St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1900-07-07

ANo. SuccTcu IltdWItdU. WE'LL
have, even if you didn't know il. Just
because they bend backward instead
of forward you didn't give them credit
for being knees, but can assure you
they are lot more comfortably ar.
ranged that way, and it don't wear oh
the toes of your new shoes when you
kneel down, either"
"But you don't wear Shoes" objected
Dorothy.
"Who said I did?" answered Pit.
awitan. II said your shoes. didntI?"
YES" said Dorothy; ''but you
meant yours"
81 did no such thing. How could
mean mine when haven't ssy? You
are dreadfully stupid little girl"
Poor Dorothy felt discouraged with
the conversation and was about to re-
turn to her arithmetic, but decided tn
try once more to turn the talk intn
pleasanter channels, SO she said pres
emily:
"Oh, by the way, Pitawitan, how did
you happen to come to this country
You were not born here, were you?"
No." said Pitawitan; 81 came on Z
nightmare"
"On q what?" exclaimed Dorothy.
"On a nightmare. Didn't you ever
hear of nightmare?"
"Why, of course, I've heard OF them.
But how could you come here on one,
when it is only bad dream:"
"Well. / did. anyway and I've got
it yet. I'll tell you about it.
81 was born on an island far, far
away. and for some months lived very
happily with my father and mother
and brothers; and in those days
really did sing. One afternoon while
l was still quite young my eldest
brother found large piece of rich
fruit cake by the roadside and called
us all to come and share it. 1t was the
most delicious thing that had ever
eaten, and / am afraid that I made
a regular little pig of myself in, my
greediness. My mother warned me to
eat lightly of such rich food. but I
would not heed her, even when she
said at last:
L
wfil certainly have a nightmare
"'What is a nightmare, mother" I
asked, for 1 had at that time never
heard of one.
"'why. it is a dreadful dream she
answered me. Perhaps you will dream
that wicked men catch you and carry
you away. away off, and shut You up
in cage and keep you there, hungry
and lonely
However, I only laughed and said
that I was not afraid of any dream,
and went on eating.
"Well, when crept into the nest
that night / had headache and felt
heavy and miserable and wished that
I had taken mothers advice.
During the first part of the night I
did not sleep well, and kept waking in
a fright, but at last 1 went to sleep
soundly and dreamed this dream:
II thought that had slept all night,
and when awoke in the morning the
sun was just beginning to show above
the horizon. I hoped out of the nest
with my little brothers and few down
to the spring for fresh drink and a
bath. and then out to the meadow to
pick up a breakfast. As we fiuttered
about, picking seeds from the grass
heads or picking at Strawberries, few
to a low bush to rest for moment:
but when 1 would have flown down
again / felt my feet held fast by some
sticky substance, and I called to my
brothers to come quickly and help me.
They came at once, but, alas! no sooner
did they alight upon the bush than
their feet also stuck fast, and, although
we huttered and screamed, Il was all
to no purpose.
"And then suddenly saw coming to.
ward us two rough-looking men car
rying wooden cages. and l thought at
once of what my mother had said would
happen if ate too much of the fruit
cake. and knew that this was night
mare. / struggled and fiuttered and
in the hope of waking up.
but 1 could not; and one of the cruel
men took hold of me roughly, and as he
loosened my poor little feet said, care.
IeSSly. 10 MS companions.
"'We made this birdlime bit too
stiff this time. It's liable to injure their
feet And then he put me into little
wooden cage and did the same to my
although of course I knew
that they were not really suffering,
since this was only a nightmare of my
own; but 1 screamed and called to them
just the same.
''They took us to town near by. tied
many cages together and packed them
on a boat which carried us across the
water. while 1 sat quietly in my cage
and mourned and longed to wake up.
"Well, when we had reached land once
more we were packed on a train-oh,
I was SO frightened-and brought
many. many miles to this great city.
I never spoke or cried. I would scarce
" eat or drink. 1 was SO weary and lone.
" and heartsick. was taken to store
where were many birds of all kinds,
and there at last I found my voice
again, for we all began to tell each
other our troubles and our misery in
being kept in cages as prisoners. and
our fear of the future. and everyone
who came in exclaimed:
"'How beautifully and joyously
these birds all sing! One would not
think that they could be so happy in
those tiny cages
"Then one day your mother came
ooking for a bird for your birthday
gift. and she choose me because of my
brilliant color-and-here
am" Pitawitan stopped and stood
on one foot.
Dorothy looked puzzled. "But. Pita.
witan. you said it was dream. a night
mare. When did you wake up?"
81 didn't wake up" said Pitawitan.
"But you are not asleep now" argued
Dorothy.
"Yes. am. This is all my nightmare
the cage and you and everything"
cit isn't sol" cried Dorothy. 81 am .
eal girl! I am not just part Of your
I'D dream"
Eyes. you are. too" said Pitawitan.