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THE OREGON DAILY JOURNAL PQRTL AND. SATURDAY EVENING; ULY li; 1903
GOOD STORIES FOR CHIUDREINBy Walt
The Wonderful Experiences of Ike Petlit,
Who Found Some Miracle-Working Berries
ftianged Everything They Touched and Peo- '
pie Thought the Boy Was a Great Wizard.
and Used Them Freely
His Last Act
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DID you ever wake up at dawn and get out
of bed to look out of your window at tho
sky, palpitating with a dim, strange light,
although thero is as yet no signs of tho
sun itself? It throbs with a rosy glow that slowly
increases and spreads over the heavens lik 0 vn'1
flower of fire, unfolding its crimson petals and, as
it softly suffuses the dim vault, all the birds sudden
ly awake and turn ovr in bed sleepily; ihen a few
peeps are heard, low and ruurniurous at first, as if
the feathered sleepers wero loath to rise, drowsily
asking, liko any boy or girl, for just o few minutes'
more sleep.
Then, as if quickly realizing that tho early worm
is abroad, the wholo bird-family rouses and the
air is filled with song, for wnking-time and break
fast time are the same thing to a bird. They waste
pot a moment in washing their faces or making
their toilet, that waits until later in tho day; off
they scurry after breakfast.
At this mysterious hour, so full of solemn awe,
when tho world is taking its last forty winks of
slumber, few people are ever abroad except fisher
men, hunters, policemen and newspaper men going
home, but it is certainly the most enchanting timo
of day. It is then that strange birds, never seen
during the bright sunlight, are obroad, as well as
the animals that live almost under our noses, but
which we never see. Tho hour of dawn, just beforo
the sun draws tho rosy curtain saide and peeps over
the edge of tho world, when it is neither day nor
night, is full of mystery to a' grown man as well
as to a little child, but somehow few people seem to
know much about it.
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Little Ike Pettit had never risen before the sun
Until he went to visit his Grandfather Sutherland,
whose immense farmhouse stood among hills
crowned with dark hemlock woods, filled with all
sorts of animals of which Ike knew about merely
from his books, although he was passionately fond
of animals.
The morning after he arrived at the farm ho
awoke very early, earlier than ho had ever done bo
fore, and as tho faint scent of new hay came steal
ing in through the open window something tempted
him to arise and look out. The sky was still rnlo
and gray, but thin streaks of ruddy gold lay along
the tops of the far-away hills and a solemn stillness
lay over the sleeping world. lie dressed and tiptoed
downstairs. Opening the great front door, he stole
out into the road, but was in the fields in a moment,
and the very first thing he saw was a startled pair
of rabbits fleeing across tho grass. Then he saw a
?;reat white owl soaring along near the ground, seek
ng a field mouse that had stayed up too late, ond
after that two moles digging into tho earth as they
heard his footsteps.
It was delightful to be out when nobody was
awake and see these things, for as yet even the birds
were sleeping, and he hastened along, hoping to seo
more. Tho sky kept brightening every moment, and
it seemed as if the sun might pop up at any instant
ond surprise all the birds and things in bed, but,
no, they awoke long beforo the sunrise and began to
chatter and sing jn a manner that amazed this city
boy.
Bluejays squawked and squirrels chattered, rob
ins caroled in the tallest trees, quails piped in the
wheat, blackbirds scolded, high holders, flickers,
woodpeckers and thrushes each endeavored to out
sing one another, and still the sun did not appear.
Ike decided, as many another has done at this
bewitching hour, to rise every morning and hear
this -beautiful chorus and, while he was standing
at the edge of a piece of woods listening, his eye
fell on something that flashed and glittered like so
many diamonds among the low bushes by the fence.
Stepping to tho bushes he found that tho flashes
and gleams were caused by some marvelous berries
that hung like tiny bubbles or glass beads from tho
branches, transparent as ice and as big as peas.
Picking some of these strange berries, he was
surprised to find them crumble away into a pale,
white powder, resembling sugar, in his palm.
Now,"Tke had done what very' few people can
boast of. He had found Metamorphosis berries,
which only grow for a few minutes just before the
sun rises and fade away the very instant the sun
shines on them, which, of course, is the reason why
they are rarely seen. These berries, or, rather, the
white powder, has the marvelous power, when it
is sprinkled upon anything, of changing it into
something else in the twinkling of an eye. The tini
est pinch will alter an elephant, for instance, into
some Tfther animal, Lut the curious part of it all
is that no ono can tell what the new animal will
be like nor in fact is it ever entirely like any one
animal, for it may have the head of one and the legs
of another, so you see it is always a somewhat dan
gerous experiment to make.
s
Iko promptly gathered a great quantity of this
powder to tako to his grandfather, for he was very
anxious to know what it was. I should jay, at i
guess, that he pot together about n pint of it' before
the sun rose and, to his Amazement, seemetlto melt
all the remaining berries on the branches as quiet
as a wink.
He ttarted for home, but half way across tho
field he came upon another rare sight. This was a
THE GIANT PLEADS
WITH IKE
A CIRCUS
bnby rabbit sitting in the grass, too bewildered to
run away, and when Ike picked up the tiny creature
Borne of tho powder fell upon it, and before he could
realize it he had in his hands a small black pig,
grunting and squealing in wild fright.
Ike was astonished, of course, but instantly con
cluded that the powder had some mngic qualities,
which he determined to test, so when he got home
he merely asked bin grandfather if he had ever seen
or heard of any strange icelike berries growing on
bushes.
"I have never seen such berries," replied Grandpa
Sutherland. "Your great-uncle Pettit onoe saw
them, but, somehow, when he went to pick them,
they vanished as if by magic. I have read that such
berries are called Metamorphosis berries."
"Gee, that's a hard one!" cried Ike. "What does
it mean?"
"That means the power of changing, I suppose,
for that's what the berries do, they say. I don't
believe it myself," added the old man.
Ike, sitting there with his pockets filled with the
white powder, said nothing, but resolved to try it on
the cat after breakfast. His grandpa added:
"It would be a great thing for ono who was lucky
enough to secure some, wouldn't it?" Ike saw that
he was only joking, but he replied:
"I'll keep my eyes open for those berries after
this."
"If you keep your eyes wide open in the woods
and fields you'll see some queer things, but you'll
never see those berries," said Grandpa Sutherland.
After breakfast Ike secured the cat and went into
the woodshed to make another experiment, and, 99
before, as soon as the powder fell on the animal, she
changed into a lamb ! Ike could scarcely believe his
eyes, but just then he heard the hired man express
ing his wonder at finding a little black pig in the
field, for no one kept black pigs in that neighbor
hood. The lamb ran out of the woodshed, and there
was another surprise.
Then Iko sprinkled a pinch of Metamorphosis
powder on the horse that the hired man wn3 leading
to water and it changed into a big ox at once, but
the man never noticed the change until, he got to
the pump, when, turning, he saw the ox and almost
fell down in his astonishment.
"Great Ooruml'yhe shouted, "it's rainin' other
people's animals on this farm! Who played this
trick on me, I wonder, and where's old Major gone ?"
Ike ran into the house to seo what his grandpa
would say, but there he saw the canary in the cage
and couldn't resist the temptation to try the powder
again, with the result that in a moment tho gilded
cage held a guinea pig; but for the first time Iko
now noticed that it had peculiar limbs, which he
soon saw were birds' legs. Then he ran out and
saw at once that tho ox, which the hired man was
now inspecting with great curiosity, had the legs
find hoofs-of old Major, the horse. The lamb, also,
had cats' claws, so he perceived that after the chnngv?
each animal retained something of its former parts.
Filled with even more burning curiosity, for,
after all, he was only a boy and did not reflect
before he acted, as we always should do, especially
when we have a magic powder in our possession, he
ran to the pig-pen to test his new-found charm. The
pigs all grunted a warm welcome, expecting, as
they always do, something nice from a visitor, and
Ike promptly spilled a few grains on the head of
the largest. Immediately he fell backward in amaze
ment, for, as yet, he was not used to the shock of the
changes he caused, for there stood a big black bear,
which in another moment began to devour the other
pigs and caused such an outcry from the pig-pen
that Hiram, the hired man, came running up at
once, for he knew that something dreadful had hap
pened. As soon as he saw the great black bear he shouted
for Mr. Sutherland to get his rifle, but be climbed a
tree himself at once, nor did he come downjintil Mr.
Sutherland had shot tha animal. It had killed all of
HAS BROKEN LOOSE,
the pigs in the pen, however, and Ike's grandpa
said things, you may be sure, when he saw the havoc
it had committed.
Ike resolved to bo more careful thereafter, and
for the rest of tho morning he did nothing more
with his magic powder, but by noon his curiosity got
the better of him again and he dropped some pow
der on the black pig which had been a rabbit. Jt
turned into a porcupine with rabbits' legs this time
nnd ran away at once, and no doubt is still searing
the inhabitants of the woodland to this hour. Then
Ike tried some powder on the cow, who stood with
her head out of the barn surveying th landscape,
and at once she vanished. Wondering what he now
was to see, Iko looked in the window and there be
held a great sea-lion with hoofs, which immediately
set up an awful barking roar that'brought everybody
out to the barn at ouco.
"My gracious!" cried Grandma Sutherland, star
tled, and turning very pale. "Who brought that aw
ful thing into our barn?"
"It's a whale," shouted Hiram.
"Xo," said Grandpa, "it's a sea-cow. I've seen
them in Alaska. But how on earth did it get here?"
"There must have been a Noah's Ark landed
'round here," answered the hired man. "Seems to
me we're a gittin' every kind o' beast that's made."
"Mercy!" said Grandma. "I 'spect we'll be hav
ing lions and tigers then, the next thing."
"I reckon I'll be leaving before that," said Hi
ram. "I can't be having my seven senses scared
outen me every minute."
"You've only got about two senses," said Grand
ma. "I don't know how a sea-cow, or whatever this
is, happens to be in my barn, but I guess there'll be
no lions yet awhile."
Hut Ike, now tilled with aischievous desire to
have some fun, had sprinkled some powder on
Bruce, the setter dog, behind their backs, and thero
stood a giraffe blandly gazing down at them and
wagging a dog's tail in a very friendly manner.
Graudnia fell into Grandpa's arms and squealed,
while Hiram climbed into the hay loft and hid in
the hay, for he had never seen a giraffe before.
The animal frisked about merrily and Ike was
the only one not alarmed, for oil thought a giraffe
was something fieree. Then it hegan t eat the hay
that was hanging out of the window above them and
soon Mrs. Sutherland became calm again.
"I am quite 6ure now," said Grandpa, "that a cir
cus lfas broken loose in this neighborhood, for noth
ing else can explain this appearance of strango
animals."
Hiram, who was very fond of circuses, came out
of the hay to peer at the giraffe,, while Ike went
with his grandma into the house, where she sud
denly spied the guinea pig in the canary's cage.
This alarmed her afresh, mid she called Grailpa in
to see the other wonder. Ho couldn't explain it at
all and fell into a deep maze, for so many new ani
mals ou one farm whs paralyzing. Ike then sought
for another subject, for he had so much powder
that hp need not be economical,
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He soon found n big Cochin China rooster strut
ting proudly about the yard, and after a sharp
chase eornered bin: long enough to sprinkle some
of the berry-dust on his feathers.
Instantly the rooster changed into a turtle, but
with the long feathered hind legs of the chicken.
Even Ike, who might l)o said to be somewhat used
to these startling changes by this time, was amazed.
The rooster-turtle strutted about quite as proud
ly as before, but when the hens saw him there was
a scurrying in the bcrnyard and a squawking that
brought Grandma out in a minute, and she was so
startled that she almost fainted.
-Seeing Ike standing there composedly, she came
to the conclusion that in some way the boy was
connected with all theso metamorphoses, and call-
ing him to her she asked him if he was making all
the trouble. Of course Ike, who never told a lie, at.
once confessed bis share in the disturbance, where-
SAID GRANDPA
upon his grandmother declared that ho ought to be
spanked and sent to bed.
But Grandpa Sutherland, when he heard that tho
powder did it, was as curious as his grandson and
wanted to seo it work at once, -so Ike promptly
changed a hen into a rat with feathers on his tail,
and you should havo seen his grandpas eyes stick
out !
Tho rat immediately ran into the barn and dis
appeared, but Grandpa had seen enough to satisfy
him that Ike had found the wondrous Metamor
phosis berry powder, and he at once demanded tha
it should be handed over to him, for, said he, such
dangerous stuff should not be in the possession of
so small a boy, and so Ike delivered to him all that
he could conveniently dig out of his jacket-pocket.
But as you may imagine a great deal still stuck to
tho inside of the pocket, enough to cause many mora
wonderful changes. '
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Grandpa Sutherland was as much inclined to ex
periment's Ike, but instead of trying to discover
the effect of the powder upon any more animals he
endeavored to see if it would alter inanimate ob
jects, so he walked away to seek some secluded spot
in which to test his prize. Strangely enough, the
same idea came into Ike's mind, but he tested it
right there and then by sprinkling a few grains
upon tho old ramshackle cart that stood in the
barn-yard.
Instantly there stood a brand new automobile, as
red as fire and shining like gold in its brass parts,
waiting for him to jump in and ride away. Before
he could act upon the invitation, however, or even
recover from his surprise, something more astound
ing occurred, for the farmhouse suddenly disap
peared and in its place stood a large factory, from
the windows nnd doors of which came the busy hum
of many workers and at the front door of which
stood his grandpa with a most amazed expression
on his face. Grandpa had entered his house to get
his hat, but stumbling at thd' step sprinkled somo
fif the magic powder on the floor, and at once tho
house changed into a great cigar factory with hun
dreds of men and women making all kinds of cigars
with all their might nnd main.
It was many minutes before they realized what it
meant, but Hiram exclaimed:
"Gee whiz! This beats all the farms I ever saw
in my lifoH Gimme a good five-cent cigar and lemmo
cnjoymyself."
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I suppose it s my cigar factory, said Grandpa
i.i sonic doubt, "because it was my house, but I
don't know what I'm going to do with it. I don't
know anything about making cigars."
"Well, I do," said Hiram, "for I've made many a
one in winter-time at home when I was a boy, and
I've never forgotten how to do it, so I'll be your
foreman here. It's a fine big shop, and I'll bet they
make bully cigars."
But there was already a competent foreman and
(salesman, and the foreman assured Mr. Sutherland
that it was his factory and that they were working
for him alone, while ie. exchange of a farmhouse
for a. factory was a great advantage to him. Grand
pa resolved to things take their course and to
forget that he was ever a farmer, so he lighted a
good fifty-cent cigar and sat down under a tree op
posite. Ike, seeing that nobody had noticed Jijs new
automobile, sprang into it, applied the power -and
started off, resolved to travel to a great distance and
see the world. i
Now the automobile was no ordinary vehicle,
but fully as magical and as remarkable as any of
the other things affected by the wonderful powder.
It ran not merely along the smooth roads, but as
easily over crags, boulders, marshes and hummocksj
and soared through the air,, also, quite as smoothly,
or shot up, balloon-like, to the cjouds, so that rid
ing, in it wis a continuous series of surprises cal
culated to make the heart of a boy as smairas Iko
keep palpitating pretty much all the time.
.When he was running noiselessly along some de-
serted river road it would spring like a quail Into
the air and shoot like an arrow for a thousand
miles, almost taking Ike's breath away at the swift
ness of its flight, a"nd thorefore he we not surprised
to find himself very soon in lands Unknown to him
nnH lrnlrnnum in almsta 11 J. - .L. l 1 .
reason that tho names of these lands are never ji
Disced in anv creoirrnnhv. no tli
to remember. . m
For instancer Metuchinkaswotkowitsky or Phs
saicskyslobskovitch, two of tho-countries through
which ho passed, are obsolutely unheard of at oil,
and so is Phantasmagorias (lovely land filled with
pretty girls and strange animals), as well as
Pschychothysis and Metempschychosis, and when,
you have tried to pronounce these names you'll not
be surprised that they are never .seen in any geog
raphy. ' .
In all theso lands Ike found things to interest
and instruct as well as amuse hiu, and the time
passed so pleasantly that it was several months
before he thought of writing home and telling tho
folks where he was and what he was doing.
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His magic powder had been tested in many of
theso places; ho had changed tigers into bats, eb
phants into alligators, zebras into ostriches, fish
into birds; in fact, he had almost exhausted Lis
supply, but everywhere tho people called him
magician and gave feasts in his honor, nor did h
ever have to pay hotel bills at any place. They wera
even afraid of him in most countries, for such a
power, of course, seems altogether beyond human
understanding, except to the smart boys and girls
who read these stories, and so when he merely hinted
that he needed anything they almost fell over each
other to procure it at once for him.
After a time, however, it seemed to Ike that
everything was extremely monotonous and tire
some fn these countries, where there were no news
papers or books or mcrry-go-rounds or candy storen,
and although he never lacked any of the dainties1
native to these lands he gradually began to long for
his mother's cooking, for frankfurters, pickles,
pretzels, hoky-poky and the other delicacies of his
own country.
As he had now learned how to control his erratic,
automobile, he determined to steer for home at
once, although he well knew that it vjould'be a dif
ficult matter to keep his red "smell-cart," as tho
people called it, from making excursions here an!
there whenever it felt like it.
He started off at daybreak, which was now his
favorite hour, and traveled along a new road toward
the west. He had scarcely covered fifty miles be
fore ho saw a gigantic figure looming up against
the rosy sky.
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It nearcd him and then he saw that it was a giant.
He was about to dart up into the air when the giant
called to him to stop and listen to his request. Ike
stopped and when the giant, who was a hundred and
fifty feet high, reached him he asked him what he
desired.
"I have heard in far away Kleptomania, where I
live, that you are a wonder-working magician who
can change things into anything you desire."
"That is not true," replied Ike. "I can change
things, but I am not able to tell what they'll be."
"I wish you would practice on mc," said the giant,
sobbing. "I am too big. I am starving, for I can
never get half enough to eat without ruining whole
countries, and I am too tender-hearted to do that.
I have not had a square meal in ten months. Change
me, I pray, into anything you wish, and I will be
your slave forever if I can only get enough to eat."
"I can't promise to help you," replied the boy,
"for I know not how the charm will work."
"Oh, anything is better than this feeling of empti
ness," cried the giant, while tho tears poured from
his eyes. "Make me a goat or an ostrich, anything
that eats, and I'll be thankful."
Wh(n Ike found that he was not to be put off he
finally sprinkled the last remaining trrains of now-
oer upon uiu mm s ivi:i, uuu ne was mucil gratl
tied to see him change into a fat cook instead
some awful animal.
"Now," said he to the cook, "you certainly will be
able to get all you want to eat, I think."
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"Yes," cried the cook, "I see my way now, but I
shall only cook for you, unless you turn me away.
My name is Jeremiah Swonk, and I've a pile of golj
hidden away that is r.ll yours, and we will now pro
ceed to enjoy ourselves."
So Jeremiah remained with Ike, and after they
had taken the gold they returned home, for Ike was
now wealthy and quite proud of having traveled in
such strange lands; but when he arrived at home he
envv him. for. after all. what's a nile. of old to
man who has a big cigar factory? But both of them
were secretly glad that there was no more powder
left, for something might have happened to spill
little of it, and who knows what might have folf I
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lowed? Nobody else has ever discovered and gath-sA
for it is dangerous stuff.
WALT McDOTJGALL. "
ONE OF IKE'S CHANGED ANIMALS
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