Katherine Merritte Yates

“ The dwarf made no answer, but the Dream giggled his unpleasant little giggle. Marjorie turned upon him angrily.
"What made you bring me to such a horrid place?" she exclaimed, "and what makes these abominable dwarfs act this way? Why don't you help me get it off?" and she tried in vain to shake the little fellow from her arm.
"I can't take it off for you," said the Dream. "You'll have to get rid of it for yourself."
"But what is it?" cried Marjorie, "and what does it hold on to me for, and bite me, too?"
"It holds on to you because it can't get around by itself. ”

“ The swamp stretched away as far as she could see upon one hand, and upon the other was a high, thick hedge. Here and there, about the marsh, were scattered little islands which were fairly dry and sported a few trees and bushes; and upon each of these knolls was a crowd of children, still soiled and grimy from plodding through the mud, but laughing and singing and playing games in the gayest and noisiest manner.
"Let's go and watch them," said Marjorie, pointing to a nearby island. ”

“ Some never knew about it, and some began going through the swamp again just for the excitement of fighting the dwarfs, and wading in the muddy pools, and playing on the islands; and the hedge grew up between, and it was lost sight of, and no one knew where it was. We are breaking down the hedge now, though," she added, happily. "See, each of us breaks off a branch wherever he can, and it is growing thinner and thinner, and by-and-by it will be all broken down and then everyone can see the high-road and will come up out of the swamp." ”