Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-10-29
The Birth of a Dragon-Fly.

The Birth of a Dragon-Fly.
The April sun shone warm, and the
soft wind blew the yellow dust from
the alder tasses that hung along the
brook side. Pussy willows had doffed
their furry winter coats, and put on
bright yellow ones for spring. The
first butterfly-his wings were border
ed with yellow, too-sailed lazily from
bush to bush. He was trying his wings
for the first time after their long win
ter's rest.
| looked down to see what signs of
spring there were in the brook itself.
A speckled trout darted up towards the
bridge. l followed him with my eye,
and as he disappeared in a shadowy
nook, | caught sight of little dark
creature clinging to a twig that dipped
into the water. Going nearer, l saw
that he was stranger to me, though
| had thought l was acquainted with
all the brook folk.
do you belong here?" I asked him.
Belong here!" he answered rather
scornfully. Where else could l be-
LOlSs "ltu / was DOl III Illlo fCiy
brook. and have lived here all my
life!"
looked at him in wonder. Just
then a little pollywog came wriggling
along, and my new acquaintance thrust
out a long arm, seized the pollywog,
and swallowed it.
well, SIR" l said, now that you
hot ti1hif I hnpa will
tell me something about yourself"
did you ever see a dragon-fy?" was
his answer, which I thought very
strange, as l was not making any in
quiries about dragon flies.
why, certainly" l replied.
Then you know all about me-" he
said. Pm a dragon fly; u larva, as
the scientific folk call me. l am stay
ing here only to pass the time away
till l shall have two pairs of wings to
fly off with. These are not good for
much now"-and he indicated some
curious bits of wings on the top Of his
back-"but they'll be all right by and
by"
stared at him in astonishment. Was
it possible that the gorgeous dragon
flies, the "living flashes of light" as
Tennyson calls them, were once ugly
creatures, creeping about in the mud?
well, don't you believe nle?" he
said, while l was considering what to
say next, because if you don't, come
here about six weeks from now, and
you will see us all coming out In our
gauzy wings and gay colors."
Promptly on the first day of June
made my way to the brookside early in
the morning. On STOPPING down to
pick a leaf of watercress. l heard
shrill voice:
81 see you are on time. Don't you
know me?"
Looking about, spied my friend on
a rush, but he was quite changed in
appearance, so that l hardly recognized
him.
Watch me closely" he said. 81
shan't be able to talk much more, for
am going through great change this
morning"
l was all attention, and he crept Il
little higher, where the sun shone hot
upon him, and presently | saw crack
appearing in the top of his back. 1t
grew wider and wider and pretty soon
he drew out his head. then his legs
came out, slowly, one by one, with
many jerks and wriggles to free them
from the larval skin; at last his wings,
all wet and folded up like fans. ap-
peared; then, with one final tug, bis
long body came out. He clung to the
reed, limp and quite worn out with his
hard struggle, until the sun dried his
wings so that he could spread them
out. How they shone and glittered!
They were finer than the daintiest lace
ever made by human hands. His two
great eyes were like moonstones, full
of light, and his slender brown body
was barred at every joint with golden
yellow.
"oh!" I exclaimed. "how splendid
you are!"
He looked down and saw his ref1ec-
ton in the water below. Then. giving
his old skin a scornful push, he said:
"Yes. rather an improvement on that,
should say"
II suppose you will be flying off
soon," l said.
"Yes. in an hour or two my wings
will be strong enough to carry me any
where. First, shall go after some
mosquitoes and little gnats."