Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1920-12-30


The carpet rose steadily, and the
grove seemed to drop away. Pres
emily the grove looked like a green
velvet rug. Then the magic carpet
moved slowly out to sea.
Ahl that was a pleasant trip. How
should you like to be up on magic
carpet, hugging a big bottle of water
and big can Of gasoline, and look
ing down on the green, wrinkly scar"
(Uncle Tan looked at Jane when
he said this, and Jane whispered, II
should love it.")
The wind blew softly against them.
and they brushed against little mis-
ty cloud. Away to the west along the
shore they could see Aunt Matilda's
house, and 1t looked like a NOah's
Ark. don't mean the one in the BIZ
Bile, but the one you get among your
presents on Christmas morning.
II can't see. auntie," said Sister,
but II could, she would look just
the size OF NOah's wife"
When they had drifted out pleas
antly for about Eve miles, a curious
thing happened. don't mean that
they got spilled or hurt or scared to
death. Obi no, it was just this:
Sister saw a little white streak
and felt something bump against her
stomach. She clapped her hands to
the spot, and there in her hands was
lovely white and blue bird Tapping
his wings.
'It's a pigeon" said Brother. eyes,
and think it's carrier pigeon. See
II there's anything fastened to its
Leg"
Sister quieted the auttering little
fellow, so that he lay quite still in
her hands. Then she found that on
the little pink ankle of the bird there
was a tiny metal box, not so big
around as a pencil. The box was
about an inch long, a little less than
that, perhaps. She gently unfastened
the box, and gave it to Brother He
took the cap Off the box, and pulled
out piece of tissue paper. On this
was written note, which reads as
follows:
Dear Brother-I am out here about ten
miles, near the reef. Gasoline all gone.
come out for me. Kate,
"P. SHY nose is hlistered. Please
bring some talcum."
The children looked at each other
and grinned.
We've got what she wants." said
Brother. eyes, we've got the gasO-
line"
Yes, and the water"
eyes, and the powder. The very
best violet talcum powder we could
buy, twenty cents a box"
Eyes, and my name is Brother. So
the message seems to be for me-"
Eyes, but it isn't, you Know. guess
we had no right to open it."
"NO, l suppose we had no right. But
the mischief is done now. Are we to
save Miss Kate, whoever she is, or
not2"
Lets save her anyhow" said Sis
ter. So Brother said to the carpet !:
Carpet, carpet, there's lady In
distress out near the reef. She's In a
little launch that runs by gasoline.
And she's all out of gasoline. SO
please take us out there at once"
The carpet gave a gentle twist to
one side and began to move south by
east.
In few minutes they could see the
white water about the reef. A reef
is a place where rocks come up out
Of deep water nearly to the surface.
If a ship runs on these rocks it is usu-
ally wrecked and pounded all to
pieces by the waves. When the tide is
low the waves dash on the reef and
make white spray.
The children soon saw a little
launch not far away. From that height
1t looked exactly like the little tin
launch that the Cowboy Relative sent
Brother for a birthday present.
Carpet, carpet" said Brother,
'please let us down gently and whisk
us into that boat under the canopy"
suppose you know that the canopy
is a cloth stretched over the boat to
keep the sun off. This canopy was
striped blue and white.
The carpet let them down and down
very gently, and whisked in under the
canopy and rested on the floor of the
launch.
A pretty lady sat holding the filler
to steer the boat, though the engine
was not running. II was Miss Kate.
Sister saw at once that her poor nose
wa= bIlstered. Why it was blistered
was Because she had started out with
out the canopy. She thought the can
Opy was not In the boat. Later she
found the canopy under the seat, But
1t was too late to save her pretty nose.
When the children came into the
launch, just like big leaf drifting
into a hammock, Miss Kate stared at
them and stared at them and never
said word.
Then she put her hand to her head.
II guess 1t must be the sun. guess
I've lost my wits"
This distressed Sister very much
and she got up with the pigeon in her