THE CITY OF THE LONGLEGS 



N the banks of a certain river in the South, a 

 few miles from its mouth, lies a large rice 

 plantation with its broad fields extending along the bottom 

 lands. Half a mile from the river is a bluff, which at some 

 remote date may have served as the bank of a much larger 

 stream. There on the high ground, surrounded by mag- 

 nificent live oaks, stands the large house of the planter. 

 Behind the mansion is a garden, and behind the garden are 

 more rice fields, while beyond these stretch away for miles 

 unbroken forests of pine and cypress. 



One summer while visiting here I noticed about the rice 

 fields numerous large birds wading in the shallow water. 

 All seemed stilted on long, slender legs. Occasionally 

 one would thrust out its snakelike neck and strike at some- 



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