River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1900-06-07
"on > rigbtmare Didn, YOU e,er

ION nightmare. Didnr you ever
hear Of a nightmare ?
"Whv. of course, I've heard of KEN.
But how could you come here on one,
when it is only bad dream"
''Wen. | did. anyway; and I've got
il vet. III tell YOU about it.
Il 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
was still quite young my eldest
brother found a large piece of rich
fruit cake by the roadside and called
ms all to come and share it. 1t was the
most delicious thing that | had ever
eaten. and ] am afraid that ! made
a regular little pig of myself in my
greedincss. My mother warned me to
eat lightly of such rich food. but |
would not heed her, even when she
said at last
eff YOU eat any more of that you
will certainly have a nightmare
"'What is nightmare, mother"
asked. for 7 Lad at that time never
heard of one.
why. it is 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
However. | only laughed and said
that | was not afraid of any dream,
and went on eating.
''WeIl. 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
did not sleep well. and kept waking in
a fright. but at last ] went to sleep
soundly and dreamed this dream:
81 thought that had slept all night,
and when I awoke in the morning the
sun was just beginning to show above
the horizon. / hoped out of the nest
with my little brothers and flew down
to the spring for fresh drink and a
bath. and then out to the meadow TO
about. picking seeds from the grass
heads or picking at strawberries. flew
to low bush to rest for a moment;
but when | would have flown down
again | felt my feet held fast by some
sticky substance, and | 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 futtered and screamed. it was all
to no purpose.
"And then suddenly | saw coming to-
ward us two rough-looking men car
rying wooden cages. and | 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. I struggled and futtered and
shrieked in the hope of waking up,
but | could not: and one of the cruel
men took hold of me roughly, and as he
loosened my poor little feet said, care
lessly. to his companions:
''Ve made this birdlme a bit too
stiff this time. It's liable to niure their
feet. And then he put me into little
wooden cage and did the same to my
brothers, although of course | knew
that they were not really suffering,
since this was only nightmare of my
own but | screamed and called to them
just the same.
''They took us to a town near by. tied
many cages together and packed them
on a boat which carried us across the
water. while | sat quietly in my cage
and mourned and longed to wake up.
''Well when we mad reached land once
more we were packed on a train-oh,
| was so frightened-an brought
many. many miles to this great city.
never spoke or cried. | would scarce
~ eat or drink, | was so weary and lone
" and heartsick. was taken to a 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
looking for bird for your birthday
gift and she choose me because of my
particularly brilliant and-here
| am" Pitawitan stopped and stood
mournfully on one foot.
Dorothy looked puzzled. But. Pita.
witan. YOU said it was dream. night
mare. When did you wake up?"
81 dRint wake up said Pitawitan.
"Blr YOU are not asleep now" argued
Dorothy.
YES. am. This is all my nightmare
the cage and you and everything"
at isn't so!" cried Dorothy. 81 am a
real girl! l am not just part of your
old dream"
yes YOU are, too" said Pitawitan,
emphatically. Il say you are, and it is
only a nightmare for that is what my
mother said, and guess She knows"
Dorothy jumped up with flashing
eyes. I'm not dream girl don't
care what your mother says. I'm just
as real as you are, so there"
Pitawitan's eyes flashed back. well,
you'll see" he cried. angriIy. You are
nothing but horrid, ugly little dream
girl; and just you wait until wake up.
Where viii you be them"
And then one of them did wake up.
wonder which it Chicago Daily
Record.
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