Sketcher

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXVII, Issue 1374, 27 August 1895, Page 7

Sketcher

TOMMY'S DREAM. * Tommy had been to thesobool treat, awaj out from the ditty, crowded, hot streets it which he lived, into the beautiful green fresh country. And Tommy had enjoyed tho treat; but i pm afraid that many of the butterflies aui other insects, and .some of the birds, too, hac cause to grieve that Tommy and bis little mates had been there to a treat; it was none for them. A great part of the day Tommy had spent in what be thought good fun. had chased beautiful butterflies, but when hr caught them, he could do little with them They were a source of amusement to him tor a short time, and then ho would lot them flutter away with spoilt and broken wings He had tried to capture the large bees which be saw flying about, but as bo laid hold on one it stung him, so, thinking himself badly used, be let it go. Then he had frightened many of the birds by throwing stones at them, only, fortunately, he aimed badly, and never hit his mark. And when be and tome of hit companions, wandering through the green fields, bad come across a large, scaly beetle, bo had seized it, and in spite of its struggles, had put it in bis pocket. And now Tommy was back from the treat and in bed. He had not long fallen asleep when he seemed to be again in tho fields in which he had played all day. But all the butterflies, and bees, and beetles, and birds seemed tc have changed places with him in point o! size, for they appeared as large as boys, and he as small as a beetle, und Tommy was terribly frightened. “ Oh," he thought, “ I must hide under the sticks, or those great creatures will catch me. Oh, dear, I wish I were homo," for Tommy was frightened. So he hid quickly under some small sticks until all tho butterflies and other thlngt should go away, but it was no use. Soon he felt the sticks lifted, end heard something soream out; be did not. know what the thing was at first, for ho dared not look up. Oh, oh 1 come and look, here’s such a funny thing. Four legs and only walks on two of them, such a funny head.” Then Tommy felt himself snatched up sn,d pinched, and screaming and struggling he looked up at the thing that held him. It was a beetle of gigantic size. “Oh I” screamed the beetle again, “ Come and look what I’ve caught. Such a funny thing. Whatever is it?” “ Wbali have you got?” asked a butterfly, about one hundred times Tommy’s size, flying up. “ Why, look here ! I don’t knew what it is. ‘‘Oh I” said the butterfly, “it’s only a boy. They're common enough. If you didn’t live so much underground you’d know a boy when you see him. That’s a little one, but I’ve seen big ones and Fve good cause to remember them, too; they’ve chased me often enough.” The butterfly spoke very fiercely for such a gentle creature, aud Tommy trembled. “ A boy I” shrieked the beetle, “ a boy I I know something about them, only I didn t know this was one. Ugh ! you little brute, shaking Tommy, “ you’re a boy are you ? I’ll punch you. And the beetle did, and Tommy screamed and kicked; but the beetle held him tightly. “ What’s on hero 7" asked a passing bee, “ What have yon got ?” ‘‘Oh, only a boy,” said the butterfly, “ and we’re only going to pinch him to see him kick.” “Oh, oh!” screamed Tommy, “ you cowards I you wouldn’t dare to do it if I were not so smallbut the insects took no notice of bis cries. “ Here, hand him over to me,” said the bee; ‘‘l owe boys a grudge; let me sting him.” “ Wait a bit,” answered the beetle, “ let’s have some fun with him first. You’ll kill him if you sting him." “Not 1. Besides boys can’t feel.” “ They can 1 they can 1” shrieked Tommy, but no heed was paid to hia words. Just as the bee was about to ctiug its shrieking victim, a linnet (to Tommy it teemed tho size of an eagle) flew up. The butterfly fluttered away sharply and the bee suddenly became impressed with the necessity of going also, and went. Ooly the beetle ro maimed, holding Tommy tightly still, for tho beetle knew that its scaly coat would protect it against the linnet. But the bee and the butterfly had not such protection. . “What have you got?” asked tho linnet. “A boy. I owe boys a grudge, so I m pinching him;” and the beetle squeezed Tommy again, and again he squealed, *• Will you give him to me ? I’d like to take him somewhere,” said the linnet. So the beetle dropped Tommy, who was cow quite sore, and the linnet lifted him in its beak. Dreams are very funny things. ;J The linnet seemed to be suddenly in the room of a house, and Tommy saw it was his own bedroom. “ What’s the matter ?” squeaked a funny voice. It was Tommy’s white mouse speaking, for Tommy kept a white mouse. “ Why,” said the linnet, aud it seemed quite friendly with the white mouse, ■‘ I’ve caught a boy. What shall Ido with him ?" “Ahoy? Let mo look,” said tho white mouse, and added fiercely, “ Why, its Tommy 1” .‘‘Yes, please, Mr. Mouse,” said Tommy, “ its me. “ You know mo, don't you?” Tommy was afraid of the white mouse, it seemed bo big, , ;, “ Know you ?’ screamed the mouse. ‘‘l’ve good reason to know you ! Yes 1 aud now I’ll make you know me.” " Please, Mr. Mouse,” began Tommy ; but the white mouse interrupted him. “ Enow you ? You’re the boy that fastened me in a cage without any food, and I was hungry. Worse, worse I I was thirsty, and all my water was dried up. My cage was left unclean lor weeks. Know you ? Yes I and now you shall know me.” The white mouse rushed fiercely at Tommy. But suddenly Tommy awoke, and ho was lying in bed, and of his natural size. “Dear me,” he murmured “what an awful dream I've had I I declare I’ll never hurt anything ever again. And when I got up I’ll feed my white.mouse, I forgot him yesterday,” For Tommy had been so full of the treat the day before that tho white mouse had been neglected. In fact, Tommy often neglected it. Then he dressed and went to the cage to attend to the little creature. But the little mouse was dead. “ Oh dear,” cried Tommy, “ I must have forgotten it for two days. I'll never ba so cruel again to anything. And he kept his word,