Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1904-07-28
THE LITTLE lEAS IN THE HAY.

'hltt ti'tte lttdS NHtit tnt. i)Nt aloI
of Captain fIublard's load ut hay.
The hay had just been cut the day be
i.eas had reveled in it, and when it
was piled high ON the waseu to be
hauled to the barn they begged TO- be
allowed 10 ride on il.
Captain Hubbard was sometimes a
fisherman and sometimes a farmer.
as Polly had explained to her mother.
hu1 whether on land or on sea, he al
ways used nautical expressions. and
always was a pleasant companion.
The hay smelt wondrouslv sweet
with just a lille tang of salt about il.
aud the i.eas shifted /; joyousiv as
they rode.
Wouldn't it be lovely to sleep in
jhe hay29 said Betty.
Yes. agreed Polly. heaps nicer
than old beds didn't sleep hardly
bit last night and | dreamed horrid
things"
L do, too. sometimes.' said Rose
mary. Once dreamt | was a big
humble bee, and ] kept tr, ing to get
into the flowers and | couldn't. Then
thought | fell down out of a cherry
tree. and | kept falling and falling,
and at last | woke up. and | was so
scared--you know how scared | was,
Polly-you had to call mother.
Il had dream once. began Betty,
but she was interrupted by the Cap
tain's CHEEKY voice proc!aiming land
ahead. which meant that they were
near the barn. They drove right into
the barn, and Captain Hubbard and
his boy Job began to unhitch the horse
"All ashore" cried Captain Hubbard
When that was accomplished he held
out his arms for Rosemary. It's SO
late that think We will Just leave her
docked for the night" he explained
and you youngsters must be OF 20
your own berths. Can you find your
way back. or shall l send Job with
you?"
"Oh, we've often been ON that roai
by ourselves" protested Polly
"All right then. You've got free
course and favorable wind. and you i
better be Off
The little Leas started. but they
stopped soon to pick some early gold
enrod. Then Rosemary discovered
that she was tired. and they all sat
down to rest.
my, but wish we could sleep on
that load of hay I'm dreadfully
sleepy now" sighed Betty.
''We might considered Polly.
Let's said Rosemary, eagerly.
The little Leas retraced their steps
to the Hubbard barn. The big door
was closed and they could not open it,
but they found a small door on the
other side of the barn that they were
able to unfasten after little trouble
Already it seemed dark inside of the
big barn. but the hay smelled sweet
and they We're glad they had come
back.
They found it hard, however, to
climb to the top of the hay wagon
without Captain Hubbard's help. Polly
managed it, but Betty had hard fall
Then Rosemary had a worse one and
began to cry.
Don't" Polly admonished her, get,
ting down to comfort her. 'If you cry
Captain Hubbard will come out and
make us go home and steep in bed.
Il don't care,' sobbed Rosemary
But Polly and Betty soothed her
and she soon became interested in
the project to climb up in the big hay
NOW and to sleep there.
In a few minutes three little nests
had been made, and the three little
Leas cuddled into them just as snug
as any bug ever was in any rug.
The night air blew up cool anC
fresh, and it felt good to snuggle into
the hay.
'It prickles.' said Rosemary, bul
she said it drowsily, and soon she ant
Polly and Betty were fast asleep. II
you never slept in hay, you don't know
how soundly you can sleep.
Long after everything had become
very. very dark, a horse began tt
kick and neigh and make a great fuss
Betty sat up at that and for minute
she wondered whre she was at Their
she remembered. She was just abou