NIGHTMARES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 756, 31 August 1929, Page 37

NIGHTMARES

(Second-prize Story)

Yvonne and Jacques were little French twins, and often Anna, their nurse, wrung her hands in despair ai their escapades. One day early in June the rain poured and poureq, so Yvonne and Jacques had to ‘stay in all day. “Bother!” was ail they said from 7 ’ a.m. until 4 p.m., and then Anna sent • them to bed. j Hark! What was that? Surely it j was bells? Three times it sounded until} Yvonne and Jacques both sat up in ' bed in amazement. It was dark by now, but the outline of a little man showed clearly. “Chase him away!” squealed : Yvonne. Before Jacques could answer, the little elf, for an elf he was, told the children he was “Mario,” and invited them to come for a trip with him. “It’s wet, and it’s cold. No thank you!” said Jacques, snuggling up in bed. “Anyway, it’s bad to go out at night,” interrupted Yvonne. Suddenly, and without warning, the children’s cot floated through the window, and up, up, “O-oh! I’m frightened!” exclaimed Yvonne, clinging to Jacques, as they rose. Mario ordered the children to be quiet or they would fall. Bump—they landed on something hard. Surely it was not the moon? The elf made the children follow him until they came to a snow-white house. The house was beautiful, but the flowers were withered. Handing the children an acorn and showing them a small creek, he told them to water the flowers and make them straight. Hours they worked until Yvonne sat down and cried. “I wish it would rain!” “You do, do you? I thought you hated rain,” said a voice. “Horrid thing! Leave her alone!” demanded Jacques. “How dare you! I will give you an- ■ other task for that,” said Mario. So saying, Mario commanded the children to walk over the cliff and get a star. “Br-rh!” Yvonne said. “I’ve had an awful dream. “Don’t you remember Mario?” queried Jacques. “I wonder if it was a dream.” “Oh,” said Anna, “what a fright you have given me!” Jacques and Yvonne just stared at each other. Rona Whitman, aged 12.