Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1914-02-28

Inc noise WAS WDTSt imam usual
last night, and the Sand Farmer went
upstairs to tell little Pete that it was
time for him to go to bed, hoping to
quiet things little, but somehow he
did not say all he had intended to, al
though Mother had given him strict
instructions.
AS he entered the large room, he
saw an audience of young ladies.
They were probably not more than
nine or ten years of age, but their
powdered hair and trailing dresses
were quite becoming to the "boxes"
in which they sat, and the company,
which was giving the dramatic play,
"The Three Bears" were quite insist
ent upon due applause after each act.
Dodo was Red Riding Hood, and
looked the part. He had gray wig,
which had been used by Santa Claus
a few weeks before, pinned up in the
latest fashion. His Mother Hubbard
dress came just below his knees, and
had he not jumped on the bed in a
real boy fashion he would have made
very fine Red Riding Hood.
Drazi was the big bear, and as
there were but three actors in the
company, the middle bear had to be
imagined when Red Riding Hood had
TO appear.
At one corner of the stage was
fireplace illuminated by the red cleo
trio lights from the Christmas tree
to take the place of Goals of fire.
As the curtain dropped after the
first act, the stage manager came be-
fore the curtain and explained that it
would require some time to arrange
the electric scenry, and therefore
they would have an intermission.
While the big bear and the little
bear arranged the scenery, Red Rid
ing Hood played "Old Black joe" on
the piano in lieu of an orchestra.
The last scene ended by Mother
coming to deliver the message she
had sent upstairs by the Sand Farm
er, and the little bear was taken to
softer bed than he had used in the
play.
AS ne came downstairs he put his
hand in the Sand Farmers, and said,
"Daddens tell me a story" and
the Sand Farmer, who had just re-
turned from a thousandmi trip TO
a distant city, and had missed his
little bears for the last four days,
was glad enough to snuggle down on
the clean, white bed, and hug his lit
tie bear to his heart. His thoughts
were carrying him to the coming
years, when his little bears would not |
ask for fairy stories, for they would
he big men, away at college, or per-
haas in distant lands, and only home
on holidays, or on rare occasions; |
but his lips went on telling a wonder
derful messenger boy story:
"The messenger boy was poor, and |
worked hard, running errands for a |
man who had an office on the goth |
story of a great office building.
zone day he was sent to deliver a
package far out in the country, and |
as he was returning he overlook an
old man carrying bundle.
"The messenger boy thought of the |
hot and dusty road, and how tired he
was, but he also remembered that the
old man must be more tired than he,
and so, forgetting himself, he step
ped up to the old man, and said in a
voice: Can | help you carry
that bundle? Two hands, may make
it lighter than one
"'Thank you, my son. said the old
man, Il need your help, and you may
need NINE"
"The messenger boy took hold of
one end of the stick on which the old
man had been carrying the bundle
over his shoulder, and they carried
il together for long ways.
"The old man asked the boy ques-
tions, which puzzled the lad. /
after a while they came to the |
top of a hill, and the old man said |
that he was too tired to go any far
Their. but he wanted his bundle car
ried to the top of the next hill, and
laid down by great stone.
"He told the how that beside the !
big stone he would find little round. |
black stone, and if after he had laid
the bundle down he would pick uD
that stone, it would help him on his |
journey.
"The messenger boy put the bundle |
on his shoulder, and trudged off, bid
ding the old man goodbye, and hop
ing that he would soon feel rested.
"But the old man called him back,
and said: when you pick up the
stone, son, remember that it is a
wishing stone. and if you will say the
words | tell you, you can wish to he
anywhere you want to, and it will
take YOU there.
"'Now, listen. When you want to
go say: Hickory, dickory, dock, the
mouse ran up the clocw. the clock
struck one, two, three, Whist Whist
Whist! and you will soon be there
"The messenger boy thought that
the old man must he ont of his mind.
hut he remembered the words, and
FASTENED on to the ton of the next
hill. where he found the big stone,
and sure enough. there was the little
round, black stone also.
Gle laid down the bundle, and
picked up the stone, repeating the
magic words. when low, and behold,
instead of stone he had beautiful
motor cycle, and it didn't take him
long to get onto it.
"Saying the words, and wishing
that he might be at the office, he
found himself whizzing down the
road, and then it rose into the air,
over the trees, over the river, over
the meadows, and over the hills, until
N cona RI tha great offica httiIdin0