FOR THE CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18103, 11 February 1922, Page 3 (Supplement)

FOR THE CHILDREN.

DADDY LONGLEGS. All tho long, hot afternoon, as the train crawled through tho endless pino forest, the tall man sat. sprawled on a seat in tho day coach. 110 did not r 0 * 11 ') but now and then shifted uneasily as ho caught the whispered comments of his fellowpassengers, No wonder that they wero amused, for he was a most extraordinary figure. Quite six foot six, he was thin as a rail. His lean faco was tho colour of old leather, but his long hair was fair as a baby's. His clothes wero as absurdly small as his boots were big, and his great, gaunt wrists stuck out six inches beyond his ragged sleeves.

Poor John Mizelll All his life ho had boon jeered at for his queer appearance and gigantic height, but lie had never got hardened to it, and still suffered agonies of mortification whenever ho was forced to appear in public.

It had been raining heavily for days, and when, as night drew on, the train entered tho big Florida swamp below Kissimmeo, tho white moonlight showed the tall cypresses standing up like columns out of an endless lake. In places tho water was actually over tho raised track.

"Ain't no neod to worn-," bo said. " Jest the coupling-pin broke." Engino's a-going oil to to fetch another."

So the train Remained standing on the track, and the passengers leaned out tho windows, or stood on the rear platform chatting pleasantly together.

"Tho track is sinking!" exclaimed somo one.

tho axles of the wheels were submerged, and the water seemed to rise moro and more quickly. Tho passengers were in a panic, and a woman began to scream.

John Mizell, who had not moved up to now, suddenly rose to his feet.

"Don't you worry, inarm," lie drawled. "I guess I can fix it.''

" What do you mean?" demanded ono of tho men

"I reckon to fetch a boat," answered tlie tall man simply.

"But you'll bo drowned 1" cried the woman.

"I guess not," was all Mizell said, and stepped off the roar platform into water up to his waist. "He'll jiovor do it," groaned one of tho men. "If ho steps off tho track he'll be drowned.

"You would, or me,' 1 replied another; "not lie."

Time passed, and still tho train sank. The water reached tho floor of the carriages, and now" they knew that it was out of the question for tho engiiio to get bade to thom. Their only hopo was in John Mizell.

Tho passengers were standing on the seats. They had almost given up hopo, when one gave a wild yell. Sure enough, a big flat-bottomed beat was in sight coming straight towards tho

train.' No one thought thero was anything comic or lauglia.ble in tlio long, lanky figure of the man who rowed that boat, and when he had pulled them all to safety many and deep were tlio expressions of gratitude. They wanted to gel up a subscription for him, but this John flatly refused. But he got good out of it, aftor all. The story reached the newspapers, and next morning John woko to find himself the best-known man in tho State. This led to his being offered a capital job with one of tho big river steamer companies, and to-day Daddy Longlegs is neither shj nor solitary.