For the Children

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16902, 29 November 1922, Page 10

For the Children

NEVER AGAIN. There was a little pussy-cat That filled the nights with woe. It walked the fence, serene and fat. Despite m.v prayers to go. ylt squalled upon, the garden-wall In lusty tones, *' Mu-rial*’ And though the eerie wind rose hign Its dulcet tones rose higher. It arched it-s beastly little back. It spat and climbed like forty. And though l gazed in manner black. It merely looked more hauglitv 1 lost my sleep- grew haggard, pale— My appetite forsook me. But all. alas, of no avail. Till desperation took me. One dreadful night that pussy-cat Gazed solemnly around it— I heaved a brick and that wa-s that. And then 1 went and drowned it! But ere it breathed a last farewell; Within that bucket lying. It gasped —the truth how can T tell? “ I’ll haqnt you till you’re dying.” And do you know upon that- fence The shadow, arched, unsightly. Of pussy moans, I know not whence. And curses me thus nightly. I’m fading more each passing day. So says my little brother—• The moral, reader, may I say— I’ll never kill another! AN OLD TALE. A little boy stood on sturdy logs, wide apart, watching his father leading by the study lamp. The room was full of shadows and long streaks of j rosy light, shed by the cheerful lamp It was lined with books from floor to j ceiling. A slender ladder ran from the j bottom of one of tho shelves to the top. The ladder could lx* moved all j lound the room, for it had little wheels that served it as feet. “ Let the children take away any book they wish,” his father had said “ Thev are all good books on my shelves.” So Robert and Sarianna. for that j was his sister’s pretty and curious j name, loved the library and all the red and blue and brown and gold vol- ' urnes that were in it. To-night, however, Robert did not turn to the ladder. He preferred io watch his father, who sat with the lamp light shining on his face, so that Robert could sec how its expression changed as ho read. “"What do* von read about ? ” His father looked up and smiled. “ The Siege of Troy,” he answered “ What is a siege and what rt Troy? ” Robert the elder looked at his son for a moment, reflectively. * YOUR NAME IS PRIAM. ' “ Why, I’ll show you.” lie said. “ You bring up that easy chair and I'll pull over the long table. Now we’ll have that lighter chair. There, that will just about do Now let me see; up you go way up and sit atop now. Your name is Priam and you are wearing a very long beard. The table and the chair you are on is a town, large as —oh, larger than Camberwell where wo live. “The other chairs are a wall about ■it Here, Puss, Puss!” He. called a big, sleek, gray cat, who Waked from a comfortable doze

I,v the lire, now stood arching its back in Ingb disapproval. “Now see. Ro!> e ,- t T'-at cal ;.s a very beautiful lady, the most beautiful lady the world has ever known. The face that launched a thousand ship'-.*; ire said as if to him sell. -So Paris said to Helen (that is the beautiful lady's name). ' A <»u came to Trov ’ (that is the name of yout town, you know/. * Live in Troy and e\ ervnnc wili see your beauty.’ So I:t-hui went, I.iu back in her own connin' ir. Greece (you can look if up on xlie map some day; they wanted beautiful Hdeii back again , .so ih*y fitted out a licit and came sailing 111 “Now we'll call in the dogs. Come Tows er ; Come Tray; Good boys!” And two dogs bouncer; gladly into the room one- a. shaggy terrier ami the other a stately setter. ** Ibere, wo will call these follows the Atrcidiec, A.lenelaus and Agamemnon. They have, come with armies to take buck Helen, and they are. encamped all about Troy; that’s \om* town. Priam. Aon are a sort of i:ord Mayor, vou know. “Where's Paris? AYoll. you can’t just see him. but, poor fellow, lie’s not exactly brave, so lie’s crouching by the footstool. That’s where he is. But Hector now—oh yes, we must have Hector.” He pulled a long bell-rope with a fat crimson tassel on the end, and in I a minute m came a boy of about ! twelve, who was wearing a dark jacket ay ith shiny brass buttons. This was the page hoy, who opened the. door and ran !on errands. THE GREAT ACHILLES. “ There, this is Hector. He is brave and he lias cn a beautiful helmet of gold, and lie carries a shield and a spear. He’s a groat fellow, Hector. But tlie besiegeis have a friend who io more powerful than anyone, great Achilles. AY here is he? Well, lie is outside in his tent Your pony in the stable. He’s Achilles. ' “ Now, you see that’s what Unreading about. Bedtime, now Priam, old fellow. How does it all come out? Well, they took your town finally You’ll read about it when you grow i:p. old chap.” And many years afterward, when. th 4. little boy had grown up and was known as the great poet. Browning, he put down in verse the whole story of how bis father played at an old war with him one night in the library at Camberwell : So far I rightly understood the case At five years old. ; A huge delight it proved And still proves. But. on that night, Robert's father vent back to his hook and read on j Tlie fire burned low while Towser and | Tray stretched cn the hearth, dreamed of their adventures, perhaps, and Puss | made a. shadow like a. sleeping lion ; upon the book-lined wall. The page | boy and the pony tested comfortal-.lv. and no one knew that the little bov ■vvTioloved them all would some day toil of kha/t marvel lolls "hour when tin v played together, acting out the old. old tale of Troy.