Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-26
CITY BOY FINDS MANY
DANGERS IN COUNTRY
T WAS Tommy's first day in the
country and he was 7 years old.

boy in the country she would not
have to be looking after him all the
time, for he would be free from dam
ger So, upon his arrival, the first
thing Tommy did was to take off his
shoes and stockings and sally forth
on an exploring tour.
Everything was so quiet that he felt
like lying down on the grass under
beech tree and going to sleep, but 1t
wasn't dark, and he scorned sleeping
in the daytime, so he trudged on far
ther down the dusty road until he came
to a little pond; then, noticing how
dirty were his feet and legs, he rolled
up his little knee pants as high as
they would go and waded in. How
cool the water was around his feet!
Then he went in still farther, and
feeling the inclination to jump, but
not wanting to get his clothes wet he
waded out, took a hasty survey to be
sure no one was looking, then hastily
slid out of his clothes and tried the
pond again. Now he could pump and
splash all he pleased, and, perhaps,
learn to swim.
The water came up around his waist
and he felt it harder to keep on his
feet. If he began to make half cir
cles with his arms and to kick with
his feet he believed that would be
swimming, and was just going to try
when, looking down to see how much
of him remained out of water he was
Mortified to find that he had stirred
up a school of water snakes. They
were making for him from every direc-
ton. They were literally surrounding
him. With a scream of terror, he
scrambled out and began dressing him
self in frantic haste, and not min
ute too soon, for, off in the distance
little girl was beckoning to him.
He felt almost ashamed to go to her,
but curiosity triumphed, and ne was
soon near her asking her what she
wanted.
She was a pretty little girl in pink
sunbonnet and with bare feet, and as
he approached she said:
"Why, here's the everlastingest big
gest loggerhead you ever saw. Come
and get him."
rWhy. a great, big reptile, right here
in this ditch. Come and get him and
you can have snapper soup or logger
head potpie for your supper.
Tommy went forward and peered
down into the ditch, but drew back
aghast, for he saw an animal with
head like a snake, a tail like dog
and a body like his mothers biggest
earthen pie plate.
''I wouldn't touch it for million
dollars" he gasped.
"TIo! 'Fraid cat!" exclaimed the little
girl. laughing derisively. Here comes
y how that will get it," and, sure
enough, when Willie Bramble. far
mer's boy, came up, he dived down into
the water with his hands and brought
him up by the tail
won't he bite?" asked Tommy,
looking on. -.
"Won't he, thought" replied the lit
tie boy; land the worst thing is when
he takes hold he never knows When 10
let CO."
''I should think you would be afraid
mo danger if I hold him out this
way, and his head away from me. III
get a quarter or a half dollar for his
big feller."
s'You see, you might have had that
quarter" said the little girl, tauntins-
'I wouldn't want it if had to make
it that way" said Tommy
'eWhy, how do you make your quar-
ters?" asked Willie Bramble.
"My papa makes them for me in
great. big office in the city!" -
"Hol City boy!" laughed the little
"Yes. I am city boy" said Tom
nv. haughtily, land I'm glad l am.
We have a great. big porcelain bath
tub to swim in, where there aren't any
snakes at our house, and we eat pot
pies made out of chickens, and not out
of such a looking monster as that; and
the little girls are nice in the city. They
saw nice things to you there"
"Did you go swimming in snake
pond?" asked Willie. "None Of us
boys go there. I can show you nicer
place than that to swim. AS for Sally
Ann, 1 wouldn't mind her. we've a
good many nicer girls here in the coun-
try than she is.
''Wait till I tell you where there is
another loggerhead, Willie Bramble,
and you'll know it. I'm going to help
my papa hay in this afternoon. and 1
am going to ride on top of the load,
too. but I am not going to invite you."
"I don't care. This ere city boy and
nell go a-fishin'," said Willie, where
at Sally Ann stuck up her little pug
nose at him and ran home.
When Tommy went home his mother
was Mortified when he told her how
near he came to be eaten alive by
snakes and swallowed by a great, big
crocodile.
Willie Bramble explained matters,
and he and Tommy became such fast