Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1900-06-07


the toes of your new shoes when you
kneel down, either =
Poor Dorothy felt discouraged with
the conversation and was about to re-
turn to her arithmetic, but decided to
try once more to turn the talk into
pleasanter channels, SO She said pres
emily:
"Oh, by the way, Pitawitan, how did
you happen to come to this country?
You We're not born here, were you?"
NO. said Pitawitan; II came on
nightmare
.'On'a what 90 exclaimed Dorothy.
'.On 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.
II was born on an island far. far
away. and for some months I lived very
happily with my father and mother
and brothers.; and in those days I
really did sing. One afternoon while
I was still quite young my eldest
brother, found a large piece of rich
fruit cake by the roadside and called
us all to come and share it. It was the
most delicious thing that I had ever,
eaten, and! I am afraid that made
a regular little. pig of myself in my.
greediness.t My mother warned me to-
eat lightly of such rich food, but I
~, ~
said at last: ..--
IF you eat any more of that you
will certainly have nightmare ..g
What is a nightmare. mother?' I
asked, for 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 a cage and keep you there, hungry
and lonely a-ss.sa r. 3.
However, I only laughed and said
that was not afraid OF any dream,
and went on eating.
Swell, when I crept into the nest
that night had a 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 I went to sleep
soundly and dreamed this dream:
10. 81 thought that had slept all night,
and when I awoke inSt the morning the
sun was just beginning TO show above
the horizon, i hoped out of the nest
with my little brothers and flew down
to the spring fora fresh drink and a
bath, and then QUITO the meadow to
pick up breakfast. AS we fluttered
about, picking seeds from the grass
heads Or picking at STRAWBERRIES, I flew
to a low bush to rest for moment:
but when L would have flown down
again felt my feet held fast by some
sticky substance. and I called to my
brothersto 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 fluttered and screamed, it was all
to no purpose.
"And then suddenly saw coming to-
ward us two rough-loolling men car
rying wooden cages. and thought at
once Of what my mother had said would
happen if I ate too much of the fruit
cake. and knew that this was night
mare. l struggled and f1uttered and
shrieked. in the hope of waking up,
but I could not; and one Of the cruel
hr,11 Nf =,
loosened my poor little feet said, care
lessly. to his companions:
"'We made this bird1ime 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
brothers. although of course I knew
that they; were not really suffering,
since this was only nightmare Of my
own: but I screamed and called to them
just the same.
''They took us to town near by. tied
many cages together and packed them
water, while 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-an brought
many, many miles to this great city.
I never spoke or cried. Iwould scarce
ly eat Or drink. I was so weary and lone-s|
ly and heartsick. Twas taken to store
where were many birds of all kinds,
and there at last / 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
looking for a bird for your birthday
gift, and she choose me because of my
particularly brilliant color-and-here
am Titawitan stopped and stood
on one foot.
Dorothy looked puzzled. "But, Pita-
witan. you said it was dream, night
mare. When did you wake up?''