The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-06-03

had been put away till next year. for
the Ice was all gone The snow had
melted. too. and ran In the bitches. SO
that they all overnowed their edges Only
. remnant lay Just under the bushes; but II
was so little and SO black that nobody
cared q Jot about II.
And tho grass began to be ashamed OF be-
ing so yellow. and sent word down into the
earth to ask n the new grass wouldn't be
ready soon The vioiets opened their blue
eyes cautiously. and tho buds on the trees
were working day and night at their Sum-
mer clothes. They grew fatter every morn
ting with all tho bright green dresses which
they were hiding, and one nne day the
gooseberry bush lost patience. burst forth
and stood tanning herself with tiny little
leaves rs though she could not bear the heat.
But tho sun peeped down every moment
through tho drifting Clouds and called out
20 the earth:
"Now I'm coming! Now I'm coming! Just
pull yourself together and all will 60 well!
so thought tho starting. too. who sat on
tho edge OF tho ditch In the wood ana longeo
for the Spring to como.
IL was cold enough, especially 1t night.
and there wa5 only Just sufficient 1000 TO
support existence. But the starting would
rather como . month too early than day
too late. She preenei and plumed herself.
stuck her beak straight up in the air and
whistied to kecp up her spirits. When she
was tired OF her own music. she put her
black head on ono side. shut her eyes ana
listened to tho water In tho ditch. which
sippisd and sang and murmured
"Sing. ditchw she said. Sing awayI
You'll sing till Summe. comes. By that
time you viii be dry and dumb: but then we
others viii turn to In earnest. for then the
day will DO full OF sunshine and tho held
full OF worms. and I ms self shall have
nest full OF dear little young ones."
"Ah. weiiw said . voice beside her. "who
breeds children. breeds scrrow"'
The startling looked round ana saw .
great brown frog. who stared at her with
aoleful eyes.
.Hullo. 10 tina. your she SAID. "A pleas
ant spring to you: But yoc mustn't talk
like that. OF course. II makes work to
have . nest full OF young They ara hum
cry and they cry. and II takes one all day
20 MI their maws. But then It's 80 nice to
cit beside tho nest in the evening ana sing.
What DO you sayr'
Fl say auackr' said tho frog snappiiy.
The startling pretended not to hear. ana
continued. calmly:
And IT'S stMl nicer to SEQ the children
grow up and get their eyes-and wings and
. sail--and TO teach thers to ny and to
catch worms"
"ouack! ouack! ouackr' screamed tbs
frog. and took three enormous Jumps.
Il don't know what you mean with your
,auack,'" said the starting. "but II sounds
rude"
BEFORE the starting had done speaking.
u the frog had leaped head over heels Into
tho ditch. She put her front legs against
her chest and struck out Justify with her
hind iegS. She swan three or four times TO
ana fro, ana then jumped out OF tho water
again. sat down In her old place beside
the starting. and gazed moodily into the air.
The startling whistied . soft little tune
and then said:
Are you feeling better? You're inclined
20 DO q bit Quick-tempered. but that's silly.
IT'S no use ticking life SO soiemniy. Tell
mo what's troubling you. It's good thins.
somctimes. to unburden ono's heart ana
I'm feeling bored.
.You wouldn't understand II told you."
said tho frog. "what does q nne bird like
you know about that: You have your good.
warm nest. and can bring up your children
70 be respectable people, Others are not
90 we'll on. I have no mes: At all. and must
leave my children to take care OF them
selves"
shave you no nes,r' asked tho starting.
IN surprise.
"Then whore do you lay your eggsr'
.pown there" replied the frog. pointing
20 tho ditch.
Eyes Of course" said tho frog. There's
nothing very wonderful In that My eggs
have not such o hard shell as yours. and
II 1 were TO lay them on the earth. they
would at once dry UP and die"
"Can your children swim. then-right
away?" asked the starting.
"Yes-thank Goodness!-that they cam.
replied the frog. "Ies In our familys blood.
But. apart from that. they are so degenerate
that they are almost the death OF me-"
"why. what are they likeT' asked the
starting.
como ana sec for yourself" said the
frog.
She jumped along the side OF the ditch
and tho starting walked behind he's. for she
was inquisitive by nature. and had no ousi-
ness TO neglect at this time OF year. When
they came to 4 place where the ditch
w,dsncd out into quito q little pora. and
wh-.s Il looked as IL tho water stood quite
alta tho frog stopL-sA
Tho water WAS dllcd with a multitude o.
tiny iittlo animal, swim ming UP and dcwa
and TO and fro. AND swapping a. the water
plants. They had no legs. but huge. tat
stomachs and long tai: with nr to II.
They looked like bullets with nshes' tails,
ana on each side OF their heads they had Q
sort of little bush. with which they w:iS-
sled In the water.
rho frog looked piteously at tho starting.
but said nothing.
Il sayr' said tho starting. licking her
mouth. They really look quite nice
wonder what they taste IKE: They're nsh.
arsn't theyr