Page 46 - 1964
P. 46
INTERMEDIATE
LIVING DESERT THE HIDDEN DOOR A STORM
by Jane W erner
My brother Peter, and I were tak T he soft pitter-patter of the fall
Living Desert is a book w ith each ing a walk along the beach at dusk. ing needles is com forting to my ear.
c h a p te r a different story about life All of a sudden, I stubbed my toe on A flash in the sky makes the scene ex
in the desert. som ething hard. I looked down and citing. Chills run down my spine when
saw a round, black m etal ring. We the cannons begin to blast in the sky.
I liked them all very m uch, and cleared the sand away and found a
the illustration by W alt Disney made door. N ot being able to open it, we Little brother pulls his blanket
the book much more interesting. rushed hom e for some of D a d ’s tools. over his head as T hor hurls enormous
We broke the lock and were able to thunderbolts. T he deafening noise
T h e c h ap ter called Give and Take pry open the door. To our surprise seems to go on endlessly.
tells how the anim als depend upon we found w hat looked like an u n d er
each other for food and survival, how ground passage. Peter jum ped down Just as I begin to feel th at the
they know which animals to fear, and and stared at w hat he saw. Jim ! it noise is crushing m e, it begins to let
which to love. looks like guns. W e decided to close up.
it up, cover it with sand, and go home
T he p art I liked most was the and tell our folks. Soon a fiery orange ball appears in
ch ap ter called Nights in the Desert. the red tin te d sky. T h e birds begin
T his story explains about the b a t’s After telling our story dad thought to chirp. My brother removes the
sonar sense which protects them from we should call in the F.B.I. M aybe blanket from his head. Everything
solid objects which they should dodge. these belonged to our enemies. smells sweet and fresh. Leaves are
bright green. A few drops falling
I believe this is one of the best It was a very interesting day for from drainpipes and trees are the only
books I have ever read, and very edu Peter and me, when the F.B.I., came evidence left of the terrifying storm.
cational. to Port W ashington. We led the in Soon th at too will be gone.
vestigation through the woods down
Joe Wiley to the beach, w here we so often M y brother and I forget the whole
played. There it was just as we had thing until we romp on the wet grass
FUN in the C O U N T R Y left it. T he men opened it up and in the morning.
were as surprised as we had been the
Johnny could feel the breeze as he day we had m ade the discovery. Brandon Douglas
lay under a tree. He was w atching the
stream to his right. H e started m ur After a very good investigation ROLAND
m uring to himself. they decided that Peter and I had
found a secret hiding place for guns Blow your horn! Blow your horn!
“ I wonder what I shall do tom or that dated back to the Civil W ar. Bring C harlem agne to help,
row. Will I get a pony? It will be
black. I ’ll ride him through the m ea Jim m y Dirkes Thousands of enemy are coming,
dow. W h at fun I ’ll h a v e!” We can not hold them back.
THE LAST DOLL
Johnny m urm ured himself to sleep. “ I w on’t,” said R oland. “ I t w ould
T he splash of w ater awoke him. He She was all alone when she received disgrace our names
looked at the stream. T here was a A box so big th a t was strange indeed.
big beaver making a dam. How inter W hen she started to open it up T o beg and cry for help
esting! After awhile the beaver began She thought it m ight be a little pup. W e are the best of Charlem agne
to dislike Jo h n n y ’s com pany so Jo h n n y T o her surprise she found w rapped in
w ent to the meadow. There he tum knights
bled and toppled through the grass. pink and we must prove it now.
He got all worn out and went home. A lovely doll in a dress trim m ed in
Blood flew fast and m any died
W hat an exciting day Johnny had! m ink. But R o la n d ’s m en held firm
Bill Raw son T hen she saw a tiny card which said,
“ T his is your last d oll” from U ncle But then a second army came
OCTOBER And Roland knew the end was near.
T ed.”
O cto b er is my favorite m onth, She was quiet and sad all th at day, He took his horn, although too late
It really feels like fall, But at night she decided to play. And blew a feeble blast.
It makes my pretty red, red, ball, T h e lovely doll m ade her feel fine
Blow down the road-like hall. T hough it m arked the end of child T he enem y took fright. T his is no
normal man.
O cto b er is a w indy m onth, hood time.
It really has a breeze, Perhaps she m ight have been more He will not die, though w ounded deep
But when the m onth gets colder, an d so they tu rn ed an d ran.
You feel like you will freeze. filled w ith glee,
H ad she known that a doll herself W hen Charlm agne rode up,
Holly Bannister He saw he was too late.
she’d alw ays be.
Valerie Dallago Brave R oland had slain the foe
But he no longer lived!
Mike Hoots
42
