FOR THE TINIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19838, 7 January 1928, Page 4 (Supplement)

FOR THE TINIES.

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THE TWO BREEZES. . ■ V ■ - - V-". ,

It is the dawn of a summer morning—not a breath of wind stirs the trees, where the little twittering birds are just beginning to rub their eyes and peep over the edges of their nests. They ail say" good morning " to each other, until there is a perfect chorus of bird-talk up and down the pine trees. At this moment, old Grandfather Sun comes slowly over the horizon and sits down on his golden chair; behind him, a crimson cloud cushion, to rest upon. When the birds 6ee him, they know it is time to begin their daily work of grubbing up worms, smashing poor snails and eating the gardener's strawberries and young peas. The sunbeams also shine their very best, and all are busy, except the little breezes. There is no sign of them at all. Where can they be? They are evidently playing truant to-day Grandfather Sun sends a big, black cloud to fetch them, and at last tney come and stand in a row in front of him. Some are looking quite innocent, as if they have no idea that they are lazy. Some are looking rathei sulky and ruffled. Others are smiling and blinking as they look into Grandfather Sun's golden eye. He sends them all away to do their daily tasks, and to come back to him at sunset. Que naughty little breeze does not feel like work, so he sets out to do mischief. He blows hard along the road, just as the men are all going to their work, and the children to school. He blows a sudden gust which lifts an old man's hat right off his head, sends it bowling along the footpath, and finally lands it in the gutter. This old man is rather stout and red-faced to begin with, and by the time he has rescued his hat he is so much redder that he is nearly purple. This amuses the naughty little breeze so much that he feels warmed up for more daring deeds. He now turns his attention to a little girl who is carrying a heavy basket. He dlows and blows until her hat goes too, and then some of the contents of her basket fall on to the road.

In the orchard the apples come tumbling down, bruising themselves on the hard ground. The leaves drop to the earth and lie there dead. And all this because one naughty little breeze got out of the wrong side of his bed this morning. One of the other little breezes blows right into the great crowded city. The streets are very hot, people are "looking jaded and weary. The girls in the shops look pale and tired. Even the message boys walk more slowly than usual. Suddenly a sweet, faint breezo moves the heavy air. The good little breeze is beginning to blow. Everyone looks more cheerful. Men take off their hats to feel the cool wind on their foreheads.

Lying in a little white bed in a big ward of that huge hospital is a little boy. He has been very ill and his thin little face is as white as his coverlet. His thin hands are quite still. It is too hot to play with anything. The kind nurse brings him a book, but he is too tired to look at it. " Oh, nurse," he asks, can't you opeu the window wider?" "It is as wide as it will go, laddie. It will get cooler bye and bye." The poor wee boy turns away, wishing that the wind would blow. Just then, our little breeze blows in at the window, just enough to ruffle his hair. - " Nurse," he cries, " the wind is beginning to blow; isn't it lovely? " The little breeze blows softly, cooling the feverish faces of the sick people, and especially that of the little boy, until at last he falls into a peaceful sleep. The nurses say " He will get better now." The little breezo feels she has her reward. As the sun is setting, the breezes come back again to Grandfather Sun to say " good-night" before he goes down the golden stairs to the other side of the world. There is no need to tell the Sun any of their doings, ho sees them for himself as lie shines all day. The good little breeze is allowed to go and play with the Sunbeams as a reward for lightening a little of the weariness of this work-a-dav world.

The naughty little breeze is sent to bed on a very black cloud, where he must, stay till ho is good, when he can blow himself off.