The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-11-08
PART II
CCONgINUED FROM LAST WEEKLY
ArACu
BY W. 5. WALLACE.

Doris had just stepped on a founder,
who resented the insult by Tapping her
with his tail. There We're so many
creatures hidden in the sand that she
could hsrdly avoid stepping on them.
TDrseshtie crabs. with smooth. hard
shells: tCadfish, all spines and teeth. and
shells c.lrried on the backs of sleepy
hermit crabs,
The w,lter gradually cleared as they
approached the calm of the open sea,
and the sand changed as gradually to
blue shelly clay. Doris had never in her
life seen so many beautiful shells as
were imbedded in or lay on the surface
OF the clay. Here a giant clam" shell,
eight inches across. with beautiful
iridescent colors on the inside, caught
her eve And near by lay a long
razor clam the shell shaped like her
fathers razor handle
..XVhy. it's alivei' she cried. as
Gaping oyster shell closed suddenly,
sending a whirl of mud upward Pres
entity she discovered hundreds of live
oysters 'Oh. and heres a funny star
fish. Why, he's got feet Doris sur
prise at one object was equal to her
wonder at another. The starfsh she had
kicked on his back; his five-pointed
limbs were simply covered with tiny.
sucker-like feet. that reminded Doris
of cenfipede's thousand legs. The
poor starfsh twisted a long ray over,
and got a hold on a rock; then he
gradually pulled himself right side up.
Did YOU ever see a seahorse" asked
the NJ sranald, pointing % tail bunch Of
seagrassss.
ooh. ". er52 Where?'' asked Doris. She
peerei lI-sa,lig the grasses and presently
liscornel the little creature upright
on a.. stem. His scaly tail was curled
fighfl around the supporting grass;
he w-.ed his little ems quietly. and his
queer harse's head. with its long nose
was poked inquisidvely at crawling
snail near by
There's a cousin OF his; it's a pipe
fish continued the Mermaid. My
goodness, you don't seem to see any
thing" she dubbed nervously; there,
on that white sandy place
Doris looked carefully and saw moth
Ing whatever. Then, suddenly. long,
thin object dai-ted away and stopped
uotionless beside a dark patch It was
a cursou plated FISH. with long nose,
like a ptpestenl. turned up at one end,
and n tan like fan. The creature was
the esact color Of the sand. No wonder
Doris couldn't see it,
The Mermaid aoated on. and Doris
swan. or. rather sailed. after her. hold
ing on to her tail OF sudden the
bottom Of the ocean seemed 10 drop
s1sagr into faf5omless water, They were
ron the edge of q vast submerged prec.-
nice. oh" cried Doris. how terrible. 9"
She meant 70 say terrific. but couldn't
for lust then the Mermaid slapped her
in the mouth with her tail. Don Z
breathe she whispered I'm not, re-
tdrted Doris aloud; no one breathes
under wet"
The Mermaid gave a sort OF ''moo-o'
and pulled Doris right over the edge
Down, doWTs they fell. passing holes
and caves full OF dark, shadow forms /,
rocks covered by hOwerlike creatures
that gently reached out as they passed
by. and hundreds OF great, waving sea
fans. weeds and grasses, Ike trees on
The fishes were there by millions, for
great crowds or them sailed, darted and
fioated with them as they sank through
axVhere are we?" asked Doris, as they
landed gently on a mOss-grOWn rock.
Il wish you would give me warning
first
.N-e're in a sea garden now. Let so of
my tail; you hurt It.
Lets 20 see those chrysanthmums. ="
she continued. The whole place was COW
'sThose what? They are sea anemones.
and you'd better not pick any" advised
the Mermaid
"Oh. I'm not afraid: there's no gar
dener IS there2" cried Doris. and she
reached down eagerly TO a great big
pink daisy but she had hardly touched
g. when bang: II closed W - IL with
hidden spring. Ny gracious me-
cried Doris. Il never saw a daisy close
as suddenly as that beforet''
They all do. We never can use them.
j told You so.
What lovely colors they arer'
Here lay a great he'd Of red slender
ones and beside IT, IN crack between
Two powders. grew four of the largest