Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-09-24

you," said Holger. There are mill
lions of men of every kind doing mill
lions of things digging building,
fighting, marrying, dying-more
things than | have time to say, or
even to know. You see good eating
and drinking. splendid fun. splendid
hard work, the fiercest pain and the
f1ercest joy. 1t is like turning leaf
after leaf of great picture-book.'
why did you come away from
down from Holger's knee and lean
ing against it.
WELL" said Holger, when you ar,
in the midst of all this, you are grab
bling so or running SO after some
thing that you hardly pay any atten-
tion to what is around you. From
here we have a far better chance 10
observe it all quietly
"Oh-but would rather be right
in the middle of it," cried Hildegarde.
Now is your chance then" said
Holger calmly.
All the while they had been talk
ing she had noticed the little speck IF
a ship approaching from the harbor
of the island city. 1t blew nearer
and nearer and at last 1t came buoy.
Ing right into the bay under full sail,
with flags floating from the three
masts. Hildegarde slipped out Of
Holgers hands and ran out on to the
dark-blue pier and across gangplank
the sailors had already dropped with
hollow clap on the boarding.
Her foot had scarcely touched the
deck when Heiliger pounded his fist
on the table. The big, blooming
Dutch girl came out Of the windmill
with the tankard and filled up the
schooners again; and great wind
began to blow in exactly the opposite
direction. The ship dipped her PROV
in the waves and rode free.
Running to the top, deck, Hildegarde
saw that the island city was no long
er the size of butternut but was
growing, with the ships approach, to
the size of a watermelon Of a willow
tree and at last stretching as far as
the eye could see. Open prairie, run
ming river, groves of PALM the spires
Of cities-all these, peopled with mil
lions of men doing millions of things,
spread before her as the ship swept
into the harbor with the cannon BOOM
ing on shore.
And standing as she did with the
way open into the whole new place,
Hildegarde was happy almost. For
moment she shaded her eyes with
her hand. and looked back across the
sea where she could Just see Holger
and Heiliger no bigger than pit-dots;
and she considered sadly how, per-
haps she might never be. able to get
| back to thank them for their treat, 70
sip beer and to be jumped at with
| sharks teeth. Just then she plainly
| heard Holger call in loud, breezy
] tone that came buoying across the
seat ooray! (. Hooray for you! Out
| In the middle OF the real world! Z"
Wild with excitement, she ran down
to the main deck. waving her hand
kerchief and--sure enough, there she
was, sitting up in bed with the cocks
growing, the morning whistles blow
ing, the air and sun streaming in ut
the window, and the grandmother
pouring the cold water into the tub
out in the middle Of the real world
Here she has stayed ever since.
There is, of course, much in the plan
! of this world that seems unsatisfao-
| tory! and 1t Is far less neatly arrang-
ed than the Blue-and -White Country.
In that quiet place, Holger and Hell.
iger can still be seen by her. apparent.
| ly sitting rejecting and slipping their
beer. But she has never again
heard the little cow-bells.