Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-11-02

she nodded her wise old head. otis
high time something was DONE" she
said, land think you better begin to-
night" ,...l.
Little Joygoround's eyes began to
shine, and presently he flew up into
the lovely blue air. .~ w
Goodbye" he called.
Goodbye" said Mrs. Wrinkle.
carver. #... e...&.
Little foreground found the chill.
dren In their beds, and he cuddled up
close to their ears and began whisper.
ing to them. In the morning the chill
dren thought they had been dream.
ing Of beautiful garden where there
were babbling brooks to wade in, and
nice kind donkeys to ride, and lots Of
trees, full of red-cheeked apples, free
to ALL
The next night little foreground
came again, and told them about the
flowers in the Garden, and how there
were plenty Of swings and whole hills
of sand to play in. Every night after
this little foreground came and told
them stories about the Garden; and
every day, and all day long, the chill
dren thought about the wonderful Gar.
| den.
One sweet summer morning, long
before the sun was up little Joygo-
round went all through the towns,
calling the children Come" he whis-
pered softly in their ears,-"come. /"
Then out Of their beds crept all the
children, and over the stairs battered
hundreds and hundreds of little pink
feet, and past all the great houses and
all the little houses sped hundreds OF
tiny white nightgowns. On they went,
out of all the towns, and past all the
country lanes, and through the great
gateway into the beautiful Garden Of
Eden. Oh, what jolly times the chill
dren had then! They rolled in the soft
green grass and waded in the brooks;
they rode the dankeys and talked with
the mongeys When it came time for
supper, they ate bread and milk; and
it tasted better than all the fine things
they used to eat at home. There were
no wrinkled-faced people anywhere in
the garden, and everybody's voice was
pleasant No one had to wear shoes
and stockings and the day-gowns and
the night-gowns we're exactly alike.
There were no books in the garden;
and the children learned their lessons
from many things, particularly the
skylarks, the butterflies, and the dom
keys.
One day a strange thing happened.
1t was the children's game-time, and
they were playing ring.around-the-rosy
near the garden wall. Suddenly they
saw great cloud of dust rising out
side the garden, It came nearer and
nearer and then they heard the sound
Of a great army of feet. The children
took hold of hands; and, standing in
a row they lifted their round eyes to
the top of the garden wall. There,
looking down upon them, all dusty and
wrinkled and tear-stained, were their
own dear mothers and fathers.
The mothers held out their arms to
the children, and the children lifted
their little arms to their mothers; and
such wall as came from the hearts
of that long line of children, was nev-
er heard in the Garden Of Eden before.
In minute the fathers had jumped
from the wall, and the children were
lifted up to their mothers, and Rugged
and kissed and loved until little JOY
goround, who was c1rcling around
above their heads, fairly gasped for
breath.
well take them home" said the
mothers.
Eyes. indeed" said the fathers; and
then little Joygoround's heart began
to futter as it had never futtered be-
fore, and he flew as fast as his wings
would take him to tell the head-gar-
dener all the trouble.
"Oh!" he cried, as soon as he had
found the gardener. Come quickly,
for the wrinkled-faced people have
come after their children"
The old head-gardener put down his
hoe and started after little Joygo-
round. AS soon as he reached the gar
den wall. he wiped his face and made
a bow Ladies and gentlemen he
said, 1--WE are very sorry; but we can
not allow the children to 60 with you.
You may stay there if you like upon
the garden wall, and watch them.
When you are tired you may lie down
upon the shady side of the wall and
rest. When it Is necessary for you to
eat, we will bring you some bread and
milk and some Of the different fruits
which grow in our garden. This is the
best we can do for you" And the old
gardener turned to walk away. !
"Ho!" called the fathers. "Wait a
minute. Have We got to stay here al
ways? Can't we come inside the gar
den?' ..s. ......
The old gardener shook his head.
eve never allow wrinkle-faced people
in the garden, excepting, of course,
grandfathers and grandmothers. We
expect them to be be wr1nkled. and we
are glad to have them come In. But
we couldn't allow you to come, you
know 1t would be against the rules OF
the garden
At this the fathers looked at the
mothers. and the mothers looked at
the fathers. What shall we do?"
they exclaimed.
The old gardener smiled. "You bet
ter rest content" he said, and eat
your bread and milk when It's given
to you. You won't have to hurry and