be climbed.
One day Bertram's uncle brought
home from the city large box, and
told Bertram and his little cousin
Frank that this contained something
which they would like to see.
When they opened the box the,
found in ia toy village. There wal
a church with a steeple, postofiice, I
schoolhouse, a store and some smaller
houses. There were good man.
little trees to shade the village, and {
number of little men and women t.
walk about its streets. There was ais
a depot and q train of cars to brini
people to and from the town.
Both of the children were delighted
They took the little things out OF tn
box and looked at them one by one.
Then they began to build the town
Frank had often been to the cit
with his father, and thought that b
knew all about how town should b
built. He did not think that Bertrar
knew much about towns. So it haI
pened that almost all the things tbs
Bertram set mp Frank would 500
change to another place.
Bertram soon began to feel that
was all Franks town, and that he wa
being left out of the play. He locke
very sober for q few minutes. Il
stopped working and watched th
, little town as it grew up under Frank
busy fingers. But he was all the tim
thinking, how he could have shar
in the play himself.
, At last new thought came to hin
The town was just finished. with q
the trees and houses set up in beaut
: full order, and the little men and won
en- waiting quietly around the streets
, Then Bertram cried ont, "Here COM
, a cyclone!' and filling his little lunl
. with air, he blew out great wind
breath, In two seconds half OF II
, town lay in heap, with the frightene
, little men and women buried undo
a the overturned houses.
: Frank looked up, feeling half angr
But Bertram's eyes were shinin
' He was not cross or naughty; he on
wanted to have a part in the play.
|. Franks eyes began to shine, to
q This was a new kind Of fun.
So he said, ''That was blizzar
D sure enough! Now all the men W
a have to 60 to work and build the tov
a over again.
II Then with good laugh both Of &
Il boys set to work with will, and so
a the town was built up again as good
il ever.
= When it was finished the secol
IS time, Frank ran to his grandmoth
= and whispered something in her Of
Grandmamma smiled, went up to t
@ attic, and brought down an old pair
IS bellows that used to blow up the fiji
Is in the great kitchen chimney hu
;. dred years ago.
It Bertram now looked on with or.
sr curiosity while Frank took the b
10 lows, and made a wind that blew s,
s, eral of the little men and women BIZ
r way across the dining room carpet.
st After this, whenever Frank and B
tram set up the toy village, the W
{, best rart of the play was the ii
10 when the cyclone came, and trees q