The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-12
BY WILLIAM WALLACE, JR

IA OW, NY dears." said Mrs. Butter
fly, speaking to her son and daugh-
ter, Billy and Betty, you may go
II to the meadow for a froic II you
promise not to go near to that farm
house on the hill. There. are two very
had boys living there, and they pass
much of their time chasing butterflies,
and when they catch the poor creatures
they pierce their bodies with long, sharp
pins, and stick them on a wall to die.
oh, how cruel these boys arel So you
must stay in the meadow, far from that
farmhouse"
1--WE shall not go near the fearful
place." promised Billy. mo, indeed.
Mamma" added Betty, I'VE shall remain
In the lower end of the meadow, flying
about from leaf to leaf In the tall grass. :"
Then away flew Billy and Betty But
terfiy, and their mother went to work
tidying up their pretty little house. 1t
was early morning and dew was on the
grass and the sun was shining gloriously
everywhere. "Ah, isn't 1t lovely out of
doors this morning?" asked Billy of his
sister, as the two flew along over the
sweet-scented meadow grass.
II like the appearance of that clump
of trees yonder,' said Billy. shall We
fly thither?'
Eyes, for there are lot of wild flow
ers growing about them" replied Betty,
who delighted in the fragrance of wild
flowers.
They had not been in the meadow long
before Betty, who was resting on the
petal of a wild flower, saw something
which caused her to cry out to her broth
er, who Vas n few feet from her. He
was summing his wings on a tall weed.
Say, Brother, what do you call these
great creatures yonder? They seem to
keep their wings on the ground, for
they stir the long grass as they come
along? Can they mean harm to us?"
Billy looked In the direction his sister
designated by the tip Of one Of her
wings. why, do believe they are the
boys our mother warned us against. They
seem to be coming our way. Let's fly
into the trees and they will not be able
to catch u.s.
Betty followed her brother into the
trees, but the boys-for Billy had guessed
right. they were the boys from the farm
had caught a glimpse of them before
they got among the branches. They
carried a butterfly net, and ran toward
poor Billy and Betty, swinging the net
about hoping to catch them. But Billy
and Betty, realizing their danger, sue
ceeded In hiding themselves snugly In the
thick foliage of the trees and in vain
did the boys look for them.
.They are two pretty white butterflies"
cried out the larger of the two boys,
land l want a white one for my col,ec-
ton, SO we must get one, or both Of
them"
YES" replied the smaller boy. "1'n
get into the tree and frighten them
out, and you stay below and get one
in the net
Then the smaller boy proceeded to
climb into the tree, but In doing so
he came In contact with something
fastened on limb, something he was
not aware of, as the leaves of the
branches covered 1t.
But hardly had he struck the thing
with his shoulder when he was made
acquainted with ITS proximity; 1t
swarm of the fiercest hornets one ever
came in contact with. A number of
them attacked the climbing boy, and
the others made towards the larger
boy, who tried to fight them of with
the butterfly net. But in vain did