The Washington times., 1913-09-11
For The Times Children
lust Before It's Bedtime
THE ROD OF GOD.


" among a tribe that roam
ed our prairies hundreds Of
years before white men came to this
country. She was the daughter OF
Bear, a mighty chief, and her cloth
| ing was of soft skins trimmed with
beads, while in her dark braids were
bright threads and shining shells.
All the young men In the tribe
sought to win the fair maid, but she
took no notice of their speech. For
| her heart was with Silver Deer, a tall
Had of another tribe that lived miles
away in the mountains. But her
father was constantly lighting Silver
Deer's tribe, and the parents OF the
irair would not hear Of the pair being
married.
One moonlight night Wild Rose sat
before her tent watching the grass OF
the great prairie waving as the wind
swept over its feathery tops. Sud
denly Silver Deer stood before her.
tall as a mountain pine and clad in
gorgeous clothing of feathers and
skins.
Fly with me, Wild Rose" he said.
| I'VE will go to my mountain home
and live amid the trees whose tops
kiss the Clouds"
But hardly had be finished this
speech when out of the door Of the
tent sprang the girls father. Bear.
"Fly back to your mountains, Silver
| Deer" he thundered. 'If you remain
i my warriors will take you a prisoner
No child OF mine shall mate with a
child Of your father-never-never. You
would steal my Wild Rose. Well. the
dag on which You can bring me q
flower from your mountains more beau
tiful than my prairie blooms. she car
be yours And the father took The
girl within the tent. -.
| Silver Deer started on his way bach
thinking deeply. He knew that up II
| his mountain home grew no soft pink
and blue blooms like those decking th'
prairie grass. and that this was only
| the way the chief took to set rid OF
| him. When he was tired he laid dowI
underneath a bush, and as he tried Il
sleep. it seemed to him he could heal
a curious sound-a sound as II Of wint
singing over the fields. Then present.,
he could distinguish words. He did no
|
magic moss, which made him under
stand just what the winds and flower'
talked about. But he found there rant
| in his ears the low, sweet music o.
strange voices It was the South Wint
talking 10 the prairie grass.
"Chief Bear told Silver Deer tha
when he could bring from the noun
tains flower as beautiful as thos'
that deck the prairie. the girl coul,
marry him. sang the wind.
We'll, that is impossible" laughed
the grass. There are no flowers q:
lovely as mine in the woods"
You are much mistaken about that.
| replied the South Wind. Il know of I
flower which grows on the dizzy height!
of a mountain peak-a lovely bloom lik'
a rod of gold tipped with COLDER
feather. 1t blooms in September ant
shines it's bunished yellow as a mos
beautiful plant. There is nothing NOR,
lovely down here"
1T is a pity that Silver Deer canno
find It," said the Prairie Grass.
He could find il If he would climl
the Iron peak of sharp stones ant
gather this beautiful plant. but 1t will
not live. II pulled. unless he gather
at sunset" explained the South Wind.
Silver Deer rose and walked rapid,
toward a huge peak which reared itsel
to the sky far above all the other dis
tant mountains. 1t was now morning
but the mountains were many mile
away So, without rest he set out. Ii
| spite Of the hot sun, and almost faintinl
from need of food. he walked all da.
and was soon climbing the peak. Up
up, up he stumbled. watching the SUI
as it sank lower and lower. Once h
almost fell u hundred feet when nj
feet slipped. but he caught old of
tree and held on till he could get hi
balance again.
At last above his head he saw tn
sharp top of the mountain covered witt
huge granite stones piled So high tha
they looked like a giants castle From
its center bubbled spring, and in tn
very farthest edge grew a plant who's
stem glittered as If of gold. and who's
soft fathery pIumes shone in a radian
light.
Struggling as fast as his weary fee
could carry him, he crept over tn
rock.s--'---7-- -.-end just as tn
| - - Then