The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-11-08
THE MISSIONARY KITE.

If was the kite season In the town.
Every small boy was busy getting
white pine sticks, making paste, ana
hunting for paper and other suitable
material for the kite OUTFIT. Harry
stevens was simply wild over his sue
cess. He had ctrewn paper, paste, ana
sticks from front door to back, In par
ior, sitting-room, ana dinine-rooIn. nai
his mother had declared In self-de-
fense: Not another kite shall be built
in the house He must find place IN
the barn for his plumber and mass.
A. good luck would have 1t, they
found an unoccupied space In the
barn. the very thing A regular shop
was established. It was soon discoS-
cred that Harry was the boss kite
maker. His kites were success: they
went up like birds and were soon mere
specks upon the blue sky. Quite an
en,erprise was established. Such trad
ing buying, ard selling OF cord. sticks.
|, nj kites
The minute school was out Harry
hurried to his shop to meet the de-
martia Of his nuEnArouA HS1stcmers.
His -aittle sister Sails vAk.64ply in
terested She wantA6aA al
though the boys in&aeed I'M 1ttls did
not play with kites. Dolls s9itsd them
better But she wAa~4a6er~s&fsced
f1tF piFaAlktHH AHNINSlNA -
irresistible: 50 fafry When Bnsiness
was of. made her kite. ieaving the
Tail for her TO finish, No one In that
home had any peace until that tail
had reached the prescribed length.
Even big brother John tore up one of
his right-hcrdcred handkerchiefs to
add TO It's beauty.
Finally one bright Saturday morn
ing. when the boys were all in the
Al. n ~ t.ss e. H,,- ~
In great triumph with hers. At first
Harry was inclined to be impatient;
bus when Cheesley Bradshaw looked
into the eager. expectant face. he
exclaimed: Come, boys. lets give her
a sail" Brother John had also given
! her a whole ball OF cord. Saltie laid
her kite down tenderly. proudly UNI
folding its tail to it's full length. por-
.raying its many beautiful colors-
There, was hreaihless silence as Harry
took possession of the cord and one
as a puff OF wind. seemingly with a
smile at the eager little girl. bore IT
away. Up. W. 1t went till every one
cried: 'Hurrah hurrah. Give her the
cord, Harry. Can't she sail. Don't
she sail.'' over fences, through fields,
bitches. brierts, bushes, finally right UP
the main street Of the town they went.
Saliie was following. bonnet thrown
back, brown curls dying. cheeks
aglow and eyes sparkling She had
screamed. 80 my kite. my beautiful
kite." till she was hoarse. Every one
mn out TO see Sailies kite. which
was now only sneck and the tail a
mere CLEAN of color. The wind began
to blow stronger. when. alas. with an
unusual strain the cord broke. and
the kite Was never seen any more.
Some OF the boys had declared: "She
has gone to the moon" A general
and untiring search did not change
this opinion.
Every. one svmpathined with Sallie
IN her loss. The boys declared that
She must have another That night.
as the little girl was discussing the
matter with mamma, she wondered u
the angels could have really wanted
her beautiful kite. Then papa laid
aside his evening paper and with q
kind smile said: "Come here. little
daughter. I expect your kite has be-
come a missionary. / have no doubt
but that 1t Is resting in the branches
Of some great oak tree. and next spring
he bcautifu' tall will help to mnka
birds nest. and some bits Of soft
cloth may and their way into some
wee squirrels home So we will tust
say your kit, has gene on roed rDis
sion and viii not grieve for It any
more"
Thank you. papa. That Is cuch a
good way to think OF It,"