The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-03-25
THE CHILDREN'S HOUR.
JACK O'DREAMS.

uC IdlA Was 1GAIlAA3 0O4LAy Va Ch>
trees outside, but in the library Alice
sat before the fireplace, with her cur
ly head resting in her hands, she
dreamily gazed into the fire, until she
saw castles and ladies and knights in
the burning Goals.
Suddenly out of the fireplace came
a queer-looking fellow in a green
jacket and yellow knee breeches. He
wore great brass buckles at his knees
and on his shoes. From belt about
his waist hung large bag, which
bulged out at the sides.
After bowling to Alice so low that
his great mass of reddish hair touch
ed the floor, he said, Il am Jack
O'Dreams. l give all little girls and
boys their dreams. Look! l will show
you this" and he took from his bag
little red heart. 1t opened, and
hundreds of little purple powders flew
over Alices head. Instantly Jack
O'Dreams disappeared, and Alice
found herself sitting on a white An
CORA cat that was walking straight up
the side of barn. Alice, who was
holding on with all her might, was
ready to cry, but her mother and her
| father stood by, laughing. And then,
just as the cat slipped and was fall
ing, down, down into space, Alice
awoke.
But when her mother had put her
to bed and had turned out the light,
out popped Jack O'Dreams again
With another bow, he said, How did
you like that dream | just gave you,
child?"
How did you give me dream?"
asked Alice.
| Listen, and ! will tell YOU" he an
swered. There are millions of Jacks
! just like me. You have heard that a
pair of children in a family are called
twins, and that three are called trip
lets; but we Jacks are called million
cites in Dreamland, and we all look
just alike. We are always about,
| though you do not see us in the day
time. We can read your thoughts, and
] when we find some thoughts that we
/ think will make good dreams, we seal
them uD in red hearts ana keep them
till night"
Alice thought moment, and then
said, Il dream a great many dreams
THAT ! never thought of; / never
thought of riding cat up the side of
our barn"
'Yes, but don't you remember that
today you were trying to make your
cat hold the doll on his back? 1t
scared him and he ran up tree. Your
father and your mother laughed, but
YOU were almost ready to cry, for
fear your doll would be broken. Some
times you dream things by accident,
| too"
What do you mean?" asked Alice.
Sometimes the little heart has a
hole in it, and if one of us by mistake
puts the thoughts of two different
people into his bag, the dream pow
ders get mixed"
What difference does that make??"
asked Alice.
oh, all the difference In the world, >
said Jack, for purple and red powders
are happy and funny dreams; gray and
white powders are sad dreams, and
black, and brown powders are scary
Iones."~
He stopped for a moment and eyed
Alice roguishly, with his head cooked
on one side like a bird; then he added:
I have often noticed, Alice, how
ki0d you are to your pets, and j sup.
pose you always obey your father and
mother, don't you?" This time Alice
did not reply. 80 sometime soon I
shall take you to visit Dreamland,
where you will meet my dear uncle,
Mr. Sandman"
Just then Jacks green and yellow
suit seemed to fade into the gay win
Edow curtains of Alice's room, and a
voice that seemed to come for far
away said, 20 Alice, aren't you UP
YETI"
Alice sat UP in bed and looked
sleepily about her, and the warm sun
Hight was streaming in through the
window.