The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-12-02
The MiIkweed Babies.

w men ElZaD6tn aWOke one morn
ing the sun was shining on the win
dow-panes so brightly that she had to
wink twice before she could see that
aunty was sitting beside the cot.
Elizabeth smiled and winked once
more before she cried, why, aunty
you have your bestest hat on! Why
have your"
AS aunty smoothed a mass Of rum
pied curls, she said, Uncle Henry is
coming to take us down to visit Cou-
sin Marion"
20 goody, goody, good" cried Eliza
beth, jumping out of bed. "Will I
wear my whitest dress and my BACH
lor hat?"
Yes and aunty took the dainty
dress and blue-wreathed hat from the
middle drawer, while Elizabeth fun
bled away at the many buttons which
fasten up little girl of five.
At last, Uncle Henry drove into the
yard with Index harnessed into pref
ty cut-under. Elizabeth hoped and
skipped when she saw him, for Index
| had never given her ride.
20 goody, goody, good" she scream
ed, as she climbed in beside dear I'm
Gle Henry
1t took long time to reach Cousin
Marion's house, so the first thing af-
ter they got there aunty put on Eliza
beths little wrapper, and tucked her
away in the high white bed in Aunt
Mary's front chamber.
The sandman sprinkled so many
grains of sand into those happy eyes
that it was almost 3 o'clock before
they popped open again. This time
the sun was not shining on the win
| dow-panes, so Elizabeth did not wink
even once before she saw aunty and
Cousin Marion standing by the high,
fat bed.
I'm all awake!" cried Elizabeth.
"And what will we do at now timer"
Cousin Marion laughed as she lifted
the chubby little body down, and said,
1--WE are all going to walk up in the
pasture under the nut-trees, and if you
keep your eyes wide open you may
see some bright-eyed squirrels scam
pering away with nuts for winter"
Away up on the hill where the nut
trees stand was long walk for
roly-poly little girl like Elizabeth, but
she trudged bravely on, putting like
little steam-engine when her breath
grew short.
She saw as many as 10 squirrels
running this way and that, their
cheeks stuffed with nuts, which they
were piling away to eat in the cold
days that come to squirrels as well as
to people.
BY and by Cousin Marion and Eliza
beth sat down to rest. Close beside
the rocky wall where they sat Eliza
beth spied some green pods. She ran
over to pick them, and what do you
think happened? Just as she touched
one Of the pods it burst open, and in
side was something that looked like
a little fish covered with tiny brown
scales.
ooh! oh! oh! Cousin Marion, come
and see the fish in his little cradle!"
cried Elizabeth, running back to Cou-
sin Marion's side
Sure enough said Cousin Marion
when she reached the place, ''the milk
weed cradles are bursting. Let us
hunt for some babies that are start
ing out to see the world"
They looked for long time before
they found a cradle which was brim-
ming over with milkweed babies ready
to fly away, their little brown heads
pointing toward the sky, the fine silk
en- threads clinging tightly as they
floated airily out into the great world.
aren't they pretty?" said Cousin
Marion.
''Yes,' said Elizabeth. "Have they
just walked up?"
81 think they have been awake for
some time" answered Cousin Marion.
After they awaken they have to wait
until the Wind Express is ready to
carry them ON their journey"
While she and Elizabeth went down
the hill with aunty and Uncle Henry,
Cousin Marion sang this little song:
IN mllkWSed cradle,
Snug and warm,
Baby seeds are hiding.
Safe from harm.
Open wide the cradle,
Hold it high,
Come, Mr.. Wind, and
Help them fly"
BY Helen T. Preble, in Youths Com.
panion.