Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1921-01-13
THE SMILE OF THE WOODEN
WHALE,

"ENN@@s
>
When Peter and Jane came in for
the ninth story, it was a bright, cold
evening. The sun was just setting,
but the wind had not gone down.
They found Uncle Tan stretched out
on the long bench. His son, who was
washing up the dishes, said that I'm
Gle Tan was pretty tired. They had
been out fishing, and the waves were
pretty high, and the wind was against
them when they came in, and the air
was cold, and altogether it had been a
hard day for Uncle Tan.
perhaps you are too tired to tell
us a story tonight" said Jane to the
old man, as she smoothed back the
white hair from his forehead.
81 am pretty tired, my dear. Idon't
believe can make up the ninth story
tonight"
Couldn't you tell us some other
story, one that you have read, or one
that your father told you when you
cFseSR a little boy2"
E'Wen," said Uncle Tan. perhaps
could tell you something or other that
I read when was boy. used to
read the wonderful adventures of
Baron Munchhausen, and the true
stories Of MIR. Bayard Taylor's travels.
4 met Mr.. Taylor once, and drove him
WIN sleigh to where he was going to
1ecture. On the way he told me some
stories about when he was in Ice
land"
"You could tell us those Stories"
said Jane. 81 will kiss the spot be-
hind your right eye, and make. one
come out" So Jane gave him a kiss.
Uncle Tan sat up and said, Speak
ing of Baron Munchhausen and Mr..
Taylor puts me In mind Of something
that did happen to the children once.
1t is so very like what happened one
might to Baron Munchhausen and one
night to Mr.. Bayard Taylor that you
will be surprised when you read those
books to see how nearly the same it
was. It was different, thOugh-enough
different so that you would be inter-
ested in the difference"
81 am sure we should" said Jane
Then she made Uncle Tan lie down
again, and she and Peter snuggled up
in his big rocking chair that had the
pale golden pears painted on it.
Once upon a time (said Uncle Tan)
the children decided to take their par
yents for a ride ON the carpet. They
thought that unless they did this, their
h
carpet would really carry people. But
af,%4hey could take papa and mamma
for just a short sail somewhere, then
papa and mamma would believe them.
What was more, they would then al
low the children to go off on trips.
They would surely see how safe the
carpet was, and would allow them to
be gone for several days. Unless they
got permission to go off that way they
should have to stop taking trips. They
couldn't expect Maggie to be having
measles every time they wanted to go
on lark.
One day papa and mamma went for
a walk up into the grove back of
Aunt Matilda's cottage. They went
up there to see If they could find
enough mushrooms of the right sort
for supper Papa knew which kinds
were good to eat. and which were poi
rsOnOus.
The children stole upstairs and got
the music roll with the wonderful car
pet in it, and raced up the hill after
their parents. They spread the car
pet on the ground. and then hunted
around till they found several hand
fuls Of mushrooms. These they placed
on the carpet, near the edge.
'"That is bait for papa and mamma.
Now they will come and sit down on
the carpet, to see If those mushrooms
are good ones"
The children hid behind bush and
waited. Presently their parents came
along.
"Look here, my DEAR" said mamma
to papa. "The children have been
heEe, too. They have been picking
mushrooms. Let's sit down and look
at them"
SO the two grown-ups sat down on
the carpet. Then the children burst
out from behind the bush and ran to
them, laughing. Sister sat down In
aGamm4s lap and Brother In his IA