The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-12-18

FOR LITTLE
FOLKS
No-WoRk LAND.

One morning Freda's mother want.
ed her TO help with the baking and
Freda began to fret and wish she did
not have to help.
"I wish | lived in a country where
there was no work to be DONE" she
said; then could do as / like"
Il am afraid you would be as un-
comfortable there as you think you
are here, said her mother, but if
you do not want to help me with the
baking you can take this basket Of
/ butter and cream to the big house on
+; the other side of the woods. 1t must
be there in time for dinner, and you
had better start now.'
Freda thought that would be better
than cooking in hot kitchen. so she
took the basket and started off. When
she reached the big house the sun was
hot and the good woman who lived
there gave Freda some cool drink and
then put cake and cookies in her bas-
ket for her to eat as she went along
home
When Freda again reached the
woods she was tired and warm, SO
she sat down under big tree and ate
her cookies and cake.
This is a nice place to live"
thought Freda there are no dishes
to be washed and no beds to make. /
should like to live here if could have
enough to eat, or anywhere that there
was no work to be done"
Come with me and will show you
a land where there is no work to do"
said voice, and Freda saw beside
her a funny-looking little creature in
brown clothes. Before she could reply
he had tapped on tree and it opened
like door, and Freda found herself
inside.
They walked down long, dark pas
sage and Freda was beginning to be
little 'fraid when she saw light
and suddenly she came to the queerest
looking place she had ever seen.
There were no houses but one great
big house where everybody lived, the
little brown man told her.
This is No Work Land he said
go right in and you will find plenty
of people who do not like work any
better than you do"
Freda found herself alone after this
for the little brown man dis.
appeared. She felt very small, the
house was so big, but she walked up
to the door and found it open.
eve never close the door, no one
wants to work enough for that" she !
heard someone say. When she climbed |
into the room, for the steps were so |
high she had to climb, she found the |
house had only one room, and it was
filed with the largest and queerest |
cooking people Freda had ever seen.
They were very large and stupid
looking. "Sit anywhere you can find
'oom," she was told So she did and
here she sat and waited for someone
20 speak, but they all closed their
eyes and paid no more attention to
ler.
After waiting what seemed to Freda
long, long time, she touched the
nearest to her and asked:
What time do you have SUPPER"
Supper! What is that?" asked the
zig woman.
Don't you eat supper here?" asked
Freda, more and more astonished.
I'VE don't do anything here" re.
,lied the woman. ''This is No-Work
land and we do nothing but sit about
md Sleep"
But don't. you get hungry" asked
'redna, more and more astonished.
mo, l told you we did not do any,
hing here; We don't talk much,
ither," she said, closing her eyes.
nd before Freda could ask another
question the woman was sound asleep.
well, if the rest of you are so lazy
ou will not get supper, ] WILL" said
'reda. jumping up. t.
What are you going to do?" they
II asked, opening their eyes, but be- ,
ore she could reply, they were asleep
gain.
Freda looked about, but there was
o stove and no food, and as there
1as no stove and no food, and as .
here was no other room, she walked
0 the door and climbed out. There !.
vas nothing to be seen but soil, no
rass or trees, no flowers or vegeta-
les. II
What dreadful place. to live in"
aid Freda; everybody too lazy to
york! Iwould rather live where there
5 work to do all the time" II
IF you have changed your mind
vill take you back to your own land"