Littleton College - Chatterbox Yearbook (Littleton, NC)

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THE CHATTERBOX. 261 raphy correspondence with earth. Would you enjoy inspect- ing the garden until she is free 3 These are the chief Gardeners, she continued, when they had reached the flower beds, f'Gertrude Stantield and Sallie Johnston. 4'lfVhat are you doing 2 enquired the Traveler. Planting seeds, answered Gertrude. tWVe dig a trench and drop them in, and then cover them with mars. Cover them with Mars Z Cf course. On Earth you cover seeds with earthg on Mars, with mars. Some of my plants are blossoming. I give them all Latin- names, she added blushingly. Just ought to look at mine, interposed Sallie. Now, mine really amount to something. Here is a completely de- veloped Trigonometry formula. There is a perfect plan for an English paper, all ready to write itself out. On that bush yonder is a whole epoch in History, neatly recorded, abso- lutely memorized, and about to blossom. And beyond arc the psychological concepts all ready to be picked. Dull books begone! I tell you it's a fine garden! Come again. Now to find Annie, said Josie. 4'Oh! here she comes to meet you. Guess I'1n not wanted. Good-bye. Has Josie showed you everythingiv cried Annie disap- pointedly. I wanted that pleasure. Only the garden? You have merely made a beginning. Iiet us return to the mansion--This is the Supreme Court, opening the door into a sp-acious hall. At the far end, alone and dignified. sat Morada Farabow on a high dais. Judge Farabowf' said the President with great pride. 4'Sl1e has ruled with abso- lute justice in every case that has been tried. She has studied every phase of law and is master of her profession. - These, said Morada, coming forward eagerly, clutching a pile of sealed documents, 'tare the penalties. They are all

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260 THE CHATTERBOX. and psychological. But of course you knew the secret before you entered, or you could never have made your way. WVhat! Do you mean to say that May Spence let you go in that blindly-I mean seeing! She certainly enjoys her little pranks. But there's not an airship that she ean't control They say that the ships obey her instantly when she com- mands them in that powerful, masculine voice. 4'But who is this coming toward us? asked the Traveler, as there approached a happy damsel in the midst of a flock of sheep. Are you Bo-Peep T' he enquired of her. 'CHOW well you guessed! I am Jessie Cogdell, the colony shepherdess. Here in this beautiful pasture between the caanls I tend my tio-elcs of sheep. And this, turning to a little creature at her side who shook the silver bells about his neck, this is my gamboling lamb, the joy of my existence. Ah! I hear one bleating. I must go. Youill find the next landing straight ahead. At the ferry the Traveler was astonished to find his former escort. You didn't say that you wanted to cross all the eanalsf' she laughed misehievously, when he complained of the un-- necessary walk. But I see that you are here waiting for me,', he returned. f'Well, l'll take you directly to the mansion. At. the door you will find the keeper of the keys. In her hands is great power, and you must bow low before her. She is very digni- fied, very pompous, very awful. lfnder no circumstances offend her. Here we are. Good-bye. In fear and trembling the Traveler approached and in a well-worded speech addressed the egress in uniform and brass buttons. It was Josie Perry. She laughed softly. '4Oh, you want to see the mansion, don't you? Come right in. President Annie is busy with her daily wireless teleg-

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262 THE CTHATTERBOX. ready to be doled out. The prisoners will draw lots in order that there may be justice without partialityf' And how many cases have been tried here Z asked the Traveler with interest. Chi none at all, as yet. We are a law-abiding Colony. Prevention is better than cure. But we' re thinking o-f trying Mary Sledge. For what ? tilust for fun-to see if she would still smile. But you must see Mary. She has a most trying position here and is so cheery and brave thru it all. She has charge of the Nursery. It is not at all the usual kind of nursery. Her work is not merely to plan food and amusement for the chil- dren, but also to educate them for their chosen vocations and mold their features and characters accordingly. And the children are by no means cherubs. But you shall see. Here is the Nursery. And here are the children. They are the four Spratts, Bernice Hornaday, Lucie Ross, Helen Earn- hardt and Mary Mayo. When we first came they were so enamoured of the natives that we feared elopements and in- duced them to turn back the hands of their watches over lif- teen years, time. Cf course that brought them to their pres- ent condition of sweet young buds. Tell what you are doing for them, Mary Binfordf' Well, giggled Mary, here is Lucie with Chauncey. Ch, yes! Chauncey, too, returned to kittenhood. She is try- ing to train his tail to curl. lt's more fashionable in Mars. The Martians do not approve of straight tailed animals, and Lucie can not be separated from Chauncey. She is being trained in all the arts of gentleness and kindness towards animals. lVe have sent to earth for a number of cats, and with them are coming a small army of mice and several American cheeses. That provides for all and donlt you think they'll be a very happy family ?