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The Long Journeg
I was resting lazily on a limb
of a medium-sized tree in south
ern state when I was taken down
by force and thrown in the back
of a pick-up truch. It happened
so fast that I was unable to de
fend myself.
The truck stopped in front of
a shabby-looking shed with a
big cotton field nearby. I was
puzzled and frightened when I
was taken off the truck and put
under the shed. I did not under
stand why I should be receiving
such treatment.
There were many people talk
ing and laughing but I could not
hear them for the loud noises
made by things they called ma
chinery. No one would talk to
me, nor tell me what was going
on. Then a Negro boy started
towards me, and before I could
say a word, picked me up and
slung me on a section of this ma
chinery called rollers. The wom
en stood there watching as I was
tossed about.
Suddenly a large door opened
and I was dropped unexpectedly
into a dark dungeon-like place.
I was whirled around and around.
Another large door opened and I
was back on a similar section of
rollers. Again women stood gaz
ing as I passed by them. I could
not understand how they could
watch me being treated this way.
Did not one of them have any sym
pathy? If I could only make
them understand that I desired
help.
My thoughts were interrupted
when I dropped down on an enor
mous conveyer belt extending from
one end of the shed to the other.
It was moving at a fast rate of
speed. Fear was building up in
side of me. To think that a beau
tiful, summer afternoon could
turn into such a ugly, dismal one.
One of the young girls standing
by the conveyor belt seemed to be
reaching out her hand to pick me
up.
Thank goodness! She is picking
me up. I knew there must be at
HILLTOP—PAGE TWELVE
The basket was pushed on to
slowly moving boards. I had
wished things would slacken, but
not under these circumstances. Icy
water was pouring down full
force. But at least no one was
staring at me now since this wild
experience had begun. This last
ed fifteen minutes. Ah! The bas
ket is being pulled out from un
der the water. Maybe this mad
ness is coming to an end. How
I had survived thus far was a mir
acle.
The boy who had pulled the
basket out clamped a top over it.
I did not mind the darkness and
smothering effect by now. I was
exhausted and willing to give up.
Out of the small cracks in the
basket that I had failed to see, I
saw a train stopping behind the
shed. I had never ridden on a
freight car.
Looks as if my first train ride is
about to begin. Just as the slide
doors rattled shut I could faintly
hear someone saying, “Oh! What
a peach!”
Birthdai
Qoc
least one kind person around this
place. But wait! She only picked
me up to place me on another con
veyer belt above the previous one.
I see some boys, but I dare not
hope for their help. I fear to
trust anyone else around here.
Leaning toward her
bed, little eight-year '
poked him tenderly.
“Pug! Pug! Get up.
know what today is?’
Lane wei
p
When a boy did pick me up, I
did not get excited. There will
only be something worse I
thought, and I was correct. The
boy dumped me into a deep metal
container and placed it over in a
long line of containers identical
to it. By now I was cut and
bruised. Looking up out of the
container, I saw a tall man hold
ing a huge basket. He brought
it down with a jolt. Now I could
not see out, and I was smothering.
Someone flipped the container,
topped by the basket. This made
me dizzy. The container was re
moved and I could breathe again.
The first thing I saw was a group
of men sitting around watching
and discussing me.
Turning over and
opening his eyes, he
her.
loci'’
‘No. What is it?” he S'
“It’s my birthday!”
exuberantlv.
it'
“Hey, that’s right;
with the admiring litd'„
look. “What are we
She thought a minute
“I don’t know.”
f ■
“We could go have ^'
the beach,” he suggested
“That’s a real keen
agreed. “Let’s get dt*^
go!”
Quietly they got up
preparing to go. Bathic^
they went to the kitches*^
box of cookies and I''
Walking out the bac^
seven o’clock, they
hundred feet of theif
onto the beach.
“It’s nice to go swim'*’'*'
cember,” Pug said.
“Yes, I’m going to
we leave tomorrow fot
Paddling around in
waii sunshine (their
stationed there), they
Judy’s birthday. l,
Around quarter tiU
got out onto the sand ^
“Look, Judy! Look
planes coming,” cried t
“Gee, they’re realL
said Judy.
"'as nothing 1
P remember
*atisf[e(j and
i-fting that the
, kave. Peop
i"® leading ch:
and buy all
i''a cloth, and
Sc -Lave th
if they
tfiey wante
I the money
hvr chicken'
^"Pplies. N
I ° trade their
1 * *^liey could I
li
factor:
This happening took P
vears ago. The date f
her 7, 1941, her eight'’
birthday.
y
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