Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-23
Robins Kite

i
Robin said: ooh, feel SO sick because
It rains. l think I want to make q
kite"
Grandmother lifted her spectacles
from her nose and smiled with her
twinkly blue eyes.
II know where there is big sheet
of strong wrapping paper" she said.
Grandfather laid down his book.
II can find some splints in the
wood-tasket for you" he said.
So Robin brought out his own pair
of shiny scissors that hung on a nail
in the kitchen. He found his own
little jar of paste. Then he spread
out all his things on the kitchen table
and went to work. Snip, snap, went
the scissors jack knife, whiting
splints from the kindlings In the wood
basket. Splash went the paste-brush,
and there was little boy Robins kite
all done, with long newspaper tail
and long string to fly 1t by.
BY that time the rain was all over
and the sun was peeping out.
II am going out to fly my kite, -
said little boy Robin.
Mother helped him put on his red
cap and his red mittens. Grandfather
waved his hand from the kitchen win.
dow. and little boy Robin ran up and
down the garden path with his new
kite. But, oh, the kite would not fly
at all! It just tramped along the
ground after Robin, dragging its tail
in the wet grass and looking very un-
happy.
at hasn't learned how to fly yet"
said little boy Robin, land can't
show It how" Then he sat down on
stone and squeezed out two big
tears.
! An old gray mole came along Just
then and stopped in front Of Robin.
whats up, little boy?" he said.
"Oh," sobbed Robin. ri have a little
new kite and it doesn't know how to
fly"
"If should be out when the wind
goes by, I'll tell him. He teaches the
kites to fly" said the old gray mole.
Then he hurried off to dig long tun.
nels under the garden beds and pres
emily forgot all about his promise
Robin waited, but the wind did not
come by.
Pretty soon along came cheerful
brown sparrow.
what is the trouble, little boy?"
chirped the sparrow. :.
"My kite doesn't know how to n.y."
said little. boy Robin.
The cheerful sparrow began to hop
up and down in the garden path in
front of the kite. He spread his
wings and Tapped them, and said:
"This way and that way, just stand
up and try,
That's the way father taught me how
to fly"
The kite Just lay very still, and
presently the cheerful sparrow flew
off to gather straw and hens feathers
for new nest.
| Little boy Robin cried two more
tears, until withered last years leaf
heard him and rustled:
"Look at the tops of the garden trees,
Something is coming = new little
breeze!"
Robin looked up very high. Surely.
the tops of the trees were moving
He kept very still, for he did not wish
to frighten the new little breeze. At
last down came the breeze to the
ground and began tugging at the kites
tail, but still the. kite would not fly.
Off went the breeze and came back
with two other little breezes, who
pushed and pulled, too; but the kite
would not fly.
"r ,et,s 90 to the woods where the west
winds at play,
I'll make that kite fly If 1t takes me
all day."
said the first little breeze.
So the three little breezes hurried
off to find the old west wind, and they
told him all about the kite In little boy
Robins garden that would not fly: ;.
ooh, no." said the old west wand'
"we'll see about that directly.
Down the road went the old west
wind, with the three little breezes IN
front to show him the way. Over the
gate he rushed and pulled Oft little
how Robins red cap and tossed 1t into
the currant bushes. Then in half q
minute he made the kite stand and
spread it's tail, and off It flew as FAR
as the string would let 1t 90. Why,
It even wanted to go on farther. You
can't think how it tugged and tugged
go Robin ran up and down the gar
den path with the kite flying high De-
hind him. The old gray mole came
out of his tunnel to see. The brown
sparrow stopped with a bill full OF
nest stuff to watch. The withered
last years leaf followed merrily along
the path. And little boy Robin waved
his red mitten to grandfather In the
kitchen window to tell him that the
little new kite had learned how to ny.
Caroline s. Bailey, in kindergarten
Review.
Sara Susanna Kibler Writes