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DUMPIJNG'S WONDERFUL) YOYAGE.
." ' ': ;: - . By E. BOYD SMITHS , " '
H
01 a balloon," cried Dumpling suddenJy.camft "interested in the- different-places which -he -as
the boys of the little town of .Bon-paed over -How tmy the hou.es axe in that
heur, In, France, wr getting ready for tovnr be thought; "and bow small the trees are!,;
a game of marbles one afternoon. 7 And, oh. there's the seal''.- True enough; for Dump-.
' And, true enough,' there was a bat-ling's cloud . was rapidly carrying, hun out ow the
- loon axfling over the wood and comingocwa Suddenly ,he .became frightened. Oh, 1
toward the village. At one all was excitement, forshall be drowned 1 ,; he cnea. unr 1 want ,ro go
a balloon was a rare sight to the boys. As it ap-backt I mutt go back! . , 'v . ' ' I .
proached, the occupants-of the basket ' dropped a He was very much frightened at the idea of stay
long rope, shouting to them to catch hold and fnakeing out all night, and on a cloud too. It was bad
it fast to a post. They wished to come down. ; Theenough in the daytime, when he could at least see ,
boys ran eagerly for the rope; but the balloon waswhere he was going; but now, at night, he might
going too fast, and they were unable to hold it
"Take a turn around that post," called one of the
men from above. But before the eager boys, tug
ging with all their might, could do as they were
asked, a sudden gU6t lifted the balloon,; and they,
carried off then feet, were dragged along, their toes
barely touching the ground. '
"Let go,-let got" shouted the men,. alarmed lest
the boys should be hurt The boys, now somewhat
frightened, let ,the rope slide through their hands,
and tumbled and rolled on the ground, unable to
stop themselves. But Dumpling, as always, was too
slow': the last to take "hold, he was now the last to
let go. In fact, he did n't let go at til; for just as
he was making up his mind Ho do so, the balloon,
freed from the weight of the other boys, rose with
a Jump, carrying him high up from the ground.
"Stop, hold on, stop! I want to get down," cried
poor Dumpling, now very anxious to let go. . But
the men above cried out to him to hold on for dear
life, for they saw that should he fsll from such a
height he would surely be hurt, and perhaps seriously.-
So Dumpling set his teeth -and held on.
At last, quite low down, he found himself drain
ing across Mere Seigle's garden. The linen was
hanging out on the lines to dry. Now was Dump
ling's chaneet he decided to drop; but just as he had
come to thJs conclusion, a sheet flapped around his
Dumpling thought they looked rery funny with
their smooth-shaved heads, and long; pigtails of hair
; hanging down their backs. And their eyes, too,, were
, queer, running up at the corners. And they wore
strange' shoes and strange ctothes. It all looked
very funny to him. When he smiled at them the
people shouted in their joyr for they thought it a
sign of his great favor, and that he would bring them
.much, happiness and glory.
For the first few days he enjoyed himself, seeing
the strange things, the beautiful palaces, and the
flowery gardens. A iruard of soldiers always car-
- -,ried him about; and since they could a't understand..
a
AWAY HS WENT, WITH SEVUlAt OF MEXX SEICHES BEST SHEETS AND TA1L8-CXOTHS HANGING ABOUT HIS NECK.
head and so bewildered him that he forgot to let go.
"Get out of that! Get away from that clean
linen," angrily cried Mera Seigle.
Poor Dumpling wished to: he had n't come there
of his own free will And he did get away; for the
balloon suddenly rose again, dragging him across
the clothes-lines. They broke, and away he wen:,
with several of Mere Seigle's best sheets and table
cloths hanging about his neck.
"Come back, come back, you thief 1" she shouted.
. Dumpling would have liked only too well to come
back, but the balloon was in too much of a hurry.
Another strong gust of wind, and away they
sailed, this time? high above the houses. Dumpling
shut his eyes in terror; but he held on. Far down
below, the other boys, in 'open-mouthed horror,
watched him sail away.
The men in the balloon were having trouble them
selves to keep from falling out, as the basket rocked
dangerously, shaken by every squall. And they ,
could not putt Dumpling in s they, had intended 1
When Dumpling, nearly out of breath, again opened
his eyes, he saw, beneath him, the village, looking
like a collection of tiny toy houses. The boys were
only little black specks. - . '
' Oh, dear," he . thought, "how shall I ever get
down?" . -. '
But higher and still higher flew the balloon.
Soon they were among the clouds. These looked
temptingly soft to Dumpling.
"I think I 'd rather be on a cloud than dragging
along like a tail to a kite," he said. And the more
he thought about the clouds, the more her liked the
idea of trying one. At last a big round cloud just
below seemed to invite him. a ; ' , .
"I 've a mind to drop down n it," he said to
himself; for he was getting very tired of holding on
to the rope, and It hurt his hands.
The temptation was too great to resist, Dump-'
linglet go. Wh-r-r-r-rlihe shot down through the
air, while the sheets were released and whirled up
and away. He alighted in the middle of the soft '
cjoud without a shock; it felt like a featherbed. He
was delighted; it was so much more comfortable
than the end of a rope. ,The balloon .soon disap
peared, still going up," up, and he found ' himself
alone. .-.-; ;:. '
"Now this is very well so far," said Dumpling;
"but how shall I get home in time for supper?" .
He crawled oyer to the edge to look down: but
all he could see at fjrst was more clduds.
And. to his surprise, they air seemed to be going
in different directions. At last, between them, he
saw the earth far down betow. "Oh, I '11 never get
baclf in time," he thought. -
As he looked the land seemed to slide away from
-beneath him. For a while he could not understand,
this: but he soon discovered the reason his cloud r
was moving1 .along all the time. And now he be-.
THEY FXOSTtATED THEMSELVES. AT HIS FEET.
sail away to some distant, savage country, he knew
not where, and in the morning be so far from home
that he could never get back. He might even go to
China, he thought, away to the otlyeT end of the
world. . And his heart sank as he thought or It.
Poor lost Dumpling tried hard to keep awake; but
he was tired from so much excitement and such
unusual exercise, and his eyes closed in spite of all
he could do to keep them open. The cloud was soft
and comfortable, so at last he fell asleep.
The sun was shining brightly when he awoke. He
looked down from "his cloud to see where he 'was.
All below him was a great desert of rocky plains,
burnt and dry from the heat of the sun.. Here and
there he saw tlroves of sheep and oxen, and occa
sionally a man or two; but thy looked very foreign
to him. ,
And now Dumpling discovered that? he was hun
gry. And the sun became hotter and hotte. He
crawled down into a shadowy nook of his ctoudto
try to keep cool. While he satthere, reiecting
fiver his mishap and wondering where he could get .
a breakfast, he discovered that his cloud had grbwn
smaller while he was sleeping. And even now, as
he looked, it seemed to be breaking up. It also
-became thinner and more transparent, and he was
surprised to find that he could almost see through
it. Th hot sun was drying it up.
in the course of a few hours, though to Dump
ling it seemed a much shorter time, the larger part
of hi cloud had melted away before his eyes. Here
was a new danger. What would become of , him
tf it disappeared entirely?
He no longer could move about on it with safety,
for steadily, big pieces would break off and float
away. And now be noticed that the remnant of the
cloud was also. getting nearer to "the earth all the,
time. ' '':' ";
Vlf it only holds together till. I get there 1" he
thought to himself. But he very much feared that
it could not last long enough to let him down in
safety. Now' be saw houses, plenty of therm He,
was just over a great city: he could see it stretching
away in every direction. And what Strang houses!
He had never "seen the like before, They were of
Much odd shapes, like great wooden ; tents,' and all
briffhtly colored.
V "Perhaps it s .China." he thought J. ;
iler'e the cloud ' began breaking up in a most
alarming manner. "Piece after piece broke off and
melted away into the; air. :. Dumpling scrambled
from each shifting piece to another, and held on for
.dear life.,; But they kept growing thinner and thhv
ner. To his" horror, he found that his feet went
through and left holes. He felt that he must soon
fall unless things changed at once. - But the sun
grew hotter and hotter, and the cloud still melted
; away before ; it. t Dumpling felt himself rapidly
sinking. , lie tried to hold to the last lump
of cloud, but it vanished in his arms. He shut
his eyes, for he knew that now he was lost. Down,
down he rushed through the air. Thud! He had
struck something. Crack t crash I It gave way.
Splash! Dumpling had landed.
For a moment he was dazed; but a great clamor
and shouting made him. open'his eves. He looked
up. Above him vas a hole which he had made
in the bamboo roof. He looked down. He was sit
ting in the middle of a big fountain. Now he under
stood why he yas not hurt. He looked about him.
Strange people were shouting and waving their
hands. Some were on their knees, as though wor
shipping before him.
"It is the Child of the Sun," they cried. "He has
come to us from the sky!" At once they helped
Dumpling out of the. water. They took off his wet
clothes and put a rich robe around him; then they'
sat him on fine cushions and brought him all sorts
of strange food and drink, which they placed before
him. Then they pro&trated themselves at his feet,
while musicians beat gongs and sang what seemed
tuneless songs. ..,
Dumpling was so bewildered that he" forgot to be
frightened. But when the food was presented to
him he remembered that he had had no dinner the
day before, nor breakfast that morning. He forgot
everybody in his hunger, and ate until he could eat
no more, for Dumpling always had a good appetite.
And those who watched him said to one' another
that he must be a god, for no mere human being ,
could eat so much.
Next he looked about him. What strange men
these wefel He had never seen any. such before.
He would have been afraid, but he saw that they
seemed to fear him This gave him courage. "I
wonder if I 'm in China," he thought. .
He asked where he was, but of course they could
not understand him.
'They are Chinamen," he thought
"He Is a god," they thought. "He speaks a celes
tial language which we do not know"
And again they bowed down before him. .
Dumpling had fallen through the roof of the
prince's palace. To every one of course it was evi
dent that he had come straight from heaven; they .
knew well that no ordinary person lived in the
clouds. The prince-gave up his best throne to him:
So overcome was he by this great honor that the
gods had done him.
Messengers were sent running through the city
to announce the wonderful event; and soon the
people came in multitudes to see the Child of the
Sun. Dumpling was carried to the temple on a
golden throne, while all the populace of the city
fell down on their faces as he was borne before
them.
him, he made signs when he wanted anything, and
everybody ran to wait upon him. But after a while
he grew very homesick and could think of no way
to get back to his own village, for he knew it must
be very far off.
' The Chinese) boys were very fond of Hying kiCc
and as soon as there was any breeze they .were 01.
at play. In , the palace Dumpling saw some i;
mense kites of odd shapes, bigger than' men. I
asked the people, by signs, to fly them. - They an
swered, by signs, that they needed much more win!
At last, one day. there was a, strong breezej It?
big kites were taken out,: and Dumpling was
lighted to see great clouds, high up in the sky.
"Oh, if I could only get up to themt" he thought.
The men-sent tip the . big kites. One of them
pulled sohard that it took two men to hold it. A"
soon as it was up long way in tha sky, almost
, to the clouds, it seemed to Dumpling, they tied v
firmly tot a post. Then they, came bowing to Dump
ling, the Child of the Sun, to show him that they bad
fulfilled his command. They invited him to feel how
strongly it pulled. Dumpling was surprised to find
that he could not move the great kite, though hr
used all his strength. Suddenly he thought, 'A
kite may do as well as a balloon .to carry me up
: to the clouds." The more he thought of this. the.
more he was convinced that the idea would work.
He was very homesick and very desperate. "I wfl
try it, at any rate," he ..said at last; !I want to go
home." So, while his unsuspecting attendants
watched him adoringly, he suddenly cut the Hne
which held the kite, and, holding on, to it.firmjr,
away he sailed.
The prince and his guards, when" they saw hir
go, fell ,down on their faces, crying, "The Child o;
the Sun is vexed with us, and he has gone back $r
his house in the sky." ,
The kite soon carried Dumpling up among llc
clouds; and as he was now 0 used to traveling
this way, he easily dropped off upon a soft, thiV
one, and soon was speeding away toward home.
As be had made an early start, he reached hi
own part of the world just before dark. . '
He skilfully dropped from one cloud to another,
tintil quite near the earth. When he approached hi
home his cloud, swayed by a gust of wind and hb
weight, passed close over the tops of the ; forest
trees Dumpling managed to drop in the branches,
and, after some trouble, succeeded in climbing dow;
to the ground, once again safely at home.
"Hehyl Dumpling! I say, Dumpling! Where arc
you?"
Dumpling robbe'd his eyes and looked out There
he saw the other boys with lanterns in their hands
It was quite dark.. They were looking for him, 1
"Indeed,- but you do sleep well t" said yictor
"Did n't you hear the supper bell?"
"We thought you. were lost, and have been hunt
ing for your for the last hour," added George.
"What have you been dreaming about this time
Dumpling?" asked Howard, laughing.
But Dumpling would n't tell In fact, he is n';
sure yet whether it was a dream or not.
ABOVE HIM WAS A HOLE WHICH HE HAD MADS IK THE BAMBOO JtOOJ.
THE LIGHT OF THE FIREFLY.
What a pleasure it is to watch'the brilliant, inter
mittent sparking of the fireflies over the lawn and
in the shrubbery! On some. warm evenings in sum
mer the vanishing and reappearing of these innum
erable little lights is very beautiful
These so-called "fireflies" are not flies at all, but
.beetles that have' soft-shelled flexible wing-covers,
instead of those that are hard and shell- or metal
like, as is usually the case in the beetle family.
There are several kinds of the "lightning-beetles"
in different part of the country. In our common
firefly, the two end joints at the rear of the body
are of a sulphur-yellow color. From these the
strange, bright, phosphorescent light is given out
. It is produced by the action of the nervous system,
at the will of the insect, upon a peculiar formation
of microscopic cells at this part of the body.
A famous firefly of Bratil is catted the cucuju. In
some tropical countries there is a targe firefly caHed
:the Pyrophorus, that gives a steady light, not flash-
ing like our firefly, and is brought alive to the
United States and sold as an ornament
PONE-BREAD.
By GRACE MACGOVAN COOKE.
. Little Bobby Black, - '
- ' He's a-singin' ior a snack, .
An' what shall we make him from de meal in de
. sack? . . , '.
Go chunk up de fire wid a piece o hick'ry wood,
.Mix up de dough, .
Pat it on de hoe '
Am', sinner, did y ever taste hoe-cake?, V
Oh. sinner, did y' ever eat ash-cake?
Ef y' didn't, jr- don' know what's good. -7
yuuuuui
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