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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/4357-0.txt b/4357-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0a501fd --- /dev/null +++ b/4357-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4497 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of American Fairy Tales, by L. Frank Baum + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you +will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before +using this eBook. + +Title: American Fairy Tales + +Author: L. Frank Baum + +Release Date: January 14, 2002 [eBook #4357] +[Most recently updated: January 19, 2022] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +Produced by: Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines. + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMERICAN FAIRY TALES *** + + + + +American Fairy Tales + +by L. Frank Baum + +Author of +FATHER GOOSE; HIS BOOK, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, ETC. + + +Contents + + THE BOX OF ROBBERS + THE GLASS DOG + THE QUEEN OF QUOK + THE GIRL WHO OWNED A BEAR + THE ENCHANTED TYPES + THE LAUGHING HIPPOPOTAMUS + THE MAGIC BON BONS + THE CAPTURE OF FATHER TIME + THE WONDERFUL PUMP + THE DUMMY THAT LIVED + THE KING OF THE POLAR BEARS + THE MANDARIN AND THE BUTTERFLY + + + + +THE BOX OF ROBBERS + + +No one intended to leave Martha alone that afternoon, but it happened +that everyone was called away, for one reason or another. Mrs. +McFarland was attending the weekly card party held by the Women’s +Anti-Gambling League. Sister Nell’s young man had called quite +unexpectedly to take her for a long drive. Papa was at the office, as +usual. It was Mary Ann’s day out. As for Emeline, she certainly should +have stayed in the house and looked after the little girl; but Emeline +had a restless nature. + +“Would you mind, miss, if I just crossed the alley to speak a word to +Mrs. Carleton’s girl?” she asked Martha. + +“’Course not,” replied the child. “You’d better lock the back door, +though, and take the key, for I shall be upstairs.” + +“Oh, I’ll do that, of course, miss,” said the delighted maid, and ran +away to spend the afternoon with her friend, leaving Martha quite alone +in the big house, and locked in, into the bargain. + +The little girl read a few pages in her new book, sewed a few stitches +in her embroidery and started to “play visiting” with her four favorite +dolls. Then she remembered that in the attic was a doll’s playhouse +that hadn’t been used for months, so she decided she would dust it and +put it in order. + +Filled with this idea, the girl climbed the winding stairs to the big +room under the roof. It was well lighted by three dormer windows and +was warm and pleasant. Around the walls were rows of boxes and trunks, +piles of old carpeting, pieces of damaged furniture, bundles of +discarded clothing and other odds and ends of more or less value. Every +well-regulated house has an attic of this sort, so I need not describe +it. + +The doll’s house had been moved, but after a search Martha found it +away over in a corner near the big chimney. + +She drew it out and noticed that behind it was a black wooden chest +which Uncle Walter had sent over from Italy years and years ago—before +Martha was born, in fact. Mamma had told her about it one day; how +there was no key to it, because Uncle Walter wished it to remain +unopened until he returned home; and how this wandering uncle, who was +a mighty hunter, had gone into Africa to hunt elephants and had never +been heard from afterwards. + +The little girl looked at the chest curiously, now that it had by +accident attracted her attention. + +It was quite big—bigger even than mamma’s traveling trunk—and was +studded all over with tarnished brassheaded nails. It was heavy, too, +for when Martha tried to lift one end of it she found she could not +stir it a bit. But there was a place in the side of the cover for a +key. She stooped to examine the lock, and saw that it would take a +rather big key to open it. + +Then, as you may suspect, the little girl longed to open Uncle Walter’s +big box and see what was in it. For we are all curious, and little +girls are just as curious as the rest of us. + +“I don’t b’lieve Uncle Walter’ll ever come back,” she thought. “Papa +said once that some elephant must have killed him. If I only had a +key—” She stopped and clapped her little hands together gayly as she +remembered a big basket of keys on the shelf in the linen closet. They +were of all sorts and sizes; perhaps one of them would unlock the +mysterious chest! + +She flew down the stairs, found the basket and returned with it to the +attic. Then she sat down before the brass-studded box and began trying +one key after another in the curious old lock. Some were too large, but +most were too small. One would go into the lock but would not turn; +another stuck so fast that she feared for a time that she would never +get it out again. But at last, when the basket was almost empty, an +oddly-shaped, ancient brass key slipped easily into the lock. With a +cry of joy Martha turned the key with both hands; then she heard a +sharp “click,” and the next moment the heavy lid flew up of its own +accord! + +The little girl leaned over the edge of the chest an instant, and the +sight that met her eyes caused her to start back in amazement. + +Slowly and carefully a man unpacked himself from the chest, stepped out +upon the floor, stretched his limbs and then took off his hat and bowed +politely to the astonished child. + +He was tall and thin and his face seemed badly tanned or sunburnt. + +Then another man emerged from the chest, yawning and rubbing his eyes +like a sleepy schoolboy. He was of middle size and his skin seemed as +badly tanned as that of the first. + +While Martha stared open-mouthed at the remarkable sight a third man +crawled from the chest. He had the same complexion as his fellows, but +was short and fat. + +All three were dressed in a curious manner. They wore short jackets of +red velvet braided with gold, and knee breeches of sky-blue satin with +silver buttons. Over their stockings were laced wide ribbons of red and +yellow and blue, while their hats had broad brims with high, peaked +crowns, from which fluttered yards of bright-colored ribbons. + +They had big gold rings in their ears and rows of knives and pistols in +their belts. Their eyes were black and glittering and they wore long, +fierce mustaches, curling at the ends like a pig’s tail. + +“My! but you were heavy,” exclaimed the fat one, when he had pulled +down his velvet jacket and brushed the dust from his sky-blue breeches. +“And you squeezed me all out of shape.” + +“It was unavoidable, Luigi,” responded the thin man, lightly; “the lid +of the chest pressed me down upon you. Yet I tender you my regrets.” + +“As for me,” said the middle-sized man, carelessly rolling a cigarette +and lighting it, “you must acknowledge I have been your nearest friend +for years; so do not be disagreeable.” + +“You mustn’t smoke in the attic,” said Martha, recovering herself at +sight of the cigarette. “You might set the house on fire.” + +The middle-sized man, who had not noticed her before, at this speech +turned to the girl and bowed. + +“Since a lady requests it,” said he, “I shall abandon my cigarette,” +and he threw it on the floor and extinguished it with his foot. + +“Who are you?” asked Martha, who until now had been too astonished to +be frightened. + +“Permit us to introduce ourselves,” said the thin man, flourishing his +hat gracefully. “This is Lugui,” the fat man nodded; “and this is +Beni,” the middle-sized man bowed; “and I am Victor. We are three +bandits—Italian bandits.” + +“Bandits!” cried Martha, with a look of horror. + +“Exactly. Perhaps in all the world there are not three other bandits so +terrible and fierce as ourselves,” said Victor, proudly. + +“’Tis so,” said the fat man, nodding gravely. + +“But it’s wicked!” exclaimed Martha. + +“Yes, indeed,” replied Victor. “We are extremely and tremendously +wicked. Perhaps in all the world you could not find three men more +wicked than those who now stand before you.” + +“’Tis so,” said the fat man, approvingly. + +“But you shouldn’t be so wicked,” said the girl; “it’s—it’s—naughty!” + +Victor cast down his eyes and blushed. + +“Naughty!” gasped Beni, with a horrified look. + +“’Tis a hard word,” said Luigi, sadly, and buried his face in his +hands. + +“I little thought,” murmured Victor, in a voice broken by emotion, +“ever to be so reviled—and by a lady! Yet, perhaps you spoke +thoughtlessly. You must consider, miss, that our wickedness has an +excuse. For how are we to be bandits, let me ask, unless we are +wicked?” + +Martha was puzzled and shook her head, thoughtfully. Then she +remembered something. + +“You can’t remain bandits any longer,” said she, “because you are now +in America.” + +“America!” cried the three, together. + +“Certainly. You are on Prairie avenue, in Chicago. Uncle Walter sent +you here from Italy in this chest.” + +The bandits seemed greatly bewildered by this announcement. Lugui sat +down on an old chair with a broken rocker and wiped his forehead with a +yellow silk handkerchief. Beni and Victor fell back upon the chest and +looked at her with pale faces and staring eyes. + +When he had somewhat recovered himself Victor spoke. + +“Your Uncle Walter has greatly wronged us,” he said, reproachfully. “He +has taken us from our beloved Italy, where bandits are highly +respected, and brought us to a strange country where we shall not know +whom to rob or how much to ask for a ransom.” + +“’Tis so!” said the fat man, slapping his leg sharply. + +“And we had won such fine reputations in Italy!” said Beni, +regretfully. + +“Perhaps Uncle Walter wanted to reform you,” suggested Martha. + +“Are there, then, no bandits in Chicago?” asked Victor. + +“Well,” replied the girl, blushing in her turn, “we do not call them +bandits.” + +“Then what shall we do for a living?” inquired Beni, despairingly. + +“A great deal can be done in a big American city,” said the child. “My +father is a lawyer” (the bandits shuddered), “and my mother’s cousin is +a police inspector.” + +“Ah,” said Victor, “that is a good employment. The police need to be +inspected, especially in Italy.” + +“Everywhere!” added Beni. + +“Then you could do other things,” continued Martha, encouragingly. “You +could be motor men on trolley cars, or clerks in a department store. +Some people even become aldermen to earn a living.” + +The bandits shook their heads sadly. + +“We are not fitted for such work,” said Victor. “Our business is to +rob.” + +Martha tried to think. + +“It is rather hard to get positions in the gas office,” she said, “but +you might become politicians.” + +“No!” cried Beni, with sudden fierceness; “we must not abandon our high +calling. Bandits we have always been, and bandits we must remain!” + +“’Tis so!” agreed the fat man. + +“Even in Chicago there must be people to rob,” remarked Victor, with +cheerfulness. + +Martha was distressed. + +“I think they have all been robbed,” she objected. + +“Then we can rob the robbers, for we have experience and talent beyond +the ordinary,” said Beni. + +“Oh, dear; oh, dear!” moaned the girl; “why did Uncle Walter ever send +you here in this chest?” + +The bandits became interested. + +“That is what we should like to know,” declared Victor, eagerly. + +“But no one will ever know, for Uncle Walter was lost while hunting +elephants in Africa,” she continued, with conviction. + +“Then we must accept our fate and rob to the best of our ability,” said +Victor. “So long as we are faithful to our beloved profession we need +not be ashamed.” + +“’Tis so!” cried the fat man. + +“Brothers! we will begin now. Let us rob the house we are in.” + +“Good!” shouted the others and sprang to their feet. + +Beni turned threateningly upon the child. + +“Remain here!” he commanded. “If you stir one step your blood will be +on your own head!” Then he added, in a gentler voice: “Don’t be afraid; +that’s the way all bandits talk to their captives. But of course we +wouldn’t hurt a young lady under any circumstances.” + +“Of course not,” said Victor. + +The fat man drew a big knife from his belt and flourished it about his +head. + +“S’blood!” he ejaculated, fiercely. + +“S’bananas!” cried Beni, in a terrible voice. + +“Confusion to our foes!” hissed Victor. + +And then the three bent themselves nearly double and crept stealthily +down the stairway with cocked pistols in their hands and glittering +knives between their teeth, leaving Martha trembling with fear and too +horrified to even cry for help. + +How long she remained alone in the attic she never knew, but finally +she heard the catlike tread of the returning bandits and saw them +coming up the stairs in single file. + +All bore heavy loads of plunder in their arms, and Lugui was balancing +a mince pie on the top of a pile of her mother’s best evening dresses. +Victor came next with an armful of bric-a-brac, a brass candelabra and +the parlor clock. Beni had the family Bible, the basket of silverware +from the sideboard, a copper kettle and papa’s fur overcoat. + +“Oh, joy!” said Victor, putting down his load; “it is pleasant to rob +once more.” + +“Oh, ecstacy!” said Beni; but he let the kettle drop on his toe and +immediately began dancing around in anguish, while he muttered queer +words in the Italian language. + +“We have much wealth,” continued Victor, holding the mince pie while +Lugui added his spoils to the heap; “and all from one house! This +America must be a rich place.” + +With a dagger he then cut himself a piece of the pie and handed the +remainder to his comrades. Whereupon all three sat upon the floor and +consumed the pie while Martha looked on sadly. + +“We should have a cave,” remarked Beni; “for we must store our plunder +in a safe place. Can you tell us of a secret cave?” he asked Martha. + +“There’s a Mammoth cave,” she answered, “but it’s in Kentucky. You +would be obliged to ride on the cars a long time to get there.” + +The three bandits looked thoughtful and munched their pie silently, but +the next moment they were startled by the ringing of the electric +doorbell, which was heard plainly even in the remote attic. + +“What’s that?” demanded Victor, in a hoarse voice, as the three +scrambled to their feet with drawn daggers. + +Martha ran to the window and saw it was only the postman, who had +dropped a letter in the box and gone away again. But the incident gave +her an idea of how to get rid of her troublesome bandits, so she began +wringing her hands as if in great distress and cried out: + +“It’s the police!” + +The robbers looked at one another with genuine alarm, and Lugui asked, +tremblingly: + +“Are there many of them?” + +“A hundred and twelve!” exclaimed Martha, after pretending to count +them. + +“Then we are lost!” declared Beni; “for we could never fight so many +and live.” + +“Are they armed?” inquired Victor, who was shivering as if cold. + +“Oh, yes,” said she. “They have guns and swords and pistols and axes +and—and—” + +“And what?” demanded Lugui. + +“And cannons!” + +The three wicked ones groaned aloud and Beni said, in a hollow voice: + +“I hope they will kill us quickly and not put us to the torture. I have +been told these Americans are painted Indians, who are bloodthirsty and +terrible.” + +“’Tis so!” gasped the fat man, with a shudder. + +Suddenly Martha turned from the window. + +“You are my friends, are you not?” she asked. + +“We are devoted!” answered Victor. + +“We adore you!” cried Beni. + +“We would die for you!” added Lugui, thinking he was about to die +anyway. + +“Then I will save you,” said the girl. + +“How?” asked the three, with one voice. + +“Get back into the chest,” she said. “I will then close the lid, so +they will be unable to find you.” + +They looked around the room in a dazed and irresolute way, but she +exclaimed: + +“You must be quick! They will soon be here to arrest you.” + +Then Lugui sprang into the chest and lay flat upon the bottom. Beni +tumbled in next and packed himself in the back side. Victor followed +after pausing to kiss her hand to the girl in a graceful manner. + +Then Martha ran up to press down the lid, but could not make it catch. + +“You must squeeze down,” she said to them. + +Lugui groaned. + +“I am doing my best, miss,” said Victor, who was nearest the top; “but +although we fitted in very nicely before, the chest now seems rather +small for us.” + +“’Tis so!” came the muffled voice of the fat man from the bottom. + +“I know what takes up the room,” said Beni. + +“What?” inquired Victor, anxiously. + +“The pie,” returned Beni. + +“’Tis so!” came from the bottom, in faint accents. + +Then Martha sat upon the lid and pressed it down with all her weight. +To her great delight the lock caught, and, springing down, she exerted +all her strength and turned the key. + + +This story should teach us not to interfere in matters that do not +concern us. For had Martha refrained from opening Uncle Walter’s +mysterious chest she would not have been obliged to carry downstairs +all the plunder the robbers had brought into the attic. + + + + +THE GLASS DOG + + +An accomplished wizard once lived on the top floor of a tenement house +and passed his time in thoughtful study and studious thought. What he +didn’t know about wizardry was hardly worth knowing, for he possessed +all the books and recipes of all the wizards who had lived before him; +and, moreover, he had invented several wizardments himself. + +This admirable person would have been completely happy but for the +numerous interruptions to his studies caused by folk who came to +consult him about their troubles (in which he was not interested), and +by the loud knocks of the iceman, the milkman, the baker’s boy, the +laundryman and the peanut woman. He never dealt with any of these +people; but they rapped at his door every day to see him about this or +that or to try to sell him their wares. Just when he was most deeply +interested in his books or engaged in watching the bubbling of a +cauldron there would come a knock at his door. And after sending the +intruder away he always found he had lost his train of thought or +ruined his compound. + +At length these interruptions aroused his anger, and he decided he must +have a dog to keep people away from his door. He didn’t know where to +find a dog, but in the next room lived a poor glass-blower with whom he +had a slight acquaintance; so he went into the man’s apartment and +asked: + +“Where can I find a dog?” + +“What sort of a dog?” inquired the glass-blower. + +“A good dog. One that will bark at people and drive them away. One that +will be no trouble to keep and won’t expect to be fed. One that has no +fleas and is neat in his habits. One that will obey me when I speak to +him. In short, a good dog,” said the wizard. + +“Such a dog is hard to find,” returned the glass-blower, who was busy +making a blue glass flower pot with a pink glass rosebush in it, having +green glass leaves and yellow glass roses. + +The wizard watched him thoughtfully. + +“Why cannot you blow me a dog out of glass?” he asked, presently. + +“I can,” declared the glass-blower; “but it would not bark at people, +you know.” + +“Oh, I’ll fix that easily enough,” replied the other. “If I could not +make a glass dog bark I would be a mighty poor wizard.” + +“Very well; if you can use a glass dog I’ll be pleased to blow one for +you. Only, you must pay for my work.” + +“Certainly,” agreed the wizard. “But I have none of that horrid stuff +you call money. You must take some of my wares in exchange.” + +The glass-blower considered the matter for a moment. + +“Could you give me something to cure my rheumatism?” he asked. + +“Oh, yes; easily.” + +“Then it’s a bargain. I’ll start the dog at once. What color of glass +shall I use?” + +“Pink is a pretty color,” said the wizard, “and it’s unusual for a dog, +isn’t it?” + +“Very,” answered the glass-blower; “but it shall be pink.” + +So the wizard went back to his studies and the glass-blower began to +make the dog. + +Next morning he entered the wizard’s room with the glass dog under his +arm and set it carefully upon the table. It was a beautiful pink in +color, with a fine coat of spun glass, and about its neck was twisted a +blue glass ribbon. Its eyes were specks of black glass and sparkled +intelligently, as do many of the glass eyes worn by men. + +The wizard expressed himself pleased with the glass-blower’s skill and +at once handed him a small vial. + +“This will cure your rheumatism,” he said. + +“But the vial is empty!” protested the glass-blower. + +“Oh, no; there is one drop of liquid in it,” was the wizard’s reply. + +“Will one drop cure my rheumatism?” inquired the glass-blower, in +wonder. + +“Most certainly. That is a marvelous remedy. The one drop contained in +the vial will cure instantly any kind of disease ever known to +humanity. Therefore it is especially good for rheumatism. But guard it +well, for it is the only drop of its kind in the world, and I’ve +forgotten the recipe.” + +“Thank you,” said the glass-blower, and went back to his room. + +Then the wizard cast a wizzy spell and mumbled several very learned +words in the wizardese language over the glass dog. Whereupon the +little animal first wagged its tail from side to side, then winked his +left eye knowingly, and at last began barking in a most frightful +manner—that is, when you stop to consider the noise came from a pink +glass dog. There is something almost astonishing in the magic arts of +wizards; unless, of course, you know how to do the things yourself, +when you are not expected to be surprised at them. + +The wizard was as delighted as a school teacher at the success of his +spell, although he was not astonished. Immediately he placed the dog +outside his door, where it would bark at anyone who dared knock and so +disturb the studies of its master. + +The glass-blower, on returning to his room, decided not to use the one +drop of wizard cure-all just then. + +“My rheumatism is better to-day,” he reflected, “and I will be wise to +save the medicine for a time when I am very ill, when it will be of +more service to me.” + +So he placed the vial in his cupboard and went to work blowing more +roses out of glass. Presently he happened to think the medicine might +not keep, so he started to ask the wizard about it. But when he reached +the door the glass dog barked so fiercely that he dared not knock, and +returned in great haste to his own room. Indeed, the poor man was quite +upset at so unfriendly a reception from the dog he had himself so +carefully and skillfully made. + +The next morning, as he read his newspaper, he noticed an article +stating that the beautiful Miss Mydas, the richest young lady in town, +was very ill, and the doctors had given up hope of her recovery. + +The glass-blower, although miserably poor, hard-working and homely of +feature, was a man of ideas. He suddenly recollected his precious +medicine, and determined to use it to better advantage than relieving +his own ills. He dressed himself in his best clothes, brushed his hair +and combed his whiskers, washed his hands and tied his necktie, +blackened his shoes and sponged his vest, and then put the vial of +magic cure-all in his pocket. Next he locked his door, went downstairs +and walked through the streets to the grand mansion where the wealthy +Miss Mydas resided. + +The butler opened the door and said: + +“No soap, no chromos, no vegetables, no hair oil, no books, no baking +powder. My young lady is dying and we’re well supplied for the +funeral.” + +The glass-blower was grieved at being taken for a peddler. + +“My friend,” he began, proudly; but the butler interrupted him, saying: + +“No tombstones, either; there’s a family graveyard and the monument’s +built.” + +“The graveyard won’t be needed if you will permit me to speak,” said +the glass-blower. + +“No doctors, sir; they’ve given up my young lady, and she’s given up +the doctors,” continued the butler, calmly. + +“I’m no doctor,” returned the glass-blower. + +“Nor are the others. But what is your errand?” + +“I called to cure your young lady by means of a magical compound.” + +“Step in, please, and take a seat in the hall. I’ll speak to the +housekeeper,” said the butler, more politely. + +So he spoke to the housekeeper and the housekeeper mentioned the matter +to the steward and the steward consulted the chef and the chef kissed +the lady’s maid and sent her to see the stranger. Thus are the very +wealthy hedged around with ceremony, even when dying. + +When the lady’s maid heard from the glass-blower that he had a medicine +which would cure her mistress, she said: + +“I’m glad you came.” + +“But,” said he, “if I restore your mistress to health she must marry +me.” + +“I’ll make inquiries and see if she’s willing,” answered the maid, and +went at once to consult Miss Mydas. + +The young lady did not hesitate an instant. + +“I’d marry any old thing rather than die!” she cried. “Bring him here +at once!” + +So the glass-blower came, poured the magic drop into a little water, +gave it to the patient, and the next minute Miss Mydas was as well as +she had ever been in her life. + +“Dear me!” she exclaimed; “I’ve an engagement at the Fritters’ +reception to-night. Bring my pearl-colored silk, Marie, and I will +begin my toilet at once. And don’t forget to cancel the order for the +funeral flowers and your mourning gown.” + +“But, Miss Mydas,” remonstrated the glass-blower, who stood by, “you +promised to marry me if I cured you.” + +“I know,” said the young lady, “but we must have time to make proper +announcement in the society papers and have the wedding cards engraved. +Call to-morrow and we’ll talk it over.” + +The glass-blower had not impressed her favorably as a husband, and she +was glad to find an excuse for getting rid of him for a time. And she +did not want to miss the Fritters’ reception. + +Yet the man went home filled with joy; for he thought his stratagem had +succeeded and he was about to marry a rich wife who would keep him in +luxury forever afterward. + +The first thing he did on reaching his room was to smash his +glass-blowing tools and throw them out of the window. + +He then sat down to figure out ways of spending his wife’s money. + +The following day he called upon Miss Mydas, who was reading a novel +and eating chocolate creams as happily as if she had never been ill in +her life. + +“Where did you get the magic compound that cured me?” she asked. + +“From a learned wizard,” said he; and then, thinking it would interest +her, he told how he had made the glass dog for the wizard, and how it +barked and kept everybody from bothering him. + +“How delightful!” she said. “I’ve always wanted a glass dog that could +bark.” + +“But there is only one in the world,” he answered, “and it belongs to +the wizard.” + +“You must buy it for me,” said the lady. + +“The wizard cares nothing for money,” replied the glass-blower. + +“Then you must steal it for me,” she retorted. “I can never live +happily another day unless I have a glass dog that can bark.” + +The glass-blower was much distressed at this, but said he would see +what he could do. For a man should always try to please his wife, and +Miss Mydas has promised to marry him within a week. + +On his way home he purchased a heavy sack, and when he passed the +wizard’s door and the pink glass dog ran out to bark at him he threw +the sack over the dog, tied the opening with a piece of twine, and +carried him away to his own room. + +The next day he sent the sack by a messenger boy to Miss Mydas, with +his compliments, and later in the afternoon he called upon her in +person, feeling quite sure he would be received with gratitude for +stealing the dog she so greatly desired. + +But when he came to the door and the butler opened it, what was his +amazement to see the glass dog rush out and begin barking at him +furiously. + +“Call off your dog,” he shouted, in terror. + +“I can’t, sir,” answered the butler. “My young lady has ordered the +glass dog to bark whenever you call here. You’d better look out, sir,” +he added, “for if it bites you, you may have glassophobia!” + +This so frightened the poor glass-blower that he went away hurriedly. +But he stopped at a drug store and put his last dime in the telephone +box so he could talk to Miss Mydas without being bitten by the dog. + +“Give me Pelf 6742!” he called. + +“Hello! What is it?” said a voice. + +“I want to speak with Miss Mydas,” said the glass-blower. + +Presently a sweet voice said: “This is Miss Mydas. What is it?” + +“Why have you treated me so cruelly and set the glass dog on me?” asked +the poor fellow. + +“Well, to tell the truth,” said the lady, “I don’t like your looks. +Your cheeks are pale and baggy, your hair is coarse and long, your eyes +are small and red, your hands are big and rough, and you are +bow-legged.” + +“But I can’t help my looks!” pleaded the glass-blower; “and you really +promised to marry me.” + +“If you were better looking I’d keep my promise,” she returned. “But +under the circumstances you are no fit mate for me, and unless you keep +away from my mansion I shall set my glass dog on you!” Then she dropped +the ’phone and would have nothing more to say. + +The miserable glass-blower went home with a heart bursting with +disappointment and began tying a rope to the bedpost by which to hang +himself. + +Some one knocked at the door, and, upon opening it, he saw the wizard. + +“I’ve lost my dog,” he announced. + +“Have you, indeed?” replied the glass-blower tying a knot in the rope. + +“Yes; some one has stolen him.” + +“That’s too bad,” declared the glass-blower, indifferently. + +“You must make me another,” said the wizard. + +“But I cannot; I’ve thrown away my tools.” + +“Then what shall I do?” asked the wizard. + +“I do not know, unless you offer a reward for the dog.” + +“But I have no money,” said the wizard. + +“Offer some of your compounds, then,” suggested the glass-blower, who +was making a noose in the rope for his head to go through. + +“The only thing I can spare,” replied the wizard, thoughtfully, “is a +Beauty Powder.” + +“What!” cried the glass-blower, throwing down the rope, “have you +really such a thing?” + +“Yes, indeed. Whoever takes the powder will become the most beautiful +person in the world.” + +“If you will offer that as a reward,” said the glass-blower, eagerly, +“I’ll try to find the dog for you, for above everything else I long to +be beautiful.” + +“But I warn you the beauty will only be skin deep,” said the wizard. + +“That’s all right,” replied the happy glass-blower; “when I lose my +skin I shan’t care to remain beautiful.” + +“Then tell me where to find my dog and you shall have the powder,” +promised the wizard. + +So the glass-blower went out and pretended to search, and by-and-by he +returned and said: + +“I’ve discovered the dog. You will find him in the mansion of Miss +Mydas.” + +The wizard went at once to see if this were true, and, sure enough, the +glass dog ran out and began barking at him. Then the wizard spread out +his hands and chanted a magic spell which sent the dog fast asleep, +when he picked him up and carried him to his own room on the top floor +of the tenement house. + +Afterward he carried the Beauty Powder to the glass-blower as a reward, +and the fellow immediately swallowed it and became the most beautiful +man in the world. + +The next time he called upon Miss Mydas there was no dog to bark at +him, and when the young lady saw him she fell in love with his beauty +at once. + +“If only you were a count or a prince,” she sighed, “I’d willingly +marry you.” + +“But I am a prince,” he answered; “the Prince of Dogblowers.” + +“Ah!” said she; “then if you are willing to accept an allowance of four +dollars a week I’ll order the wedding cards engraved.” + +The man hesitated, but when he thought of the rope hanging from his +bedpost he consented to the terms. + +So they were married, and the bride was very jealous of her husband’s +beauty and led him a dog’s life. So he managed to get into debt and +made her miserable in turn. + + +As for the glass dog, the wizard set him barking again by means of his +wizardness and put him outside his door. I suppose he is there yet, and +am rather sorry, for I should like to consult the wizard about the +moral to this story. + + + + +THE QUEEN OF QUOK + + +A king once died, as kings are apt to do, being as liable to shortness +of breath as other mortals. + +It was high time this king abandoned his earth life, for he had lived +in a sadly extravagant manner, and his subjects could spare him without +the slightest inconvenience. + +His father had left him a full treasury, both money and jewels being in +abundance. But the foolish king just deceased had squandered every +penny in riotous living. He had then taxed his subjects until most of +them became paupers, and this money vanished in more riotous living. +Next he sold all the grand old furniture in the palace; all the silver +and gold plate and bric-a-brac; all the rich carpets and furnishings +and even his own kingly wardrobe, reserving only a soiled and +moth-eaten ermine robe to fold over his threadbare raiment. And he +spent the money in further riotous living. + +Don’t ask me to explain what riotous living is. I only know, from +hearsay, that it is an excellent way to get rid of money. And so this +spendthrift king found it. + +He now picked all the magnificent jewels from this kingly crown and +from the round ball on the top of his scepter, and sold them and spent +the money. Riotous living, of course. But at last he was at the end of +his resources. He couldn’t sell the crown itself, because no one but +the king had the right to wear it. Neither could he sell the royal +palace, because only the king had the right to live there. + +So, finally, he found himself reduced to a bare palace, containing only +a big mahogany bedstead that he slept in, a small stool on which he sat +to pull off his shoes and the moth-eaten ermine robe. + +In this straight he was reduced to the necessity of borrowing an +occasional dime from his chief counselor, with which to buy a ham +sandwich. And the chief counselor hadn’t many dimes. One who counseled +his king so foolishly was likely to ruin his own prospects as well. + +So the king, having nothing more to live for, died suddenly and left a +ten-year-old son to inherit the dismantled kingdom, the moth-eaten robe +and the jewel-stripped crown. + +No one envied the child, who had scarcely been thought of until he +became king himself. Then he was recognized as a personage of some +importance, and the politicians and hangers-on, headed by the chief +counselor of the kingdom, held a meeting to determine what could be +done for him. + +These folk had helped the old king to live riotously while his money +lasted, and now they were poor and too proud to work. So they tried to +think of a plan that would bring more money into the little king’s +treasury, where it would be handy for them to help themselves. + +After the meeting was over the chief counselor came to the young king, +who was playing peg-top in the courtyard, and said: + +“Your majesty, we have thought of a way to restore your kingdom to its +former power and magnificence.” + +“All right,” replied his majesty, carelessly. “How will you do it?” + +“By marrying you to a lady of great wealth,” replied the counselor. + +“Marrying me!” cried the king. “Why, I am only ten years old!” + +“I know; it is to be regretted. But your majesty will grow older, and +the affairs of the kingdom demand that you marry a wife.” + +“Can’t I marry a mother, instead?” asked the poor little king, who had +lost his mother when a baby. + +“Certainly not,” declared the counselor. “To marry a mother would be +illegal; to marry a wife is right and proper.” + +“Can’t you marry her yourself?” inquired his majesty, aiming his +peg-top at the chief counselor’s toe, and laughing to see how he jumped +to escape it. + +“Let me explain,” said the other. “You haven’t a penny in the world, +but you have a kingdom. There are many rich women who would be glad to +give their wealth in exchange for a queen’s coronet—even if the king is +but a child. So we have decided to advertise that the one who bids the +highest shall become the queen of Quok.” + +“If I must marry at all,” said the king, after a moment’s thought, “I +prefer to marry Nyana, the armorer’s daughter.” + +“She is too poor,” replied the counselor. + +“Her teeth are pearls, her eyes are amethysts, and her hair is gold,” +declared the little king. + +“True, your majesty. But consider that your wife’s wealth must be used. +How would Nyana look after you have pulled her teeth of pearls, plucked +out her amethyst eyes and shaved her golden head?” + +The boy shuddered. + +“Have your own way,” he said, despairingly. “Only let the lady be as +dainty as possible and a good playfellow.” + +“We shall do our best,” returned the chief counselor, and went away to +advertise throughout the neighboring kingdoms for a wife for the boy +king of Quok. + +There were so many applicants for the privilege of marrying the little +king that it was decided to put him up at auction, in order that the +largest possible sum of money should be brought into the kingdom. So, +on the day appointed, the ladies gathered at the palace from all the +surrounding kingdoms—from Bilkon, Mulgravia, Junkum and even as far +away as the republic of Macvelt. + +The chief counselor came to the palace early in the morning and had the +king’s face washed and his hair combed; and then he padded the inside +of the crown with old newspapers to make it small enough to fit his +majesty’s head. It was a sorry looking crown, having many big and +little holes in it where the jewels had once been; and it had been +neglected and knocked around until it was quite battered and tarnished. +Yet, as the counselor said, it was the king’s crown, and it was quite +proper he should wear it on the solemn occasion of his auction. + +Like all boys, be they kings or paupers, his majesty had torn and +soiled his one suit of clothes, so that they were hardly presentable; +and there was no money to buy new ones. Therefore the counselor wound +the old ermine robe around the king and sat him upon the stool in the +middle of the otherwise empty audience chamber. + +And around him stood all the courtiers and politicians and hangers-on +of the kingdom, consisting of such people as were too proud or lazy to +work for a living. There was a great number of them, you may be sure, +and they made an imposing appearance. + +Then the doors of the audience chamber were thrown open, and the +wealthy ladies who aspired to being queen of Quok came trooping in. The +king looked them over with much anxiety, and decided they were each and +all old enough to be his grandmother, and ugly enough to scare away the +crows from the royal cornfields. After which he lost interest in them. + +But the rich ladies never looked at the poor little king squatting upon +his stool. They gathered at once about the chief counselor, who acted +as auctioneer. + +“How much am I offered for the coronet of the queen of Quok?” asked the +counselor, in a loud voice. + +“Where is the coronet?” inquired a fussy old lady who had just buried +her ninth husband and was worth several millions. + +“There isn’t any coronet at present,” explained the chief counselor, +“but whoever bids highest will have the right to wear one, and she can +then buy it.” + +“Oh,” said the fussy old lady, “I see.” Then she added: “I’ll bid +fourteen dollars.” + +“Fourteen thousand dollars!” cried a sour-looking woman who was thin +and tall and had wrinkles all over her skin—“like a frosted apple,” the +king thought. + +The bidding now became fast and furious, and the poverty-stricken +courtiers brightened up as the sum began to mount into the millions. + +“He’ll bring us a very pretty fortune, after all,” whispered one to his +comrade, “and then we shall have the pleasure of helping him spend it.” + +The king began to be anxious. All the women who looked at all +kind-hearted or pleasant had stopped bidding for lack of money, and the +slender old dame with the wrinkles seemed determined to get the coronet +at any price, and with it the boy husband. This ancient creature +finally became so excited that her wig got crosswise of her head and +her false teeth kept slipping out, which horrified the little king +greatly; but she would not give up. + +At last the chief counselor ended the auction by crying out: + +“Sold to Mary Ann Brodjinsky de la Porkus for three million, nine +hundred thousand, six hundred and twenty-four dollars and sixteen +cents!” And the sour-looking old woman paid the money in cash and on +the spot, which proves this is a fairy story. + +The king was so disturbed at the thought that he must marry this +hideous creature that he began to wail and weep; whereupon the woman +boxed his ears soundly. But the counselor reproved her for punishing +her future husband in public, saying: + +“You are not married yet. Wait until to-morrow, after the wedding takes +place. Then you can abuse him as much as you wish. But at present we +prefer to have people think this is a love match.” + +The poor king slept but little that night, so filled was he with terror +of his future wife. Nor could he get the idea out of his head that he +preferred to marry the armorer’s daughter, who was about his own age. +He tossed and tumbled around upon his hard bed until the moonlight came +in at the window and lay like a great white sheet upon the bare floor. +Finally, in turning over for the hundredth time, his hand struck +against a secret spring in the headboard of the big mahogany bedstead, +and at once, with a sharp click, a panel flew open. + +The noise caused the king to look up, and, seeing the open panel, he +stood upon tiptoe, and, reaching within, drew out a folded paper. It +had several leaves fastened together like a book, and upon the first +page was written: + +“When the king is in trouble +This leaf he must double +And set it on fire +To obtain his desire.” + + +This was not very good poetry, but when the king had spelled it out in +the moonlight he was filled with joy. + +“There’s no doubt about my being in trouble,” he exclaimed; “so I’ll +burn it at once, and see what happens.” + +He tore off the leaf and put the rest of the book in its secret hiding +place. Then, folding the paper double, he placed it on the top of his +stool, lighted a match and set fire to it. + +It made a horrid smudge for so small a paper, and the king sat on the +edge of the bed and watched it eagerly. + +When the smoke cleared away he was surprised to see, sitting upon the +stool, a round little man, who, with folded arms and crossed legs, sat +calmly facing the king and smoking a black briarwood pipe. + +“Well, here I am,” said he. + +“So I see,” replied the little king. “But how did you get here?” + +“Didn’t you burn the paper?” demanded the round man, by way of answer. + +“Yes, I did,” acknowledged the king. + +“Then you are in trouble, and I’ve come to help you out of it. I’m the +Slave of the Royal Bedstead.” + +“Oh!” said the king. “I didn’t know there was one.” + +“Neither did your father, or he would not have been so foolish as to +sell everything he had for money. By the way, it’s lucky for you he did +not sell this bedstead. Now, then, what do you want?” + +“I’m not sure what I want,” replied the king; “but I know what I don’t +want, and that is the old woman who is going to marry me.” + +“That’s easy enough,” said the Slave of the Royal Bedstead. “All you +need do is to return her the money she paid the chief counselor and +declare the match off. Don’t be afraid. You are the king, and your word +is law.” + +“To be sure,” said the majesty. “But I am in great need of money. How +am I going to live if the chief counselor returns to Mary Ann +Brodjinski her millions?” + +“Phoo! that’s easy enough,” again answered the man, and, putting his +hand in his pocket, he drew out and tossed to the king an old-fashioned +leather purse. “Keep that with you,” said he, “and you will always be +rich, for you can take out of the purse as many twenty-five-cent silver +pieces as you wish, one at a time. No matter how often you take one +out, another will instantly appear in its place within the purse.” + +“Thank you,” said the king, gratefully. “You have rendered me a rare +favor; for now I shall have money for all my needs and will not be +obliged to marry anyone. Thank you a thousand times!” + +“Don’t mention it,” answered the other, puffing his pipe slowly and +watching the smoke curl into the moonlight. “Such things are easy to +me. Is that all you want?” + +“All I can think of just now,” returned the king. + +“Then, please close that secret panel in the bedstead,” said the man; +“the other leaves of the book may be of use to you some time.” + +The boy stood upon the bed as before and, reaching up, closed the +opening so that no one else could discover it. Then he turned to face +his visitor, but the Slave of the Royal Bedstead had disappeared. + +“I expected that,” said his majesty; “yet I am sorry he did not wait to +say good-by.” + +With a lightened heart and a sense of great relief the boy king placed +the leathern purse underneath his pillow, and climbing into bed again +slept soundly until morning. + +When the sun rose his majesty rose also, refreshed and comforted, and +the first thing he did was to send for the chief counselor. + +That mighty personage arrived looking glum and unhappy, but the boy was +too full of his own good fortune to notice it. Said he: + +“I have decided not to marry anyone, for I have just come into a +fortune of my own. Therefore I command you return to that old woman the +money she has paid you for the right to wear the coronet of the queen +of Quok. And make public declaration that the wedding will not take +place.” + +Hearing this the counselor began to tremble, for he saw the young king +had decided to reign in earnest; and he looked so guilty that his +majesty inquired: + +“Well! what is the matter now?” + +“Sire,” replied the wretch, in a shaking voice, “I cannot return the +woman her money, for I have lost it!” + +“Lost it!” cried the king, in mingled astonishment and anger. + +“Even so, your majesty. On my way home from the auction last night I +stopped at the drug store to get some potash lozenges for my throat, +which was dry and hoarse with so much loud talking; and your majesty +will admit it was through my efforts the woman was induced to pay so +great a price. Well, going into the drug store I carelessly left the +package of money lying on the seat of my carriage, and when I came out +again it was gone. Nor was the thief anywhere to be seen.” + +“Did you call the police?” asked the king. + +“Yes, I called; but they were all on the next block, and although they +have promised to search for the robber I have little hope they will +ever find him.” + +The king sighed. + +“What shall we do now?” he asked. + +“I fear you must marry Mary Ann Brodjinski,” answered the chief +counselor; “unless, indeed, you order the executioner to cut her head +off.” + +“That would be wrong,” declared the king. “The woman must not be +harmed. And it is just that we return her money, for I will not marry +her under any circumstances.” + +“Is that private fortune you mentioned large enough to repay her?” +asked the counselor. + +“Why, yes,” said the king, thoughtfully, “but it will take some time to +do it, and that shall be your task. Call the woman here.” + +The counselor went in search of Mary Ann, who, when she heard she was +not to become a queen, but would receive her money back, flew into a +violent passion and boxed the chief counselor’s ears so viciously that +they stung for nearly an hour. But she followed him into the king’s +audience chamber, where she demanded her money in a loud voice, +claiming as well the interest due upon it over night. + +“The counselor has lost your money,” said the boy king, “but he shall +pay you every penny out of my own private purse. I fear, however, you +will be obliged to take it in small change.” + +“That will not matter,” she said, scowling upon the counselor as if she +longed to reach his ears again; “I don’t care how small the change is +so long as I get every penny that belongs to me, and the interest. +Where is it?” + +“Here,” answered the king, handing the counselor the leathern purse. +“It is all in silver quarters, and they must be taken from the purse +one at a time; but there will be plenty to pay your demands, and to +spare.” + +So, there being no chairs, the counselor sat down upon the floor in one +corner and began counting out silver twenty-five-cent pieces from the +purse, one by one. And the old woman sat upon the floor opposite him +and took each piece of money from his hand. + +It was a large sum: three million, nine hundred thousand, six hundred +and twenty-four dollars and sixteen cents. And it takes four times as +many twenty-five-cent pieces as it would dollars to make up the amount. + +The king left them sitting there and went to school, and often +thereafter he came to the counselor and interrupted him long enough to +get from the purse what money he needed to reign in a proper and +dignified manner. This somewhat delayed the counting, but as it was a +long job, anyway, that did not matter much. + +The king grew to manhood and married the pretty daughter of the +armorer, and they now have two lovely children of their own. Once in +awhile they go into the big audience chamber of the palace and let the +little ones watch the aged, hoary-headed counselor count out silver +twenty-five-cent pieces to a withered old woman, who watched his every +movement to see that he does not cheat her. + +It is a big sum, three million, nine hundred thousand, six hundred and +twenty-four dollars and sixteen cents in twenty-five-cent pieces. + +But this is how the counselor was punished for being so careless with +the woman’s money. And this is how Mary Ann Brodjinski de la Porkus was +also punished for wishing to marry a ten-year-old king in order that +she might wear the coronet of the queen of Quok. + + + + +THE GIRL WHO OWNED A BEAR + + +Mamma had gone down-town to shop. She had asked Nora to look after Jane +Gladys, and Nora promised she would. But it was her afternoon for +polishing the silver, so she stayed in the pantry and left Jane Gladys +to amuse herself alone in the big sitting-room upstairs. + +The little girl did not mind being alone, for she was working on her +first piece of embroidery—a sofa pillow for papa’s birthday present. So +she crept into the big bay window and curled herself up on the broad +sill while she bent her brown head over her work. + +Soon the door opened and closed again, quietly. Jane Gladys thought it +was Nora, so she didn’t look up until she had taken a couple more +stitches on a forget-me-not. Then she raised her eyes and was +astonished to find a strange man in the middle of the room, who +regarded her earnestly. + +He was short and fat, and seemed to be breathing heavily from his climb +up the stairs. He held a work silk hat in one hand and underneath his +other elbow was tucked a good-sized book. He was dressed in a black +suit that looked old and rather shabby, and his head was bald upon the +top. + +“Excuse me,” he said, while the child gazed at him in solemn surprise. +“Are you Jane Gladys Brown?” + +“Yes, sir,” she answered. + +“Very good; very good, indeed!” he remarked, with a queer sort of +smile. “I’ve had quite a hunt to find you, but I’ve succeeded at last.” + +“How did you get in?” inquired Jane Gladys, with a growing distrust of +her visitor. + +“That is a secret,” he said, mysteriously. + +This was enough to put the girl on her guard. She looked at the man and +the man looked at her, and both looks were grave and somewhat anxious. + +“What do you want?” she asked, straightening herself up with a +dignified air. + +“Ah!—now we are coming to business,” said the man, briskly. “I’m going +to be quite frank with you. To begin with, your father has abused me in +a most ungentlemanly manner.” + +Jane Gladys got off the window sill and pointed her small finger at the +door. + +“Leave this room ‘meejitly!” she cried, her voice trembling with +indignation. “My papa is the best man in the world. He never ’bused +anybody!” + +“Allow me to explain, please,” said the visitor, without paying any +attention to her request to go away. “Your father may be very kind to +you, for you are his little girl, you know. But when he’s down-town in +his office he’s inclined to be rather severe, especially on book +agents. Now, I called on him the other day and asked him to buy the +‘Complete Works of Peter Smith,’ and what do you suppose he did?” + +She said nothing. + +“Why,” continued the man, with growing excitement, “he ordered me from +his office, and had me put out of the building by the janitor! What do +you think of such treatment as that from the ‘best papa in the world,’ +eh?” + +“I think he was quite right,” said Jane Gladys. + +“Oh, you do? Well,” said the man, “I resolved to be revenged for the +insult. So, as your father is big and strong and a dangerous man, I +have decided to be revenged upon his little girl.” + +Jane Gladys shivered. + +“What are you going to do?” she asked. + +“I’m going to present you with this book,” he answered, taking it from +under his arm. Then he sat down on the edge of a chair, placed his hat +on the rug and drew a fountain pen from his vest pocket. + +“I’ll write your name in it,” said he. “How do you spell Gladys?” + +“G-l-a-d-y-s,” she replied. + +“Thank you. Now this,” he continued, rising and handing her the book +with a bow, “is my revenge for your father’s treatment of me. Perhaps +he’ll be sorry he didn’t buy the ‘Complete Works of Peter Smith.’ +Good-by, my dear.” + +He walked to the door, gave her another bow, and left the room, and +Jane Gladys could see that he was laughing to himself as if very much +amused. + +When the door had closed behind the queer little man the child sat down +in the window again and glanced at the book. It had a red and yellow +cover and the word “Thingamajigs” was across the front in big letters. + +Then she opened it, curiously, and saw her name written in black +letters upon the first white leaf. + +“He was a funny little man,” she said to herself, thoughtfully. + +She turned the next leaf, and saw a big picture of a clown, dressed in +green and red and yellow, and having a very white face with +three-cornered spots of red on each cheek and over the eyes. While she +looked at this the book trembled in her hands, the leaf crackled and +creaked and suddenly the clown jumped out of it and stood upon the +floor beside her, becoming instantly as big as any ordinary clown. + +After stretching his arms and legs and yawning in a rather impolite +manner, he gave a silly chuckle and said: + +“This is better! You don’t know how cramped one gets, standing so long +upon a page of flat paper.” + +Perhaps you can imagine how startled Jane Gladys was, and how she +stared at the clown who had just leaped out of the book. + +“You didn’t expect anything of this sort, did you?” he asked, leering +at her in clown fashion. Then he turned around to take a look at the +room and Jane Gladys laughed in spite of her astonishment. + +“What amuses you?” demanded the clown. + +“Why, the back of you is all white!” cried the girl. “You’re only a +clown in front of you.” + +“Quite likely,” he returned, in an annoyed tone. “The artist made a +front view of me. He wasn’t expected to make the back of me, for that +was against the page of the book.” + +“But it makes you look so funny!” said Jane Gladys, laughing until her +eyes were moist with tears. + +The clown looked sulky and sat down upon a chair so she couldn’t see +his back. + +“I’m not the only thing in the book,” he remarked, crossly. + +This reminded her to turn another page, and she had scarcely noted that +it contained the picture of a monkey when the animal sprang from the +book with a great crumpling of paper and landed upon the window seat +beside her. + +“He-he-he-he-he!” chattered the creature, springing to the girl’s +shoulder and then to the center table. “This is great fun! Now I can be +a real monkey instead of a picture of one.” + +“Real monkeys can’t talk,” said Jane Gladys, reprovingly. + +“How do you know? Have you ever been one yourself?” inquired the +animal; and then he laughed loudly, and the clown laughed, too, as if +he enjoyed the remark. + +The girl was quite bewildered by this time. She thoughtlessly turned +another leaf, and before she had time to look twice a gray donkey +leaped from the book and stumbled from the window seat to the floor +with a great clatter. + +“You’re clumsy enough, I’m sure!” said the child, indignantly, for the +beast had nearly upset her. + +“Clumsy! And why not?” demanded the donkey, with angry voice. “If the +fool artist had drawn you out of perspective, as he did me, I guess +you’d be clumsy yourself.” + +“What’s wrong with you?” asked Jane Gladys. + +“My front and rear legs on the left side are nearly six inches too +short, that’s what’s the matter! If that artist didn’t know how to draw +properly why did he try to make a donkey at all?” + +“I don’t know,” replied the child, seeing an answer was expected. + +“I can hardly stand up,” grumbled the donkey; “and the least little +thing will topple me over.” + +“Don’t mind that,” said the monkey, making a spring at the chandelier +and swinging from it by his tail until Jane Gladys feared he would +knock all the globes off; “the same artist has made my ears as big as +that clown’s and everyone knows a monkey hasn’t any ears to speak +of—much less to draw.” + +“He should be prosecuted,” remarked the clown, gloomily. “I haven’t any +back.” + +Jane Gladys looked from one to the other with a puzzled expression upon +her sweet face, and turned another page of the book. + +Swift as a flash there sprang over her shoulder a tawney, spotted +leopard, which landed upon the back of a big leather armchair and +turned upon the others with a fierce movement. + +The monkey climbed to the top of the chandelier and chattered with +fright. The donkey tried to run and straightway tipped over on his left +side. The clown grew paler than ever, but he sat still in his chair and +gave a low whistle of surprise. + +The leopard crouched upon the back of the chair, lashed his tail from +side to side and glared at all of them, by turns, including Jane +Gladys. + +“Which of us are you going to attack first?” asked the donkey, trying +hard to get upon his feet again. + +“I can’t attack any of you,” snarled the leopard. “The artist made my +mouth shut, so I haven’t any teeth; and he forgot to make my claws. But +I’m a frightful looking creature, nevertheless; am I not?” + +“Oh, yes;” said the clown, indifferently. “I suppose you’re frightful +looking enough. But if you have no teeth nor claws we don’t mind your +looks at all.” + +This so annoyed the leopard that he growled horribly, and the monkey +laughed at him. + +Just then the book slipped from the girl’s lap, and as she made a +movement to catch it one of the pages near the back opened wide. She +caught a glimpse of a fierce grizzly bear looking at her from the page, +and quickly threw the book from her. It fell with a crash in the middle +of the room, but beside it stood the great grizzly, who had wrenched +himself from the page before the book closed. + +“Now,” cried the leopard from his perch, “you’d better look out for +yourselves! You can’t laugh at him as you did at me. The bear has both +claws and teeth.” + +“Indeed I have,” said the bear, in a low, deep, growling voice. “And I +know how to use them, too. If you read in that book you’ll find I’m +described as a horrible, cruel and remorseless grizzly, whose only +business in life is to eat up little girls—shoes, dresses, ribbons and +all! And then, the author says, I smack my lips and glory in my +wickedness.” + +“That’s awful!” said the donkey, sitting upon his haunches and shaking +his head sadly. “What do you suppose possessed the author to make you +so hungry for girls? Do you eat animals, also?” + +“The author does not mention my eating anything but little girls,” +replied the bear. + +“Very good,” remarked the clown, drawing a long breath of relief. “you +may begin eating Jane Gladys as soon as you wish. She laughed because I +had no back.” + +“And she laughed because my legs are out of perspective,” brayed the +donkey. + +“But you also deserve to be eaten,” screamed the leopard from the back +of the leather chair; “for you laughed and poked fun at me because I +had no claws nor teeth! Don’t you suppose Mr. Grizzly, you could manage +to eat a clown, a donkey and a monkey after you finish the girl?” + +“Perhaps so, and a leopard into the bargain,” growled the bear. “It +will depend on how hungry I am. But I must begin on the little girl +first, because the author says I prefer girls to anything.” + +Jane Gladys was much frightened on hearing this conversation, and she +began to realize what the man meant when he said he gave her the book +to be revenged. Surely papa would be sorry he hadn’t bought the +“Complete Works of Peter Smith” when he came home and found his little +girl eaten up by a grizzly bear—shoes, dress, ribbons and all! + +The bear stood up and balanced himself on his rear legs. + +“This is the way I look in the book,” he said. “Now watch me eat the +little girl.” + +He advanced slowly toward Jane Gladys, and the monkey, the leopard, the +donkey and the clown all stood around in a circle and watched the bear +with much interest. + +But before the grizzly reached her the child had a sudden thought, and +cried out: + +“Stop! You mustn’t eat me. It would be wrong.” + +“Why?” asked the bear, in surprise. + +“Because I own you. You’re my private property,” she answered. + +“I don’t see how you make that out,” said the bear, in a disappointed +tone. + +“Why, the book was given to me; my name’s on the front leaf. And you +belong, by rights, in the book. So you mustn’t dare to eat your owner!” + +The Grizzly hesitated. + +“Can any of you read?” he asked. + +“I can,” said the clown. + +“Then see if she speaks the truth. Is her name really in the book?” + +The clown picked it up and looked at the name. + +“It is,” said he. “‘Jane Gladys Brown;’ and written quite plainly in +big letters.” + +The bear sighed. + +“Then, of course, I can’t eat her,” he decided. “That author is as +disappointing as most authors are.” + +“But he’s not as bad as the artist,” exclaimed the donkey, who was +still trying to stand up straight. + +“The fault lies with yourselves,” said Jane Gladys, severely. “Why +didn’t you stay in the book, where you were put?” + +The animals looked at each other in a foolish way, and the clown +blushed under his white paint. + +“Really—” began the bear, and then he stopped short. + +The door bell rang loudly. + +“It’s mamma!” cried Jane Gladys, springing to her feet. “She’s come +home at last. Now, you stupid creatures—” + +But she was interrupted by them all making a rush for the book. There +was a swish and a whirr and a rustling of leaves, and an instant later +the book lay upon the floor looking just like any other book, while +Jane Gladys’ strange companions had all disappeared. + + +This story should teach us to think quickly and clearly upon all +occasions; for had Jane Gladys not remembered that she owned the bear +he probably would have eaten her before the bell rang. + + + + +THE ENCHANTED TYPES + + +One time a knook became tired of his beautiful life and longed for +something new to do. The knooks have more wonderful powers than any +other immortal folk—except, perhaps, the fairies and ryls. So one would +suppose that a knook who might gain anything he desired by a simple +wish could not be otherwise than happy and contented. But such was not +the case with Popopo, the knook we are speaking of. He had lived +thousands of years, and had enjoyed all the wonders he could think of. +Yet life had become as tedious to him now as it might be to one who was +unable to gratify a single wish. + +Finally, by chance, Popopo thought of the earth people who dwell in +cities, and so he resolved to visit them and see how they lived. This +would surely be fine amusement, and serve to pass away many wearisome +hours. + +Therefore one morning, after a breakfast so dainty that you could +scarcely imagine it, Popopo set out for the earth and at once was in +the midst of a big city. + +His own dwelling was so quiet and peaceful that the roaring noise of +the town startled him. His nerves were so shocked that before he had +looked around three minutes he decided to give up the adventure, and +instantly returned home. + +This satisfied for a time his desire to visit the earth cities, but +soon the monotony of his existence again made him restless and gave him +another thought. At night the people slept and the cities would be +quiet. He would visit them at night. + +So at the proper time Popopo transported himself in a jiffy to a great +city, where he began wandering about the streets. Everyone was in bed. +No wagons rattled along the pavements; no throngs of busy men shouted +and halloaed. Even the policemen slumbered slyly and there happened to +be no prowling thieves abroad. + +His nerves being soothed by the stillness, Popopo began to enjoy +himself. He entered many of the houses and examined their rooms with +much curiosity. Locks and bolts made no difference to a knook, and he +saw as well in darkness as in daylight. + +After a time he strolled into the business portion of the city. Stores +are unknown among the immortals, who have no need of money or of barter +and exchange; so Popopo was greatly interested by the novel sight of so +many collections of goods and merchandise. + +During his wanderings he entered a millinery shop, and was surprised to +see within a large glass case a great number of women’s hats, each +bearing in one position or another a stuffed bird. Indeed, some of the +most elaborate hats had two or three birds upon them. + +Now knooks are the especial guardians of birds, and love them dearly. +To see so many of his little friends shut up in a glass case annoyed +and grieved Popopo, who had no idea they had purposely been placed upon +the hats by the milliner. So he slid back one of the doors of the case, +gave the little chirruping whistle of the knooks that all birds know +well, and called: + +“Come, friends; the door is open—fly out!” + +Popopo did not know the birds were stuffed; but, stuffed or not, every +bird is bound to obey a knook’s whistle and a knook’s call. So they +left the hats, flew out of the case and began fluttering about the +room. + +“Poor dears!” said the kind-hearted knook, “you long to be in the +fields and forests again.” + +Then he opened the outer door for them and cried: “Off with you! Fly +away, my beauties, and be happy again.” + +The astonished birds at once obeyed, and when they had soared away into +the night air the knook closed the door and continued his wandering +through the streets. + +By dawn he saw many interesting sights, but day broke before he had +finished the city, and he resolved to come the next evening a few hours +earlier. + +As soon as it was dark the following day he came again to the city and +on passing the millinery shop noticed a light within. Entering he found +two women, one of whom leaned her head upon the table and sobbed +bitterly, while the other strove to comfort her. + +Of course Popopo was invisible to mortal eyes, so he stood by and +listened to their conversation. + +“Cheer up, sister,” said one. “Even though your pretty birds have all +been stolen the hats themselves remain.” + +“Alas!” cried the other, who was the milliner, “no one will buy my hats +partly trimmed, for the fashion is to wear birds upon them. And if I +cannot sell my goods I shall be utterly ruined.” + +Then she renewed her sobbing and the knook stole away, feeling a little +ashamed to realized that in his love for the birds he had unconsciously +wronged one of the earth people and made her unhappy. + +This thought brought him back to the millinery shop later in the night, +when the two women had gone home. He wanted, in some way, to replace +the birds upon the hats, that the poor woman might be happy again. So +he searched until he came upon a nearby cellar full of little gray +mice, who lived quite undisturbed and gained a livelihood by gnawing +through the walls into neighboring houses and stealing food from the +pantries. + +“Here are just the creatures,” thought Popopo, “to place upon the +woman’s hats. Their fur is almost as soft as the plumage of the birds, +and it strikes me the mice are remarkably pretty and graceful animals. +Moreover, they now pass their lives in stealing, and were they obliged +to remain always upon women’s hats their morals would be much +improved.” + +So he exercised a charm that drew all the mice from the cellar and +placed them upon the hats in the glass case, where they occupied the +places the birds had vacated and looked very becoming—at least, in the +eyes of the unworldly knook. To prevent their running about and leaving +the hats Popopo rendered them motionless, and then he was so pleased +with his work that he decided to remain in the shop and witness the +delight of the milliner when she saw how daintily her hats were now +trimmed. + +She came in the early morning, accompanied by her sister, and her face +wore a sad and resigned expression. After sweeping and dusting the shop +and drawing the blinds she opened the glass case and took out a hat. + +But when she saw a tiny gray mouse nestling among the ribbons and laces +she gave a loud shriek, and, dropping the hat, sprang with one bound to +the top of the table. The sister, knowing the shriek to be one of fear, +leaped upon a chair and exclaimed: + +“What is it? Oh! what is it?” + +“A mouse!” gasped the milliner, trembling with terror. + +Popopo, seeing this commotion, now realized that mice are especially +disagreeable to human beings, and that he had made a grave mistake in +placing them upon the hats; so he gave a low whistle of command that +was heard only by the mice. + +Instantly they all jumped from the hats, dashed out the open door of +the glass case and scampered away to their cellar. But this action so +frightened the milliner and her sister that after giving several loud +screams they fell upon their backs on the floor and fainted away. + +Popopo was a kind-hearted knook, but on witnessing all this misery, +caused by his own ignorance of the ways of humans, he straightway +wished himself at home, and so left the poor women to recover as best +they could. + +Yet he could not escape a sad feeling of responsibility, and after +thinking upon the matter he decided that since he had caused the +milliner’s unhappiness by freeing the birds, he could set the matter +right by restoring them to the glass case. He loved the birds, and +disliked to condemn them to slavery again; but that seemed the only way +to end the trouble. + +So he set off to find the birds. They had flown a long distance, but it +was nothing to Popopo to reach them in a second, and he discovered them +sitting upon the branches of a big chestnut tree and singing gayly. + +When they saw the knook the birds cried: + +“Thank you, Popopo. Thank you for setting us free.” + +“Do not thank me,” returned the knook, “for I have come to send you +back to the millinery shop.” + +“Why?” demanded a blue jay, angrily, while the others stopped their +songs. + +“Because I find the woman considers you her property, and your loss has +caused her much unhappiness,” answered Popopo. + +“But remember how unhappy we were in her glass case,” said a robin +redbreast, gravely. “And as for being her property, you are a knook, +and the natural guardian of all birds; so you know that Nature created +us free. To be sure, wicked men shot and stuffed us, and sold us to the +milliner; but the idea of our being her property is nonsense!” + +Popopo was puzzled. + +“If I leave you free,” he said, “wicked men will shoot you again, and +you will be no better off than before.” + +“Pooh!” exclaimed the blue jay, “we cannot be shot now, for we are +stuffed. Indeed, two men fired several shots at us this morning, but +the bullets only ruffled our feathers and buried themselves in our +stuffing. We do not fear men now.” + +“Listen!” said Popopo, sternly, for he felt the birds were getting the +best of the argument; “the poor milliner’s business will be ruined if I +do not return you to her shop. It seems you are necessary to trim the +hats properly. It is the fashion for women to wear birds upon their +headgear. So the poor milliner’s wares, although beautified by lace and +ribbons, are worthless unless you are perched upon them.” + +“Fashions,” said a black bird, solemnly, “are made by men. What law is +there, among birds or knooks, that requires us to be the slaves of +fashion?” + +“What have we to do with fashions, anyway?” screamed a linnet. “If it +were the fashion to wear knooks perched upon women’s hats would you be +contented to stay there? Answer me, Popopo!” + +But Popopo was in despair. He could not wrong the birds by sending them +back to the milliner, nor did he wish the milliner to suffer by their +loss. So he went home to think what could be done. + +After much meditation he decided to consult the king of the knooks, and +going at once to his majesty he told him the whole story. + +The king frowned. + +“This should teach you the folly of interfering with earth people,” he +said. “But since you have caused all this trouble, it is your duty to +remedy it. Our birds cannot be enslaved, that is certain; therefore you +must have the fashions changed, so it will no longer be stylish for +women to wear birds upon their hats.” + +“How shall I do that?” asked Popopo. + +“Easily enough. Fashions often change among the earth people, who tire +quickly of any one thing. When they read in their newspapers and +magazines that the style is so-and-so, they never question the matter, +but at once obey the mandate of fashion. So you must visit the +newspapers and magazines and enchant the types.” + +“Enchant the types!” echoed Popopo, in wonder. + +“Just so. Make them read that it is no longer the fashion to wear birds +upon hats. That will afford relief to your poor milliner and at the +same time set free thousands of our darling birds who have been so +cruelly used.” + +Popopo thanked the wise king and followed his advice. + +The office of every newspaper and magazine in the city was visited by +the knook, and then he went to other cities, until there was not a +publication in the land that had not a “new fashion note” in its pages. +Sometimes Popopo enchanted the types, so that whoever read the print +would see only what the knook wished them to. Sometimes he called upon +the busy editors and befuddled their brains until they wrote exactly +what he wanted them to. Mortals seldom know how greatly they are +influenced by fairies, knooks and ryls, who often put thoughts into +their heads that only the wise little immortals could have conceived. + +The following morning when the poor milliner looked over her newspaper +she was overjoyed to read that “no woman could now wear a bird upon her +hat and be in style, for the newest fashion required only ribbons and +laces.” + +Popopo after this found much enjoyment in visiting every millinery shop +he could find and giving new life to the stuffed birds which were +carelessly tossed aside as useless. And they flew to the fields and +forests with songs of thanks to the good knook who had rescued them. + +Sometimes a hunter fires his gun at a bird and then wonders why he did +not hit it. But, having read this story, you will understand that the +bird must have been a stuffed one from some millinery shop, which +cannot, of course, be killed by a gun. + + + + +THE LAUGHING HIPPOPOTAMUS + + +On one of the upper branches of the Congo river lived an ancient and +aristocratic family of hippopotamuses, which boasted a pedigree dating +back beyond the days of Noah—beyond the existence of mankind—far into +the dim ages when the world was new. + +They had always lived upon the banks of this same river, so that every +curve and sweep of its waters, every pit and shallow of its bed, every +rock and stump and wallow upon its bank was as familiar to them as +their own mothers. And they are living there yet, I suppose. + +Not long ago the queen of this tribe of hippopotamuses had a child +which she named Keo, because it was so fat and round. Still, that you +may not be misled, I will say that in the hippopotamus language “Keo,” +properly translated, means “fat and lazy” instead of fat and round. +However, no one called the queen’s attention to this error, because her +tusks were monstrous long and sharp, and she thought Keo the sweetest +baby in the world. + +He was, indeed, all right for a hippopotamus. He rolled and played in +the soft mud of the river bank, and waddled inland to nibble the leaves +of the wild cabbage that grew there, and was happy and contented from +morning till night. And he was the jolliest hippopotamus that ancient +family had ever known. His little red eyes were forever twinkling with +fun, and he laughed his merry laugh on all occasions, whether there was +anything to laugh at or not. + +Therefore the black people who dwelt in that region called him +“Ippi”—the jolly one, although they dared not come anigh him on account +of his fierce mother, and his equally fierce uncles and aunts and +cousins, who lived in a vast colony upon the river bank. + +And while these black people, who lived in little villages scattered +among the trees, dared not openly attack the royal family of +hippopotamuses, they were amazingly fond of eating hippopotamus meat +whenever they could get it. This was no secret to the hippopotamuses. +And, again, when the blacks managed to catch these animals alive, they +had a trick of riding them through the jungles as if they were horses, +thus reducing them to a condition of slavery. + +Therefore, having these things in mind, whenever the tribe of +hippopotamuses smelled the oily odor of black people they were +accustomed to charge upon them furiously, and if by chance they +overtook one of the enemy they would rip him with their sharp tusks or +stamp him into the earth with their huge feet. + +It was continual warfare between the hippopotamuses and the black +people. + +Gouie lived in one of the little villages of the blacks. He was the son +of the chief’s brother and grandson of the village sorcerer, the latter +being an aged man known as the “the boneless wonder,” because he could +twist himself into as many coils as a serpent and had no bones to +hinder his bending his flesh into any position. This made him walk in a +wabbly fashion, but the black people had great respect for him. + +Gouie’s hut was made of branches of trees stuck together with mud, and +his clothing consisted of a grass mat tied around his middle. But his +relationship to the chief and the sorcerer gave him a certain dignity, +and he was much addicted to solitary thought. Perhaps it was natural +that these thoughts frequently turned upon his enemies, the +hippopotamuses, and that he should consider many ways of capturing +them. + +Finally he completed his plans, and set about digging a great pit in +the ground, midway between two sharp curves of the river. When the pit +was finished he covered it over with small branches of trees, and +strewed earth upon them, smoothing the surface so artfully that no one +would suspect there was a big hole underneath. Then Gouie laughed +softly to himself and went home to supper. + +That evening the queen said to Keo, who was growing to be a fine child +for his age: + +“I wish you’d run across the bend and ask your Uncle Nikki to come +here. I have found a strange plant, and want him to tell me if it is +good to eat.” + +The jolly one laughed heartily as he started upon his errand, for he +felt as important as a boy does when he is sent for the first time to +the corner grocery to buy a yeast cake. + +“Guk-uk-uk-uk! guk-uk-uk-uk!” was the way he laughed; and if you think +a hippopotamus does not laugh this way you have but to listen to one +and you will find I am right. + +He crawled out of the mud where he was wallowing and tramped away +through the bushes, and the last his mother heard as she lay half in +and half out of the water was his musical “guk-uk-uk-uk!” dying away in +the distance. + +Keo was in such a happy mood that he scarcely noticed where he stepped, +so he was much surprised when, in the middle of a laugh, the ground +gave way beneath him, and he fell to the bottom of Gouie’s deep pit. He +was not badly hurt, but had bumped his nose severely as he went down; +so he stopped laughing and began to think how he should get out again. +Then he found the walls were higher than his head, and that he was a +prisoner. + +So he laughed a little at his own misfortune, and the laughter soothed +him to sleep, so that he snored all through the night until daylight +came. + +When Gouie peered over the edge of the pit next morning he exclaimed: + +“Why, ’tis Ippi—the Jolly One!” + +Keo recognized the scent of a black man and tried to raise his head +high enough to bite him. Seeing which Gouie spoke in the hippopotamus +language, which he had learned from his grandfather, the sorcerer. + +“Have peace, little one; you are my captive.” + +“Yes; I will have a piece of your leg, if I can reach it,” retorted +Keo; and then he laughed at his own joke: “Guk-uk-uk-uk!” + +But Gouie, being a thoughtful black man, went away without further +talk, and did not return until the following morning. When he again +leaned over the pit Keo was so weak from hunger that he could hardly +laugh at all. + +“Do you give up?” asked Gouie, “or do you still wish to fight?” + +“What will happen if I give up?” inquired Keo. + +The black man scratched his woolly head in perplexity. + +“It is hard to say, Ippi. You are too young to work, and if I kill you +for food I shall lose your tusks, which are not yet grown. Why, O Jolly +One, did you fall into my hole? I wanted to catch your mother or one of +your uncles.” + +“Guk-uk-uk-uk!” laughed Keo. “You must let me go, after all, black man; +for I am of no use to you!” + +“That I will not do,” declared Gouie; “unless,” he added, as an +afterthought, “you will make a bargain with me.” + +“Let me hear about the bargain, black one, for I am hungry,” said Keo. + +“I will let your go if you swear by the tusks of your grandfather that +you will return to me in a year and a day and become my prisoner +again.” + +The youthful hippopotamus paused to think, for he knew it was a solemn +thing to swear by the tusks of his grandfather; but he was exceedingly +hungry, and a year and a day seemed a long time off; so he said, with +another careless laugh: + +“Very well; if you will now let me go I swear by the tusks of my +grandfather to return to you in a year and a day and become your +prisoner.” + +Gouie was much pleased, for he knew that in a year and a day Keo would +be almost full grown. So he began digging away one end of the pit and +filling it up with the earth until he had made an incline which would +allow the hippopotamus to climb out. + +Keo was so pleased when he found himself upon the surface of the earth +again that he indulged in a merry fit of laughter, after which he said: + +“Good-by, Gouie; in a year and a day you will see me again.” + +Then he waddled away toward the river to see his mother and get his +breakfast, and Gouie returned to his village. + +During the months that followed, as the black man lay in his hut or +hunted in the forest, he heard at times the faraway “Guk-uk-uk-uk!” of +the laughing hippopotamus. But he only smiled to himself and thought: +“A year and a day will soon pass away!” + +Now when Keo returned to his mother safe and well every member of his +tribe was filled with joy, for the Jolly One was a general favorite. +But when he told them that in a year and a day he must again become the +slave of the black man, they began to wail and weep, and so many were +their tears that the river rose several inches. + +Of course Keo only laughed at their sorrow; but a great meeting of the +tribe was called and the matter discussed seriously. + +“Having sworn by the tusks of his grandfather,” said Uncle Nikki, “he +must keep his promise. But it is our duty to try in some way to rescue +him from death or a life of slavery.” + +To this all agreed, but no one could think of any method of saving Keo +from his fate. So months passed away, during which all the royal +hippopotamuses were sad and gloomy except the Jolly One himself. + +Finally but a week of freedom remained to Keo, and his mother, the +queen, became so nervous and worried that another meeting of the tribe +was called. By this time the laughing hippopotamus had grown to +enormous size, and measured nearly fifteen feet long and six feet high, +while his sharp tusks were whiter and harder than those of an elephant. + +“Unless something is done to save my child,” said the mother, “I shall +die of grief.” + +Then some of her relations began to make foolish suggestions; but +presently Uncle Nep, a wise and very big hippopotamus, said: + +“We must go to Glinkomok and implore his aid.” + +Then all were silent, for it was a bold thing to face the mighty +Glinkomok. But the mother’s love was equal to any heroism. + +“I will myself go to him, if Uncle Nep will accompany me,” she said, +quickly. + +Uncle Nep thoughtfully patted the soft mud with his fore foot and +wagged his short tail leisurely from side to side. + +“We have always been obedient to Glinkomok, and shown him great +respect,” said he. “Therefore I fear no danger in facing him. I will go +with you.” + +All the others snorted approval, being very glad they were not called +upon to go themselves. + +So the queen and Uncle Nep, with Keo swimming between them, set out +upon their journey. They swam up the river all that day and all the +next, until they came at sundown to a high, rocky wall, beneath which +was the cave where the mighty Glinkomok dwelt. + +This fearful creature was part beast, part man, part fowl and part +fish. It had lived since the world began. Through years of wisdom it +had become part sorcerer, part wizard, part magician and part fairy. +Mankind knew it not, but the ancient beasts knew and feared it. + +The three hippopotamuses paused before the cave, with their front feet +upon the bank and their bodies in the water, and called in chorus a +greeting to Glinkomok. Instantly thereafter the mouth of the cave +darkened and the creature glided silently toward them. + +The hippopotamuses were afraid to look upon it, and bowed their heads +between their legs. + +“We come, O Glinkomok, to implore your mercy and friendly assistance!” +began Uncle Nep; and then he told the story of Keo’s capture, and how +he had promised to return to the black man. + +“He must keep his promise,” said the creature, in a voice that sounded +like a sigh. + +The mother hippopotamus groaned aloud. + +“But I will prepare him to overcome the black man, and to regain his +liberty,” continued Glinkomok. + +Keo laughed. + +“Lift your right paw,” commanded Glinkomok. Keo obeyed, and the +creature touched it with its long, hairy tongue. Then it held four +skinny hands over Keo’s bowed head and mumbled some words in a language +unknown to man or beast or fowl or fish. After this it spoke again in +hippopotamese: + +“Your skin has now become so tough that no man can hurt you. Your +strength is greater than that of ten elephants. Your foot is so swift +that you can distance the wind. Your wit is sharper than the bulthorn. +Let the man fear, but drive fear from your own breast forever; for of +all your race you are the mightiest!” + +Then the terrible Glinkomok leaned over, and Keo felt its fiery breath +scorch him as it whispered some further instructions in his ear. The +next moment it glided back into its cave, followed by the loud thanks +of the three hippopotamuses, who slid into the water and immediately +began their journey home. + +The mother’s heart was full of joy; Uncle Nep shivered once or twice as +he remembered a glimpse he had caught of Glinkomok; but Keo was as +jolly as possible, and, not content to swim with his dignified elders, +he dived under their bodies, raced all around them and laughed merrily +every inch of the way home. + +Then all the tribe held high jinks and praised the mighty Glinkomok for +befriending their queen’s son. And when the day came for the Jolly One +to give himself up to the black man they all kissed him good-by without +a single fear for his safety. + +Keo went away in good spirits, and they could hear his laughing +“guk-uk-uk-uk!” long after he was lost in sight in the jungle. + +Gouie had counted the days and knew when to expect Keo; but he was +astonished at the monstrous size to which his captive had grown, and +congratulated himself on the wise bargain he had made. And Keo was so +fat that Gouie determined to eat him—that is, all of him he possibly +could, and the remainder of the carcass he would trade off to his +fellow villagers. + +So he took a knife and tried to stick it into the hippopotamus, but the +skin was so tough the knife was blunted against it. Then he tried other +means; but Keo remained unhurt. + +And now indeed the Jolly One laughed his most gleeful laugh, till all +the forest echoed the “guk-uk-uk-uk-uk!” And Gouie decided not to kill +him, since that was impossible, but to use him for a beast of burden. +He mounted upon Keo’s back and commanded him to march. So Keo trotted +briskly through the village, his little eyes twinkling with merriment. + +The other blacks were delighted with Gouie’s captive, and begged +permission to ride upon the Jolly One’s back. So Gouie bargained with +them for bracelets and shell necklaces and little gold ornaments, until +he had acquired quite a heap of trinkets. Then a dozen black men +climbed upon Keo’s back to enjoy a ride, and the one nearest his nose +cried out: + +“Run, Mud-dog—run!” + +And Keo ran. Swift as the wind he strode, away from the village, +through the forest and straight up the river bank. The black men howled +with fear; the Jolly One roared with laughter; and on, on, on they +rushed! + +Then before them, on the opposite side of the river, appeared the black +mouth of Glinkomok’s cave. Keo dashed into the water, dived to the +bottom and left the black people struggling to swim out. But Glinkomok +had heard the laughter of Keo and knew what to do. When the Jolly One +rose to the surface and blew the water from his throat there was no +black man to be seen. + +Keo returned alone to the village, and Gouie asked, with surprise: + +“Where are my brothers:” + +“I do not know,” answered Keo. “I took them far away, and they remained +where I left them.” + +Gouie would have asked more questions then, but another crowd of black +men impatiently waited to ride on the back of the laughing +hippopotamus. So they paid the price and climbed to their seats, after +which the foremost said: + +“Run, mud-wallower—run!” + +And Keo ran as before and carried them to the mouth of Glinkomok’s +cave, and returned alone. + +But now Gouie became anxious to know the fate of his fellows, for he +was the only black man left in his village. So he mounted the +hippopotamus and cried: + +“Run, river-hog—run!” + +Keo laughed his jolly “guk-uk-uk-uk!” and ran with the speed of the +wind. But this time he made straight for the river bank where his own +tribe lived, and when he reached it he waded into the river, dived to +the bottom and left Gouie floating in the middle of the stream. + +The black man began swimming toward the right bank, but there he saw +Uncle Nep and half the royal tribe waiting to stamp him into the soft +mud. So he turned toward the left bank, and there stood the queen +mother and Uncle Nikki, red-eyed and angry, waiting to tear him with +their tusks. + +Then Gouie uttered loud screams of terror, and, spying the Jolly One, +who swam near him, he cried: + +“Save me, Keo! Save me, and I will release you from slavery!” + +“That is not enough,” laughed Keo. + +“I will serve you all my life!” screamed Gouie; “I will do everything +you bid me!” + +“Will you return to me in a year and a day and become my captive, if I +allow you to escape?” asked Keo. + +“I will! I will! I will!” cried Gouie. + +“Swear it by the bones of your grandfather!” commanded Keo, remembering +that black men have no tusks to swear by. + +And Gouie swore it by the bones of his grandfather. + +Then Keo swam to the black one, who clambered upon his back again. In +this fashion they came to the bank, where Keo told his mother and all +the tribe of the bargain he had made with Gouie, who was to return in a +year and a day and become his slave. + +Therefore the black man was permitted to depart in peace, and once more +the Jolly One lived with his own people and was happy. + +When a year and a day had passed Keo began watching for the return of +Gouie; but he did not come, then or ever afterwards. + +For the black man had made a bundle of his bracelets and shell +necklaces and little gold ornaments and had traveled many miles into +another country, where the ancient and royal tribe of hippopotamuses +was unknown. And he set up for a great chief, because of his riches, +and people bowed down before him. + +By day he was proud and swaggering. But at night he tumbled and tossed +upon his bed and could not sleep. His conscience troubled him. + +For he had sworn by the bones of his grandfather; and his grandfather +had no bones. + + + + +THE MAGIC BON BONS + + +There lived in Boston a wise and ancient chemist by the name of Dr. +Daws, who dabbled somewhat in magic. There also lived in Boston a young +lady by the name of Claribel Sudds, who was possessed of much money, +little wit and an intense desire to go upon the stage. + +So Claribel went to Dr. Daws and said: + +“I can neither sing nor dance; I cannot recite verse nor play upon the +piano; I am no acrobat nor leaper nor high kicker; yet I wish to go +upon the stage. What shall I do?” + +“Are you willing to pay for such accomplishments?” asked the wise +chemist. + +“Certainly,” answered Claribel, jingling her purse. + +“Then come to me to-morrow at two o’clock,” said he. + +All that night he practiced what is known as chemical sorcery; so that +when Claribel Sudds came next day at two o’clock he showed her a small +box filled with compounds that closely resembled French bonbons. + +“This is a progressive age,” said the old man, “and I flatter myself +your Uncle Daws keeps right along with the procession. Now, one of your +old-fashioned sorcerers would have made you some nasty, bitter pills to +swallow; but I have consulted your taste and convenience. Here are some +magic bonbons. If you eat this one with the lavender color you can +dance thereafter as lightly and gracefully as if you had been trained a +lifetime. After you consume the pink confection you will sing like a +nightingale. Eating the white one will enable you to become the finest +elocutionist in the land. The chocolate piece will charm you into +playing the piano better than Rubenstein, while after eating the +lemon-yellow bonbon you can easily kick six feet above your head.” + +“How delightful!” exclaimed Claribel, who was truly enraptured. “You +are certainly a most clever sorcerer as well as a considerate +compounder,” and she held out her hand for the box. + +“Ahem!” said the wise one; “a check, please.” + +“Oh, yes; to be sure! How stupid of me to forget it,” she returned. + +He considerately retained the box in his own hand while she signed a +check for a large amount of money, after which he allowed her to hold +the box herself. + +“Are you sure you have made them strong enough?” she inquired, +anxiously; “it usually takes a great deal to affect me.” + +“My only fear,” replied Dr. Daws, “is that I have made them too strong. +For this is the first time I have ever been called upon to prepare +these wonderful confections.” + +“Don’t worry,” said Claribel; “the stronger they act the better I shall +act myself.” + +She went away, after saying this, but stopping in at a dry goods store +to shop, she forgot the precious box in her new interest and left it +lying on the ribbon counter. + +Then little Bessie Bostwick came to the counter to buy a hair ribbon +and laid her parcels beside the box. When she went away she gathered up +the box with her other bundles and trotted off home with it. + +Bessie never knew, until after she had hung her coat in the hall closet +and counted up her parcels, that she had one too many. Then she opened +it and exclaimed: + +“Why, it’s a box of candy! Someone must have mislaid it. But it is too +small a matter to worry about; there are only a few pieces.” So she +dumped the contents of the box into a bonbon dish that stood upon the +hall table and picking out the chocolate piece—she was fond of +chocolates—ate it daintily while she examined her purchases. + +These were not many, for Bessie was only twelve years old and was not +yet trusted by her parents to expend much money at the stores. But +while she tried on the hair ribbon she suddenly felt a great desire to +play upon the piano, and the desire at last became so overpowering that +she went into the parlor and opened the instrument. + +The little girl had, with infinite pains, contrived to learn two +“pieces” which she usually executed with a jerky movement of her right +hand and a left hand that forgot to keep up and so made dreadful +discords. But under the influence of the chocolate bonbon she sat down +and ran her fingers lightly over the keys producing such exquisite +harmony that she was filled with amazement at her own performance. + +That was the prelude, however. The next moment she dashed into +Beethoven’s seventh sonata and played it magnificently. + +Her mother, hearing the unusual burst of melody, came downstairs to see +what musical guest had arrived; but when she discovered it was her own +little daughter who was playing so divinely she had an attack of +palpitation of the heart (to which she was subject) and sat down upon a +sofa until it should pass away. + +Meanwhile Bessie played one piece after another with untiring energy. +She loved music, and now found that all she need do was to sit at the +piano and listen and watch her hands twinkle over the keyboard. + +Twilight deepened in the room and Bessie’s father came home and hung up +his hat and overcoat and placed his umbrella in the rack. Then he +peeped into the parlor to see who was playing. + +“Great Caesar!” he exclaimed. But the mother came to him softly with +her finger on her lips and whispered: “Don’t interrupt her, John. Our +child seems to be in a trance. Did you ever hear such superb music?” + +“Why, she’s an infant prodigy!” gasped the astounded father. “Beats +Blind Tom all hollow! It’s—it’s wonderful!” + +As they stood listening the senator arrived, having been invited to +dine with them that evening. And before he had taken off his coat the +Yale professor—a man of deep learning and scholarly attainments—joined +the party. + +Bessie played on; and the four elders stood in a huddled but silent and +amazed group, listening to the music and waiting for the sound of the +dinner gong. + +Mr. Bostwick, who was hungry, picked up the bonbon dish that lay on the +table beside him and ate the pink confection. The professor was +watching him, so Mr. Bostwick courteously held the dish toward him. The +professor ate the lemon-yellow piece and the senator reached out his +hand and took the lavender piece. He did not eat it, however, for, +chancing to remember that it might spoil his dinner, he put it in his +vest pocket. Mrs. Bostwick, still intently listening to her precocious +daughter, without thinking what she did, took the remaining piece, +which was the white one, and slowly devoured it. + +The dish was now empty, and Claribel Sudds’ precious bonbons had passed +from her possession forever! + +Suddenly Mr. Bostwick, who was a big man, began to sing in a shrill, +tremolo soprano voice. It was not the same song Bessie was playing, and +the discord was shocking that the professor smiled, the senator put his +hands to his ears and Mrs. Bostwick cried in a horrified voice: + +“William!” + +Her husband continued to sing as if endeavoring to emulate the famous +Christine Nillson, and paid no attention whatever to his wife or his +guests. + +Fortunately the dinner gong now sounded, and Mrs. Bostwick dragged +Bessie from the piano and ushered her guests into the dining-room. Mr. +Bostwick followed, singing “The Last Rose of Summer” as if it had been +an encore demanded by a thousand delighted hearers. + +The poor woman was in despair at witnessing her husband’s undignified +actions and wondered what she might do to control him. The professor +seemed more grave than usual; the senator’s face wore an offended +expression, and Bessie kept moving her fingers as if she still wanted +to play the piano. + +Mrs. Bostwick managed to get them all seated, although her husband had +broken into another aria; and then the maid brought in the soup. + +When she carried a plate to the professor, he cried, in an excited +voice: + +“Hold it higher! Higher—I say!” And springing up he gave it a sudden +kick that sent it nearly to the ceiling, from whence the dish descended +to scatter soup over Bessie and the maid and to smash in pieces upon +the crown of the professor’s bald head. + +At this atrocious act the senator rose from his seat with an +exclamation of horror and glanced at his hostess. + +For some time Mrs. Bostwick had been staring straight ahead, with a +dazed expression; but now, catching the senator’s eye, she bowed +gracefully and began reciting “The Charge of the Light Brigade” in +forceful tones. + +The senator shuddered. Such disgraceful rioting he had never seen nor +heard before in a decent private family. He felt that his reputation +was at stake, and, being the only sane person, apparently, in the room, +there was no one to whom he might appeal. + +The maid had run away to cry hysterically in the kitchen; Mr. Bostwick +was singing “O Promise Me;” the professor was trying to kick the globes +off the chandelier; Mrs. Bostwick had switched her recitation to “The +Boy Stood on the Burning Deck,” and Bessie had stolen into the parlor +and was pounding out the overture from the “Flying Dutchman.” + +The senator was not at all sure he would not go crazy himself, +presently; so he slipped away from the turmoil, and, catching up his +had and coat in the hall, hurried from the house. + +That night he sat up late writing a political speech he was to deliver +the next afternoon at Faneuil hall, but his experiences at the +Bostwicks’ had so unnerved him that he could scarcely collect his +thoughts, and often he would pause and shake his head pityingly as he +remembered the strange things he had seen in that usually respectable +home. + +The next day he met Mr. Bostwick in the street, but passed him by with +a stony glare of oblivion. He felt he really could not afford to know +this gentleman in the future. Mr. Bostwick was naturally indignant at +the direct snub; yet in his mind lingered a faint memory of some quite +unusual occurrences at his dinner party the evening before, and he +hardly knew whether he dared resent the senator’s treatment or not. + +The political meeting was the feature of the day, for the senator’s +eloquence was well known in Boston. So the big hall was crowded with +people, and in one of the front rows sat the Bostwick family, with the +learned Yale professor beside them. They all looked tired and pale, as +if they had passed a rather dissipated evening, and the senator was +rendered so nervous by seeing them that he refused to look in their +direction a second time. + +While the mayor was introducing him the great man sat fidgeting in his +chair; and, happening to put his thumb and finger into his vest pocket, +he found the lavender-colored bonbon he had placed there the evening +before. + +“This may clear my throat,” thought the senator, and slipped the bonbon +into his mouth. + +A few minutes afterwards he arose before the vast audience, which +greeted him with enthusiastic plaudits. + +“My friends,” began the senator, in a grave voice, “this is a most +impressive and important occasion.” + +Then he paused, balanced himself upon his left foot, and kicked his +right leg into the air in the way favored by ballet-dancers! + +There was a hum of amazement and horror from the spectators, but the +senator appeared not to notice it. He whirled around upon the tips of +his toes, kicked right and left in a graceful manner, and startled a +bald-headed man in the front row by casting a languishing glance in his +direction. + +Suddenly Claribel Sudds, who happened to be present, uttered a scream +and sprang to her feet. Pointing an accusing finger at the dancing +senator, she cried in a loud voice: + +“That’s the man who stole my bonbons! Seize him! Arrest him! Don’t let +him escape!” + +But the ushers rushed her out of the hall, thinking she had gone +suddenly insane; and the senator’s friends seized him firmly and +carried him out the stage entrance to the street, where they put him +into an open carriage and instructed the driver to take him home. + +The effect of the magic bonbon was still powerful enough to control the +poor senator, who stood upon the rear seat of the carriage and danced +energetically all the way home, to the delight of the crowd of small +boys who followed the carriage and the grief of the sober-minded +citizens, who shook their heads sadly and whispered that “another good +man had gone wrong.” + +It took the senator several months to recover from the shame and +humiliation of this escapade; and, curiously enough, he never had the +slightest idea what had induced him to act in so extraordinary a +manner. Perhaps it was fortunate the last bonbon had now been eaten, +for they might easily have caused considerably more trouble than they +did. + +Of course Claribel went again to the wise chemist and signed a check +for another box of magic bonbons; but she must have taken better care +of these, for she is now a famous vaudeville actress. + + +This story should teach us the folly of condemning others for actions +that we do not understand, for we never know what may happen to +ourselves. It may also serve as a hint to be careful about leaving +parcels in public places, and, incidentally, to let other people’s +packages severely alone. + + + + +THE CAPTURE OF FATHER TIME + + +Jim was the son of a cowboy, and lived on the broad plains of Arizona. +His father had trained him to lasso a bronco or a young bull with +perfect accuracy, and had Jim possessed the strength to back up his +skill he would have been as good a cowboy as any in all Arizona. + +When he was twelve years old he made his first visit to the east, where +Uncle Charles, his father’s brother, lived. Of course Jim took his +lasso with him, for he was proud of his skill in casting it, and wanted +to show his cousins what a cowboy could do. + +At first the city boys and girls were much interested in watching Jim +lasso posts and fence pickets, but they soon tired of it, and even Jim +decided it was not the right sort of sport for cities. + +But one day the butcher asked Jim to ride one of his horses into the +country, to a pasture that had been engaged, and Jim eagerly consented. +He had been longing for a horseback ride, and to make it seem like old +times he took his lasso with him. + +He rode through the streets demurely enough, but on reaching the open +country roads his spirits broke forth into wild jubilation, and, urging +the butcher’s horse to full gallop, he dashed away in true cowboy +fashion. + +Then he wanted still more liberty, and letting down the bars that led +into a big field he began riding over the meadow and throwing his lasso +at imaginary cattle, while he yelled and whooped to his heart’s +content. + +Suddenly, on making a long cast with his lasso, the loop caught upon +something and rested about three feet from the ground, while the rope +drew taut and nearly pulled Jim from his horse. + +This was unexpected. More than that, it was wonderful; for the field +seemed bare of even a stump. Jim’s eyes grew big with amazement, but he +knew he had caught something when a voice cried out: + +“Here, let go! Let go, I say! Can’t you see what you’ve done?” + +No, Jim couldn’t see, nor did he intend to let go until he found out +what was holding the loop of the lasso. So he resorted to an old trick +his father had taught him and, putting the butcher’s horse to a run, +began riding in a circle around the spot where his lasso had caught. + +As he thus drew nearer and nearer his quarry he saw the rope coil up, +yet it looked to be coiling over nothing but air. One end of the lasso +was made fast to a ring in the saddle, and when the rope was almost +wound up and the horse began to pull away and snort with fear, Jim +dismounted. Holding the reins of the bridle in one hand, he followed +the rope, and an instant later saw an old man caught fast in the coils +of the lasso. + +His head was bald and uncovered, but long white whiskers grew down to +his waist. About his body was thrown a loose robe of fine white linen. +In one hand he bore a great scythe, and beneath the other arm he +carried an hourglass. + +While Jim gazed wonderingly upon him, this venerable old man spoke in +an angry voice: + +“Now, then—get that rope off as fast as you can! You’ve brought +everything on earth to a standstill by your foolishness! Well—what are +you staring at? Don’t you know who I am?” + +“No,” said Jim, stupidly. + +“Well, I’m Time—Father Time! Now, make haste and set me free—if you +want the world to run properly.” + +“How did I happen to catch you?” asked Jim, without making a move to +release his captive. + +“I don’t know. I’ve never been caught before,” growled Father Time. +“But I suppose it was because you were foolishly throwing your lasso at +nothing.” + +“I didn’t see you,” said Jim. + +“Of course you didn’t. I’m invisible to the eyes of human beings unless +they get within three feet of me, and I take care to keep more than +that distance away from them. That’s why I was crossing this field, +where I supposed no one would be. And I should have been perfectly safe +had it not been for your beastly lasso. Now, then,” he added, crossly, +“are you going to get that rope off?” + +“Why should I?” asked Jim. + +“Because everything in the world stopped moving the moment you caught +me. I don’t suppose you want to make an end of all business and +pleasure, and war and love, and misery and ambition and everything +else, do you? Not a watch has ticked since you tied me up here like a +mummy!” + +Jim laughed. It really was funny to see the old man wound round and +round with coils of rope from his knees up to his chin. + +“It’ll do you good to rest,” said the boy. “From all I’ve heard you +lead a rather busy life.” + +“Indeed I do,” replied Father Time, with a sigh. “I’m due in Kamchatka +this very minute. And to think one small boy is upsetting all my +regular habits!” + +“Too bad!” said Jim, with a grin. “But since the world has stopped +anyhow, it won’t matter if it takes a little longer recess. As soon as +I let you go Time will fly again. Where are your wings?” + +“I haven’t any,” answered the old man. “That is a story cooked up by +some one who never saw me. As a matter of fact, I move rather slowly.” + +“I see, you take your time,” remarked the boy. “What do you use that +scythe for?” + +“To mow down the people,” said the ancient one. “Every time I swing my +scythe some one dies.” + +“Then I ought to win a life-saving medal by keeping you tied up,” said +Jim. “Some folks will live this much longer.” + +“But they won’t know it,” said Father Time, with a sad smile; “so it +will do them no good. You may as well untie me at once.” + +“No,” said Jim, with a determined air. “I may never capture you again; +so I’ll hold you for awhile and see how the world wags without you.” + +Then he swung the old man, bound as he was, upon the back of the +butcher’s horse, and, getting into the saddle himself, started back +toward town, one hand holding his prisoner and the other guiding the +reins. + +When he reached the road his eye fell on a strange tableau. A horse and +buggy stood in the middle of the road, the horse in the act of +trotting, with his head held high and two legs in the air, but +perfectly motionless. In the buggy a man and a woman were seated; but +had they been turned into stone they could not have been more still and +stiff. + +“There’s no Time for them!” sighed the old man. “Won’t you let me go +now?” + +“Not yet,” replied the boy. + +He rode on until he reached the city, where all the people stood in +exactly the same positions they were in when Jim lassoed Father Time. +Stopping in front of a big dry goods store, the boy hitched his horse +and went in. The clerks were measuring out goods and showing patterns +to the rows of customers in front of them, but everyone seemed suddenly +to have become a statue. + +There was something very unpleasant in this scene, and a cold shiver +began to run up and down Jim’s back; so he hurried out again. + +On the edge of the sidewalk sat a poor, crippled beggar, holding out +his hat, and beside him stood a prosperous-looking gentleman who was +about to drop a penny into the beggar’s hat. Jim knew this gentleman to +be very rich but rather stingy, so he ventured to run his hand into the +man’s pocket and take out his purse, in which was a $20 gold piece. +This glittering coin he put in the gentleman’s fingers instead of the +penny and then restored the purse to the rich man’s pocket. + +“That donation will surprise him when he comes to life,” thought the +boy. + +He mounted the horse again and rode up the street. As he passed the +shop of his friend, the butcher, he noticed several pieces of meat +hanging outside. + +“I’m afraid that meat’ll spoil,” he remarked. + +“It takes Time to spoil meat,” answered the old man. + +This struck Jim as being queer, but true. + +“It seems Time meddles with everything,” said he. + +“Yes; you’ve made a prisoner of the most important personage in the +world,” groaned the old man; “and you haven’t enough sense to let him +go again.” + +Jim did not reply, and soon they came to his uncle’s house, where he +again dismounted. The street was filled with teams and people, but all +were motionless. His two little cousins were just coming out the gate +on their way to school, with their books and slates underneath their +arms; so Jim had to jump over the fence to avoid knocking them down. + +In the front room sat his aunt, reading her Bible. She was just turning +a page when Time stopped. In the dining-room was his uncle, finishing +his luncheon. His mouth was open and his fork poised just before it, +while his eyes were fixed upon the newspaper folded beside him. Jim +helped himself to his uncle’s pie, and while he ate it he walked out to +his prisoner. + +“There’s one thing I don’t understand,” said he. + +“What’s that?” asked Father Time. + +“Why is it that I’m able to move around while everyone else is—is—froze +up?” + +“That is because I’m your prisoner,” answered the other. “You can do +anything you wish with Time now. But unless you are careful you’ll do +something you will be sorry for.” + +Jim threw the crust of his pie at a bird that was suspended in the air, +where it had been flying when Time stopped. + +“Anyway,” he laughed, “I’m living longer than anyone else. No one will +ever be able to catch up with me again.” + +“Each life has its allotted span,” said the old man. “When you have +lived your proper time my scythe will mow you down.” + +“I forgot your scythe,” said Jim, thoughtfully. + +Then a spirit of mischief came into the boy’s head, for he happened to +think that the present opportunity to have fun would never occur again. +He tied Father Time to his uncle’s hitching post, that he might not +escape, and then crossed the road to the corner grocery. + +The grocer had scolded Jim that very morning for stepping into a basket +of turnips by accident. So the boy went to the back end of the grocery +and turned on the faucet of the molasses barrel. + +“That’ll make a nice mess when Time starts the molasses running all +over the floor,” said Jim, with a laugh. + +A little further down the street was a barber shop, and sitting in the +barber’s chair Jim saw the man that all the boys declared was the +“meanest man in town.” He certainly did not like the boys and the boys +knew it. The barber was in the act of shampooing this person when Time +was captured. Jim ran to the drug store, and, getting a bottle of +mucilage, he returned and poured it over the ruffled hair of the +unpopular citizen. + +“That’ll probably surprise him when he wakes up,” thought Jim. + +Near by was the schoolhouse. Jim entered it and found that only a few +of the pupils were assembled. But the teacher sat at his desk, stern +and frowning as usual. + +Taking a piece of chalk, Jim marked upon the blackboard in big letters +the following words: + +“Every scholar is requested to yell the minute he enters the room. He +will also please throw his books at the teacher’s head. Signed, Prof. +Sharpe.” + +“That ought to raise a nice rumpus,” murmured the mischiefmaker, as he +walked away. + +On the corner stood Policeman Mulligan, talking with old Miss Scrapple, +the worst gossip in town, who always delighted in saying something +disagreeable about her neighbors. Jim thought this opportunity was too +good to lose. So he took off the policeman’s cap and brass-buttoned +coat and put them on Miss Scrapple, while the lady’s feathered and +ribboned hat he placed jauntily upon the policeman’s head. + +The effect was so comical that the boy laughed aloud, and as a good +many people were standing near the corner Jim decided that Miss +Scrapple and Officer Mulligan would create a sensation when Time +started upon his travels. + +Then the young cowboy remembered his prisoner, and, walking back to the +hitching post, he came within three feet of it and saw Father Time +still standing patiently within the toils of the lasso. He looked angry +and annoyed, however, and growled out: + +“Well, when do you intend to release me?” + +“I’ve been thinking about that ugly scythe of yours,” said Jim. + +“What about it?” asked Father Time. + +“Perhaps if I let you go you’ll swing it at me the first thing, to be +revenged,” replied the boy. + +Father Time gave him a severe look, but said: + +“I’ve known boys for thousands of years, and of course I know they’re +mischievous and reckless. But I like boys, because they grow up to be +men and people my world. Now, if a man had caught me by accident, as +you did, I could have scared him into letting me go instantly; but boys +are harder to scare. I don’t know as I blame you. I was a boy myself, +long ago, when the world was new. But surely you’ve had enough fun with +me by this time, and now I hope you’ll show the respect that is due to +old age. Let me go, and in return I will promise to forget all about my +capture. The incident won’t do much harm, anyway, for no one will ever +know that Time has halted the last three hours or so.” + +“All right,” said Jim, cheerfully, “since you’ve promised not to mow me +down, I’ll let you go.” But he had a notion some people in the town +would suspect Time had stopped when they returned to life. + +He carefully unwound the rope from the old man, who, when he was free, +at once shouldered his scythe, rearranged his white robe and nodded +farewell. + +The next moment he had disappeared, and with a rustle and rumble and +roar of activity the world came to life again and jogged along as it +always had before. + +Jim wound up his lasso, mounted the butcher’s horse and rode slowly +down the street. + +Loud screams came from the corner, where a great crowd of people +quickly assembled. From his seat on the horse Jim saw Miss Scrapple, +attired in the policeman’s uniform, angrily shaking her fists in +Mulligan’s face, while the officer was furiously stamping upon the +lady’s hat, which he had torn from his own head amidst the jeers of the +crowd. + +As he rode past the schoolhouse he heard a tremendous chorus of yells, +and knew Prof. Sharpe was having a hard time to quell the riot caused +by the sign on the blackboard. + +Through the window of the barber shop he saw the “mean man” frantically +belaboring the barber with a hair brush, while his hair stood up stiff +as bayonets in all directions. And the grocer ran out of his door and +yelled “Fire!” while his shoes left a track of molasses wherever he +stepped. + +Jim’s heart was filled with joy. He was fairly reveling in the +excitement he had caused when some one caught his leg and pulled him +from the horse. + +“What’re ye doin’ hear, ye rascal?” cried the butcher, angrily; “didn’t +ye promise to put that beast inter Plympton’s pasture? An’ now I find +ye ridin’ the poor nag around like a gentleman o’ leisure!” + +“That’s a fact,” said Jim, with surprise; “I clean forgot about the +horse!” + + +This story should teach us the supreme importance of Time and the folly +of trying to stop it. For should you succeed, as Jim did, in bringing +Time to a standstill, the world would soon become a dreary place and +life decidedly unpleasant. + + + + +THE WONDERFUL PUMP + + +Not many years ago there lived on a stony, barren New England farm a +man and his wife. They were sober, honest people, working hard from +early morning until dark to enable them to secure a scanty living from +their poor land. + +Their house, a small, one-storied building, stood upon the side of a +steep hill, and the stones lay so thickly about it that scarce anything +green could grow from the ground. At the foot of the hill, a quarter of +a mile from the house by the winding path, was a small brook, and the +woman was obliged to go there for water and to carry it up the hill to +the house. This was a tedious task, and with the other hard work that +fell to her share had made her gaunt and bent and lean. + +Yet she never complained, but meekly and faithfully performed her +duties, doing the housework, carrying the water and helping her husband +hoe the scanty crop that grew upon the best part of their land. + +One day, as she walked down the path to the brook, her big shoes +scattering the pebbles right and left, she noticed a large beetle lying +upon its back and struggling hard with its little legs to turn over, +that its feet might again touch the ground. But this it could not +accomplish; so the woman, who had a kind heart, reached down and gently +turned the beetle with her finger. At once it scampered from the path +and she went on to the brook. + +The next day, as she came for water, she was surprised to see the +beetle again lying upon its back and struggling helplessly to turn. +Once more the woman stopped and set him upon his feet; and then, as she +stooped over the tiny creature, she heard a small voice say: + +“Oh, thank you! Thank you so much for saving me!” + +Half frightened at hearing a beetle speak in her own language, the +woman started back and exclaimed: + +“La sakes! Surely you can’t talk like humans!” Then, recovering from +her alarm, she again bent over the beetle, who answered her: + +“Why shouldn’t I talk, if I have anything to say? + +“’Cause you’re a bug,” replied the woman. + +“That is true; and you saved my life—saved me from my enemies, the +sparrows. And this is the second time you have come to my assistance, +so I owe you a debt of gratitude. Bugs value their lives as much as +human beings, and I am a more important creature than you, in your +ignorance, may suppose. But, tell me, why do you come each day to the +brook?” + +“For water,” she answered, staring stupidly down at the talking beetle. + +“Isn’t it hard work?” the creature inquired. + +“Yes; but there’s no water on the hill,” said she. + +“Then dig a well and put a pump in it,” replied the beetle. + +She shook her head. + +“My man tried it once; but there was no water,” she said, sadly. + +“Try it again,” commanded the beetle; “and in return for your kindness +to me I will make this promise: if you do not get water from the well +you will get that which is more precious to you. I must go now. Do not +forget. Dig a well.” + +And then, without pausing to say good-by, it ran swiftly away and was +lost among the stones. + +The woman returned to the house much perplexed by what the beetle had +said, and when her husband came in from his work she told him the whole +story. + +The poor man thought deeply for a time, and then declared: + +“Wife, there may be truth in what the bug told you. There must be magic +in the world yet, if a beetle can speak; and if there is such a thing +as magic we may get water from the well. The pump I bought to use in +the well which proved to be dry is now lying in the barn, and the only +expense in following the talking bug’s advice will be the labor of +digging the hole. Labor I am used to; so I will dig the well.” + +Next day he set about it, and dug so far down in the ground that he +could hardly reach the top to climb out again; but not a drop of water +was found. + +“Perhaps you did not dig deep enough,” his wife said, when he told her +of his failure. + +So the following day he made a long ladder, which he put into the hole; +and then he dug, and dug, and dug, until the top of the ladder barely +reached the top of the hole. But still there was no water. + +When the woman next went to the brook with her pail she saw the beetle +sitting upon a stone beside her path. So she stopped and said: + +“My husband has dug the well; but there is no water.” + +“Did he put the pump in the well?” asked the beetle. + +“No,” she answered. + +“Then do as I commanded; put in the pump, and if you do not get water I +promise you something still more precious.” + +Saying which, the beetle swiftly slid from the stone and disappeared. +The woman went back to the house and told her husband what the bug had +said. + +“Well,” replied the simple fellow, “there can be no harm in trying.” + +So he got the pump from the barn and placed it in the well, and then he +took hold of the handle and began to pump, while his wife stood by to +watch what would happen. + +No water came, but after a few moments a gold piece dropped from the +spout of the pump, and then another, and another, until several +handfuls of gold lay in a little heap upon the ground. + +The man stopped pumping then and ran to help his wife gather the gold +pieces into her apron; but their hands trembled so greatly through +excitement and joy that they could scarcely pick up the sparkling +coins. + +At last she gathered them close to her bosom and together they ran to +the house, where they emptied the precious gold upon the table and +counted the pieces. + +All were stamped with the design of the United States mint and were +worth five dollars each. Some were worn and somewhat discolored from +use, while others seemed bright and new, as if they had not been much +handled. When the value of the pieces was added together they were +found to be worth three hundred dollars. + +Suddenly the woman spoke. + +“Husband, the beetle said truly when he declared we should get +something more precious than water from the well. But run at once and +take away the handle from the pump, lest anyone should pass this way +and discover our secret.” + +So the man ran to the pump and removed the handle, which he carried to +the house and hid underneath the bed. + +They hardly slept a wink that night, lying awake to think of their good +fortune and what they should do with their store of yellow gold. In all +their former lives they had never possessed more than a few dollars at +a time, and now the cracked teapot was nearly full of gold coins. + +The following day was Sunday, and they arose early and ran to see if +their treasure was safe. There it lay, heaped snugly within the teapot, +and they were so willing to feast their eyes upon it that it was long +before the man could leave it to build the fire or the woman to cook +the breakfast. + +While they ate their simple meal the woman said: + +“We will go to church to-day and return thanks for the riches that have +come to us so suddenly. And I will give the pastor one of the gold +pieces.” + +“It is well enough to go to church,” replied her husband, “and also to +return thanks. But in the night I decided how we will spend all our +money; so there will be none left for the pastor.” + +“We can pump more,” said the woman. + +“Perhaps; and perhaps not,” he answered, cautiously. “What we have we +can depend upon, but whether or not there be more in the well I cannot +say.” + +“Then go and find out,” she returned, “for I am anxious to give +something to the pastor, who is a poor man and deserving.” + +So the man got the pump handle from beneath the bed, and, going to the +pump, fitted it in place. Then he set a large wooden bucket under the +spout and began to pump. To their joy the gold pieces soon began +flowing into the pail, and, seeing it about to run over the brim, the +woman brought another pail. But now the stream suddenly stopped, and +the man said, cheerfully: + +“That is enough for to-day, good wife! We have added greatly to our +treasure, and the parson shall have his gold piece. Indeed, I think I +shall also put a coin into the contribution box.” + +Then, because the teapot would hold no more gold, the farmer emptied +the pail into the wood-box, covering the money with dried leaves and +twigs, that no one might suspect what lay underneath. + +Afterward they dressed themselves in their best clothing and started +for the church, each taking a bright gold piece from the teapot as a +gift to the pastor. + +Over the hill and down into the valley beyond they walked, feeling so +gay and light-hearted that they did not mind the distance at all. At +last they came to the little country church and entered just as the +services began. + +Being proud of their wealth and of the gifts they had brought for the +pastor, they could scarcely wait for the moment when the deacon passed +the contribution box. But at last the time came, and the farmer held +his hand high over the box and dropped the gold piece so that all the +congregation could see what he had given. The woman did likewise, +feeling important and happy at being able to give the good parson so +much. + +The parson, watching from the pulpit, saw the gold drop into the box, +and could hardly believe that his eyes did not deceive him. However, +when the box was laid upon his desk there were the two gold pieces, and +he was so surprised that he nearly forgot his sermon. + +When the people were leaving the church at the close of the services +the good man stopped the farmer and his wife and asked: + +“Where did you get so much gold?” + +The woman gladly told him how she had rescued the beetle, and how, in +return, they had been rewarded with the wonderful pump. The pastor +listened to it all gravely, and when the story was finished he said: + +“According to tradition strange things happened in this world ages ago, +and now I find that strange things may also happen to-day. For by your +tale you have found a beetle that can speak and also has power to +bestow upon you great wealth.” Then he looked carefully at the gold +pieces and continued: “Either this money is fairy gold or it is genuine +metal, stamped at the mint of the United States government. If it is +fairy gold it will disappear within 24 hours, and will therefore do no +one any good. If it is real money, then your beetle must have robbed +some one of the gold and placed it in your well. For all money belongs +to some one, and if you have not earned it honestly, but have come by +it in the mysterious way you mention, it was surely taken from the +persons who owned it, without their consent. Where else could real +money come from?” + +The farmer and his wife were confused by this statement and looked +guiltily at each other, for they were honest people and wished to wrong +no one. + +“Then you think the beetle stole the money?” asked the woman. + +“By his magic powers he probably took it from its rightful owners. Even +bugs which can speak have no consciences and cannot tell the difference +between right and wrong. With a desire to reward you for your kindness +the beetle took from its lawful possessors the money you pumped from +the well.” + +“Perhaps it really is fairy gold,” suggested the man. “If so, we must +go to the town and spend the money before it disappears.” + +“That would be wrong,” answered the pastor; “for then the merchants +would have neither money nor goods. To give them fairy gold would be to +rob them.” + +“What, then, shall we do?” asked the poor woman, wringing her hands +with grief and disappointment. + +“Go home and wait until to-morrow. If the gold is then in your +possession it is real money and not fairy gold. But if it is real money +you must try to restore it to its rightful owners. Take, also, these +pieces which you have given me, for I cannot accept gold that is not +honestly come by.” + +Sadly the poor people returned to their home, being greatly disturbed +by what they had heard. Another sleepless night was passed, and on +Monday morning they arose at daylight and ran to see if the gold was +still visible. + +“It is real money, after all!” cried the man; “for not a single piece +has disappeared.” + +When the woman went to the brook that day she looked for the beetle, +and, sure enough, there he sat upon the flat stone. + +“Are you happy now?” asked the beetle, as the woman paused before him. + +“We are very unhappy,” she answered; “for, although you have given us +much gold, our good parson says it surely belongs to some one else, and +was stolen by you to reward us.” + +“Your parson may be a good man,” returned the beetle, with some +indignation, “but he certainly is not overwise. Nevertheless, if you do +not want the gold I can take it from you as easily as I gave it.” + +“But we do want it!” cried the woman, fearfully. “That is,” she added, +“if it is honestly come by.” + +“It is not stolen,” replied the beetle, sulkily, “and now belongs to no +one but yourselves. When you saved my life I thought how I might reward +you; and, knowing you to be poor, I decided gold would make you happier +than anything else. + +“You must know,” he continued, “that although I appear so small and +insignificant, I am really king of all the insects, and my people obey +my slightest wish. Living, as they do, close to the ground, the insects +often come across gold and other pieces of money which have been lost +by men and have fallen into cracks or crevasses or become covered with +earth or hidden by grass or weeds. Whenever my people find money in +this way they report the fact to me; but I have always let it lie, +because it could be of no possible use to an insect. + +“However, when I decided to give you gold I knew just where to obtain +it without robbing any of your fellow creatures. Thousands of insects +were at once sent by me in every direction to bring the pieces of lost +gold to this hill. It cost my people several days of hard labor, as you +may suppose; but by the time your husband had finished the well the +gold began to arrive from all parts of the country, and during the +night my subjects dumped it all into the well. So you may use it with a +clear conscience, knowing that you wrong no one.” + +This explanation delighted the woman, and when she returned to the +house and reported to her husband what the beetle had said he also was +overjoyed. + +So they at once took a number of the gold pieces and went to the town +to purchase provisions and clothing and many things of which they had +long stood in need; but so proud were they of their newly acquired +wealth that they took no pains to conceal it. They wanted everyone to +know they had money, and so it was no wonder that when some of the +wicked men in the village saw the gold they longed to possess it +themselves. + +“If they spend this money so freely,” whispered one to another, “there +must be a great store of gold at their home.” + +“That is true,” was the answer. “Let us hasten there before they return +and ransack the house.” + +So they left the village and hurried away to the farm on the hill, +where they broke down the door and turned everything topsy turvy until +they had discovered the gold in the wood-box and the teapot. It did not +take them long to make this into bundles, which they slung upon their +backs and carried off, and it was probably because they were in a great +hurry that they did not stop to put the house in order again. + +Presently the good woman and her husband came up the hill from the +village with their arms full of bundles and followed by a crowd of +small boys who had been hired to help carry the purchases. Then +followed others, youngsters and country louts, attracted by the wealth +and prodigality of the pair, who, from simple curiosity, trailed along +behind like the tail of a comet and helped swell the concourse into a +triumphal procession. Last of all came Guggins, the shopkeeper, +carrying with much tenderness a new silk dress which was to be paid for +when they reached the house, all the money they had taken to the +village having been lavishly expended. + +The farmer, who had formerly been a modest man, was now so swelled with +pride that he tipped the rim of his hat over his left ear and smoked a +big cigar that was fast making him ill. His wife strutted along beside +him like a peacock, enjoying to the full the homage and respect her +wealth had won from those who formerly deigned not to notice her, and +glancing from time to time at the admiring procession in the rear. + +But, alas for their new-born pride! when they reached the farmhouse +they found the door broken in, the furniture strewn in all directions +and their treasure stolen to the very last gold piece. + +The crowd grinned and made slighting remarks of a personal nature, and +Guggins, the shopkeeper, demanded in a loud voice the money for the +silk dress he had brought. + +Then the woman whispered to her husband to run and pump some more gold +while she kept the crowd quiet, and he obeyed quickly. But after a few +moments he returned with a white face to tell her the pump was dry, and +not a gold piece could now be coaxed from the spout. + +The procession marched back to the village laughing and jeering at the +farmer and his wife, who had pretended to be so rich; and some of the +boys were naughty enough to throw stones at the house from the top of +the hill. Mr. Guggins carried away his dress after severely scolding +the woman for deceiving him, and when the couple at last found +themselves alone their pride had turned to humiliation and their joy to +bitter grief. + +Just before sundown the woman dried her eyes and, having resumed her +ordinary attire, went to the brook for water. When she came to the flat +stone she saw the King Beetle sitting upon it. + +“The well is dry!” she cried out, angrily. + +“Yes,” answered the beetle, calmly, “you have pumped from it all the +gold my people could find.” + +“But we are now ruined,” said the woman, sitting down in the path +beginning to weep; “for robbers have stolen from us every penny we +possessed.” + +“I’m sorry,” returned the beetle; “but it is your own fault. Had you +not made so great a show of your wealth no one would have suspected you +possessed a treasure, or thought to rob you. As it is, you have merely +lost the gold which others have lost before you. It will probably be +lost many times more before the world comes to an end.” + +“But what are we to do now?” she asked. + +“What did you do before I gave you the money?” + +“We worked from morning ’til night,” said she. + +“Then work still remains for you,” remarked the beetle, composedly; “no +one will ever try to rob you of that, you may be sure!” And he slid +from the stone and disappeared for the last time. + + +This story should teach us to accept good fortune with humble hearts +and to use it with moderation. For, had the farmer and his wife +resisted the temptation to display their wealth ostentatiously, they +might have retained it to this very day. + + + + +THE DUMMY THAT LIVED + + +In all Fairyland there is no more mischievous a person than +Tanko-Mankie the Yellow Ryl. He flew through the city one +afternoon—quite invisible to mortal eyes, but seeing everything +himself—and noticed a figure of a wax lady standing behind the big +plate glass window of Mr. Floman’s department store. + +The wax lady was beautifully dressed, and extended in her stiff left +hand was a card bearing the words: + +“RARE BARGIN! +This Stylish Costume +(Imported from Paris) +Former Price, $20, +REDUCED TO ONLY $19.98.” + + +This impressive announcement had drawn before the window a crowd of +women shoppers, who stood looking at the wax lady with critical eyes. + +Tanko-Mankie laughed to himself the low, gurgling little laugh that +always means mischief. Then he flew close to the wax figure and +breathed twice upon its forehead. + +From that instant the dummy began to live, but so dazed and astonished +was she at the unexpected sensation that she continued to stand +stupidly staring at the women outside and holding out the placard as +before. + +The ryl laughed again and flew away. Anyone but Tanko-Mankie would have +remained to help the wax lady out of the troubles that were sure to +overtake her; but this naughty elf thought it rare fun to turn the +inexperienced lady loose in a cold and heartless world and leave her to +shift for herself. + +Fortunately it was almost six o’clock when the dummy first realized +that she was alive, and before she had collected her new thoughts and +decided what to do a man came around and drew down all the window +shades, shutting off the view from the curious shoppers. + +Then the clerks and cashiers and floorwalkers and cash girls went home +and the store was closed for the night, although the sweepers and +scrubbers remained to clean the floors for the following day. + +The window inhabited by the wax lady was boxed in, like a little room, +one small door being left at the side for the window-trimmer to creep +in and out of. So the scrubbers never noticed that the dummy, when left +to herself, dropped the placard to the floor and sat down upon a pile +of silks to wonder who she was, where she was, and how she happened to +be alive. + +For you must consider, dear reader, that in spite of her size and her +rich costume, in spite of her pink cheeks and fluffy yellow hair, this +lady was very young—no older, in reality, than a baby born but half an +hour. All she knew of the world was contained in the glimpse she had +secured of the busy street facing her window; all she knew of people +lay in the actions of the group of women which had stood before her on +the other side of the window pane and criticised the fit of her dress +or remarked upon its stylish appearance. + +So she had little enough to think about, and her thoughts moved +somewhat slowly; yet one thing she really decided upon, and that was +not to remain in the window and be insolently stared at by a lot of +women who were not nearly so handsome or well dressed as herself. + +By the time she reached this important conclusion, it was after +midnight; but dim lights were burning in the big, deserted store, so +she crept through the door of her window and walked down the long +aisles, pausing now and then to look with much curiosity at the wealth +of finery confronting her on every side. + +When she came to the glass cases filled with trimmed hats she +remembered having seen upon the heads of the women in the street +similar creations. So she selected one that suited her fancy and placed +it carefully upon her yellow locks. I won’t attempt to explain what +instinct it was that made her glance into a near-by mirror to see if +the hat was straight, but this she certainly did. It didn’t correspond +with her dress very well, but the poor thing was too young to have much +taste in matching colors. + +When she reached the glove counter she remembered that gloves were also +worn by the women she had seen. She took a pair from the case and tried +to fit them upon her stiff, wax-coated fingers; but the gloves were too +small and ripped in the seams. Then she tried another pair, and several +others, as well; but hours passed before she finally succeeded in +getting her hands covered with a pair of pea-green kids. + +Next she selected a parasol from a large and varied assortment in the +rear of the store. Not that she had any idea what it was used for; but +other ladies carried such things, so she also would have one. + +When she again examined herself critically in the mirror she decided +her outfit was now complete, and to her inexperienced eyes there was no +perceptible difference between her and the women who had stood outside +the window. Whereupon she tried to leave the store, but found every +door fast locked. + +The wax lady was in no hurry. She inherited patience from her previous +existence. Just to be alive and to wear beautiful clothes was +sufficient enjoyment for her at present. So she sat down upon a stool +and waited quietly until daylight. + +When the janitor unlocked the door in the morning the wax lady swept +past him and walked with stiff but stately strides down the street. The +poor fellow was so completely whuckered at seeing the well-known wax +lady leave her window and march away from the store that he fell over +in a heap and only saved himself from fainting by striking his funny +bone against the doorstep. When he recovered his wits she had turned +the corner and disappeared. + +The wax lady’s immature mind had reasoned that, since she had come to +life, her evident duty was to mix with the world and do whatever other +folks did. She could not realize how different she was from people of +flesh and blood; nor did she know she was the first dummy that had ever +lived, or that she owed her unique experience to Tanko-Mankie’s love of +mischief. So ignorance gave her a confidence in herself that she was +not justly entitled to. + +It was yet early in the day, and the few people she met were hurrying +along the streets. Many of them turned into restaurants and eating +houses, and following their example the wax lady also entered one and +sat upon a stool before a lunch counter. + +“Coffee ’n’ rolls!” said a shop girl on the next stool. + +“Coffee ’n’ rolls!” repeated the dummy, and soon the waiter placed them +before her. Of course she had no appetite, as her constitution, being +mostly wood, did not require food; but she watched the shop girl, and +saw her put the coffee to her mouth and drink it. Therefore the wax +lady did the same, and the next instant was surprised to feel the hot +liquid trickling out between her wooden ribs. The coffee also blistered +her wax lips, and so disagreeable was the experience that she arose and +left the restaurant, paying no attention to the demands of the waiter +for “20 cents, mum.” Not that she intended to defraud him, but the poor +creature had no idea what he meant by “20 cents, mum.” + +As she came out she met the window trimmer at Floman’s store. The man +was rather near-sighted, but seeing something familiar in the lady’s +features he politely raised his hat. The wax lady also raised her hat, +thinking it the proper thing to do, and the man hurried away with a +horrified face. + +Then a woman touched her arm and said: + +“Beg pardon, ma’am; but there’s a price-mark hanging on your dress +behind.” + +“Yes, I know,” replied the wax lady, stiffly; “it was originally $20, +but it’s been reduced to $19.98.” + +The woman looked surprised at such indifference and walked on. Some +carriages were standing at the edge of the sidewalk, and seeing the +dummy hesitate a driver approached her and touched his cap. + +“Cab, ma’am?” he asked. + +“No,” said she, misunderstanding him; “I’m wax.” + +“Oh!” he exclaimed, and looked after her wonderingly. + +“Here’s yer mornin’ paper!” yelled a newsboy. + +“Mine, did you say?” she asked. + +“Sure! Chronicle, ’Quirer, R’public ’n’ ’Spatch! Wot’ll ye ’ave?” + +“What are they for?” inquired the wax lady, simply. + +“W’y, ter read, o’ course. All the news, you know.” + +She shook her head and glanced at a paper. + +“It looks all speckled and mixed up,” she said. “I’m afraid I can’t +read.” + +“Ever ben to school?” asked the boy, becoming interested. + +“No; what’s school?” she inquired. + +The boy gave her an indignant look. + +“Say!” he cried, “ye’r just a dummy, that’s wot ye are!” and ran away +to seek a more promising customer. + +“I wonder that he means,” thought the poor lady. “Am I really different +in some way from all the others? I look like them, certainly; and I try +to act like them; yet that boy called me a dummy and seemed to think I +acted queerly.” + +This idea worried her a little, but she walked on to the corner, where +she noticed a street car stop to let some people on. The wax lady, +still determined to do as others did, also boarded the car and sat down +quietly in a corner. + +After riding a few blocks the conductor approached her and said: + +“Fare, please!” + +“What’s that?” she inquired, innocently. + +“Your fare!” said the man, impatiently. + +She stared at him stupidly, trying to think what he meant. + +“Come, come!” growled the conductor, “either pay up or get off!” + +Still she did not understand, and he grabbed her rudely by the arm and +lifted her to her feet. But when his hand came in contact with the hard +wood of which her arm was made the fellow was filled with surprise. He +stooped down and peered into her face, and, seeing it was wax instead +of flesh, he gave a yell of fear and jumped from the car, running as if +he had seen a ghost. + +At this the other passengers also yelled and sprang from the car, +fearing a collision; and the motorman, knowing something was wrong, +followed suit. The wax lady, seeing the others run, jumped from the car +last of all, and stepped in front of another car coming at full speed +from the opposite direction. + +She heard cries of fear and of warning on all sides, but before she +understood her danger she was knocked down and dragged for half a +block. + +When the car was brought to a stop a policeman reached down and pulled +her from under the wheels. Her dress was badly torn and soiled. Her +left ear was entirely gone, and the left side of her head was caved in; +but she quickly scrambled to her feet and asked for her hat. This a +gentleman had already picked up, and when the policeman handed it to +her and noticed the great hole in her head and the hollow place it +disclosed, the poor fellow trembled so frightfully that his knees +actually knocked together. + +“Why—why, ma’am, you’re killed!” he gasped. + +“What does it mean to be killed?” asked the wax lady. + +The policeman shuddered and wiped the perspiration from his forehead. + +“You’re it!” he answered, with a groan. + +The crowd that had collected were looking upon the lady wonderingly, +and a middle-aged gentleman now exclaimed: + +“Why, she’s wax!” + +“Wax!” echoed the policeman. + +“Certainly. She’s one of those dummies they put in the windows,” +declared the middle-aged man. + +The people who had collected shouted: “You’re right!” “That’s what she +is!” “She’s a dummy!” + +“Are you?” inquired the policeman, sternly. + +The wax lady did not reply. She began to fear she was getting into +trouble, and the staring crowd seemed to embarrass her. + +Suddenly a bootblack attempted to solve the problem by saying: “You +guys is all wrong! Can a dummy talk? Can a dummy walk? Can a dummy +live?” + +“Hush!” murmured the policeman. “Look here!” and he pointed to the hole +in the lady’s head. The newsboy looked, turned pale and whistled to +keep himself from shivering. + +A second policeman now arrived, and after a brief conference it was +decided to take the strange creature to headquarters. So they called a +hurry-up wagon, and the damaged wax lady was helped inside and driven +to the police station. There the policeman locked her in a cell and +hastened to tell Inspector Mugg their wonderful story. + +Inspector Mugg had just eaten a poor breakfast, and was not in a +pleasant mood; so he roared and stormed at the unlucky policemen, +saying they were themselves dummies to bring such a fairy tale to a man +of sense. He also hinted that they had been guilty of intemperance. + +The policemen tried to explain, but Inspector Mugg would not listen; +and while they were still disputing in rushed Mr. Floman, the owner of +the department store. + +“I want a dozen detectives, at once, inspector!” he cried. + +“What for?” demanded Mugg. + +“One of the wax ladies has escaped from my store and eloped with a +$19.98 costume, a $4.23 hat, a $2.19 parasol and a 76-cent pair of +gloves, and I want her arrested!” + +While he paused for breath the inspector glared at him in amazement. + +“Is everybody going crazy at the same time?” he inquired, +sarcastically. “How could a wax dummy run away?” + +“I don’t know; but she did. When my janitor opened the door this +morning he saw her run out.” + +“Why didn’t he stop her?” asked Mugg. + +“He was too frightened. But she’s stolen my property, your honor, and I +want her arrested!” declared the storekeeper. + +The inspector thought for a moment. + +“You wouldn’t be able to prosecute her,” he said, “for there’s no law +against dummies stealing.” + +Mr. Floman sighed bitterly. + +“Am I to lose that $19.98 costume and the $4.25 hat and—” + +“By no means,” interrupted Inspector Mugg. “The police of this city are +ever prompt to act in defense of our worthy citizens. We have already +arrested the wax lady, and she is locked up in cell No. 16. You may go +there and recover your property, if you wish, but before you prosecute +her for stealing you’d better hunt up a law that applies to dummies.” + +“All I want,” said Mr. Floman, “is that $19.98 costume and—” + +“Come along!” interrupted the policeman. “I’ll take you to the cell.” + +But when they entered No. 16 they found only a lifeless dummy lying +prone upon the floor. Its wax was cracked and blistered, its head was +badly damaged, and the bargain costume was dusty, soiled and much +bedraggled. For the mischief-loving Tanko-Mankie had flown by and +breathed once more upon the poor wax lady, and in that instant her +brief life ended. + +“It’s just as I thought,” said Inspector Mugg, leaning back in his +chair contentedly. “I knew all the time the thing was a fake. It seems +sometimes as though the whole world would go crazy if there wasn’t some +level-headed man around to bring ’em to their senses. Dummies are wood +an’ wax, an’ that’s all there is of ’em.” + +“That may be the rule,” whispered the policeman to himself, “but this +one were a dummy as lived!” + + + + +THE KING OF THE POLAR BEARS + + +The King of the Polar Bears lived among the icebergs in the far north +country. He was old and monstrous big; he was wise and friendly to all +who knew him. His body was thickly covered with long, white hair that +glistened like silver under the rays of the midnight sun. His claws +were strong and sharp, that he might walk safely over the smooth ice or +grasp and tear the fishes and seals upon which he fed. + +The seals were afraid when he drew near, and tried to avoid him; but +the gulls, both white and gray, loved him because he left the remnants +of his feasts for them to devour. + +Often his subjects, the polar bears, came to him for advice when ill or +in trouble; but they wisely kept away from his hunting grounds, lest +they might interfere with his sport and arouse his anger. + +The wolves, who sometimes came as far north as the icebergs, whispered +among themselves that the King of the Polar Bears was either a magician +or under the protection of a powerful fairy. For no earthly thing +seemed able to harm him; he never failed to secure plenty of food, and +he grew bigger and stronger day by day and year by year. + +Yet the time came when this monarch of the north met man, and his +wisdom failed him. + +He came out of his cave among the icebergs one day and saw a boat +moving through the strip of water which had been uncovered by the +shifting of the summer ice. In the boat were men. + +The great bear had never seen such creatures before, and therefore +advanced toward the boat, sniffing the strange scent with aroused +curiosity and wondering whether he might take them for friends or foes, +food or carrion. + +When the king came near the water’s edge a man stood up in the boat and +with a queer instrument made a loud “bang!” The polar bear felt a +shock; his brain became numb; his thoughts deserted him; his great +limbs shook and gave way beneath him and his body fell heavily upon the +hard ice. + +That was all he remembered for a time. + +When he awoke he was smarting with pain on every inch of his huge bulk, +for the men had cut away his hide with its glorious white hair and +carried it with them to a distant ship. + +Above him circled thousands of his friends the gulls, wondering if +their benefactor were really dead and it was proper to eat him. But +when they saw him raise his head and groan and tremble they knew he +still lived, and one of them said to his comrades: + +“The wolves were right. The king is a great magician, for even men +cannot kill him. But he suffers for lack of covering. Let us repay his +kindness to us by each giving him as many feathers as we can spare.” + +This idea pleased the gulls. One after another they plucked with their +beaks the softest feathers from under their wings, and, flying down, +dropped then gently upon the body of the King of the Polar Bears. + +Then they called to him in a chorus: + +“Courage, friend! Our feathers are as soft and beautiful as your own +shaggy hair. They will guard you from the cold winds and warm you while +you sleep. Have courage, then, and live!” + +And the King of the Polar Bears had courage to bear his pain and lived +and was strong again. + +The feathers grew as they had grown upon the bodies of the birds and +covered him as his own hair had done. Mostly they were pure white in +color, but some from the gray gulls gave his majesty a slight mottled +appearance. + +The rest of that summer and all through the six months of night the +king left his icy cavern only to fish or catch seals for food. He felt +no shame at his feathery covering, but it was still strange to him, and +he avoided meeting any of his brother bears. + +During this period of retirement he thought much of the men who had +harmed him, and remembered the way they had made the great “bang!” And +he decided it was best to keep away from such fierce creatures. Thus he +added to his store of wisdom. + +When the moon fell away from the sky and the sun came to make the +icebergs glitter with the gorgeous tintings of the rainbow, two of the +polar bears arrived at the king’s cavern to ask his advice about the +hunting season. But when they saw his great body covered with feathers +instead of hair they began to laugh, and one said: + +“Our mighty king has become a bird! Who ever before heard of a +feathered polar bear?” + +Then the king gave way to wrath. He advanced upon them with deep growls +and stately tread and with one blow of his monstrous paw stretched the +mocker lifeless at his feet. + +The other ran away to his fellows and carried the news of the king’s +strange appearance. The result was a meeting of all the polar bears +upon a broad field of ice, where they talked gravely of the remarkable +change that had come upon their monarch. + +“He is, in reality, no longer a bear,” said one; “nor can he justly be +called a bird. But he is half bird and half bear, and so unfitted to +remain our king.” + +“Then who shall take his place?” asked another. + +“He who can fight the bird-bear and overcome him,” answered an aged +member of the group. “Only the strongest is fit to rule our race.” + +There was silence for a time, but at length a great bear moved to the +front and said: + +“I will fight him; I—Woof—the strongest of our race! And I will be King +of the Polar Bears.” + +The others nodded assent, and dispatched a messenger to the king to say +he must fight the great Woof and master him or resign his sovereignty. + +“For a bear with feathers,” added the messenger, “is no bear at all, +and the king we obey must resemble the rest of us.” + +“I wear feathers because it pleases me,” growled the king. “Am I not a +great magician? But I will fight, nevertheless, and if Woof masters me +he shall be king in my stead.” + +Then he visited his friends, the gulls, who were even then feasting +upon the dead bear, and told them of the coming battle. + +“I shall conquer,” he said, proudly. “Yet my people are in the right, +for only a hairy one like themselves can hope to command their +obedience.” + +The queen gull said: + +“I met an eagle yesterday, which had made its escape from a big city of +men. And the eagle told me he had seen a monstrous polar bear skin +thrown over the back of a carriage that rolled along the street. That +skin must have been yours, oh king, and if you wish I will sent an +hundred of my gulls to the city to bring it back to you.” + +“Let them go!” said the king, gruffly. And the hundred gulls were soon +flying rapidly southward. + +For three days they flew straight as an arrow, until they came to +scattered houses, to villages, and to cities. Then their search began. + +The gulls were brave, and cunning, and wise. Upon the fourth day they +reached the great metropolis, and hovered over the streets until a +carriage rolled along with a great white bear robe thrown over the back +seat. Then the birds swooped down—the whole hundred of them—and seizing +the skin in their beaks flew quickly away. + +They were late. The king’s great battle was upon the seventh day, and +they must fly swiftly to reach the Polar regions by that time. + +Meanwhile the bird-bear was preparing for his fight. He sharpened his +claws in the small crevasses of the ice. He caught a seal and tested +his big yellow teeth by crunching its bones between them. And the queen +gull set her band to pluming the king bear’s feathers until they lay +smoothly upon his body. + +But every day they cast anxious glances into the southern sky, watching +for the hundred gulls to bring back the king’s own skin. + +The seventh day came, and all the Polar bears in that region gathered +around the king’s cavern. Among them was Woof, strong and confident of +his success. + +“The bird-bear’s feathers will fly fast enough when I get my claws upon +him!” he boasted; and the others laughed and encouraged him. + +The king was disappointed at not having recovered his skin, but he +resolved to fight bravely without it. He advanced from the opening of +his cavern with a proud and kingly bearing, and when he faced his enemy +he gave so terrible a growl that Woof’s heart stopped beating for a +moment, and he began to realize that a fight with the wise and mighty +king of his race was no laughing matter. + +After exchanging one or two heavy blows with his foe Woof’s courage +returned, and he determined to dishearten his adversary by bluster. + +“Come nearer, bird-bear!” he cried. “Come nearer, that I may pluck your +plumage!” + +The defiance filled the king with rage. He ruffled his feathers as a +bird does, till he appeared to be twice his actual size, and then he +strode forward and struck Woof so powerful a blow that his skull +crackled like an egg-shell and he fell prone upon the ground. + +While the assembled bears stood looking with fear and wonder at their +fallen champion the sky became darkened. + +An hundred gulls flew down from above and dripped upon the king’s body +a skin covered with pure white hair that glittered in the sun like +silver. + +And behold! the bears saw before them the well-known form of their wise +and respected master, and with one accord they bowed their shaggy heads +in homage to the mighty King of the Polar Bears. + + +This story teaches us that true dignity and courage depend not upon +outward appearance, but come rather from within; also that brag and +bluster are poor weapons to carry into battle. + + + + +THE MANDARIN AND THE BUTTERFLY + + +A mandarin once lived in Kiang-ho who was so exceedingly cross and +disagreeable that everyone hated him. He snarled and stormed at every +person he met and was never known to laugh or be merry under any +circumstances. Especially he hated boys and girls; for the boys jeered +at him, which aroused his wrath, and the girls made fun of him, which +hurt his pride. + +When he had become so unpopular that no one would speak to him, the +emperor heard about it and commanded him to emigrate to America. This +suited the mandarin very well; but before he left China he stole the +Great Book of Magic that belonged to the wise magician Haot-sai. Then, +gathering up his little store of money, he took ship for America. + +He settled in a city of the middle west and of course started a +laundry, since that seems to be the natural vocation of every Chinaman, +be he coolie or mandarin. + +He made no acquaintances with the other Chinamen of the town, who, when +they met him and saw the red button in his hat, knew him for a real +mandarin and bowed low before him. He put up a red and white sign and +people brought their laundry to him and got paper checks, with Chinese +characters upon them, in exchange, this being the only sort of +character the mandarin had left. + +One day as the ugly one was ironing in his shop in the basement of 263 +1/2 Main street, he looked up and saw a crowd of childish faces pressed +against the window. Most Chinamen make friends with children; this one +hated them and tried to drive them away. But as soon as he returned to +his work they were back at the window again, mischievously smiling down +upon him. + +The naughty mandarin uttered horrid words in the Manchu language and +made fierce gestures; but this did no good at all. The children stayed +as long as they pleased, and they came again the very next day as soon +as school was over, and likewise the next day, and the next. For they +saw their presence at the window bothered the Chinaman and were +delighted accordingly. + +The following day being Sunday the children did not appear, but as the +mandarin, being a heathen, worked in his little shop a big butterfly +flew in at the open door and fluttered about the room. + +The mandarin closed the door and chased the butterfly until he caught +it, when he pinned it against the wall by sticking two pins through its +beautiful wings. This did not hurt the butterfly, there being no +feeling in its wings; but it made him a safe prisoner. + +This butterfly was of large size and its wings were exquisitely marked +by gorgeous colors laid out in regular designs like the stained glass +windows of a cathedral. + +The mandarin now opened his wooden chest and drew forth the Great Book +of Magic he had stolen from Haot-sai. Turning the pages slowly he came +to a passage describing “How to understand the language of +butterflies.” This he read carefully and then mixed a magic formula in +a tin cup and drank it down with a wry face. Immediately thereafter he +spoke to the butterfly in its own language, saying: + +“Why did you enter this room?” + +“I smelled bees-wax,” answered the butterfly; “therefore I thought I +might find honey here.” + +“But you are my prisoner,” said the mandarin. “If I please I can kill +you, or leave you on the wall to starve to death.” + +“I expect that,” replied the butterfly, with a sigh. “But my race is +shortlived, anyway; it doesn’t matter whether death comes sooner or +later.” + +“Yet you like to live, do you not?” asked the mandarin. + +“Yet; life is pleasant and the world is beautiful. I do not seek +death.” + +“Then,” said the mandarin, “I will give you life—a long and pleasant +life—if you will promise to obey me for a time and carry out my +instructions.” + +“How can a butterfly serve a man?” asked the creature, in surprise. + +“Usually they cannot,” was the reply. “But I have a book of magic which +teaches me strange things. Do you promise?” + +“Oh, yes; I promise,” answered the butterfly; “for even as your slave I +will get some enjoyment out of life, while should you kill me—that is +the end of everything!” + +“Truly,” said the mandarin, “butterflies have no souls, and therefore +cannot live again.” + +“But I have enjoyed three lives already,” returned the butterfly, with +some pride. “I have been a caterpillar and a chrysalis before I became +a butterfly. You were never anything but a Chinaman, although I admit +your life is longer than mine.” + +“I will extend your life for many days, if you will obey me,” declared +the Chinaman. “I can easily do so by means of my magic.” + +“Of course I will obey you,” said the butterfly, carelessly. + +“Then, listen! You know children, do you not?—boys and girls?” + +“Yes, I know them. They chase me, and try to catch me, as you have +done,” replied the butterfly. + +“And they mock me, and jeer at me through the window,” continued the +mandarin, bitterly. “Therefore, they are your enemies and mine! But +with your aid and the help of the magic book we shall have a fine +revenge for their insults.” + +“I don’t care much for revenge,” said the butterfly. “They are but +children, and ’tis natural they should wish to catch such a beautiful +creature as I am.” + +“Nevertheless, I care! and you must obey me,” retorted the mandarin, +harshly. “I, at least, will have my revenge.” + +Then he stuck a drop of molasses upon the wall beside the butterfly’s +head and said: + +“Eat that, while I read my book and prepare my magic formula.” + +So the butterfly feasted upon the molasses and the mandarin studied his +book, after which he began to mix a magic compound in the tin cup. + +When the mixture was ready he released the butterfly from the wall and +said to it: + +“I command you to dip your two front feet into this magic compound and +then fly away until you meet a child. Fly close, whether it be a boy or +a girl, and touch the child upon its forehead with your feet. Whosoever +is thus touched, the book declares, will at once become a pig, and will +remain such forever after. Then return to me and dip your legs afresh +in the contents of this cup. So shall all my enemies, the children, +become miserable swine, while no one will think of accusing me of the +sorcery.” + +“Very well; since such is your command, I obey,” said the butterfly. +Then it dipped its front legs, which were the shortest of the six, into +the contents of the tin cup, and flew out of the door and away over the +houses to the edge of the town. There it alighted in a flower garden +and soon forgot all about its mission to turn children into swine. + +In going from flower to flower it soon brushed the magic compound from +its legs, so that when the sun began to set and the butterfly finally +remembered its master, the mandarin, it could not have injured a child +had it tried. + +But it did not intend to try. + +“That horrid old Chinaman,” it thought, “hates children and wishes to +destroy them. But I rather like children myself and shall not harm +them. Of course I must return to my master, for he is a magician, and +would seek me out and kill me; but I can deceive him about this matter +easily enough.” + +When the butterfly flew in at the door of the mandarin’s laundry he +asked, eagerly: + +“Well, did you meet a child?” + +“I did,” replied the butterfly, calmly. “It was a pretty, golden-haired +girl—but now ’tis a grunting pig!” + +“Good! Good! Good!” cried the mandarin, dancing joyfully about the +room. “You shall have molasses for your supper, and to-morrow you must +change two children into pigs.” + +The butterfly did not reply, but ate the molasses in silence. Having no +soul it had no conscience, and having no conscience it was able to lie +to the mandarin with great readiness and a certain amount of enjoyment. + +Next morning, by the mandarin’s command, the butterfly dipped its legs +in the mixture and flew away in search of children. + +When it came to the edge of the town it noticed a pig in a sty, and +alighting upon the rail of the sty it looked down at the creature and +thought. + +“If I could change a child into a pig by touching it with the magic +compound, what could I change a pig into, I wonder?” + +Being curious to determine this fine point in sorcery the butterfly +fluttered down and touched its front feet to the pig’s nose. Instantly +the animal disappeared, and in its place was a shock-headed, dirty +looking boy, which sprang from the sty and ran down the road uttering +load whoops. + +“That’s funny,” said the butterfly to itself. “The mandarin would be +very angry with me if he knew of this, for I have liberated one more of +the creatures that bother him.” + +It fluttered along after the boy, who had paused to throw stones at a +cat. But pussy escaped by running up a tree, where thick branches +protected her from the stones. Then the boy discovered a newly-planted +garden, and trampled upon the beds until the seeds were scattered far +and wide, and the garden was ruined. Next he caught up a switch and +struck with it a young calf that stood quietly grazing in a field. The +poor creature ran away with piteous bleats, and the boy laughed and +followed after it, striking the frightened animal again and again. + +“Really,” thought the butterfly, “I do not wonder the mandarin hates +children, if they are all so cruel and wicked as this one.” + +The calf having escaped him the boy came back to the road, where he met +two little girls on their way to school. One of them had a red apple in +her hand, and the boy snatched it away and began eating it. The little +girl commenced to cry, but her companion, more brave and sturdy, cried +out: + +“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, you nasty boy!” + +At this the boy reached out and slapped her pretty face, whereupon she +also began to sob. + +Although possessed of neither soul nor conscience, the butterfly had a +very tender heart, and now decided it could endure this boy no longer. + +“If I permitted him to exist,” it reflected, “I should never forgive +myself, for the monster would do nothing but evil from morning ’til +night.” + +So it flew directly into his face and touched his forehead with its +sticky front feet. + +The next instant the boy had disappeared, but a grunting pig ran +swiftly up the road in the direction of its sty. + +The butterfly gave a sigh of relief. + +“This time I have indeed used the mandarin’s magic upon a child,” it +whispered, as it floated lazily upon the light breeze; “but since the +child was originally a pig I do not think I have any cause to reproach +myself. The little girls were sweet and gentle, and I would not injure +them to save my life, but were all boys like this transformed pig, I +should not hesitate to carry out the mandarin’s orders.” + +Then it flew into a rose bush, where it remained comfortably until +evening. At sundown it returned to its master. + +“Have you changed two of them into pigs?” he asked, at once. + +“I have,” replied the butterfly. “One was a pretty, black-eyed baby, +and the other a freckle-faced, red-haired, barefooted newboy.” + +“Good! Good! Good!” screamed the mandarin, in an ecstasy of delight. +“Those are the ones who torment me the most! Change every newboy you +meet into a pig!” + +“Very well,” answered the butterfly, quietly, and ate its supper of +molasses. + +Several days were passed by the butterfly in the same manner. It +fluttered aimlessly about the flower gardens while the sun shone, and +returned at night to the mandarin with false tales of turning children +into swine. Sometimes it would be one child which was transformed, +sometimes two, and occasionally three; but the mandarin always greeted +the butterfly’s report with intense delight and gave him molasses for +supper. + +One evening, however, the butterfly thought it might be well to vary +the report, so that the mandarin might not grow suspicious; and when +its master asked what child had been had been changed into a pig that +day the lying creature answered: + +“It was a Chinese boy, and when I touched him he became a black pig.” + +This angered the mandarin, who was in an especially cross mood. He +spitefully snapped the butterfly with his finger, and nearly broke its +beautiful wing; for he forgot that Chinese boys had once mocked him and +only remembered his hatred for American boys. + +The butterfly became very indignant at this abuse from the mandarin. It +refused to eat its molasses and sulked all the evening, for it had +grown to hate the mandarin almost as much as the mandarin hated +children. + +When morning came it was still trembling with indignation; but the +mandarin cried out: + +“Make haste, miserable slave; for to-day you must change four children +into pigs, to make up for yesterday.” + +The butterfly did not reply. His little black eyes were sparkling +wickedly, and no sooner had he dipped his feet into the magic compound +than he flew full in the mandarin’s face, and touched him upon his +ugly, flat forehead. + +Soon after a gentleman came into the room for his laundry. The mandarin +was not there, but running around the place was a repulsive, scrawny +pig, which squealed most miserably. + +The butterfly flew away to a brook and washed from its feet all traces +of the magic compound. When night came it slept in a rose bush. + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMERICAN FAIRY TALES *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part +of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, +and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following +the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use +of the Project Gutenberg trademark. 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Frank Baum</title> + +<style type="text/css"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + +h1, h2, h3, h4, h5 {text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-weight: +normal; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: .5em; margin-bottom: .5em;} + +h1 {font-size: 300%; + margin-top: 0.6em; + margin-bottom: 0.6em; + letter-spacing: 0.12em; + word-spacing: 0.2em; + text-indent: 0em;} +h2 {font-size: 150%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +h3 {font-size: 130%; margin-top: 1em;} +h4 {font-size: 120%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +.no-break {page-break-before: avoid;} /* for epubs */ + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em;} + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +p.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-size: 90%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.center {text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:hover {color:red} + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + +<div style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of American Fairy Tales, by L. Frank Baum</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and +most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms +of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online +at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you +are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the +country where you are located before using this eBook. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: American Fairy Tales</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: L. Frank Baum</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: January 14, 2002 [eBook #4357]<br /> +[Most recently updated: January 19, 2022]</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines.</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMERICAN FAIRY TALES ***</div> + +<h1>American Fairy Tales</h1> + +<h2 class="no-break">by L. Frank Baum</h2> + +<h4>Author of<br/> +FATHER GOOSE; HIS BOOK, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, ETC.</h4> + +<hr /> + +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<table summary="" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto"> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">THE BOX OF ROBBERS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap02">THE GLASS DOG</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03">THE QUEEN OF QUOK</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">THE GIRL WHO OWNED A BEAR</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">THE ENCHANTED TYPES</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">THE LAUGHING HIPPOPOTAMUS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">THE MAGIC BON BONS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap08">THE CAPTURE OF FATHER TIME</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap09">THE WONDERFUL PUMP</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap10">THE DUMMY THAT LIVED</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap11">THE KING OF THE POLAR BEARS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap12">THE MANDARIN AND THE BUTTERFLY</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap01"></a>THE BOX OF ROBBERS</h2> + +<p> +No one intended to leave Martha alone that afternoon, but it happened that +everyone was called away, for one reason or another. Mrs. McFarland was +attending the weekly card party held by the Women’s Anti-Gambling League. +Sister Nell’s young man had called quite unexpectedly to take her for a +long drive. Papa was at the office, as usual. It was Mary Ann’s day out. +As for Emeline, she certainly should have stayed in the house and looked after +the little girl; but Emeline had a restless nature. +</p> + +<p> +“Would you mind, miss, if I just crossed the alley to speak a word to +Mrs. Carleton’s girl?” she asked Martha. +</p> + +<p> +“’Course not,” replied the child. “You’d better +lock the back door, though, and take the key, for I shall be upstairs.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, I’ll do that, of course, miss,” said the delighted maid, +and ran away to spend the afternoon with her friend, leaving Martha quite alone +in the big house, and locked in, into the bargain. +</p> + +<p> +The little girl read a few pages in her new book, sewed a few stitches in her +embroidery and started to “play visiting” with her four favorite +dolls. Then she remembered that in the attic was a doll’s playhouse that +hadn’t been used for months, so she decided she would dust it and put it +in order. +</p> + +<p> +Filled with this idea, the girl climbed the winding stairs to the big room +under the roof. It was well lighted by three dormer windows and was warm and +pleasant. Around the walls were rows of boxes and trunks, piles of old +carpeting, pieces of damaged furniture, bundles of discarded clothing and other +odds and ends of more or less value. Every well-regulated house has an attic of +this sort, so I need not describe it. +</p> + +<p> +The doll’s house had been moved, but after a search Martha found it away +over in a corner near the big chimney. +</p> + +<p> +She drew it out and noticed that behind it was a black wooden chest which Uncle +Walter had sent over from Italy years and years ago—before Martha was +born, in fact. Mamma had told her about it one day; how there was no key to it, +because Uncle Walter wished it to remain unopened until he returned home; and +how this wandering uncle, who was a mighty hunter, had gone into Africa to hunt +elephants and had never been heard from afterwards. +</p> + +<p> +The little girl looked at the chest curiously, now that it had by accident +attracted her attention. +</p> + +<p> +It was quite big—bigger even than mamma’s traveling trunk—and +was studded all over with tarnished brassheaded nails. It was heavy, too, for +when Martha tried to lift one end of it she found she could not stir it a bit. +But there was a place in the side of the cover for a key. She stooped to +examine the lock, and saw that it would take a rather big key to open it. +</p> + +<p> +Then, as you may suspect, the little girl longed to open Uncle Walter’s +big box and see what was in it. For we are all curious, and little girls are +just as curious as the rest of us. +</p> + +<p> +“I don’t b’lieve Uncle Walter’ll ever come back,” +she thought. “Papa said once that some elephant must have killed him. If +I only had a key—” She stopped and clapped her little hands +together gayly as she remembered a big basket of keys on the shelf in the linen +closet. They were of all sorts and sizes; perhaps one of them would unlock the +mysterious chest! +</p> + +<p> +She flew down the stairs, found the basket and returned with it to the attic. +Then she sat down before the brass-studded box and began trying one key after +another in the curious old lock. Some were too large, but most were too small. +One would go into the lock but would not turn; another stuck so fast that she +feared for a time that she would never get it out again. But at last, when the +basket was almost empty, an oddly-shaped, ancient brass key slipped easily into +the lock. With a cry of joy Martha turned the key with both hands; then she +heard a sharp “click,” and the next moment the heavy lid flew up of +its own accord! +</p> + +<p> +The little girl leaned over the edge of the chest an instant, and the sight +that met her eyes caused her to start back in amazement. +</p> + +<p> +Slowly and carefully a man unpacked himself from the chest, stepped out upon +the floor, stretched his limbs and then took off his hat and bowed politely to +the astonished child. +</p> + +<p> +He was tall and thin and his face seemed badly tanned or sunburnt. +</p> + +<p> +Then another man emerged from the chest, yawning and rubbing his eyes like a +sleepy schoolboy. He was of middle size and his skin seemed as badly tanned as +that of the first. +</p> + +<p> +While Martha stared open-mouthed at the remarkable sight a third man crawled +from the chest. He had the same complexion as his fellows, but was short and +fat. +</p> + +<p> +All three were dressed in a curious manner. They wore short jackets of red +velvet braided with gold, and knee breeches of sky-blue satin with silver +buttons. Over their stockings were laced wide ribbons of red and yellow and +blue, while their hats had broad brims with high, peaked crowns, from which +fluttered yards of bright-colored ribbons. +</p> + +<p> +They had big gold rings in their ears and rows of knives and pistols in their +belts. Their eyes were black and glittering and they wore long, fierce +mustaches, curling at the ends like a pig’s tail. +</p> + +<p> +“My! but you were heavy,” exclaimed the fat one, when he had pulled +down his velvet jacket and brushed the dust from his sky-blue breeches. +“And you squeezed me all out of shape.” +</p> + +<p> +“It was unavoidable, Luigi,” responded the thin man, lightly; +“the lid of the chest pressed me down upon you. Yet I tender you my +regrets.” +</p> + +<p> +“As for me,” said the middle-sized man, carelessly rolling a +cigarette and lighting it, “you must acknowledge I have been your nearest +friend for years; so do not be disagreeable.” +</p> + +<p> +“You mustn’t smoke in the attic,” said Martha, recovering +herself at sight of the cigarette. “You might set the house on +fire.” +</p> + +<p> +The middle-sized man, who had not noticed her before, at this speech turned to +the girl and bowed. +</p> + +<p> +“Since a lady requests it,” said he, “I shall abandon my +cigarette,” and he threw it on the floor and extinguished it with his +foot. +</p> + +<p> +“Who are you?” asked Martha, who until now had been too astonished +to be frightened. +</p> + +<p> +“Permit us to introduce ourselves,” said the thin man, flourishing +his hat gracefully. “This is Lugui,” the fat man nodded; “and +this is Beni,” the middle-sized man bowed; “and I am Victor. We are +three bandits—Italian bandits.” +</p> + +<p> +“Bandits!” cried Martha, with a look of horror. +</p> + +<p> +“Exactly. Perhaps in all the world there are not three other bandits so +terrible and fierce as ourselves,” said Victor, proudly. +</p> + +<p> +“’Tis so,” said the fat man, nodding gravely. +</p> + +<p> +“But it’s wicked!” exclaimed Martha. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, indeed,” replied Victor. “We are extremely and +tremendously wicked. Perhaps in all the world you could not find three men more +wicked than those who now stand before you.” +</p> + +<p> +“’Tis so,” said the fat man, approvingly. +</p> + +<p> +“But you shouldn’t be so wicked,” said the girl; +“it’s—it’s—naughty!” +</p> + +<p> +Victor cast down his eyes and blushed. +</p> + +<p> +“Naughty!” gasped Beni, with a horrified look. +</p> + +<p> +“’Tis a hard word,” said Luigi, sadly, and buried his face in +his hands. +</p> + +<p> +“I little thought,” murmured Victor, in a voice broken by emotion, +“ever to be so reviled—and by a lady! Yet, perhaps you spoke +thoughtlessly. You must consider, miss, that our wickedness has an excuse. For +how are we to be bandits, let me ask, unless we are wicked?” +</p> + +<p> +Martha was puzzled and shook her head, thoughtfully. Then she remembered +something. +</p> + +<p> +“You can’t remain bandits any longer,” said she, +“because you are now in America.” +</p> + +<p> +“America!” cried the three, together. +</p> + +<p> +“Certainly. You are on Prairie avenue, in Chicago. Uncle Walter sent you +here from Italy in this chest.” +</p> + +<p> +The bandits seemed greatly bewildered by this announcement. Lugui sat down on +an old chair with a broken rocker and wiped his forehead with a yellow silk +handkerchief. Beni and Victor fell back upon the chest and looked at her with +pale faces and staring eyes. +</p> + +<p> +When he had somewhat recovered himself Victor spoke. +</p> + +<p> +“Your Uncle Walter has greatly wronged us,” he said, reproachfully. +“He has taken us from our beloved Italy, where bandits are highly +respected, and brought us to a strange country where we shall not know whom to +rob or how much to ask for a ransom.” +</p> + +<p> +“’Tis so!” said the fat man, slapping his leg sharply. +</p> + +<p> +“And we had won such fine reputations in Italy!” said Beni, +regretfully. +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps Uncle Walter wanted to reform you,” suggested Martha. +</p> + +<p> +“Are there, then, no bandits in Chicago?” asked Victor. +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” replied the girl, blushing in her turn, “we do not +call them bandits.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then what shall we do for a living?” inquired Beni, despairingly. +</p> + +<p> +“A great deal can be done in a big American city,” said the child. +“My father is a lawyer” (the bandits shuddered), “and my +mother’s cousin is a police inspector.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah,” said Victor, “that is a good employment. The police +need to be inspected, especially in Italy.” +</p> + +<p> +“Everywhere!” added Beni. +</p> + +<p> +“Then you could do other things,” continued Martha, encouragingly. +“You could be motor men on trolley cars, or clerks in a department store. +Some people even become aldermen to earn a living.” +</p> + +<p> +The bandits shook their heads sadly. +</p> + +<p> +“We are not fitted for such work,” said Victor. “Our business +is to rob.” +</p> + +<p> +Martha tried to think. +</p> + +<p> +“It is rather hard to get positions in the gas office,” she said, +“but you might become politicians.” +</p> + +<p> +“No!” cried Beni, with sudden fierceness; “we must not +abandon our high calling. Bandits we have always been, and bandits we must +remain!” +</p> + +<p> +“’Tis so!” agreed the fat man. +</p> + +<p> +“Even in Chicago there must be people to rob,” remarked Victor, +with cheerfulness. +</p> + +<p> +Martha was distressed. +</p> + +<p> +“I think they have all been robbed,” she objected. +</p> + +<p> +“Then we can rob the robbers, for we have experience and talent beyond +the ordinary,” said Beni. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, dear; oh, dear!” moaned the girl; “why did Uncle Walter +ever send you here in this chest?” +</p> + +<p> +The bandits became interested. +</p> + +<p> +“That is what we should like to know,” declared Victor, eagerly. +</p> + +<p> +“But no one will ever know, for Uncle Walter was lost while hunting +elephants in Africa,” she continued, with conviction. +</p> + +<p> +“Then we must accept our fate and rob to the best of our ability,” +said Victor. “So long as we are faithful to our beloved profession we +need not be ashamed.” +</p> + +<p> +“’Tis so!” cried the fat man. +</p> + +<p> +“Brothers! we will begin now. Let us rob the house we are in.” +</p> + +<p> +“Good!” shouted the others and sprang to their feet. +</p> + +<p> +Beni turned threateningly upon the child. +</p> + +<p> +“Remain here!” he commanded. “If you stir one step your blood +will be on your own head!” Then he added, in a gentler voice: +“Don’t be afraid; that’s the way all bandits talk to their +captives. But of course we wouldn’t hurt a young lady under any +circumstances.” +</p> + +<p> +“Of course not,” said Victor. +</p> + +<p> +The fat man drew a big knife from his belt and flourished it about his head. +</p> + +<p> +“S’blood!” he ejaculated, fiercely. +</p> + +<p> +“S’bananas!” cried Beni, in a terrible voice. +</p> + +<p> +“Confusion to our foes!” hissed Victor. +</p> + +<p> +And then the three bent themselves nearly double and crept stealthily down the +stairway with cocked pistols in their hands and glittering knives between their +teeth, leaving Martha trembling with fear and too horrified to even cry for +help. +</p> + +<p> +How long she remained alone in the attic she never knew, but finally she heard +the catlike tread of the returning bandits and saw them coming up the stairs in +single file. +</p> + +<p> +All bore heavy loads of plunder in their arms, and Lugui was balancing a mince +pie on the top of a pile of her mother’s best evening dresses. Victor +came next with an armful of bric-a-brac, a brass candelabra and the parlor +clock. Beni had the family Bible, the basket of silverware from the sideboard, +a copper kettle and papa’s fur overcoat. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, joy!” said Victor, putting down his load; “it is +pleasant to rob once more.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, ecstacy!” said Beni; but he let the kettle drop on his toe and +immediately began dancing around in anguish, while he muttered queer words in +the Italian language. +</p> + +<p> +“We have much wealth,” continued Victor, holding the mince pie +while Lugui added his spoils to the heap; “and all from one house! This +America must be a rich place.” +</p> + +<p> +With a dagger he then cut himself a piece of the pie and handed the remainder +to his comrades. Whereupon all three sat upon the floor and consumed the pie +while Martha looked on sadly. +</p> + +<p> +“We should have a cave,” remarked Beni; “for we must store +our plunder in a safe place. Can you tell us of a secret cave?” he asked +Martha. +</p> + +<p> +“There’s a Mammoth cave,” she answered, “but it’s +in Kentucky. You would be obliged to ride on the cars a long time to get +there.” +</p> + +<p> +The three bandits looked thoughtful and munched their pie silently, but the +next moment they were startled by the ringing of the electric doorbell, which +was heard plainly even in the remote attic. +</p> + +<p> +“What’s that?” demanded Victor, in a hoarse voice, as the +three scrambled to their feet with drawn daggers. +</p> + +<p> +Martha ran to the window and saw it was only the postman, who had dropped a +letter in the box and gone away again. But the incident gave her an idea of how +to get rid of her troublesome bandits, so she began wringing her hands as if in +great distress and cried out: +</p> + +<p> +“It’s the police!” +</p> + +<p> +The robbers looked at one another with genuine alarm, and Lugui asked, +tremblingly: +</p> + +<p> +“Are there many of them?” +</p> + +<p> +“A hundred and twelve!” exclaimed Martha, after pretending to count +them. +</p> + +<p> +“Then we are lost!” declared Beni; “for we could never fight +so many and live.” +</p> + +<p> +“Are they armed?” inquired Victor, who was shivering as if cold. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, yes,” said she. “They have guns and swords and pistols +and axes and—and—” +</p> + +<p> +“And what?” demanded Lugui. +</p> + +<p> +“And cannons!” +</p> + +<p> +The three wicked ones groaned aloud and Beni said, in a hollow voice: +</p> + +<p> +“I hope they will kill us quickly and not put us to the torture. I have +been told these Americans are painted Indians, who are bloodthirsty and +terrible.” +</p> + +<p> +“’Tis so!” gasped the fat man, with a shudder. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly Martha turned from the window. +</p> + +<p> +“You are my friends, are you not?” she asked. +</p> + +<p> +“We are devoted!” answered Victor. +</p> + +<p> +“We adore you!” cried Beni. +</p> + +<p> +“We would die for you!” added Lugui, thinking he was about to die +anyway. +</p> + +<p> +“Then I will save you,” said the girl. +</p> + +<p> +“How?” asked the three, with one voice. +</p> + +<p> +“Get back into the chest,” she said. “I will then close the +lid, so they will be unable to find you.” +</p> + +<p> +They looked around the room in a dazed and irresolute way, but she exclaimed: +</p> + +<p> +“You must be quick! They will soon be here to arrest you.” +</p> + +<p> +Then Lugui sprang into the chest and lay flat upon the bottom. Beni tumbled in +next and packed himself in the back side. Victor followed after pausing to kiss +her hand to the girl in a graceful manner. +</p> + +<p> +Then Martha ran up to press down the lid, but could not make it catch. +</p> + +<p> +“You must squeeze down,” she said to them. +</p> + +<p> +Lugui groaned. +</p> + +<p> +“I am doing my best, miss,” said Victor, who was nearest the top; +“but although we fitted in very nicely before, the chest now seems rather +small for us.” +</p> + +<p> +“’Tis so!” came the muffled voice of the fat man from the +bottom. +</p> + +<p> +“I know what takes up the room,” said Beni. +</p> + +<p> +“What?” inquired Victor, anxiously. +</p> + +<p> +“The pie,” returned Beni. +</p> + +<p> +“’Tis so!” came from the bottom, in faint accents. +</p> + +<p> +Then Martha sat upon the lid and pressed it down with all her weight. To her +great delight the lock caught, and, springing down, she exerted all her +strength and turned the key. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +This story should teach us not to interfere in matters that do not concern us. +For had Martha refrained from opening Uncle Walter’s mysterious chest she +would not have been obliged to carry downstairs all the plunder the robbers had +brought into the attic. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap02"></a>THE GLASS DOG</h2> + +<p> +An accomplished wizard once lived on the top floor of a tenement house and +passed his time in thoughtful study and studious thought. What he didn’t +know about wizardry was hardly worth knowing, for he possessed all the books +and recipes of all the wizards who had lived before him; and, moreover, he had +invented several wizardments himself. +</p> + +<p> +This admirable person would have been completely happy but for the numerous +interruptions to his studies caused by folk who came to consult him about their +troubles (in which he was not interested), and by the loud knocks of the +iceman, the milkman, the baker’s boy, the laundryman and the peanut +woman. He never dealt with any of these people; but they rapped at his door +every day to see him about this or that or to try to sell him their wares. Just +when he was most deeply interested in his books or engaged in watching the +bubbling of a cauldron there would come a knock at his door. And after sending +the intruder away he always found he had lost his train of thought or ruined +his compound. +</p> + +<p> +At length these interruptions aroused his anger, and he decided he must have a +dog to keep people away from his door. He didn’t know where to find a +dog, but in the next room lived a poor glass-blower with whom he had a slight +acquaintance; so he went into the man’s apartment and asked: +</p> + +<p> +“Where can I find a dog?” +</p> + +<p> +“What sort of a dog?” inquired the glass-blower. +</p> + +<p> +“A good dog. One that will bark at people and drive them away. One that +will be no trouble to keep and won’t expect to be fed. One that has no +fleas and is neat in his habits. One that will obey me when I speak to him. In +short, a good dog,” said the wizard. +</p> + +<p> +“Such a dog is hard to find,” returned the glass-blower, who was +busy making a blue glass flower pot with a pink glass rosebush in it, having +green glass leaves and yellow glass roses. +</p> + +<p> +The wizard watched him thoughtfully. +</p> + +<p> +“Why cannot you blow me a dog out of glass?” he asked, presently. +</p> + +<p> +“I can,” declared the glass-blower; “but it would not bark at +people, you know.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, I’ll fix that easily enough,” replied the other. +“If I could not make a glass dog bark I would be a mighty poor +wizard.” +</p> + +<p> +“Very well; if you can use a glass dog I’ll be pleased to blow one +for you. Only, you must pay for my work.” +</p> + +<p> +“Certainly,” agreed the wizard. “But I have none of that +horrid stuff you call money. You must take some of my wares in exchange.” +</p> + +<p> +The glass-blower considered the matter for a moment. +</p> + +<p> +“Could you give me something to cure my rheumatism?” he asked. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, yes; easily.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then it’s a bargain. I’ll start the dog at once. What color +of glass shall I use?” +</p> + +<p> +“Pink is a pretty color,” said the wizard, “and it’s +unusual for a dog, isn’t it?” +</p> + +<p> +“Very,” answered the glass-blower; “but it shall be +pink.” +</p> + +<p> +So the wizard went back to his studies and the glass-blower began to make the +dog. +</p> + +<p> +Next morning he entered the wizard’s room with the glass dog under his +arm and set it carefully upon the table. It was a beautiful pink in color, with +a fine coat of spun glass, and about its neck was twisted a blue glass ribbon. +Its eyes were specks of black glass and sparkled intelligently, as do many of +the glass eyes worn by men. +</p> + +<p> +The wizard expressed himself pleased with the glass-blower’s skill and at +once handed him a small vial. +</p> + +<p> +“This will cure your rheumatism,” he said. +</p> + +<p> +“But the vial is empty!” protested the glass-blower. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, no; there is one drop of liquid in it,” was the wizard’s +reply. +</p> + +<p> +“Will one drop cure my rheumatism?” inquired the glass-blower, in +wonder. +</p> + +<p> +“Most certainly. That is a marvelous remedy. The one drop contained in +the vial will cure instantly any kind of disease ever known to humanity. +Therefore it is especially good for rheumatism. But guard it well, for it is +the only drop of its kind in the world, and I’ve forgotten the +recipe.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thank you,” said the glass-blower, and went back to his room. +</p> + +<p> +Then the wizard cast a wizzy spell and mumbled several very learned words in +the wizardese language over the glass dog. Whereupon the little animal first +wagged its tail from side to side, then winked his left eye knowingly, and at +last began barking in a most frightful manner—that is, when you stop to +consider the noise came from a pink glass dog. There is something almost +astonishing in the magic arts of wizards; unless, of course, you know how to do +the things yourself, when you are not expected to be surprised at them. +</p> + +<p> +The wizard was as delighted as a school teacher at the success of his spell, +although he was not astonished. Immediately he placed the dog outside his door, +where it would bark at anyone who dared knock and so disturb the studies of its +master. +</p> + +<p> +The glass-blower, on returning to his room, decided not to use the one drop of +wizard cure-all just then. +</p> + +<p> +“My rheumatism is better to-day,” he reflected, “and I will +be wise to save the medicine for a time when I am very ill, when it will be of +more service to me.” +</p> + +<p> +So he placed the vial in his cupboard and went to work blowing more roses out +of glass. Presently he happened to think the medicine might not keep, so he +started to ask the wizard about it. But when he reached the door the glass dog +barked so fiercely that he dared not knock, and returned in great haste to his +own room. Indeed, the poor man was quite upset at so unfriendly a reception +from the dog he had himself so carefully and skillfully made. +</p> + +<p> +The next morning, as he read his newspaper, he noticed an article stating that +the beautiful Miss Mydas, the richest young lady in town, was very ill, and the +doctors had given up hope of her recovery. +</p> + +<p> +The glass-blower, although miserably poor, hard-working and homely of feature, +was a man of ideas. He suddenly recollected his precious medicine, and +determined to use it to better advantage than relieving his own ills. He +dressed himself in his best clothes, brushed his hair and combed his whiskers, +washed his hands and tied his necktie, blackened his shoes and sponged his +vest, and then put the vial of magic cure-all in his pocket. Next he locked his +door, went downstairs and walked through the streets to the grand mansion where +the wealthy Miss Mydas resided. +</p> + +<p> +The butler opened the door and said: +</p> + +<p> +“No soap, no chromos, no vegetables, no hair oil, no books, no baking +powder. My young lady is dying and we’re well supplied for the +funeral.” +</p> + +<p> +The glass-blower was grieved at being taken for a peddler. +</p> + +<p> +“My friend,” he began, proudly; but the butler interrupted him, +saying: +</p> + +<p> +“No tombstones, either; there’s a family graveyard and the +monument’s built.” +</p> + +<p> +“The graveyard won’t be needed if you will permit me to +speak,” said the glass-blower. +</p> + +<p> +“No doctors, sir; they’ve given up my young lady, and she’s +given up the doctors,” continued the butler, calmly. +</p> + +<p> +“I’m no doctor,” returned the glass-blower. +</p> + +<p> +“Nor are the others. But what is your errand?” +</p> + +<p> +“I called to cure your young lady by means of a magical compound.” +</p> + +<p> +“Step in, please, and take a seat in the hall. I’ll speak to the +housekeeper,” said the butler, more politely. +</p> + +<p> +So he spoke to the housekeeper and the housekeeper mentioned the matter to the +steward and the steward consulted the chef and the chef kissed the lady’s +maid and sent her to see the stranger. Thus are the very wealthy hedged around +with ceremony, even when dying. +</p> + +<p> +When the lady’s maid heard from the glass-blower that he had a medicine +which would cure her mistress, she said: +</p> + +<p> +“I’m glad you came.” +</p> + +<p> +“But,” said he, “if I restore your mistress to health she +must marry me.” +</p> + +<p> +“I’ll make inquiries and see if she’s willing,” +answered the maid, and went at once to consult Miss Mydas. +</p> + +<p> +The young lady did not hesitate an instant. +</p> + +<p> +“I’d marry any old thing rather than die!” she cried. +“Bring him here at once!” +</p> + +<p> +So the glass-blower came, poured the magic drop into a little water, gave it to +the patient, and the next minute Miss Mydas was as well as she had ever been in +her life. +</p> + +<p> +“Dear me!” she exclaimed; “I’ve an engagement at the +Fritters’ reception to-night. Bring my pearl-colored silk, Marie, and I +will begin my toilet at once. And don’t forget to cancel the order for +the funeral flowers and your mourning gown.” +</p> + +<p> +“But, Miss Mydas,” remonstrated the glass-blower, who stood by, +“you promised to marry me if I cured you.” +</p> + +<p> +“I know,” said the young lady, “but we must have time to make +proper announcement in the society papers and have the wedding cards engraved. +Call to-morrow and we’ll talk it over.” +</p> + +<p> +The glass-blower had not impressed her favorably as a husband, and she was glad +to find an excuse for getting rid of him for a time. And she did not want to +miss the Fritters’ reception. +</p> + +<p> +Yet the man went home filled with joy; for he thought his stratagem had +succeeded and he was about to marry a rich wife who would keep him in luxury +forever afterward. +</p> + +<p> +The first thing he did on reaching his room was to smash his glass-blowing +tools and throw them out of the window. +</p> + +<p> +He then sat down to figure out ways of spending his wife’s money. +</p> + +<p> +The following day he called upon Miss Mydas, who was reading a novel and eating +chocolate creams as happily as if she had never been ill in her life. +</p> + +<p> +“Where did you get the magic compound that cured me?” she asked. +</p> + +<p> +“From a learned wizard,” said he; and then, thinking it would +interest her, he told how he had made the glass dog for the wizard, and how it +barked and kept everybody from bothering him. +</p> + +<p> +“How delightful!” she said. “I’ve always wanted a glass +dog that could bark.” +</p> + +<p> +“But there is only one in the world,” he answered, “and it +belongs to the wizard.” +</p> + +<p> +“You must buy it for me,” said the lady. +</p> + +<p> +“The wizard cares nothing for money,” replied the glass-blower. +</p> + +<p> +“Then you must steal it for me,” she retorted. “I can never +live happily another day unless I have a glass dog that can bark.” +</p> + +<p> +The glass-blower was much distressed at this, but said he would see what he +could do. For a man should always try to please his wife, and Miss Mydas has +promised to marry him within a week. +</p> + +<p> +On his way home he purchased a heavy sack, and when he passed the +wizard’s door and the pink glass dog ran out to bark at him he threw the +sack over the dog, tied the opening with a piece of twine, and carried him away +to his own room. +</p> + +<p> +The next day he sent the sack by a messenger boy to Miss Mydas, with his +compliments, and later in the afternoon he called upon her in person, feeling +quite sure he would be received with gratitude for stealing the dog she so +greatly desired. +</p> + +<p> +But when he came to the door and the butler opened it, what was his amazement +to see the glass dog rush out and begin barking at him furiously. +</p> + +<p> +“Call off your dog,” he shouted, in terror. +</p> + +<p> +“I can’t, sir,” answered the butler. “My young lady has +ordered the glass dog to bark whenever you call here. You’d better look +out, sir,” he added, “for if it bites you, you may have +glassophobia!” +</p> + +<p> +This so frightened the poor glass-blower that he went away hurriedly. But he +stopped at a drug store and put his last dime in the telephone box so he could +talk to Miss Mydas without being bitten by the dog. +</p> + +<p> +“Give me Pelf 6742!” he called. +</p> + +<p> +“Hello! What is it?” said a voice. +</p> + +<p> +“I want to speak with Miss Mydas,” said the glass-blower. +</p> + +<p> +Presently a sweet voice said: “This is Miss Mydas. What is it?” +</p> + +<p> +“Why have you treated me so cruelly and set the glass dog on me?” +asked the poor fellow. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, to tell the truth,” said the lady, “I don’t like +your looks. Your cheeks are pale and baggy, your hair is coarse and long, your +eyes are small and red, your hands are big and rough, and you are +bow-legged.” +</p> + +<p> +“But I can’t help my looks!” pleaded the glass-blower; +“and you really promised to marry me.” +</p> + +<p> +“If you were better looking I’d keep my promise,” she +returned. “But under the circumstances you are no fit mate for me, and +unless you keep away from my mansion I shall set my glass dog on you!” +Then she dropped the ’phone and would have nothing more to say. +</p> + +<p> +The miserable glass-blower went home with a heart bursting with disappointment +and began tying a rope to the bedpost by which to hang himself. +</p> + +<p> +Some one knocked at the door, and, upon opening it, he saw the wizard. +</p> + +<p> +“I’ve lost my dog,” he announced. +</p> + +<p> +“Have you, indeed?” replied the glass-blower tying a knot in the +rope. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes; some one has stolen him.” +</p> + +<p> +“That’s too bad,” declared the glass-blower, indifferently. +</p> + +<p> +“You must make me another,” said the wizard. +</p> + +<p> +“But I cannot; I’ve thrown away my tools.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then what shall I do?” asked the wizard. +</p> + +<p> +“I do not know, unless you offer a reward for the dog.” +</p> + +<p> +“But I have no money,” said the wizard. +</p> + +<p> +“Offer some of your compounds, then,” suggested the glass-blower, +who was making a noose in the rope for his head to go through. +</p> + +<p> +“The only thing I can spare,” replied the wizard, thoughtfully, +“is a Beauty Powder.” +</p> + +<p> +“What!” cried the glass-blower, throwing down the rope, “have +you really such a thing?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, indeed. Whoever takes the powder will become the most beautiful +person in the world.” +</p> + +<p> +“If you will offer that as a reward,” said the glass-blower, +eagerly, “I’ll try to find the dog for you, for above everything +else I long to be beautiful.” +</p> + +<p> +“But I warn you the beauty will only be skin deep,” said the +wizard. +</p> + +<p> +“That’s all right,” replied the happy glass-blower; +“when I lose my skin I shan’t care to remain beautiful.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then tell me where to find my dog and you shall have the powder,” +promised the wizard. +</p> + +<p> +So the glass-blower went out and pretended to search, and by-and-by he returned +and said: +</p> + +<p> +“I’ve discovered the dog. You will find him in the mansion of Miss +Mydas.” +</p> + +<p> +The wizard went at once to see if this were true, and, sure enough, the glass +dog ran out and began barking at him. Then the wizard spread out his hands and +chanted a magic spell which sent the dog fast asleep, when he picked him up and +carried him to his own room on the top floor of the tenement house. +</p> + +<p> +Afterward he carried the Beauty Powder to the glass-blower as a reward, and the +fellow immediately swallowed it and became the most beautiful man in the world. +</p> + +<p> +The next time he called upon Miss Mydas there was no dog to bark at him, and +when the young lady saw him she fell in love with his beauty at once. +</p> + +<p> +“If only you were a count or a prince,” she sighed, +“I’d willingly marry you.” +</p> + +<p> +“But I am a prince,” he answered; “the Prince of +Dogblowers.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ah!” said she; “then if you are willing to accept an +allowance of four dollars a week I’ll order the wedding cards +engraved.” +</p> + +<p> +The man hesitated, but when he thought of the rope hanging from his bedpost he +consented to the terms. +</p> + +<p> +So they were married, and the bride was very jealous of her husband’s +beauty and led him a dog’s life. So he managed to get into debt and made +her miserable in turn. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +As for the glass dog, the wizard set him barking again by means of his +wizardness and put him outside his door. I suppose he is there yet, and am +rather sorry, for I should like to consult the wizard about the moral to this +story. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap03"></a>THE QUEEN OF QUOK</h2> + +<p> +A king once died, as kings are apt to do, being as liable to shortness of +breath as other mortals. +</p> + +<p> +It was high time this king abandoned his earth life, for he had lived in a +sadly extravagant manner, and his subjects could spare him without the +slightest inconvenience. +</p> + +<p> +His father had left him a full treasury, both money and jewels being in +abundance. But the foolish king just deceased had squandered every penny in +riotous living. He had then taxed his subjects until most of them became +paupers, and this money vanished in more riotous living. Next he sold all the +grand old furniture in the palace; all the silver and gold plate and +bric-a-brac; all the rich carpets and furnishings and even his own kingly +wardrobe, reserving only a soiled and moth-eaten ermine robe to fold over his +threadbare raiment. And he spent the money in further riotous living. +</p> + +<p> +Don’t ask me to explain what riotous living is. I only know, from +hearsay, that it is an excellent way to get rid of money. And so this +spendthrift king found it. +</p> + +<p> +He now picked all the magnificent jewels from this kingly crown and from the +round ball on the top of his scepter, and sold them and spent the money. +Riotous living, of course. But at last he was at the end of his resources. He +couldn’t sell the crown itself, because no one but the king had the right +to wear it. Neither could he sell the royal palace, because only the king had +the right to live there. +</p> + +<p> +So, finally, he found himself reduced to a bare palace, containing only a big +mahogany bedstead that he slept in, a small stool on which he sat to pull off +his shoes and the moth-eaten ermine robe. +</p> + +<p> +In this straight he was reduced to the necessity of borrowing an occasional +dime from his chief counselor, with which to buy a ham sandwich. And the chief +counselor hadn’t many dimes. One who counseled his king so foolishly was +likely to ruin his own prospects as well. +</p> + +<p> +So the king, having nothing more to live for, died suddenly and left a +ten-year-old son to inherit the dismantled kingdom, the moth-eaten robe and the +jewel-stripped crown. +</p> + +<p> +No one envied the child, who had scarcely been thought of until he became king +himself. Then he was recognized as a personage of some importance, and the +politicians and hangers-on, headed by the chief counselor of the kingdom, held +a meeting to determine what could be done for him. +</p> + +<p> +These folk had helped the old king to live riotously while his money lasted, +and now they were poor and too proud to work. So they tried to think of a plan +that would bring more money into the little king’s treasury, where it +would be handy for them to help themselves. +</p> + +<p> +After the meeting was over the chief counselor came to the young king, who was +playing peg-top in the courtyard, and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Your majesty, we have thought of a way to restore your kingdom to its +former power and magnificence.” +</p> + +<p> +“All right,” replied his majesty, carelessly. “How will you +do it?” +</p> + +<p> +“By marrying you to a lady of great wealth,” replied the counselor. +</p> + +<p> +“Marrying me!” cried the king. “Why, I am only ten years +old!” +</p> + +<p> +“I know; it is to be regretted. But your majesty will grow older, and the +affairs of the kingdom demand that you marry a wife.” +</p> + +<p> +“Can’t I marry a mother, instead?” asked the poor little +king, who had lost his mother when a baby. +</p> + +<p> +“Certainly not,” declared the counselor. “To marry a mother +would be illegal; to marry a wife is right and proper.” +</p> + +<p> +“Can’t you marry her yourself?” inquired his majesty, aiming +his peg-top at the chief counselor’s toe, and laughing to see how he +jumped to escape it. +</p> + +<p> +“Let me explain,” said the other. “You haven’t a penny +in the world, but you have a kingdom. There are many rich women who would be +glad to give their wealth in exchange for a queen’s coronet—even if +the king is but a child. So we have decided to advertise that the one who bids +the highest shall become the queen of Quok.” +</p> + +<p> +“If I must marry at all,” said the king, after a moment’s +thought, “I prefer to marry Nyana, the armorer’s daughter.” +</p> + +<p> +“She is too poor,” replied the counselor. +</p> + +<p> +“Her teeth are pearls, her eyes are amethysts, and her hair is +gold,” declared the little king. +</p> + +<p> +“True, your majesty. But consider that your wife’s wealth must be +used. How would Nyana look after you have pulled her teeth of pearls, plucked +out her amethyst eyes and shaved her golden head?” +</p> + +<p> +The boy shuddered. +</p> + +<p> +“Have your own way,” he said, despairingly. “Only let the +lady be as dainty as possible and a good playfellow.” +</p> + +<p> +“We shall do our best,” returned the chief counselor, and went away +to advertise throughout the neighboring kingdoms for a wife for the boy king of +Quok. +</p> + +<p> +There were so many applicants for the privilege of marrying the little king +that it was decided to put him up at auction, in order that the largest +possible sum of money should be brought into the kingdom. So, on the day +appointed, the ladies gathered at the palace from all the surrounding +kingdoms—from Bilkon, Mulgravia, Junkum and even as far away as the +republic of Macvelt. +</p> + +<p> +The chief counselor came to the palace early in the morning and had the +king’s face washed and his hair combed; and then he padded the inside of +the crown with old newspapers to make it small enough to fit his +majesty’s head. It was a sorry looking crown, having many big and little +holes in it where the jewels had once been; and it had been neglected and +knocked around until it was quite battered and tarnished. Yet, as the counselor +said, it was the king’s crown, and it was quite proper he should wear it +on the solemn occasion of his auction. +</p> + +<p> +Like all boys, be they kings or paupers, his majesty had torn and soiled his +one suit of clothes, so that they were hardly presentable; and there was no +money to buy new ones. Therefore the counselor wound the old ermine robe around +the king and sat him upon the stool in the middle of the otherwise empty +audience chamber. +</p> + +<p> +And around him stood all the courtiers and politicians and hangers-on of the +kingdom, consisting of such people as were too proud or lazy to work for a +living. There was a great number of them, you may be sure, and they made an +imposing appearance. +</p> + +<p> +Then the doors of the audience chamber were thrown open, and the wealthy ladies +who aspired to being queen of Quok came trooping in. The king looked them over +with much anxiety, and decided they were each and all old enough to be his +grandmother, and ugly enough to scare away the crows from the royal cornfields. +After which he lost interest in them. +</p> + +<p> +But the rich ladies never looked at the poor little king squatting upon his +stool. They gathered at once about the chief counselor, who acted as +auctioneer. +</p> + +<p> +“How much am I offered for the coronet of the queen of Quok?” asked +the counselor, in a loud voice. +</p> + +<p> +“Where is the coronet?” inquired a fussy old lady who had just +buried her ninth husband and was worth several millions. +</p> + +<p> +“There isn’t any coronet at present,” explained the chief +counselor, “but whoever bids highest will have the right to wear one, and +she can then buy it.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh,” said the fussy old lady, “I see.” Then she added: +“I’ll bid fourteen dollars.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fourteen thousand dollars!” cried a sour-looking woman who was +thin and tall and had wrinkles all over her skin—“like a frosted +apple,” the king thought. +</p> + +<p> +The bidding now became fast and furious, and the poverty-stricken courtiers +brightened up as the sum began to mount into the millions. +</p> + +<p> +“He’ll bring us a very pretty fortune, after all,” whispered +one to his comrade, “and then we shall have the pleasure of helping him +spend it.” +</p> + +<p> +The king began to be anxious. All the women who looked at all kind-hearted or +pleasant had stopped bidding for lack of money, and the slender old dame with +the wrinkles seemed determined to get the coronet at any price, and with it the +boy husband. This ancient creature finally became so excited that her wig got +crosswise of her head and her false teeth kept slipping out, which horrified +the little king greatly; but she would not give up. +</p> + +<p> +At last the chief counselor ended the auction by crying out: +</p> + +<p> +“Sold to Mary Ann Brodjinsky de la Porkus for three million, nine hundred +thousand, six hundred and twenty-four dollars and sixteen cents!” And the +sour-looking old woman paid the money in cash and on the spot, which proves +this is a fairy story. +</p> + +<p> +The king was so disturbed at the thought that he must marry this hideous +creature that he began to wail and weep; whereupon the woman boxed his ears +soundly. But the counselor reproved her for punishing her future husband in +public, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“You are not married yet. Wait until to-morrow, after the wedding takes +place. Then you can abuse him as much as you wish. But at present we prefer to +have people think this is a love match.” +</p> + +<p> +The poor king slept but little that night, so filled was he with terror of his +future wife. Nor could he get the idea out of his head that he preferred to +marry the armorer’s daughter, who was about his own age. He tossed and +tumbled around upon his hard bed until the moonlight came in at the window and +lay like a great white sheet upon the bare floor. Finally, in turning over for +the hundredth time, his hand struck against a secret spring in the headboard of +the big mahogany bedstead, and at once, with a sharp click, a panel flew open. +</p> + +<p> +The noise caused the king to look up, and, seeing the open panel, he stood upon +tiptoe, and, reaching within, drew out a folded paper. It had several leaves +fastened together like a book, and upon the first page was written: +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +“When the king is in trouble<br/> +This leaf he must double<br/> +And set it on fire<br/> +To obtain his desire.” +</p> + +<p> +This was not very good poetry, but when the king had spelled it out in the +moonlight he was filled with joy. +</p> + +<p> +“There’s no doubt about my being in trouble,” he exclaimed; +“so I’ll burn it at once, and see what happens.” +</p> + +<p> +He tore off the leaf and put the rest of the book in its secret hiding place. +Then, folding the paper double, he placed it on the top of his stool, lighted a +match and set fire to it. +</p> + +<p> +It made a horrid smudge for so small a paper, and the king sat on the edge of +the bed and watched it eagerly. +</p> + +<p> +When the smoke cleared away he was surprised to see, sitting upon the stool, a +round little man, who, with folded arms and crossed legs, sat calmly facing the +king and smoking a black briarwood pipe. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, here I am,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“So I see,” replied the little king. “But how did you get +here?” +</p> + +<p> +“Didn’t you burn the paper?” demanded the round man, by way +of answer. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, I did,” acknowledged the king. +</p> + +<p> +“Then you are in trouble, and I’ve come to help you out of it. +I’m the Slave of the Royal Bedstead.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh!” said the king. “I didn’t know there was +one.” +</p> + +<p> +“Neither did your father, or he would not have been so foolish as to sell +everything he had for money. By the way, it’s lucky for you he did not +sell this bedstead. Now, then, what do you want?” +</p> + +<p> +“I’m not sure what I want,” replied the king; “but I +know what I don’t want, and that is the old woman who is going to marry +me.” +</p> + +<p> +“That’s easy enough,” said the Slave of the Royal Bedstead. +“All you need do is to return her the money she paid the chief counselor +and declare the match off. Don’t be afraid. You are the king, and your +word is law.” +</p> + +<p> +“To be sure,” said the majesty. “But I am in great need of +money. How am I going to live if the chief counselor returns to Mary Ann +Brodjinski her millions?” +</p> + +<p> +“Phoo! that’s easy enough,” again answered the man, and, +putting his hand in his pocket, he drew out and tossed to the king an +old-fashioned leather purse. “Keep that with you,” said he, +“and you will always be rich, for you can take out of the purse as many +twenty-five-cent silver pieces as you wish, one at a time. No matter how often +you take one out, another will instantly appear in its place within the +purse.” +</p> + +<p> +“Thank you,” said the king, gratefully. “You have rendered me +a rare favor; for now I shall have money for all my needs and will not be +obliged to marry anyone. Thank you a thousand times!” +</p> + +<p> +“Don’t mention it,” answered the other, puffing his pipe +slowly and watching the smoke curl into the moonlight. “Such things are +easy to me. Is that all you want?” +</p> + +<p> +“All I can think of just now,” returned the king. +</p> + +<p> +“Then, please close that secret panel in the bedstead,” said the +man; “the other leaves of the book may be of use to you some time.” +</p> + +<p> +The boy stood upon the bed as before and, reaching up, closed the opening so +that no one else could discover it. Then he turned to face his visitor, but the +Slave of the Royal Bedstead had disappeared. +</p> + +<p> +“I expected that,” said his majesty; “yet I am sorry he did +not wait to say good-by.” +</p> + +<p> +With a lightened heart and a sense of great relief the boy king placed the +leathern purse underneath his pillow, and climbing into bed again slept soundly +until morning. +</p> + +<p> +When the sun rose his majesty rose also, refreshed and comforted, and the first +thing he did was to send for the chief counselor. +</p> + +<p> +That mighty personage arrived looking glum and unhappy, but the boy was too +full of his own good fortune to notice it. Said he: +</p> + +<p> +“I have decided not to marry anyone, for I have just come into a fortune +of my own. Therefore I command you return to that old woman the money she has +paid you for the right to wear the coronet of the queen of Quok. And make +public declaration that the wedding will not take place.” +</p> + +<p> +Hearing this the counselor began to tremble, for he saw the young king had +decided to reign in earnest; and he looked so guilty that his majesty inquired: +</p> + +<p> +“Well! what is the matter now?” +</p> + +<p> +“Sire,” replied the wretch, in a shaking voice, “I cannot +return the woman her money, for I have lost it!” +</p> + +<p> +“Lost it!” cried the king, in mingled astonishment and anger. +</p> + +<p> +“Even so, your majesty. On my way home from the auction last night I +stopped at the drug store to get some potash lozenges for my throat, which was +dry and hoarse with so much loud talking; and your majesty will admit it was +through my efforts the woman was induced to pay so great a price. Well, going +into the drug store I carelessly left the package of money lying on the seat of +my carriage, and when I came out again it was gone. Nor was the thief anywhere +to be seen.” +</p> + +<p> +“Did you call the police?” asked the king. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, I called; but they were all on the next block, and although they +have promised to search for the robber I have little hope they will ever find +him.” +</p> + +<p> +The king sighed. +</p> + +<p> +“What shall we do now?” he asked. +</p> + +<p> +“I fear you must marry Mary Ann Brodjinski,” answered the chief +counselor; “unless, indeed, you order the executioner to cut her head +off.” +</p> + +<p> +“That would be wrong,” declared the king. “The woman must not +be harmed. And it is just that we return her money, for I will not marry her +under any circumstances.” +</p> + +<p> +“Is that private fortune you mentioned large enough to repay her?” +asked the counselor. +</p> + +<p> +“Why, yes,” said the king, thoughtfully, “but it will take +some time to do it, and that shall be your task. Call the woman here.” +</p> + +<p> +The counselor went in search of Mary Ann, who, when she heard she was not to +become a queen, but would receive her money back, flew into a violent passion +and boxed the chief counselor’s ears so viciously that they stung for +nearly an hour. But she followed him into the king’s audience chamber, +where she demanded her money in a loud voice, claiming as well the interest due +upon it over night. +</p> + +<p> +“The counselor has lost your money,” said the boy king, “but +he shall pay you every penny out of my own private purse. I fear, however, you +will be obliged to take it in small change.” +</p> + +<p> +“That will not matter,” she said, scowling upon the counselor as if +she longed to reach his ears again; “I don’t care how small the +change is so long as I get every penny that belongs to me, and the interest. +Where is it?” +</p> + +<p> +“Here,” answered the king, handing the counselor the leathern +purse. “It is all in silver quarters, and they must be taken from the +purse one at a time; but there will be plenty to pay your demands, and to +spare.” +</p> + +<p> +So, there being no chairs, the counselor sat down upon the floor in one corner +and began counting out silver twenty-five-cent pieces from the purse, one by +one. And the old woman sat upon the floor opposite him and took each piece of +money from his hand. +</p> + +<p> +It was a large sum: three million, nine hundred thousand, six hundred and +twenty-four dollars and sixteen cents. And it takes four times as many +twenty-five-cent pieces as it would dollars to make up the amount. +</p> + +<p> +The king left them sitting there and went to school, and often thereafter he +came to the counselor and interrupted him long enough to get from the purse +what money he needed to reign in a proper and dignified manner. This somewhat +delayed the counting, but as it was a long job, anyway, that did not matter +much. +</p> + +<p> +The king grew to manhood and married the pretty daughter of the armorer, and +they now have two lovely children of their own. Once in awhile they go into the +big audience chamber of the palace and let the little ones watch the aged, +hoary-headed counselor count out silver twenty-five-cent pieces to a withered +old woman, who watched his every movement to see that he does not cheat her. +</p> + +<p> +It is a big sum, three million, nine hundred thousand, six hundred and +twenty-four dollars and sixteen cents in twenty-five-cent pieces. +</p> + +<p> +But this is how the counselor was punished for being so careless with the +woman’s money. And this is how Mary Ann Brodjinski de la Porkus was also +punished for wishing to marry a ten-year-old king in order that she might wear +the coronet of the queen of Quok. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap04"></a>THE GIRL WHO OWNED A BEAR</h2> + +<p> +Mamma had gone down-town to shop. She had asked Nora to look after Jane Gladys, +and Nora promised she would. But it was her afternoon for polishing the silver, +so she stayed in the pantry and left Jane Gladys to amuse herself alone in the +big sitting-room upstairs. +</p> + +<p> +The little girl did not mind being alone, for she was working on her first +piece of embroidery—a sofa pillow for papa’s birthday present. So +she crept into the big bay window and curled herself up on the broad sill while +she bent her brown head over her work. +</p> + +<p> +Soon the door opened and closed again, quietly. Jane Gladys thought it was +Nora, so she didn’t look up until she had taken a couple more stitches on +a forget-me-not. Then she raised her eyes and was astonished to find a strange +man in the middle of the room, who regarded her earnestly. +</p> + +<p> +He was short and fat, and seemed to be breathing heavily from his climb up the +stairs. He held a work silk hat in one hand and underneath his other elbow was +tucked a good-sized book. He was dressed in a black suit that looked old and +rather shabby, and his head was bald upon the top. +</p> + +<p> +“Excuse me,” he said, while the child gazed at him in solemn +surprise. “Are you Jane Gladys Brown?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, sir,” she answered. +</p> + +<p> +“Very good; very good, indeed!” he remarked, with a queer sort of +smile. “I’ve had quite a hunt to find you, but I’ve succeeded +at last.” +</p> + +<p> +“How did you get in?” inquired Jane Gladys, with a growing distrust +of her visitor. +</p> + +<p> +“That is a secret,” he said, mysteriously. +</p> + +<p> +This was enough to put the girl on her guard. She looked at the man and the man +looked at her, and both looks were grave and somewhat anxious. +</p> + +<p> +“What do you want?” she asked, straightening herself up with a +dignified air. +</p> + +<p> +“Ah!—now we are coming to business,” said the man, briskly. +“I’m going to be quite frank with you. To begin with, your father +has abused me in a most ungentlemanly manner.” +</p> + +<p> +Jane Gladys got off the window sill and pointed her small finger at the door. +</p> + +<p> +“Leave this room ‘meejitly!” she cried, her voice trembling +with indignation. “My papa is the best man in the world. He never +’bused anybody!” +</p> + +<p> +“Allow me to explain, please,” said the visitor, without paying any +attention to her request to go away. “Your father may be very kind to +you, for you are his little girl, you know. But when he’s down-town in +his office he’s inclined to be rather severe, especially on book agents. +Now, I called on him the other day and asked him to buy the ‘Complete +Works of Peter Smith,’ and what do you suppose he did?” +</p> + +<p> +She said nothing. +</p> + +<p> +“Why,” continued the man, with growing excitement, “he +ordered me from his office, and had me put out of the building by the janitor! +What do you think of such treatment as that from the ‘best papa in the +world,’ eh?” +</p> + +<p> +“I think he was quite right,” said Jane Gladys. +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, you do? Well,” said the man, “I resolved to be revenged +for the insult. So, as your father is big and strong and a dangerous man, I +have decided to be revenged upon his little girl.” +</p> + +<p> +Jane Gladys shivered. +</p> + +<p> +“What are you going to do?” she asked. +</p> + +<p> +“I’m going to present you with this book,” he answered, +taking it from under his arm. Then he sat down on the edge of a chair, placed +his hat on the rug and drew a fountain pen from his vest pocket. +</p> + +<p> +“I’ll write your name in it,” said he. “How do you +spell Gladys?” +</p> + +<p> +“G-l-a-d-y-s,” she replied. +</p> + +<p> +“Thank you. Now this,” he continued, rising and handing her the +book with a bow, “is my revenge for your father’s treatment of me. +Perhaps he’ll be sorry he didn’t buy the ‘Complete Works of +Peter Smith.’ Good-by, my dear.” +</p> + +<p> +He walked to the door, gave her another bow, and left the room, and Jane Gladys +could see that he was laughing to himself as if very much amused. +</p> + +<p> +When the door had closed behind the queer little man the child sat down in the +window again and glanced at the book. It had a red and yellow cover and the +word “Thingamajigs” was across the front in big letters. +</p> + +<p> +Then she opened it, curiously, and saw her name written in black letters upon +the first white leaf. +</p> + +<p> +“He was a funny little man,” she said to herself, thoughtfully. +</p> + +<p> +She turned the next leaf, and saw a big picture of a clown, dressed in green +and red and yellow, and having a very white face with three-cornered spots of +red on each cheek and over the eyes. While she looked at this the book trembled +in her hands, the leaf crackled and creaked and suddenly the clown jumped out +of it and stood upon the floor beside her, becoming instantly as big as any +ordinary clown. +</p> + +<p> +After stretching his arms and legs and yawning in a rather impolite manner, he +gave a silly chuckle and said: +</p> + +<p> +“This is better! You don’t know how cramped one gets, standing so +long upon a page of flat paper.” +</p> + +<p> +Perhaps you can imagine how startled Jane Gladys was, and how she stared at the +clown who had just leaped out of the book. +</p> + +<p> +“You didn’t expect anything of this sort, did you?” he asked, +leering at her in clown fashion. Then he turned around to take a look at the +room and Jane Gladys laughed in spite of her astonishment. +</p> + +<p> +“What amuses you?” demanded the clown. +</p> + +<p> +“Why, the back of you is all white!” cried the girl. +“You’re only a clown in front of you.” +</p> + +<p> +“Quite likely,” he returned, in an annoyed tone. “The artist +made a front view of me. He wasn’t expected to make the back of me, for +that was against the page of the book.” +</p> + +<p> +“But it makes you look so funny!” said Jane Gladys, laughing until +her eyes were moist with tears. +</p> + +<p> +The clown looked sulky and sat down upon a chair so she couldn’t see his +back. +</p> + +<p> +“I’m not the only thing in the book,” he remarked, crossly. +</p> + +<p> +This reminded her to turn another page, and she had scarcely noted that it +contained the picture of a monkey when the animal sprang from the book with a +great crumpling of paper and landed upon the window seat beside her. +</p> + +<p> +“He-he-he-he-he!” chattered the creature, springing to the +girl’s shoulder and then to the center table. “This is great fun! +Now I can be a real monkey instead of a picture of one.” +</p> + +<p> +“Real monkeys can’t talk,” said Jane Gladys, reprovingly. +</p> + +<p> +“How do you know? Have you ever been one yourself?” inquired the +animal; and then he laughed loudly, and the clown laughed, too, as if he +enjoyed the remark. +</p> + +<p> +The girl was quite bewildered by this time. She thoughtlessly turned another +leaf, and before she had time to look twice a gray donkey leaped from the book +and stumbled from the window seat to the floor with a great clatter. +</p> + +<p> +“You’re clumsy enough, I’m sure!” said the child, +indignantly, for the beast had nearly upset her. +</p> + +<p> +“Clumsy! And why not?” demanded the donkey, with angry voice. +“If the fool artist had drawn you out of perspective, as he did me, I +guess you’d be clumsy yourself.” +</p> + +<p> +“What’s wrong with you?” asked Jane Gladys. +</p> + +<p> +“My front and rear legs on the left side are nearly six inches too short, +that’s what’s the matter! If that artist didn’t know how to +draw properly why did he try to make a donkey at all?” +</p> + +<p> +“I don’t know,” replied the child, seeing an answer was +expected. +</p> + +<p> +“I can hardly stand up,” grumbled the donkey; “and the least +little thing will topple me over.” +</p> + +<p> +“Don’t mind that,” said the monkey, making a spring at the +chandelier and swinging from it by his tail until Jane Gladys feared he would +knock all the globes off; “the same artist has made my ears as big as +that clown’s and everyone knows a monkey hasn’t any ears to speak +of—much less to draw.” +</p> + +<p> +“He should be prosecuted,” remarked the clown, gloomily. “I +haven’t any back.” +</p> + +<p> +Jane Gladys looked from one to the other with a puzzled expression upon her +sweet face, and turned another page of the book. +</p> + +<p> +Swift as a flash there sprang over her shoulder a tawney, spotted leopard, +which landed upon the back of a big leather armchair and turned upon the others +with a fierce movement. +</p> + +<p> +The monkey climbed to the top of the chandelier and chattered with fright. The +donkey tried to run and straightway tipped over on his left side. The clown +grew paler than ever, but he sat still in his chair and gave a low whistle of +surprise. +</p> + +<p> +The leopard crouched upon the back of the chair, lashed his tail from side to +side and glared at all of them, by turns, including Jane Gladys. +</p> + +<p> +“Which of us are you going to attack first?” asked the donkey, +trying hard to get upon his feet again. +</p> + +<p> +“I can’t attack any of you,” snarled the leopard. “The +artist made my mouth shut, so I haven’t any teeth; and he forgot to make +my claws. But I’m a frightful looking creature, nevertheless; am I +not?” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, yes;” said the clown, indifferently. “I suppose +you’re frightful looking enough. But if you have no teeth nor claws we +don’t mind your looks at all.” +</p> + +<p> +This so annoyed the leopard that he growled horribly, and the monkey laughed at +him. +</p> + +<p> +Just then the book slipped from the girl’s lap, and as she made a +movement to catch it one of the pages near the back opened wide. She caught a +glimpse of a fierce grizzly bear looking at her from the page, and quickly +threw the book from her. It fell with a crash in the middle of the room, but +beside it stood the great grizzly, who had wrenched himself from the page +before the book closed. +</p> + +<p> +“Now,” cried the leopard from his perch, “you’d better +look out for yourselves! You can’t laugh at him as you did at me. The +bear has both claws and teeth.” +</p> + +<p> +“Indeed I have,” said the bear, in a low, deep, growling voice. +“And I know how to use them, too. If you read in that book you’ll +find I’m described as a horrible, cruel and remorseless grizzly, whose +only business in life is to eat up little girls—shoes, dresses, ribbons +and all! And then, the author says, I smack my lips and glory in my +wickedness.” +</p> + +<p> +“That’s awful!” said the donkey, sitting upon his haunches +and shaking his head sadly. “What do you suppose possessed the author to +make you so hungry for girls? Do you eat animals, also?” +</p> + +<p> +“The author does not mention my eating anything but little girls,” +replied the bear. +</p> + +<p> +“Very good,” remarked the clown, drawing a long breath of relief. +“you may begin eating Jane Gladys as soon as you wish. She laughed +because I had no back.” +</p> + +<p> +“And she laughed because my legs are out of perspective,” brayed +the donkey. +</p> + +<p> +“But you also deserve to be eaten,” screamed the leopard from the +back of the leather chair; “for you laughed and poked fun at me because I +had no claws nor teeth! Don’t you suppose Mr. Grizzly, you could manage +to eat a clown, a donkey and a monkey after you finish the girl?” +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps so, and a leopard into the bargain,” growled the bear. +“It will depend on how hungry I am. But I must begin on the little girl +first, because the author says I prefer girls to anything.” +</p> + +<p> +Jane Gladys was much frightened on hearing this conversation, and she began to +realize what the man meant when he said he gave her the book to be revenged. +Surely papa would be sorry he hadn’t bought the “Complete Works of +Peter Smith” when he came home and found his little girl eaten up by a +grizzly bear—shoes, dress, ribbons and all! +</p> + +<p> +The bear stood up and balanced himself on his rear legs. +</p> + +<p> +“This is the way I look in the book,” he said. “Now watch me +eat the little girl.” +</p> + +<p> +He advanced slowly toward Jane Gladys, and the monkey, the leopard, the donkey +and the clown all stood around in a circle and watched the bear with much +interest. +</p> + +<p> +But before the grizzly reached her the child had a sudden thought, and cried +out: +</p> + +<p> +“Stop! You mustn’t eat me. It would be wrong.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why?” asked the bear, in surprise. +</p> + +<p> +“Because I own you. You’re my private property,” she +answered. +</p> + +<p> +“I don’t see how you make that out,” said the bear, in a +disappointed tone. +</p> + +<p> +“Why, the book was given to me; my name’s on the front leaf. And +you belong, by rights, in the book. So you mustn’t dare to eat your +owner!” +</p> + +<p> +The Grizzly hesitated. +</p> + +<p> +“Can any of you read?” he asked. +</p> + +<p> +“I can,” said the clown. +</p> + +<p> +“Then see if she speaks the truth. Is her name really in the book?” +</p> + +<p> +The clown picked it up and looked at the name. +</p> + +<p> +“It is,” said he. “‘Jane Gladys Brown;’ and +written quite plainly in big letters.” +</p> + +<p> +The bear sighed. +</p> + +<p> +“Then, of course, I can’t eat her,” he decided. “That +author is as disappointing as most authors are.” +</p> + +<p> +“But he’s not as bad as the artist,” exclaimed the donkey, +who was still trying to stand up straight. +</p> + +<p> +“The fault lies with yourselves,” said Jane Gladys, severely. +“Why didn’t you stay in the book, where you were put?” +</p> + +<p> +The animals looked at each other in a foolish way, and the clown blushed under +his white paint. +</p> + +<p> +“Really—” began the bear, and then he stopped short. +</p> + +<p> +The door bell rang loudly. +</p> + +<p> +“It’s mamma!” cried Jane Gladys, springing to her feet. +“She’s come home at last. Now, you stupid creatures—” +</p> + +<p> +But she was interrupted by them all making a rush for the book. There was a +swish and a whirr and a rustling of leaves, and an instant later the book lay +upon the floor looking just like any other book, while Jane Gladys’ +strange companions had all disappeared. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +This story should teach us to think quickly and clearly upon all occasions; for +had Jane Gladys not remembered that she owned the bear he probably would have +eaten her before the bell rang. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap05"></a>THE ENCHANTED TYPES</h2> + +<p> +One time a knook became tired of his beautiful life and longed for something +new to do. The knooks have more wonderful powers than any other immortal +folk—except, perhaps, the fairies and ryls. So one would suppose that a +knook who might gain anything he desired by a simple wish could not be +otherwise than happy and contented. But such was not the case with Popopo, the +knook we are speaking of. He had lived thousands of years, and had enjoyed all +the wonders he could think of. Yet life had become as tedious to him now as it +might be to one who was unable to gratify a single wish. +</p> + +<p> +Finally, by chance, Popopo thought of the earth people who dwell in cities, and +so he resolved to visit them and see how they lived. This would surely be fine +amusement, and serve to pass away many wearisome hours. +</p> + +<p> +Therefore one morning, after a breakfast so dainty that you could scarcely +imagine it, Popopo set out for the earth and at once was in the midst of a big +city. +</p> + +<p> +His own dwelling was so quiet and peaceful that the roaring noise of the town +startled him. His nerves were so shocked that before he had looked around three +minutes he decided to give up the adventure, and instantly returned home. +</p> + +<p> +This satisfied for a time his desire to visit the earth cities, but soon the +monotony of his existence again made him restless and gave him another thought. +At night the people slept and the cities would be quiet. He would visit them at +night. +</p> + +<p> +So at the proper time Popopo transported himself in a jiffy to a great city, +where he began wandering about the streets. Everyone was in bed. No wagons +rattled along the pavements; no throngs of busy men shouted and halloaed. Even +the policemen slumbered slyly and there happened to be no prowling thieves +abroad. +</p> + +<p> +His nerves being soothed by the stillness, Popopo began to enjoy himself. He +entered many of the houses and examined their rooms with much curiosity. Locks +and bolts made no difference to a knook, and he saw as well in darkness as in +daylight. +</p> + +<p> +After a time he strolled into the business portion of the city. Stores are +unknown among the immortals, who have no need of money or of barter and +exchange; so Popopo was greatly interested by the novel sight of so many +collections of goods and merchandise. +</p> + +<p> +During his wanderings he entered a millinery shop, and was surprised to see +within a large glass case a great number of women’s hats, each bearing in +one position or another a stuffed bird. Indeed, some of the most elaborate hats +had two or three birds upon them. +</p> + +<p> +Now knooks are the especial guardians of birds, and love them dearly. To see so +many of his little friends shut up in a glass case annoyed and grieved Popopo, +who had no idea they had purposely been placed upon the hats by the milliner. +So he slid back one of the doors of the case, gave the little chirruping +whistle of the knooks that all birds know well, and called: +</p> + +<p> +“Come, friends; the door is open—fly out!” +</p> + +<p> +Popopo did not know the birds were stuffed; but, stuffed or not, every bird is +bound to obey a knook’s whistle and a knook’s call. So they left +the hats, flew out of the case and began fluttering about the room. +</p> + +<p> +“Poor dears!” said the kind-hearted knook, “you long to be in +the fields and forests again.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he opened the outer door for them and cried: “Off with you! Fly +away, my beauties, and be happy again.” +</p> + +<p> +The astonished birds at once obeyed, and when they had soared away into the +night air the knook closed the door and continued his wandering through the +streets. +</p> + +<p> +By dawn he saw many interesting sights, but day broke before he had finished +the city, and he resolved to come the next evening a few hours earlier. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as it was dark the following day he came again to the city and on +passing the millinery shop noticed a light within. Entering he found two women, +one of whom leaned her head upon the table and sobbed bitterly, while the other +strove to comfort her. +</p> + +<p> +Of course Popopo was invisible to mortal eyes, so he stood by and listened to +their conversation. +</p> + +<p> +“Cheer up, sister,” said one. “Even though your pretty birds +have all been stolen the hats themselves remain.” +</p> + +<p> +“Alas!” cried the other, who was the milliner, “no one will +buy my hats partly trimmed, for the fashion is to wear birds upon them. And if +I cannot sell my goods I shall be utterly ruined.” +</p> + +<p> +Then she renewed her sobbing and the knook stole away, feeling a little ashamed +to realized that in his love for the birds he had unconsciously wronged one of +the earth people and made her unhappy. +</p> + +<p> +This thought brought him back to the millinery shop later in the night, when +the two women had gone home. He wanted, in some way, to replace the birds upon +the hats, that the poor woman might be happy again. So he searched until he +came upon a nearby cellar full of little gray mice, who lived quite undisturbed +and gained a livelihood by gnawing through the walls into neighboring houses +and stealing food from the pantries. +</p> + +<p> +“Here are just the creatures,” thought Popopo, “to place upon +the woman’s hats. Their fur is almost as soft as the plumage of the +birds, and it strikes me the mice are remarkably pretty and graceful animals. +Moreover, they now pass their lives in stealing, and were they obliged to +remain always upon women’s hats their morals would be much +improved.” +</p> + +<p> +So he exercised a charm that drew all the mice from the cellar and placed them +upon the hats in the glass case, where they occupied the places the birds had +vacated and looked very becoming—at least, in the eyes of the unworldly +knook. To prevent their running about and leaving the hats Popopo rendered them +motionless, and then he was so pleased with his work that he decided to remain +in the shop and witness the delight of the milliner when she saw how daintily +her hats were now trimmed. +</p> + +<p> +She came in the early morning, accompanied by her sister, and her face wore a +sad and resigned expression. After sweeping and dusting the shop and drawing +the blinds she opened the glass case and took out a hat. +</p> + +<p> +But when she saw a tiny gray mouse nestling among the ribbons and laces she +gave a loud shriek, and, dropping the hat, sprang with one bound to the top of +the table. The sister, knowing the shriek to be one of fear, leaped upon a +chair and exclaimed: +</p> + +<p> +“What is it? Oh! what is it?” +</p> + +<p> +“A mouse!” gasped the milliner, trembling with terror. +</p> + +<p> +Popopo, seeing this commotion, now realized that mice are especially +disagreeable to human beings, and that he had made a grave mistake in placing +them upon the hats; so he gave a low whistle of command that was heard only by +the mice. +</p> + +<p> +Instantly they all jumped from the hats, dashed out the open door of the glass +case and scampered away to their cellar. But this action so frightened the +milliner and her sister that after giving several loud screams they fell upon +their backs on the floor and fainted away. +</p> + +<p> +Popopo was a kind-hearted knook, but on witnessing all this misery, caused by +his own ignorance of the ways of humans, he straightway wished himself at home, +and so left the poor women to recover as best they could. +</p> + +<p> +Yet he could not escape a sad feeling of responsibility, and after thinking +upon the matter he decided that since he had caused the milliner’s +unhappiness by freeing the birds, he could set the matter right by restoring +them to the glass case. He loved the birds, and disliked to condemn them to +slavery again; but that seemed the only way to end the trouble. +</p> + +<p> +So he set off to find the birds. They had flown a long distance, but it was +nothing to Popopo to reach them in a second, and he discovered them sitting +upon the branches of a big chestnut tree and singing gayly. +</p> + +<p> +When they saw the knook the birds cried: +</p> + +<p> +“Thank you, Popopo. Thank you for setting us free.” +</p> + +<p> +“Do not thank me,” returned the knook, “for I have come to +send you back to the millinery shop.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why?” demanded a blue jay, angrily, while the others stopped their +songs. +</p> + +<p> +“Because I find the woman considers you her property, and your loss has +caused her much unhappiness,” answered Popopo. +</p> + +<p> +“But remember how unhappy we were in her glass case,” said a robin +redbreast, gravely. “And as for being her property, you are a knook, and +the natural guardian of all birds; so you know that Nature created us free. To +be sure, wicked men shot and stuffed us, and sold us to the milliner; but the +idea of our being her property is nonsense!” +</p> + +<p> +Popopo was puzzled. +</p> + +<p> +“If I leave you free,” he said, “wicked men will shoot you +again, and you will be no better off than before.” +</p> + +<p> +“Pooh!” exclaimed the blue jay, “we cannot be shot now, for +we are stuffed. Indeed, two men fired several shots at us this morning, but the +bullets only ruffled our feathers and buried themselves in our stuffing. We do +not fear men now.” +</p> + +<p> +“Listen!” said Popopo, sternly, for he felt the birds were getting +the best of the argument; “the poor milliner’s business will be +ruined if I do not return you to her shop. It seems you are necessary to trim +the hats properly. It is the fashion for women to wear birds upon their +headgear. So the poor milliner’s wares, although beautified by lace and +ribbons, are worthless unless you are perched upon them.” +</p> + +<p> +“Fashions,” said a black bird, solemnly, “are made by men. +What law is there, among birds or knooks, that requires us to be the slaves of +fashion?” +</p> + +<p> +“What have we to do with fashions, anyway?” screamed a linnet. +“If it were the fashion to wear knooks perched upon women’s hats +would you be contented to stay there? Answer me, Popopo!” +</p> + +<p> +But Popopo was in despair. He could not wrong the birds by sending them back to +the milliner, nor did he wish the milliner to suffer by their loss. So he went +home to think what could be done. +</p> + +<p> +After much meditation he decided to consult the king of the knooks, and going +at once to his majesty he told him the whole story. +</p> + +<p> +The king frowned. +</p> + +<p> +“This should teach you the folly of interfering with earth people,” +he said. “But since you have caused all this trouble, it is your duty to +remedy it. Our birds cannot be enslaved, that is certain; therefore you must +have the fashions changed, so it will no longer be stylish for women to wear +birds upon their hats.” +</p> + +<p> +“How shall I do that?” asked Popopo. +</p> + +<p> +“Easily enough. Fashions often change among the earth people, who tire +quickly of any one thing. When they read in their newspapers and magazines that +the style is so-and-so, they never question the matter, but at once obey the +mandate of fashion. So you must visit the newspapers and magazines and enchant +the types.” +</p> + +<p> +“Enchant the types!” echoed Popopo, in wonder. +</p> + +<p> +“Just so. Make them read that it is no longer the fashion to wear birds +upon hats. That will afford relief to your poor milliner and at the same time +set free thousands of our darling birds who have been so cruelly used.” +</p> + +<p> +Popopo thanked the wise king and followed his advice. +</p> + +<p> +The office of every newspaper and magazine in the city was visited by the +knook, and then he went to other cities, until there was not a publication in +the land that had not a “new fashion note” in its pages. Sometimes +Popopo enchanted the types, so that whoever read the print would see only what +the knook wished them to. Sometimes he called upon the busy editors and +befuddled their brains until they wrote exactly what he wanted them to. Mortals +seldom know how greatly they are influenced by fairies, knooks and ryls, who +often put thoughts into their heads that only the wise little immortals could +have conceived. +</p> + +<p> +The following morning when the poor milliner looked over her newspaper she was +overjoyed to read that “no woman could now wear a bird upon her hat and +be in style, for the newest fashion required only ribbons and laces.” +</p> + +<p> +Popopo after this found much enjoyment in visiting every millinery shop he +could find and giving new life to the stuffed birds which were carelessly +tossed aside as useless. And they flew to the fields and forests with songs of +thanks to the good knook who had rescued them. +</p> + +<p> +Sometimes a hunter fires his gun at a bird and then wonders why he did not hit +it. But, having read this story, you will understand that the bird must have +been a stuffed one from some millinery shop, which cannot, of course, be killed +by a gun. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap06"></a>THE LAUGHING HIPPOPOTAMUS</h2> + +<p> +On one of the upper branches of the Congo river lived an ancient and +aristocratic family of hippopotamuses, which boasted a pedigree dating back +beyond the days of Noah—beyond the existence of mankind—far into +the dim ages when the world was new. +</p> + +<p> +They had always lived upon the banks of this same river, so that every curve +and sweep of its waters, every pit and shallow of its bed, every rock and stump +and wallow upon its bank was as familiar to them as their own mothers. And they +are living there yet, I suppose. +</p> + +<p> +Not long ago the queen of this tribe of hippopotamuses had a child which she +named Keo, because it was so fat and round. Still, that you may not be misled, +I will say that in the hippopotamus language “Keo,” properly +translated, means “fat and lazy” instead of fat and round. However, +no one called the queen’s attention to this error, because her tusks were +monstrous long and sharp, and she thought Keo the sweetest baby in the world. +</p> + +<p> +He was, indeed, all right for a hippopotamus. He rolled and played in the soft +mud of the river bank, and waddled inland to nibble the leaves of the wild +cabbage that grew there, and was happy and contented from morning till night. +And he was the jolliest hippopotamus that ancient family had ever known. His +little red eyes were forever twinkling with fun, and he laughed his merry laugh +on all occasions, whether there was anything to laugh at or not. +</p> + +<p> +Therefore the black people who dwelt in that region called him +“Ippi”—the jolly one, although they dared not come anigh him +on account of his fierce mother, and his equally fierce uncles and aunts and +cousins, who lived in a vast colony upon the river bank. +</p> + +<p> +And while these black people, who lived in little villages scattered among the +trees, dared not openly attack the royal family of hippopotamuses, they were +amazingly fond of eating hippopotamus meat whenever they could get it. This was +no secret to the hippopotamuses. And, again, when the blacks managed to catch +these animals alive, they had a trick of riding them through the jungles as if +they were horses, thus reducing them to a condition of slavery. +</p> + +<p> +Therefore, having these things in mind, whenever the tribe of hippopotamuses +smelled the oily odor of black people they were accustomed to charge upon them +furiously, and if by chance they overtook one of the enemy they would rip him +with their sharp tusks or stamp him into the earth with their huge feet. +</p> + +<p> +It was continual warfare between the hippopotamuses and the black people. +</p> + +<p> +Gouie lived in one of the little villages of the blacks. He was the son of the +chief’s brother and grandson of the village sorcerer, the latter being an +aged man known as the “the boneless wonder,” because he could twist +himself into as many coils as a serpent and had no bones to hinder his bending +his flesh into any position. This made him walk in a wabbly fashion, but the +black people had great respect for him. +</p> + +<p> +Gouie’s hut was made of branches of trees stuck together with mud, and +his clothing consisted of a grass mat tied around his middle. But his +relationship to the chief and the sorcerer gave him a certain dignity, and he +was much addicted to solitary thought. Perhaps it was natural that these +thoughts frequently turned upon his enemies, the hippopotamuses, and that he +should consider many ways of capturing them. +</p> + +<p> +Finally he completed his plans, and set about digging a great pit in the +ground, midway between two sharp curves of the river. When the pit was finished +he covered it over with small branches of trees, and strewed earth upon them, +smoothing the surface so artfully that no one would suspect there was a big +hole underneath. Then Gouie laughed softly to himself and went home to supper. +</p> + +<p> +That evening the queen said to Keo, who was growing to be a fine child for his +age: +</p> + +<p> +“I wish you’d run across the bend and ask your Uncle Nikki to come +here. I have found a strange plant, and want him to tell me if it is good to +eat.” +</p> + +<p> +The jolly one laughed heartily as he started upon his errand, for he felt as +important as a boy does when he is sent for the first time to the corner +grocery to buy a yeast cake. +</p> + +<p> +“Guk-uk-uk-uk! guk-uk-uk-uk!” was the way he laughed; and if you +think a hippopotamus does not laugh this way you have but to listen to one and +you will find I am right. +</p> + +<p> +He crawled out of the mud where he was wallowing and tramped away through the +bushes, and the last his mother heard as she lay half in and half out of the +water was his musical “guk-uk-uk-uk!” dying away in the distance. +</p> + +<p> +Keo was in such a happy mood that he scarcely noticed where he stepped, so he +was much surprised when, in the middle of a laugh, the ground gave way beneath +him, and he fell to the bottom of Gouie’s deep pit. He was not badly +hurt, but had bumped his nose severely as he went down; so he stopped laughing +and began to think how he should get out again. Then he found the walls were +higher than his head, and that he was a prisoner. +</p> + +<p> +So he laughed a little at his own misfortune, and the laughter soothed him to +sleep, so that he snored all through the night until daylight came. +</p> + +<p> +When Gouie peered over the edge of the pit next morning he exclaimed: +</p> + +<p> +“Why, ’tis Ippi—the Jolly One!” +</p> + +<p> +Keo recognized the scent of a black man and tried to raise his head high enough +to bite him. Seeing which Gouie spoke in the hippopotamus language, which he +had learned from his grandfather, the sorcerer. +</p> + +<p> +“Have peace, little one; you are my captive.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes; I will have a piece of your leg, if I can reach it,” retorted +Keo; and then he laughed at his own joke: “Guk-uk-uk-uk!” +</p> + +<p> +But Gouie, being a thoughtful black man, went away without further talk, and +did not return until the following morning. When he again leaned over the pit +Keo was so weak from hunger that he could hardly laugh at all. +</p> + +<p> +“Do you give up?” asked Gouie, “or do you still wish to +fight?” +</p> + +<p> +“What will happen if I give up?” inquired Keo. +</p> + +<p> +The black man scratched his woolly head in perplexity. +</p> + +<p> +“It is hard to say, Ippi. You are too young to work, and if I kill you +for food I shall lose your tusks, which are not yet grown. Why, O Jolly One, +did you fall into my hole? I wanted to catch your mother or one of your +uncles.” +</p> + +<p> +“Guk-uk-uk-uk!” laughed Keo. “You must let me go, after all, +black man; for I am of no use to you!” +</p> + +<p> +“That I will not do,” declared Gouie; “unless,” he +added, as an afterthought, “you will make a bargain with me.” +</p> + +<p> +“Let me hear about the bargain, black one, for I am hungry,” said +Keo. +</p> + +<p> +“I will let your go if you swear by the tusks of your grandfather that +you will return to me in a year and a day and become my prisoner again.” +</p> + +<p> +The youthful hippopotamus paused to think, for he knew it was a solemn thing to +swear by the tusks of his grandfather; but he was exceedingly hungry, and a +year and a day seemed a long time off; so he said, with another careless laugh: +</p> + +<p> +“Very well; if you will now let me go I swear by the tusks of my +grandfather to return to you in a year and a day and become your +prisoner.” +</p> + +<p> +Gouie was much pleased, for he knew that in a year and a day Keo would be +almost full grown. So he began digging away one end of the pit and filling it +up with the earth until he had made an incline which would allow the +hippopotamus to climb out. +</p> + +<p> +Keo was so pleased when he found himself upon the surface of the earth again +that he indulged in a merry fit of laughter, after which he said: +</p> + +<p> +“Good-by, Gouie; in a year and a day you will see me again.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he waddled away toward the river to see his mother and get his breakfast, +and Gouie returned to his village. +</p> + +<p> +During the months that followed, as the black man lay in his hut or hunted in +the forest, he heard at times the faraway “Guk-uk-uk-uk!” of the +laughing hippopotamus. But he only smiled to himself and thought: “A year +and a day will soon pass away!” +</p> + +<p> +Now when Keo returned to his mother safe and well every member of his tribe was +filled with joy, for the Jolly One was a general favorite. But when he told +them that in a year and a day he must again become the slave of the black man, +they began to wail and weep, and so many were their tears that the river rose +several inches. +</p> + +<p> +Of course Keo only laughed at their sorrow; but a great meeting of the tribe +was called and the matter discussed seriously. +</p> + +<p> +“Having sworn by the tusks of his grandfather,” said Uncle Nikki, +“he must keep his promise. But it is our duty to try in some way to +rescue him from death or a life of slavery.” +</p> + +<p> +To this all agreed, but no one could think of any method of saving Keo from his +fate. So months passed away, during which all the royal hippopotamuses were sad +and gloomy except the Jolly One himself. +</p> + +<p> +Finally but a week of freedom remained to Keo, and his mother, the queen, +became so nervous and worried that another meeting of the tribe was called. By +this time the laughing hippopotamus had grown to enormous size, and measured +nearly fifteen feet long and six feet high, while his sharp tusks were whiter +and harder than those of an elephant. +</p> + +<p> +“Unless something is done to save my child,” said the mother, +“I shall die of grief.” +</p> + +<p> +Then some of her relations began to make foolish suggestions; but presently +Uncle Nep, a wise and very big hippopotamus, said: +</p> + +<p> +“We must go to Glinkomok and implore his aid.” +</p> + +<p> +Then all were silent, for it was a bold thing to face the mighty Glinkomok. But +the mother’s love was equal to any heroism. +</p> + +<p> +“I will myself go to him, if Uncle Nep will accompany me,” she +said, quickly. +</p> + +<p> +Uncle Nep thoughtfully patted the soft mud with his fore foot and wagged his +short tail leisurely from side to side. +</p> + +<p> +“We have always been obedient to Glinkomok, and shown him great +respect,” said he. “Therefore I fear no danger in facing him. I +will go with you.” +</p> + +<p> +All the others snorted approval, being very glad they were not called upon to +go themselves. +</p> + +<p> +So the queen and Uncle Nep, with Keo swimming between them, set out upon their +journey. They swam up the river all that day and all the next, until they came +at sundown to a high, rocky wall, beneath which was the cave where the mighty +Glinkomok dwelt. +</p> + +<p> +This fearful creature was part beast, part man, part fowl and part fish. It had +lived since the world began. Through years of wisdom it had become part +sorcerer, part wizard, part magician and part fairy. Mankind knew it not, but +the ancient beasts knew and feared it. +</p> + +<p> +The three hippopotamuses paused before the cave, with their front feet upon the +bank and their bodies in the water, and called in chorus a greeting to +Glinkomok. Instantly thereafter the mouth of the cave darkened and the creature +glided silently toward them. +</p> + +<p> +The hippopotamuses were afraid to look upon it, and bowed their heads between +their legs. +</p> + +<p> +“We come, O Glinkomok, to implore your mercy and friendly +assistance!” began Uncle Nep; and then he told the story of Keo’s +capture, and how he had promised to return to the black man. +</p> + +<p> +“He must keep his promise,” said the creature, in a voice that +sounded like a sigh. +</p> + +<p> +The mother hippopotamus groaned aloud. +</p> + +<p> +“But I will prepare him to overcome the black man, and to regain his +liberty,” continued Glinkomok. +</p> + +<p> +Keo laughed. +</p> + +<p> +“Lift your right paw,” commanded Glinkomok. Keo obeyed, and the +creature touched it with its long, hairy tongue. Then it held four skinny hands +over Keo’s bowed head and mumbled some words in a language unknown to man +or beast or fowl or fish. After this it spoke again in hippopotamese: +</p> + +<p> +“Your skin has now become so tough that no man can hurt you. Your +strength is greater than that of ten elephants. Your foot is so swift that you +can distance the wind. Your wit is sharper than the bulthorn. Let the man fear, +but drive fear from your own breast forever; for of all your race you are the +mightiest!” +</p> + +<p> +Then the terrible Glinkomok leaned over, and Keo felt its fiery breath scorch +him as it whispered some further instructions in his ear. The next moment it +glided back into its cave, followed by the loud thanks of the three +hippopotamuses, who slid into the water and immediately began their journey +home. +</p> + +<p> +The mother’s heart was full of joy; Uncle Nep shivered once or twice as +he remembered a glimpse he had caught of Glinkomok; but Keo was as jolly as +possible, and, not content to swim with his dignified elders, he dived under +their bodies, raced all around them and laughed merrily every inch of the way +home. +</p> + +<p> +Then all the tribe held high jinks and praised the mighty Glinkomok for +befriending their queen’s son. And when the day came for the Jolly One to +give himself up to the black man they all kissed him good-by without a single +fear for his safety. +</p> + +<p> +Keo went away in good spirits, and they could hear his laughing +“guk-uk-uk-uk!” long after he was lost in sight in the jungle. +</p> + +<p> +Gouie had counted the days and knew when to expect Keo; but he was astonished +at the monstrous size to which his captive had grown, and congratulated himself +on the wise bargain he had made. And Keo was so fat that Gouie determined to +eat him—that is, all of him he possibly could, and the remainder of the +carcass he would trade off to his fellow villagers. +</p> + +<p> +So he took a knife and tried to stick it into the hippopotamus, but the skin +was so tough the knife was blunted against it. Then he tried other means; but +Keo remained unhurt. +</p> + +<p> +And now indeed the Jolly One laughed his most gleeful laugh, till all the +forest echoed the “guk-uk-uk-uk-uk!” And Gouie decided not to kill +him, since that was impossible, but to use him for a beast of burden. He +mounted upon Keo’s back and commanded him to march. So Keo trotted +briskly through the village, his little eyes twinkling with merriment. +</p> + +<p> +The other blacks were delighted with Gouie’s captive, and begged +permission to ride upon the Jolly One’s back. So Gouie bargained with +them for bracelets and shell necklaces and little gold ornaments, until he had +acquired quite a heap of trinkets. Then a dozen black men climbed upon +Keo’s back to enjoy a ride, and the one nearest his nose cried out: +</p> + +<p> +“Run, Mud-dog—run!” +</p> + +<p> +And Keo ran. Swift as the wind he strode, away from the village, through the +forest and straight up the river bank. The black men howled with fear; the +Jolly One roared with laughter; and on, on, on they rushed! +</p> + +<p> +Then before them, on the opposite side of the river, appeared the black mouth +of Glinkomok’s cave. Keo dashed into the water, dived to the bottom and +left the black people struggling to swim out. But Glinkomok had heard the +laughter of Keo and knew what to do. When the Jolly One rose to the surface and +blew the water from his throat there was no black man to be seen. +</p> + +<p> +Keo returned alone to the village, and Gouie asked, with surprise: +</p> + +<p> +“Where are my brothers:” +</p> + +<p> +“I do not know,” answered Keo. “I took them far away, and +they remained where I left them.” +</p> + +<p> +Gouie would have asked more questions then, but another crowd of black men +impatiently waited to ride on the back of the laughing hippopotamus. So they +paid the price and climbed to their seats, after which the foremost said: +</p> + +<p> +“Run, mud-wallower—run!” +</p> + +<p> +And Keo ran as before and carried them to the mouth of Glinkomok’s cave, +and returned alone. +</p> + +<p> +But now Gouie became anxious to know the fate of his fellows, for he was the +only black man left in his village. So he mounted the hippopotamus and cried: +</p> + +<p> +“Run, river-hog—run!” +</p> + +<p> +Keo laughed his jolly “guk-uk-uk-uk!” and ran with the speed of the +wind. But this time he made straight for the river bank where his own tribe +lived, and when he reached it he waded into the river, dived to the bottom and +left Gouie floating in the middle of the stream. +</p> + +<p> +The black man began swimming toward the right bank, but there he saw Uncle Nep +and half the royal tribe waiting to stamp him into the soft mud. So he turned +toward the left bank, and there stood the queen mother and Uncle Nikki, +red-eyed and angry, waiting to tear him with their tusks. +</p> + +<p> +Then Gouie uttered loud screams of terror, and, spying the Jolly One, who swam +near him, he cried: +</p> + +<p> +“Save me, Keo! Save me, and I will release you from slavery!” +</p> + +<p> +“That is not enough,” laughed Keo. +</p> + +<p> +“I will serve you all my life!” screamed Gouie; “I will do +everything you bid me!” +</p> + +<p> +“Will you return to me in a year and a day and become my captive, if I +allow you to escape?” asked Keo. +</p> + +<p> +“I will! I will! I will!” cried Gouie. +</p> + +<p> +“Swear it by the bones of your grandfather!” commanded Keo, +remembering that black men have no tusks to swear by. +</p> + +<p> +And Gouie swore it by the bones of his grandfather. +</p> + +<p> +Then Keo swam to the black one, who clambered upon his back again. In this +fashion they came to the bank, where Keo told his mother and all the tribe of +the bargain he had made with Gouie, who was to return in a year and a day and +become his slave. +</p> + +<p> +Therefore the black man was permitted to depart in peace, and once more the +Jolly One lived with his own people and was happy. +</p> + +<p> +When a year and a day had passed Keo began watching for the return of Gouie; +but he did not come, then or ever afterwards. +</p> + +<p> +For the black man had made a bundle of his bracelets and shell necklaces and +little gold ornaments and had traveled many miles into another country, where +the ancient and royal tribe of hippopotamuses was unknown. And he set up for a +great chief, because of his riches, and people bowed down before him. +</p> + +<p> +By day he was proud and swaggering. But at night he tumbled and tossed upon his +bed and could not sleep. His conscience troubled him. +</p> + +<p> +For he had sworn by the bones of his grandfather; and his grandfather had no +bones. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap07"></a>THE MAGIC BON BONS</h2> + +<p> +There lived in Boston a wise and ancient chemist by the name of Dr. Daws, who +dabbled somewhat in magic. There also lived in Boston a young lady by the name +of Claribel Sudds, who was possessed of much money, little wit and an intense +desire to go upon the stage. +</p> + +<p> +So Claribel went to Dr. Daws and said: +</p> + +<p> +“I can neither sing nor dance; I cannot recite verse nor play upon the +piano; I am no acrobat nor leaper nor high kicker; yet I wish to go upon the +stage. What shall I do?” +</p> + +<p> +“Are you willing to pay for such accomplishments?” asked the wise +chemist. +</p> + +<p> +“Certainly,” answered Claribel, jingling her purse. +</p> + +<p> +“Then come to me to-morrow at two o’clock,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +All that night he practiced what is known as chemical sorcery; so that when +Claribel Sudds came next day at two o’clock he showed her a small box +filled with compounds that closely resembled French bonbons. +</p> + +<p> +“This is a progressive age,” said the old man, “and I flatter +myself your Uncle Daws keeps right along with the procession. Now, one of your +old-fashioned sorcerers would have made you some nasty, bitter pills to +swallow; but I have consulted your taste and convenience. Here are some magic +bonbons. If you eat this one with the lavender color you can dance thereafter +as lightly and gracefully as if you had been trained a lifetime. After you +consume the pink confection you will sing like a nightingale. Eating the white +one will enable you to become the finest elocutionist in the land. The +chocolate piece will charm you into playing the piano better than Rubenstein, +while after eating the lemon-yellow bonbon you can easily kick six feet above +your head.” +</p> + +<p> +“How delightful!” exclaimed Claribel, who was truly enraptured. +“You are certainly a most clever sorcerer as well as a considerate +compounder,” and she held out her hand for the box. +</p> + +<p> +“Ahem!” said the wise one; “a check, please.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, yes; to be sure! How stupid of me to forget it,” she returned. +</p> + +<p> +He considerately retained the box in his own hand while she signed a check for +a large amount of money, after which he allowed her to hold the box herself. +</p> + +<p> +“Are you sure you have made them strong enough?” she inquired, +anxiously; “it usually takes a great deal to affect me.” +</p> + +<p> +“My only fear,” replied Dr. Daws, “is that I have made them +too strong. For this is the first time I have ever been called upon to prepare +these wonderful confections.” +</p> + +<p> +“Don’t worry,” said Claribel; “the stronger they act +the better I shall act myself.” +</p> + +<p> +She went away, after saying this, but stopping in at a dry goods store to shop, +she forgot the precious box in her new interest and left it lying on the ribbon +counter. +</p> + +<p> +Then little Bessie Bostwick came to the counter to buy a hair ribbon and laid +her parcels beside the box. When she went away she gathered up the box with her +other bundles and trotted off home with it. +</p> + +<p> +Bessie never knew, until after she had hung her coat in the hall closet and +counted up her parcels, that she had one too many. Then she opened it and +exclaimed: +</p> + +<p> +“Why, it’s a box of candy! Someone must have mislaid it. But it is +too small a matter to worry about; there are only a few pieces.” So she +dumped the contents of the box into a bonbon dish that stood upon the hall +table and picking out the chocolate piece—she was fond of +chocolates—ate it daintily while she examined her purchases. +</p> + +<p> +These were not many, for Bessie was only twelve years old and was not yet +trusted by her parents to expend much money at the stores. But while she tried +on the hair ribbon she suddenly felt a great desire to play upon the piano, and +the desire at last became so overpowering that she went into the parlor and +opened the instrument. +</p> + +<p> +The little girl had, with infinite pains, contrived to learn two +“pieces” which she usually executed with a jerky movement of her +right hand and a left hand that forgot to keep up and so made dreadful +discords. But under the influence of the chocolate bonbon she sat down and ran +her fingers lightly over the keys producing such exquisite harmony that she was +filled with amazement at her own performance. +</p> + +<p> +That was the prelude, however. The next moment she dashed into +Beethoven’s seventh sonata and played it magnificently. +</p> + +<p> +Her mother, hearing the unusual burst of melody, came downstairs to see what +musical guest had arrived; but when she discovered it was her own little +daughter who was playing so divinely she had an attack of palpitation of the +heart (to which she was subject) and sat down upon a sofa until it should pass +away. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile Bessie played one piece after another with untiring energy. She loved +music, and now found that all she need do was to sit at the piano and listen +and watch her hands twinkle over the keyboard. +</p> + +<p> +Twilight deepened in the room and Bessie’s father came home and hung up +his hat and overcoat and placed his umbrella in the rack. Then he peeped into +the parlor to see who was playing. +</p> + +<p> +“Great Caesar!” he exclaimed. But the mother came to him softly +with her finger on her lips and whispered: “Don’t interrupt her, +John. Our child seems to be in a trance. Did you ever hear such superb +music?” +</p> + +<p> +“Why, she’s an infant prodigy!” gasped the astounded father. +“Beats Blind Tom all hollow! It’s—it’s +wonderful!” +</p> + +<p> +As they stood listening the senator arrived, having been invited to dine with +them that evening. And before he had taken off his coat the Yale +professor—a man of deep learning and scholarly attainments—joined +the party. +</p> + +<p> +Bessie played on; and the four elders stood in a huddled but silent and amazed +group, listening to the music and waiting for the sound of the dinner gong. +</p> + +<p> +Mr. Bostwick, who was hungry, picked up the bonbon dish that lay on the table +beside him and ate the pink confection. The professor was watching him, so Mr. +Bostwick courteously held the dish toward him. The professor ate the +lemon-yellow piece and the senator reached out his hand and took the lavender +piece. He did not eat it, however, for, chancing to remember that it might +spoil his dinner, he put it in his vest pocket. Mrs. Bostwick, still intently +listening to her precocious daughter, without thinking what she did, took the +remaining piece, which was the white one, and slowly devoured it. +</p> + +<p> +The dish was now empty, and Claribel Sudds’ precious bonbons had passed +from her possession forever! +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly Mr. Bostwick, who was a big man, began to sing in a shrill, tremolo +soprano voice. It was not the same song Bessie was playing, and the discord was +shocking that the professor smiled, the senator put his hands to his ears and +Mrs. Bostwick cried in a horrified voice: +</p> + +<p> +“William!” +</p> + +<p> +Her husband continued to sing as if endeavoring to emulate the famous Christine +Nillson, and paid no attention whatever to his wife or his guests. +</p> + +<p> +Fortunately the dinner gong now sounded, and Mrs. Bostwick dragged Bessie from +the piano and ushered her guests into the dining-room. Mr. Bostwick followed, +singing “The Last Rose of Summer” as if it had been an encore +demanded by a thousand delighted hearers. +</p> + +<p> +The poor woman was in despair at witnessing her husband’s undignified +actions and wondered what she might do to control him. The professor seemed +more grave than usual; the senator’s face wore an offended expression, +and Bessie kept moving her fingers as if she still wanted to play the piano. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Bostwick managed to get them all seated, although her husband had broken +into another aria; and then the maid brought in the soup. +</p> + +<p> +When she carried a plate to the professor, he cried, in an excited voice: +</p> + +<p> +“Hold it higher! Higher—I say!” And springing up he gave it a +sudden kick that sent it nearly to the ceiling, from whence the dish descended +to scatter soup over Bessie and the maid and to smash in pieces upon the crown +of the professor’s bald head. +</p> + +<p> +At this atrocious act the senator rose from his seat with an exclamation of +horror and glanced at his hostess. +</p> + +<p> +For some time Mrs. Bostwick had been staring straight ahead, with a dazed +expression; but now, catching the senator’s eye, she bowed gracefully and +began reciting “The Charge of the Light Brigade” in forceful tones. +</p> + +<p> +The senator shuddered. Such disgraceful rioting he had never seen nor heard +before in a decent private family. He felt that his reputation was at stake, +and, being the only sane person, apparently, in the room, there was no one to +whom he might appeal. +</p> + +<p> +The maid had run away to cry hysterically in the kitchen; Mr. Bostwick was +singing “O Promise Me;” the professor was trying to kick the globes +off the chandelier; Mrs. Bostwick had switched her recitation to “The Boy +Stood on the Burning Deck,” and Bessie had stolen into the parlor and was +pounding out the overture from the “Flying Dutchman.” +</p> + +<p> +The senator was not at all sure he would not go crazy himself, presently; so he +slipped away from the turmoil, and, catching up his had and coat in the hall, +hurried from the house. +</p> + +<p> +That night he sat up late writing a political speech he was to deliver the next +afternoon at Faneuil hall, but his experiences at the Bostwicks’ had so +unnerved him that he could scarcely collect his thoughts, and often he would +pause and shake his head pityingly as he remembered the strange things he had +seen in that usually respectable home. +</p> + +<p> +The next day he met Mr. Bostwick in the street, but passed him by with a stony +glare of oblivion. He felt he really could not afford to know this gentleman in +the future. Mr. Bostwick was naturally indignant at the direct snub; yet in his +mind lingered a faint memory of some quite unusual occurrences at his dinner +party the evening before, and he hardly knew whether he dared resent the +senator’s treatment or not. +</p> + +<p> +The political meeting was the feature of the day, for the senator’s +eloquence was well known in Boston. So the big hall was crowded with people, +and in one of the front rows sat the Bostwick family, with the learned Yale +professor beside them. They all looked tired and pale, as if they had passed a +rather dissipated evening, and the senator was rendered so nervous by seeing +them that he refused to look in their direction a second time. +</p> + +<p> +While the mayor was introducing him the great man sat fidgeting in his chair; +and, happening to put his thumb and finger into his vest pocket, he found the +lavender-colored bonbon he had placed there the evening before. +</p> + +<p> +“This may clear my throat,” thought the senator, and slipped the +bonbon into his mouth. +</p> + +<p> +A few minutes afterwards he arose before the vast audience, which greeted him +with enthusiastic plaudits. +</p> + +<p> +“My friends,” began the senator, in a grave voice, “this is a +most impressive and important occasion.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he paused, balanced himself upon his left foot, and kicked his right leg +into the air in the way favored by ballet-dancers! +</p> + +<p> +There was a hum of amazement and horror from the spectators, but the senator +appeared not to notice it. He whirled around upon the tips of his toes, kicked +right and left in a graceful manner, and startled a bald-headed man in the +front row by casting a languishing glance in his direction. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly Claribel Sudds, who happened to be present, uttered a scream and +sprang to her feet. Pointing an accusing finger at the dancing senator, she +cried in a loud voice: +</p> + +<p> +“That’s the man who stole my bonbons! Seize him! Arrest him! +Don’t let him escape!” +</p> + +<p> +But the ushers rushed her out of the hall, thinking she had gone suddenly +insane; and the senator’s friends seized him firmly and carried him out +the stage entrance to the street, where they put him into an open carriage and +instructed the driver to take him home. +</p> + +<p> +The effect of the magic bonbon was still powerful enough to control the poor +senator, who stood upon the rear seat of the carriage and danced energetically +all the way home, to the delight of the crowd of small boys who followed the +carriage and the grief of the sober-minded citizens, who shook their heads +sadly and whispered that “another good man had gone wrong.” +</p> + +<p> +It took the senator several months to recover from the shame and humiliation of +this escapade; and, curiously enough, he never had the slightest idea what had +induced him to act in so extraordinary a manner. Perhaps it was fortunate the +last bonbon had now been eaten, for they might easily have caused considerably +more trouble than they did. +</p> + +<p> +Of course Claribel went again to the wise chemist and signed a check for +another box of magic bonbons; but she must have taken better care of these, for +she is now a famous vaudeville actress. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +This story should teach us the folly of condemning others for actions that we +do not understand, for we never know what may happen to ourselves. It may also +serve as a hint to be careful about leaving parcels in public places, and, +incidentally, to let other people’s packages severely alone. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap08"></a>THE CAPTURE OF FATHER TIME</h2> + +<p> +Jim was the son of a cowboy, and lived on the broad plains of Arizona. His +father had trained him to lasso a bronco or a young bull with perfect accuracy, +and had Jim possessed the strength to back up his skill he would have been as +good a cowboy as any in all Arizona. +</p> + +<p> +When he was twelve years old he made his first visit to the east, where Uncle +Charles, his father’s brother, lived. Of course Jim took his lasso with +him, for he was proud of his skill in casting it, and wanted to show his +cousins what a cowboy could do. +</p> + +<p> +At first the city boys and girls were much interested in watching Jim lasso +posts and fence pickets, but they soon tired of it, and even Jim decided it was +not the right sort of sport for cities. +</p> + +<p> +But one day the butcher asked Jim to ride one of his horses into the country, +to a pasture that had been engaged, and Jim eagerly consented. He had been +longing for a horseback ride, and to make it seem like old times he took his +lasso with him. +</p> + +<p> +He rode through the streets demurely enough, but on reaching the open country +roads his spirits broke forth into wild jubilation, and, urging the +butcher’s horse to full gallop, he dashed away in true cowboy fashion. +</p> + +<p> +Then he wanted still more liberty, and letting down the bars that led into a +big field he began riding over the meadow and throwing his lasso at imaginary +cattle, while he yelled and whooped to his heart’s content. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly, on making a long cast with his lasso, the loop caught upon something +and rested about three feet from the ground, while the rope drew taut and +nearly pulled Jim from his horse. +</p> + +<p> +This was unexpected. More than that, it was wonderful; for the field seemed +bare of even a stump. Jim’s eyes grew big with amazement, but he knew he +had caught something when a voice cried out: +</p> + +<p> +“Here, let go! Let go, I say! Can’t you see what you’ve +done?” +</p> + +<p> +No, Jim couldn’t see, nor did he intend to let go until he found out what +was holding the loop of the lasso. So he resorted to an old trick his father +had taught him and, putting the butcher’s horse to a run, began riding in +a circle around the spot where his lasso had caught. +</p> + +<p> +As he thus drew nearer and nearer his quarry he saw the rope coil up, yet it +looked to be coiling over nothing but air. One end of the lasso was made fast +to a ring in the saddle, and when the rope was almost wound up and the horse +began to pull away and snort with fear, Jim dismounted. Holding the reins of +the bridle in one hand, he followed the rope, and an instant later saw an old +man caught fast in the coils of the lasso. +</p> + +<p> +His head was bald and uncovered, but long white whiskers grew down to his +waist. About his body was thrown a loose robe of fine white linen. In one hand +he bore a great scythe, and beneath the other arm he carried an hourglass. +</p> + +<p> +While Jim gazed wonderingly upon him, this venerable old man spoke in an angry +voice: +</p> + +<p> +“Now, then—get that rope off as fast as you can! You’ve +brought everything on earth to a standstill by your foolishness! +Well—what are you staring at? Don’t you know who I am?” +</p> + +<p> +“No,” said Jim, stupidly. +</p> + +<p> +“Well, I’m Time—Father Time! Now, make haste and set me +free—if you want the world to run properly.” +</p> + +<p> +“How did I happen to catch you?” asked Jim, without making a move +to release his captive. +</p> + +<p> +“I don’t know. I’ve never been caught before,” growled +Father Time. “But I suppose it was because you were foolishly throwing +your lasso at nothing.” +</p> + +<p> +“I didn’t see you,” said Jim. +</p> + +<p> +“Of course you didn’t. I’m invisible to the eyes of human +beings unless they get within three feet of me, and I take care to keep more +than that distance away from them. That’s why I was crossing this field, +where I supposed no one would be. And I should have been perfectly safe had it +not been for your beastly lasso. Now, then,” he added, crossly, +“are you going to get that rope off?” +</p> + +<p> +“Why should I?” asked Jim. +</p> + +<p> +“Because everything in the world stopped moving the moment you caught me. +I don’t suppose you want to make an end of all business and pleasure, and +war and love, and misery and ambition and everything else, do you? Not a watch +has ticked since you tied me up here like a mummy!” +</p> + +<p> +Jim laughed. It really was funny to see the old man wound round and round with +coils of rope from his knees up to his chin. +</p> + +<p> +“It’ll do you good to rest,” said the boy. “From all +I’ve heard you lead a rather busy life.” +</p> + +<p> +“Indeed I do,” replied Father Time, with a sigh. “I’m +due in Kamchatka this very minute. And to think one small boy is upsetting all +my regular habits!” +</p> + +<p> +“Too bad!” said Jim, with a grin. “But since the world has +stopped anyhow, it won’t matter if it takes a little longer recess. As +soon as I let you go Time will fly again. Where are your wings?” +</p> + +<p> +“I haven’t any,” answered the old man. “That is a story +cooked up by some one who never saw me. As a matter of fact, I move rather +slowly.” +</p> + +<p> +“I see, you take your time,” remarked the boy. “What do you +use that scythe for?” +</p> + +<p> +“To mow down the people,” said the ancient one. “Every time I +swing my scythe some one dies.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then I ought to win a life-saving medal by keeping you tied up,” +said Jim. “Some folks will live this much longer.” +</p> + +<p> +“But they won’t know it,” said Father Time, with a sad smile; +“so it will do them no good. You may as well untie me at once.” +</p> + +<p> +“No,” said Jim, with a determined air. “I may never capture +you again; so I’ll hold you for awhile and see how the world wags without +you.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he swung the old man, bound as he was, upon the back of the +butcher’s horse, and, getting into the saddle himself, started back +toward town, one hand holding his prisoner and the other guiding the reins. +</p> + +<p> +When he reached the road his eye fell on a strange tableau. A horse and buggy +stood in the middle of the road, the horse in the act of trotting, with his +head held high and two legs in the air, but perfectly motionless. In the buggy +a man and a woman were seated; but had they been turned into stone they could +not have been more still and stiff. +</p> + +<p> +“There’s no Time for them!” sighed the old man. +“Won’t you let me go now?” +</p> + +<p> +“Not yet,” replied the boy. +</p> + +<p> +He rode on until he reached the city, where all the people stood in exactly the +same positions they were in when Jim lassoed Father Time. Stopping in front of +a big dry goods store, the boy hitched his horse and went in. The clerks were +measuring out goods and showing patterns to the rows of customers in front of +them, but everyone seemed suddenly to have become a statue. +</p> + +<p> +There was something very unpleasant in this scene, and a cold shiver began to +run up and down Jim’s back; so he hurried out again. +</p> + +<p> +On the edge of the sidewalk sat a poor, crippled beggar, holding out his hat, +and beside him stood a prosperous-looking gentleman who was about to drop a +penny into the beggar’s hat. Jim knew this gentleman to be very rich but +rather stingy, so he ventured to run his hand into the man’s pocket and +take out his purse, in which was a $20 gold piece. This glittering coin he put +in the gentleman’s fingers instead of the penny and then restored the +purse to the rich man’s pocket. +</p> + +<p> +“That donation will surprise him when he comes to life,” thought +the boy. +</p> + +<p> +He mounted the horse again and rode up the street. As he passed the shop of his +friend, the butcher, he noticed several pieces of meat hanging outside. +</p> + +<p> +“I’m afraid that meat’ll spoil,” he remarked. +</p> + +<p> +“It takes Time to spoil meat,” answered the old man. +</p> + +<p> +This struck Jim as being queer, but true. +</p> + +<p> +“It seems Time meddles with everything,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes; you’ve made a prisoner of the most important personage in the +world,” groaned the old man; “and you haven’t enough sense to +let him go again.” +</p> + +<p> +Jim did not reply, and soon they came to his uncle’s house, where he +again dismounted. The street was filled with teams and people, but all were +motionless. His two little cousins were just coming out the gate on their way +to school, with their books and slates underneath their arms; so Jim had to +jump over the fence to avoid knocking them down. +</p> + +<p> +In the front room sat his aunt, reading her Bible. She was just turning a page +when Time stopped. In the dining-room was his uncle, finishing his luncheon. +His mouth was open and his fork poised just before it, while his eyes were +fixed upon the newspaper folded beside him. Jim helped himself to his +uncle’s pie, and while he ate it he walked out to his prisoner. +</p> + +<p> +“There’s one thing I don’t understand,” said he. +</p> + +<p> +“What’s that?” asked Father Time. +</p> + +<p> +“Why is it that I’m able to move around while everyone else +is—is—froze up?” +</p> + +<p> +“That is because I’m your prisoner,” answered the other. +“You can do anything you wish with Time now. But unless you are careful +you’ll do something you will be sorry for.” +</p> + +<p> +Jim threw the crust of his pie at a bird that was suspended in the air, where +it had been flying when Time stopped. +</p> + +<p> +“Anyway,” he laughed, “I’m living longer than anyone +else. No one will ever be able to catch up with me again.” +</p> + +<p> +“Each life has its allotted span,” said the old man. “When +you have lived your proper time my scythe will mow you down.” +</p> + +<p> +“I forgot your scythe,” said Jim, thoughtfully. +</p> + +<p> +Then a spirit of mischief came into the boy’s head, for he happened to +think that the present opportunity to have fun would never occur again. He tied +Father Time to his uncle’s hitching post, that he might not escape, and +then crossed the road to the corner grocery. +</p> + +<p> +The grocer had scolded Jim that very morning for stepping into a basket of +turnips by accident. So the boy went to the back end of the grocery and turned +on the faucet of the molasses barrel. +</p> + +<p> +“That’ll make a nice mess when Time starts the molasses running all +over the floor,” said Jim, with a laugh. +</p> + +<p> +A little further down the street was a barber shop, and sitting in the +barber’s chair Jim saw the man that all the boys declared was the +“meanest man in town.” He certainly did not like the boys and the +boys knew it. The barber was in the act of shampooing this person when Time was +captured. Jim ran to the drug store, and, getting a bottle of mucilage, he +returned and poured it over the ruffled hair of the unpopular citizen. +</p> + +<p> +“That’ll probably surprise him when he wakes up,” thought +Jim. +</p> + +<p> +Near by was the schoolhouse. Jim entered it and found that only a few of the +pupils were assembled. But the teacher sat at his desk, stern and frowning as +usual. +</p> + +<p> +Taking a piece of chalk, Jim marked upon the blackboard in big letters the +following words: +</p> + +<p> +“Every scholar is requested to yell the minute he enters the room. He +will also please throw his books at the teacher’s head. Signed, Prof. +Sharpe.” +</p> + +<p> +“That ought to raise a nice rumpus,” murmured the mischiefmaker, as +he walked away. +</p> + +<p> +On the corner stood Policeman Mulligan, talking with old Miss Scrapple, the +worst gossip in town, who always delighted in saying something disagreeable +about her neighbors. Jim thought this opportunity was too good to lose. So he +took off the policeman’s cap and brass-buttoned coat and put them on Miss +Scrapple, while the lady’s feathered and ribboned hat he placed jauntily +upon the policeman’s head. +</p> + +<p> +The effect was so comical that the boy laughed aloud, and as a good many people +were standing near the corner Jim decided that Miss Scrapple and Officer +Mulligan would create a sensation when Time started upon his travels. +</p> + +<p> +Then the young cowboy remembered his prisoner, and, walking back to the +hitching post, he came within three feet of it and saw Father Time still +standing patiently within the toils of the lasso. He looked angry and annoyed, +however, and growled out: +</p> + +<p> +“Well, when do you intend to release me?” +</p> + +<p> +“I’ve been thinking about that ugly scythe of yours,” said +Jim. +</p> + +<p> +“What about it?” asked Father Time. +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps if I let you go you’ll swing it at me the first thing, to +be revenged,” replied the boy. +</p> + +<p> +Father Time gave him a severe look, but said: +</p> + +<p> +“I’ve known boys for thousands of years, and of course I know +they’re mischievous and reckless. But I like boys, because they grow up +to be men and people my world. Now, if a man had caught me by accident, as you +did, I could have scared him into letting me go instantly; but boys are harder +to scare. I don’t know as I blame you. I was a boy myself, long ago, when +the world was new. But surely you’ve had enough fun with me by this time, +and now I hope you’ll show the respect that is due to old age. Let me go, +and in return I will promise to forget all about my capture. The incident +won’t do much harm, anyway, for no one will ever know that Time has +halted the last three hours or so.” +</p> + +<p> +“All right,” said Jim, cheerfully, “since you’ve +promised not to mow me down, I’ll let you go.” But he had a notion +some people in the town would suspect Time had stopped when they returned to +life. +</p> + +<p> +He carefully unwound the rope from the old man, who, when he was free, at once +shouldered his scythe, rearranged his white robe and nodded farewell. +</p> + +<p> +The next moment he had disappeared, and with a rustle and rumble and roar of +activity the world came to life again and jogged along as it always had before. +</p> + +<p> +Jim wound up his lasso, mounted the butcher’s horse and rode slowly down +the street. +</p> + +<p> +Loud screams came from the corner, where a great crowd of people quickly +assembled. From his seat on the horse Jim saw Miss Scrapple, attired in the +policeman’s uniform, angrily shaking her fists in Mulligan’s face, +while the officer was furiously stamping upon the lady’s hat, which he +had torn from his own head amidst the jeers of the crowd. +</p> + +<p> +As he rode past the schoolhouse he heard a tremendous chorus of yells, and knew +Prof. Sharpe was having a hard time to quell the riot caused by the sign on the +blackboard. +</p> + +<p> +Through the window of the barber shop he saw the “mean man” +frantically belaboring the barber with a hair brush, while his hair stood up +stiff as bayonets in all directions. And the grocer ran out of his door and +yelled “Fire!” while his shoes left a track of molasses wherever he +stepped. +</p> + +<p> +Jim’s heart was filled with joy. He was fairly reveling in the excitement +he had caused when some one caught his leg and pulled him from the horse. +</p> + +<p> +“What’re ye doin’ hear, ye rascal?” cried the butcher, +angrily; “didn’t ye promise to put that beast inter +Plympton’s pasture? An’ now I find ye ridin’ the poor nag +around like a gentleman o’ leisure!” +</p> + +<p> +“That’s a fact,” said Jim, with surprise; “I clean +forgot about the horse!” +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +This story should teach us the supreme importance of Time and the folly of +trying to stop it. For should you succeed, as Jim did, in bringing Time to a +standstill, the world would soon become a dreary place and life decidedly +unpleasant. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap09"></a>THE WONDERFUL PUMP</h2> + +<p> +Not many years ago there lived on a stony, barren New England farm a man and +his wife. They were sober, honest people, working hard from early morning until +dark to enable them to secure a scanty living from their poor land. +</p> + +<p> +Their house, a small, one-storied building, stood upon the side of a steep +hill, and the stones lay so thickly about it that scarce anything green could +grow from the ground. At the foot of the hill, a quarter of a mile from the +house by the winding path, was a small brook, and the woman was obliged to go +there for water and to carry it up the hill to the house. This was a tedious +task, and with the other hard work that fell to her share had made her gaunt +and bent and lean. +</p> + +<p> +Yet she never complained, but meekly and faithfully performed her duties, doing +the housework, carrying the water and helping her husband hoe the scanty crop +that grew upon the best part of their land. +</p> + +<p> +One day, as she walked down the path to the brook, her big shoes scattering the +pebbles right and left, she noticed a large beetle lying upon its back and +struggling hard with its little legs to turn over, that its feet might again +touch the ground. But this it could not accomplish; so the woman, who had a +kind heart, reached down and gently turned the beetle with her finger. At once +it scampered from the path and she went on to the brook. +</p> + +<p> +The next day, as she came for water, she was surprised to see the beetle again +lying upon its back and struggling helplessly to turn. Once more the woman +stopped and set him upon his feet; and then, as she stooped over the tiny +creature, she heard a small voice say: +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, thank you! Thank you so much for saving me!” +</p> + +<p> +Half frightened at hearing a beetle speak in her own language, the woman +started back and exclaimed: +</p> + +<p> +“La sakes! Surely you can’t talk like humans!” Then, +recovering from her alarm, she again bent over the beetle, who answered her: +</p> + +<p> +“Why shouldn’t I talk, if I have anything to say? +</p> + +<p> +“’Cause you’re a bug,” replied the woman. +</p> + +<p> +“That is true; and you saved my life—saved me from my enemies, the +sparrows. And this is the second time you have come to my assistance, so I owe +you a debt of gratitude. Bugs value their lives as much as human beings, and I +am a more important creature than you, in your ignorance, may suppose. But, +tell me, why do you come each day to the brook?” +</p> + +<p> +“For water,” she answered, staring stupidly down at the talking +beetle. +</p> + +<p> +“Isn’t it hard work?” the creature inquired. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes; but there’s no water on the hill,” said she. +</p> + +<p> +“Then dig a well and put a pump in it,” replied the beetle. +</p> + +<p> +She shook her head. +</p> + +<p> +“My man tried it once; but there was no water,” she said, sadly. +</p> + +<p> +“Try it again,” commanded the beetle; “and in return for your +kindness to me I will make this promise: if you do not get water from the well +you will get that which is more precious to you. I must go now. Do not forget. +Dig a well.” +</p> + +<p> +And then, without pausing to say good-by, it ran swiftly away and was lost +among the stones. +</p> + +<p> +The woman returned to the house much perplexed by what the beetle had said, and +when her husband came in from his work she told him the whole story. +</p> + +<p> +The poor man thought deeply for a time, and then declared: +</p> + +<p> +“Wife, there may be truth in what the bug told you. There must be magic +in the world yet, if a beetle can speak; and if there is such a thing as magic +we may get water from the well. The pump I bought to use in the well which +proved to be dry is now lying in the barn, and the only expense in following +the talking bug’s advice will be the labor of digging the hole. Labor I +am used to; so I will dig the well.” +</p> + +<p> +Next day he set about it, and dug so far down in the ground that he could +hardly reach the top to climb out again; but not a drop of water was found. +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps you did not dig deep enough,” his wife said, when he told +her of his failure. +</p> + +<p> +So the following day he made a long ladder, which he put into the hole; and +then he dug, and dug, and dug, until the top of the ladder barely reached the +top of the hole. But still there was no water. +</p> + +<p> +When the woman next went to the brook with her pail she saw the beetle sitting +upon a stone beside her path. So she stopped and said: +</p> + +<p> +“My husband has dug the well; but there is no water.” +</p> + +<p> +“Did he put the pump in the well?” asked the beetle. +</p> + +<p> +“No,” she answered. +</p> + +<p> +“Then do as I commanded; put in the pump, and if you do not get water I +promise you something still more precious.” +</p> + +<p> +Saying which, the beetle swiftly slid from the stone and disappeared. The woman +went back to the house and told her husband what the bug had said. +</p> + +<p> +“Well,” replied the simple fellow, “there can be no harm in +trying.” +</p> + +<p> +So he got the pump from the barn and placed it in the well, and then he took +hold of the handle and began to pump, while his wife stood by to watch what +would happen. +</p> + +<p> +No water came, but after a few moments a gold piece dropped from the spout of +the pump, and then another, and another, until several handfuls of gold lay in +a little heap upon the ground. +</p> + +<p> +The man stopped pumping then and ran to help his wife gather the gold pieces +into her apron; but their hands trembled so greatly through excitement and joy +that they could scarcely pick up the sparkling coins. +</p> + +<p> +At last she gathered them close to her bosom and together they ran to the +house, where they emptied the precious gold upon the table and counted the +pieces. +</p> + +<p> +All were stamped with the design of the United States mint and were worth five +dollars each. Some were worn and somewhat discolored from use, while others +seemed bright and new, as if they had not been much handled. When the value of +the pieces was added together they were found to be worth three hundred +dollars. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly the woman spoke. +</p> + +<p> +“Husband, the beetle said truly when he declared we should get something +more precious than water from the well. But run at once and take away the +handle from the pump, lest anyone should pass this way and discover our +secret.” +</p> + +<p> +So the man ran to the pump and removed the handle, which he carried to the +house and hid underneath the bed. +</p> + +<p> +They hardly slept a wink that night, lying awake to think of their good fortune +and what they should do with their store of yellow gold. In all their former +lives they had never possessed more than a few dollars at a time, and now the +cracked teapot was nearly full of gold coins. +</p> + +<p> +The following day was Sunday, and they arose early and ran to see if their +treasure was safe. There it lay, heaped snugly within the teapot, and they were +so willing to feast their eyes upon it that it was long before the man could +leave it to build the fire or the woman to cook the breakfast. +</p> + +<p> +While they ate their simple meal the woman said: +</p> + +<p> +“We will go to church to-day and return thanks for the riches that have +come to us so suddenly. And I will give the pastor one of the gold +pieces.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is well enough to go to church,” replied her husband, +“and also to return thanks. But in the night I decided how we will spend +all our money; so there will be none left for the pastor.” +</p> + +<p> +“We can pump more,” said the woman. +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps; and perhaps not,” he answered, cautiously. “What we +have we can depend upon, but whether or not there be more in the well I cannot +say.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then go and find out,” she returned, “for I am anxious to +give something to the pastor, who is a poor man and deserving.” +</p> + +<p> +So the man got the pump handle from beneath the bed, and, going to the pump, +fitted it in place. Then he set a large wooden bucket under the spout and began +to pump. To their joy the gold pieces soon began flowing into the pail, and, +seeing it about to run over the brim, the woman brought another pail. But now +the stream suddenly stopped, and the man said, cheerfully: +</p> + +<p> +“That is enough for to-day, good wife! We have added greatly to our +treasure, and the parson shall have his gold piece. Indeed, I think I shall +also put a coin into the contribution box.” +</p> + +<p> +Then, because the teapot would hold no more gold, the farmer emptied the pail +into the wood-box, covering the money with dried leaves and twigs, that no one +might suspect what lay underneath. +</p> + +<p> +Afterward they dressed themselves in their best clothing and started for the +church, each taking a bright gold piece from the teapot as a gift to the +pastor. +</p> + +<p> +Over the hill and down into the valley beyond they walked, feeling so gay and +light-hearted that they did not mind the distance at all. At last they came to +the little country church and entered just as the services began. +</p> + +<p> +Being proud of their wealth and of the gifts they had brought for the pastor, +they could scarcely wait for the moment when the deacon passed the contribution +box. But at last the time came, and the farmer held his hand high over the box +and dropped the gold piece so that all the congregation could see what he had +given. The woman did likewise, feeling important and happy at being able to +give the good parson so much. +</p> + +<p> +The parson, watching from the pulpit, saw the gold drop into the box, and could +hardly believe that his eyes did not deceive him. However, when the box was +laid upon his desk there were the two gold pieces, and he was so surprised that +he nearly forgot his sermon. +</p> + +<p> +When the people were leaving the church at the close of the services the good +man stopped the farmer and his wife and asked: +</p> + +<p> +“Where did you get so much gold?” +</p> + +<p> +The woman gladly told him how she had rescued the beetle, and how, in return, +they had been rewarded with the wonderful pump. The pastor listened to it all +gravely, and when the story was finished he said: +</p> + +<p> +“According to tradition strange things happened in this world ages ago, +and now I find that strange things may also happen to-day. For by your tale you +have found a beetle that can speak and also has power to bestow upon you great +wealth.” Then he looked carefully at the gold pieces and continued: +“Either this money is fairy gold or it is genuine metal, stamped at the +mint of the United States government. If it is fairy gold it will disappear +within 24 hours, and will therefore do no one any good. If it is real money, +then your beetle must have robbed some one of the gold and placed it in your +well. For all money belongs to some one, and if you have not earned it +honestly, but have come by it in the mysterious way you mention, it was surely +taken from the persons who owned it, without their consent. Where else could +real money come from?” +</p> + +<p> +The farmer and his wife were confused by this statement and looked guiltily at +each other, for they were honest people and wished to wrong no one. +</p> + +<p> +“Then you think the beetle stole the money?” asked the woman. +</p> + +<p> +“By his magic powers he probably took it from its rightful owners. Even +bugs which can speak have no consciences and cannot tell the difference between +right and wrong. With a desire to reward you for your kindness the beetle took +from its lawful possessors the money you pumped from the well.” +</p> + +<p> +“Perhaps it really is fairy gold,” suggested the man. “If so, +we must go to the town and spend the money before it disappears.” +</p> + +<p> +“That would be wrong,” answered the pastor; “for then the +merchants would have neither money nor goods. To give them fairy gold would be +to rob them.” +</p> + +<p> +“What, then, shall we do?” asked the poor woman, wringing her hands +with grief and disappointment. +</p> + +<p> +“Go home and wait until to-morrow. If the gold is then in your possession +it is real money and not fairy gold. But if it is real money you must try to +restore it to its rightful owners. Take, also, these pieces which you have +given me, for I cannot accept gold that is not honestly come by.” +</p> + +<p> +Sadly the poor people returned to their home, being greatly disturbed by what +they had heard. Another sleepless night was passed, and on Monday morning they +arose at daylight and ran to see if the gold was still visible. +</p> + +<p> +“It is real money, after all!” cried the man; “for not a +single piece has disappeared.” +</p> + +<p> +When the woman went to the brook that day she looked for the beetle, and, sure +enough, there he sat upon the flat stone. +</p> + +<p> +“Are you happy now?” asked the beetle, as the woman paused before +him. +</p> + +<p> +“We are very unhappy,” she answered; “for, although you have +given us much gold, our good parson says it surely belongs to some one else, +and was stolen by you to reward us.” +</p> + +<p> +“Your parson may be a good man,” returned the beetle, with some +indignation, “but he certainly is not overwise. Nevertheless, if you do +not want the gold I can take it from you as easily as I gave it.” +</p> + +<p> +“But we do want it!” cried the woman, fearfully. “That +is,” she added, “if it is honestly come by.” +</p> + +<p> +“It is not stolen,” replied the beetle, sulkily, “and now +belongs to no one but yourselves. When you saved my life I thought how I might +reward you; and, knowing you to be poor, I decided gold would make you happier +than anything else. +</p> + +<p> +“You must know,” he continued, “that although I appear so +small and insignificant, I am really king of all the insects, and my people +obey my slightest wish. Living, as they do, close to the ground, the insects +often come across gold and other pieces of money which have been lost by men +and have fallen into cracks or crevasses or become covered with earth or hidden +by grass or weeds. Whenever my people find money in this way they report the +fact to me; but I have always let it lie, because it could be of no possible +use to an insect. +</p> + +<p> +“However, when I decided to give you gold I knew just where to obtain it +without robbing any of your fellow creatures. Thousands of insects were at once +sent by me in every direction to bring the pieces of lost gold to this hill. It +cost my people several days of hard labor, as you may suppose; but by the time +your husband had finished the well the gold began to arrive from all parts of +the country, and during the night my subjects dumped it all into the well. So +you may use it with a clear conscience, knowing that you wrong no one.” +</p> + +<p> +This explanation delighted the woman, and when she returned to the house and +reported to her husband what the beetle had said he also was overjoyed. +</p> + +<p> +So they at once took a number of the gold pieces and went to the town to +purchase provisions and clothing and many things of which they had long stood +in need; but so proud were they of their newly acquired wealth that they took +no pains to conceal it. They wanted everyone to know they had money, and so it +was no wonder that when some of the wicked men in the village saw the gold they +longed to possess it themselves. +</p> + +<p> +“If they spend this money so freely,” whispered one to another, +“there must be a great store of gold at their home.” +</p> + +<p> +“That is true,” was the answer. “Let us hasten there before +they return and ransack the house.” +</p> + +<p> +So they left the village and hurried away to the farm on the hill, where they +broke down the door and turned everything topsy turvy until they had discovered +the gold in the wood-box and the teapot. It did not take them long to make this +into bundles, which they slung upon their backs and carried off, and it was +probably because they were in a great hurry that they did not stop to put the +house in order again. +</p> + +<p> +Presently the good woman and her husband came up the hill from the village with +their arms full of bundles and followed by a crowd of small boys who had been +hired to help carry the purchases. Then followed others, youngsters and country +louts, attracted by the wealth and prodigality of the pair, who, from simple +curiosity, trailed along behind like the tail of a comet and helped swell the +concourse into a triumphal procession. Last of all came Guggins, the +shopkeeper, carrying with much tenderness a new silk dress which was to be paid +for when they reached the house, all the money they had taken to the village +having been lavishly expended. +</p> + +<p> +The farmer, who had formerly been a modest man, was now so swelled with pride +that he tipped the rim of his hat over his left ear and smoked a big cigar that +was fast making him ill. His wife strutted along beside him like a peacock, +enjoying to the full the homage and respect her wealth had won from those who +formerly deigned not to notice her, and glancing from time to time at the +admiring procession in the rear. +</p> + +<p> +But, alas for their new-born pride! when they reached the farmhouse they found +the door broken in, the furniture strewn in all directions and their treasure +stolen to the very last gold piece. +</p> + +<p> +The crowd grinned and made slighting remarks of a personal nature, and Guggins, +the shopkeeper, demanded in a loud voice the money for the silk dress he had +brought. +</p> + +<p> +Then the woman whispered to her husband to run and pump some more gold while +she kept the crowd quiet, and he obeyed quickly. But after a few moments he +returned with a white face to tell her the pump was dry, and not a gold piece +could now be coaxed from the spout. +</p> + +<p> +The procession marched back to the village laughing and jeering at the farmer +and his wife, who had pretended to be so rich; and some of the boys were +naughty enough to throw stones at the house from the top of the hill. Mr. +Guggins carried away his dress after severely scolding the woman for deceiving +him, and when the couple at last found themselves alone their pride had turned +to humiliation and their joy to bitter grief. +</p> + +<p> +Just before sundown the woman dried her eyes and, having resumed her ordinary +attire, went to the brook for water. When she came to the flat stone she saw +the King Beetle sitting upon it. +</p> + +<p> +“The well is dry!” she cried out, angrily. +</p> + +<p> +“Yes,” answered the beetle, calmly, “you have pumped from it +all the gold my people could find.” +</p> + +<p> +“But we are now ruined,” said the woman, sitting down in the path +beginning to weep; “for robbers have stolen from us every penny we +possessed.” +</p> + +<p> +“I’m sorry,” returned the beetle; “but it is your own +fault. Had you not made so great a show of your wealth no one would have +suspected you possessed a treasure, or thought to rob you. As it is, you have +merely lost the gold which others have lost before you. It will probably be +lost many times more before the world comes to an end.” +</p> + +<p> +“But what are we to do now?” she asked. +</p> + +<p> +“What did you do before I gave you the money?” +</p> + +<p> +“We worked from morning ’til night,” said she. +</p> + +<p> +“Then work still remains for you,” remarked the beetle, composedly; +“no one will ever try to rob you of that, you may be sure!” And he +slid from the stone and disappeared for the last time. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +This story should teach us to accept good fortune with humble hearts and to use +it with moderation. For, had the farmer and his wife resisted the temptation to +display their wealth ostentatiously, they might have retained it to this very +day. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap10"></a>THE DUMMY THAT LIVED</h2> + +<p> +In all Fairyland there is no more mischievous a person than Tanko-Mankie the +Yellow Ryl. He flew through the city one afternoon—quite invisible to +mortal eyes, but seeing everything himself—and noticed a figure of a wax +lady standing behind the big plate glass window of Mr. Floman’s +department store. +</p> + +<p> +The wax lady was beautifully dressed, and extended in her stiff left hand was a +card bearing the words: +</p> + +<p class="center"> +“RARE BARGIN!<br/> +This Stylish Costume<br/> +(Imported from Paris)<br/> +Former Price, $20,<br/> +REDUCED TO ONLY $19.98.” +</p> + +<p> +This impressive announcement had drawn before the window a crowd of women +shoppers, who stood looking at the wax lady with critical eyes. +</p> + +<p> +Tanko-Mankie laughed to himself the low, gurgling little laugh that always +means mischief. Then he flew close to the wax figure and breathed twice upon +its forehead. +</p> + +<p> +From that instant the dummy began to live, but so dazed and astonished was she +at the unexpected sensation that she continued to stand stupidly staring at the +women outside and holding out the placard as before. +</p> + +<p> +The ryl laughed again and flew away. Anyone but Tanko-Mankie would have +remained to help the wax lady out of the troubles that were sure to overtake +her; but this naughty elf thought it rare fun to turn the inexperienced lady +loose in a cold and heartless world and leave her to shift for herself. +</p> + +<p> +Fortunately it was almost six o’clock when the dummy first realized that +she was alive, and before she had collected her new thoughts and decided what +to do a man came around and drew down all the window shades, shutting off the +view from the curious shoppers. +</p> + +<p> +Then the clerks and cashiers and floorwalkers and cash girls went home and the +store was closed for the night, although the sweepers and scrubbers remained to +clean the floors for the following day. +</p> + +<p> +The window inhabited by the wax lady was boxed in, like a little room, one +small door being left at the side for the window-trimmer to creep in and out +of. So the scrubbers never noticed that the dummy, when left to herself, +dropped the placard to the floor and sat down upon a pile of silks to wonder +who she was, where she was, and how she happened to be alive. +</p> + +<p> +For you must consider, dear reader, that in spite of her size and her rich +costume, in spite of her pink cheeks and fluffy yellow hair, this lady was very +young—no older, in reality, than a baby born but half an hour. All she +knew of the world was contained in the glimpse she had secured of the busy +street facing her window; all she knew of people lay in the actions of the +group of women which had stood before her on the other side of the window pane +and criticised the fit of her dress or remarked upon its stylish appearance. +</p> + +<p> +So she had little enough to think about, and her thoughts moved somewhat +slowly; yet one thing she really decided upon, and that was not to remain in +the window and be insolently stared at by a lot of women who were not nearly so +handsome or well dressed as herself. +</p> + +<p> +By the time she reached this important conclusion, it was after midnight; but +dim lights were burning in the big, deserted store, so she crept through the +door of her window and walked down the long aisles, pausing now and then to +look with much curiosity at the wealth of finery confronting her on every side. +</p> + +<p> +When she came to the glass cases filled with trimmed hats she remembered having +seen upon the heads of the women in the street similar creations. So she +selected one that suited her fancy and placed it carefully upon her yellow +locks. I won’t attempt to explain what instinct it was that made her +glance into a near-by mirror to see if the hat was straight, but this she +certainly did. It didn’t correspond with her dress very well, but the +poor thing was too young to have much taste in matching colors. +</p> + +<p> +When she reached the glove counter she remembered that gloves were also worn by +the women she had seen. She took a pair from the case and tried to fit them +upon her stiff, wax-coated fingers; but the gloves were too small and ripped in +the seams. Then she tried another pair, and several others, as well; but hours +passed before she finally succeeded in getting her hands covered with a pair of +pea-green kids. +</p> + +<p> +Next she selected a parasol from a large and varied assortment in the rear of +the store. Not that she had any idea what it was used for; but other ladies +carried such things, so she also would have one. +</p> + +<p> +When she again examined herself critically in the mirror she decided her outfit +was now complete, and to her inexperienced eyes there was no perceptible +difference between her and the women who had stood outside the window. +Whereupon she tried to leave the store, but found every door fast locked. +</p> + +<p> +The wax lady was in no hurry. She inherited patience from her previous +existence. Just to be alive and to wear beautiful clothes was sufficient +enjoyment for her at present. So she sat down upon a stool and waited quietly +until daylight. +</p> + +<p> +When the janitor unlocked the door in the morning the wax lady swept past him +and walked with stiff but stately strides down the street. The poor fellow was +so completely whuckered at seeing the well-known wax lady leave her window and +march away from the store that he fell over in a heap and only saved himself +from fainting by striking his funny bone against the doorstep. When he +recovered his wits she had turned the corner and disappeared. +</p> + +<p> +The wax lady’s immature mind had reasoned that, since she had come to +life, her evident duty was to mix with the world and do whatever other folks +did. She could not realize how different she was from people of flesh and +blood; nor did she know she was the first dummy that had ever lived, or that +she owed her unique experience to Tanko-Mankie’s love of mischief. So +ignorance gave her a confidence in herself that she was not justly entitled to. +</p> + +<p> +It was yet early in the day, and the few people she met were hurrying along the +streets. Many of them turned into restaurants and eating houses, and following +their example the wax lady also entered one and sat upon a stool before a lunch +counter. +</p> + +<p> +“Coffee ’n’ rolls!” said a shop girl on the next stool. +</p> + +<p> +“Coffee ’n’ rolls!” repeated the dummy, and soon the +waiter placed them before her. Of course she had no appetite, as her +constitution, being mostly wood, did not require food; but she watched the shop +girl, and saw her put the coffee to her mouth and drink it. Therefore the wax +lady did the same, and the next instant was surprised to feel the hot liquid +trickling out between her wooden ribs. The coffee also blistered her wax lips, +and so disagreeable was the experience that she arose and left the restaurant, +paying no attention to the demands of the waiter for “20 cents, +mum.” Not that she intended to defraud him, but the poor creature had no +idea what he meant by “20 cents, mum.” +</p> + +<p> +As she came out she met the window trimmer at Floman’s store. The man was +rather near-sighted, but seeing something familiar in the lady’s features +he politely raised his hat. The wax lady also raised her hat, thinking it the +proper thing to do, and the man hurried away with a horrified face. +</p> + +<p> +Then a woman touched her arm and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Beg pardon, ma’am; but there’s a price-mark hanging on your +dress behind.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, I know,” replied the wax lady, stiffly; “it was +originally $20, but it’s been reduced to $19.98.” +</p> + +<p> +The woman looked surprised at such indifference and walked on. Some carriages +were standing at the edge of the sidewalk, and seeing the dummy hesitate a +driver approached her and touched his cap. +</p> + +<p> +“Cab, ma’am?” he asked. +</p> + +<p> +“No,” said she, misunderstanding him; “I’m wax.” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh!” he exclaimed, and looked after her wonderingly. +</p> + +<p> +“Here’s yer mornin’ paper!” yelled a newsboy. +</p> + +<p> +“Mine, did you say?” she asked. +</p> + +<p> +“Sure! Chronicle, ’Quirer, R’public ’n’ +’Spatch! Wot’ll ye ’ave?” +</p> + +<p> +“What are they for?” inquired the wax lady, simply. +</p> + +<p> +“W’y, ter read, o’ course. All the news, you know.” +</p> + +<p> +She shook her head and glanced at a paper. +</p> + +<p> +“It looks all speckled and mixed up,” she said. “I’m +afraid I can’t read.” +</p> + +<p> +“Ever ben to school?” asked the boy, becoming interested. +</p> + +<p> +“No; what’s school?” she inquired. +</p> + +<p> +The boy gave her an indignant look. +</p> + +<p> +“Say!” he cried, “ye’r just a dummy, that’s wot +ye are!” and ran away to seek a more promising customer. +</p> + +<p> +“I wonder that he means,” thought the poor lady. “Am I really +different in some way from all the others? I look like them, certainly; and I +try to act like them; yet that boy called me a dummy and seemed to think I +acted queerly.” +</p> + +<p> +This idea worried her a little, but she walked on to the corner, where she +noticed a street car stop to let some people on. The wax lady, still determined +to do as others did, also boarded the car and sat down quietly in a corner. +</p> + +<p> +After riding a few blocks the conductor approached her and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Fare, please!” +</p> + +<p> +“What’s that?” she inquired, innocently. +</p> + +<p> +“Your fare!” said the man, impatiently. +</p> + +<p> +She stared at him stupidly, trying to think what he meant. +</p> + +<p> +“Come, come!” growled the conductor, “either pay up or get +off!” +</p> + +<p> +Still she did not understand, and he grabbed her rudely by the arm and lifted +her to her feet. But when his hand came in contact with the hard wood of which +her arm was made the fellow was filled with surprise. He stooped down and +peered into her face, and, seeing it was wax instead of flesh, he gave a yell +of fear and jumped from the car, running as if he had seen a ghost. +</p> + +<p> +At this the other passengers also yelled and sprang from the car, fearing a +collision; and the motorman, knowing something was wrong, followed suit. The +wax lady, seeing the others run, jumped from the car last of all, and stepped +in front of another car coming at full speed from the opposite direction. +</p> + +<p> +She heard cries of fear and of warning on all sides, but before she understood +her danger she was knocked down and dragged for half a block. +</p> + +<p> +When the car was brought to a stop a policeman reached down and pulled her from +under the wheels. Her dress was badly torn and soiled. Her left ear was +entirely gone, and the left side of her head was caved in; but she quickly +scrambled to her feet and asked for her hat. This a gentleman had already +picked up, and when the policeman handed it to her and noticed the great hole +in her head and the hollow place it disclosed, the poor fellow trembled so +frightfully that his knees actually knocked together. +</p> + +<p> +“Why—why, ma’am, you’re killed!” he gasped. +</p> + +<p> +“What does it mean to be killed?” asked the wax lady. +</p> + +<p> +The policeman shuddered and wiped the perspiration from his forehead. +</p> + +<p> +“You’re it!” he answered, with a groan. +</p> + +<p> +The crowd that had collected were looking upon the lady wonderingly, and a +middle-aged gentleman now exclaimed: +</p> + +<p> +“Why, she’s wax!” +</p> + +<p> +“Wax!” echoed the policeman. +</p> + +<p> +“Certainly. She’s one of those dummies they put in the +windows,” declared the middle-aged man. +</p> + +<p> +The people who had collected shouted: “You’re right!” +“That’s what she is!” “She’s a dummy!” +</p> + +<p> +“Are you?” inquired the policeman, sternly. +</p> + +<p> +The wax lady did not reply. She began to fear she was getting into trouble, and +the staring crowd seemed to embarrass her. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly a bootblack attempted to solve the problem by saying: “You guys +is all wrong! Can a dummy talk? Can a dummy walk? Can a dummy live?” +</p> + +<p> +“Hush!” murmured the policeman. “Look here!” and he +pointed to the hole in the lady’s head. The newsboy looked, turned pale +and whistled to keep himself from shivering. +</p> + +<p> +A second policeman now arrived, and after a brief conference it was decided to +take the strange creature to headquarters. So they called a hurry-up wagon, and +the damaged wax lady was helped inside and driven to the police station. There +the policeman locked her in a cell and hastened to tell Inspector Mugg their +wonderful story. +</p> + +<p> +Inspector Mugg had just eaten a poor breakfast, and was not in a pleasant mood; +so he roared and stormed at the unlucky policemen, saying they were themselves +dummies to bring such a fairy tale to a man of sense. He also hinted that they +had been guilty of intemperance. +</p> + +<p> +The policemen tried to explain, but Inspector Mugg would not listen; and while +they were still disputing in rushed Mr. Floman, the owner of the department +store. +</p> + +<p> +“I want a dozen detectives, at once, inspector!” he cried. +</p> + +<p> +“What for?” demanded Mugg. +</p> + +<p> +“One of the wax ladies has escaped from my store and eloped with a $19.98 +costume, a $4.23 hat, a $2.19 parasol and a 76-cent pair of gloves, and I want +her arrested!” +</p> + +<p> +While he paused for breath the inspector glared at him in amazement. +</p> + +<p> +“Is everybody going crazy at the same time?” he inquired, +sarcastically. “How could a wax dummy run away?” +</p> + +<p> +“I don’t know; but she did. When my janitor opened the door this +morning he saw her run out.” +</p> + +<p> +“Why didn’t he stop her?” asked Mugg. +</p> + +<p> +“He was too frightened. But she’s stolen my property, your honor, +and I want her arrested!” declared the storekeeper. +</p> + +<p> +The inspector thought for a moment. +</p> + +<p> +“You wouldn’t be able to prosecute her,” he said, “for +there’s no law against dummies stealing.” +</p> + +<p> +Mr. Floman sighed bitterly. +</p> + +<p> +“Am I to lose that $19.98 costume and the $4.25 hat and—” +</p> + +<p> +“By no means,” interrupted Inspector Mugg. “The police of +this city are ever prompt to act in defense of our worthy citizens. We have +already arrested the wax lady, and she is locked up in cell No. 16. You may go +there and recover your property, if you wish, but before you prosecute her for +stealing you’d better hunt up a law that applies to dummies.” +</p> + +<p> +“All I want,” said Mr. Floman, “is that $19.98 costume +and—” +</p> + +<p> +“Come along!” interrupted the policeman. “I’ll take you +to the cell.” +</p> + +<p> +But when they entered No. 16 they found only a lifeless dummy lying prone upon +the floor. Its wax was cracked and blistered, its head was badly damaged, and +the bargain costume was dusty, soiled and much bedraggled. For the +mischief-loving Tanko-Mankie had flown by and breathed once more upon the poor +wax lady, and in that instant her brief life ended. +</p> + +<p> +“It’s just as I thought,” said Inspector Mugg, leaning back +in his chair contentedly. “I knew all the time the thing was a fake. It +seems sometimes as though the whole world would go crazy if there wasn’t +some level-headed man around to bring ’em to their senses. Dummies are +wood an’ wax, an’ that’s all there is of ’em.” +</p> + +<p> +“That may be the rule,” whispered the policeman to himself, +“but this one were a dummy as lived!” +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap11"></a>THE KING OF THE POLAR BEARS</h2> + +<p> +The King of the Polar Bears lived among the icebergs in the far north country. +He was old and monstrous big; he was wise and friendly to all who knew him. His +body was thickly covered with long, white hair that glistened like silver under +the rays of the midnight sun. His claws were strong and sharp, that he might +walk safely over the smooth ice or grasp and tear the fishes and seals upon +which he fed. +</p> + +<p> +The seals were afraid when he drew near, and tried to avoid him; but the gulls, +both white and gray, loved him because he left the remnants of his feasts for +them to devour. +</p> + +<p> +Often his subjects, the polar bears, came to him for advice when ill or in +trouble; but they wisely kept away from his hunting grounds, lest they might +interfere with his sport and arouse his anger. +</p> + +<p> +The wolves, who sometimes came as far north as the icebergs, whispered among +themselves that the King of the Polar Bears was either a magician or under the +protection of a powerful fairy. For no earthly thing seemed able to harm him; +he never failed to secure plenty of food, and he grew bigger and stronger day +by day and year by year. +</p> + +<p> +Yet the time came when this monarch of the north met man, and his wisdom failed +him. +</p> + +<p> +He came out of his cave among the icebergs one day and saw a boat moving +through the strip of water which had been uncovered by the shifting of the +summer ice. In the boat were men. +</p> + +<p> +The great bear had never seen such creatures before, and therefore advanced +toward the boat, sniffing the strange scent with aroused curiosity and +wondering whether he might take them for friends or foes, food or carrion. +</p> + +<p> +When the king came near the water’s edge a man stood up in the boat and +with a queer instrument made a loud “bang!” The polar bear felt a +shock; his brain became numb; his thoughts deserted him; his great limbs shook +and gave way beneath him and his body fell heavily upon the hard ice. +</p> + +<p> +That was all he remembered for a time. +</p> + +<p> +When he awoke he was smarting with pain on every inch of his huge bulk, for the +men had cut away his hide with its glorious white hair and carried it with them +to a distant ship. +</p> + +<p> +Above him circled thousands of his friends the gulls, wondering if their +benefactor were really dead and it was proper to eat him. But when they saw him +raise his head and groan and tremble they knew he still lived, and one of them +said to his comrades: +</p> + +<p> +“The wolves were right. The king is a great magician, for even men cannot +kill him. But he suffers for lack of covering. Let us repay his kindness to us +by each giving him as many feathers as we can spare.” +</p> + +<p> +This idea pleased the gulls. One after another they plucked with their beaks +the softest feathers from under their wings, and, flying down, dropped then +gently upon the body of the King of the Polar Bears. +</p> + +<p> +Then they called to him in a chorus: +</p> + +<p> +“Courage, friend! Our feathers are as soft and beautiful as your own +shaggy hair. They will guard you from the cold winds and warm you while you +sleep. Have courage, then, and live!” +</p> + +<p> +And the King of the Polar Bears had courage to bear his pain and lived and was +strong again. +</p> + +<p> +The feathers grew as they had grown upon the bodies of the birds and covered +him as his own hair had done. Mostly they were pure white in color, but some +from the gray gulls gave his majesty a slight mottled appearance. +</p> + +<p> +The rest of that summer and all through the six months of night the king left +his icy cavern only to fish or catch seals for food. He felt no shame at his +feathery covering, but it was still strange to him, and he avoided meeting any +of his brother bears. +</p> + +<p> +During this period of retirement he thought much of the men who had harmed him, +and remembered the way they had made the great “bang!” And he +decided it was best to keep away from such fierce creatures. Thus he added to +his store of wisdom. +</p> + +<p> +When the moon fell away from the sky and the sun came to make the icebergs +glitter with the gorgeous tintings of the rainbow, two of the polar bears +arrived at the king’s cavern to ask his advice about the hunting season. +But when they saw his great body covered with feathers instead of hair they +began to laugh, and one said: +</p> + +<p> +“Our mighty king has become a bird! Who ever before heard of a feathered +polar bear?” +</p> + +<p> +Then the king gave way to wrath. He advanced upon them with deep growls and +stately tread and with one blow of his monstrous paw stretched the mocker +lifeless at his feet. +</p> + +<p> +The other ran away to his fellows and carried the news of the king’s +strange appearance. The result was a meeting of all the polar bears upon a +broad field of ice, where they talked gravely of the remarkable change that had +come upon their monarch. +</p> + +<p> +“He is, in reality, no longer a bear,” said one; “nor can he +justly be called a bird. But he is half bird and half bear, and so unfitted to +remain our king.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then who shall take his place?” asked another. +</p> + +<p> +“He who can fight the bird-bear and overcome him,” answered an aged +member of the group. “Only the strongest is fit to rule our race.” +</p> + +<p> +There was silence for a time, but at length a great bear moved to the front and +said: +</p> + +<p> +“I will fight him; I—Woof—the strongest of our race! And I +will be King of the Polar Bears.” +</p> + +<p> +The others nodded assent, and dispatched a messenger to the king to say he must +fight the great Woof and master him or resign his sovereignty. +</p> + +<p> +“For a bear with feathers,” added the messenger, “is no bear +at all, and the king we obey must resemble the rest of us.” +</p> + +<p> +“I wear feathers because it pleases me,” growled the king. +“Am I not a great magician? But I will fight, nevertheless, and if Woof +masters me he shall be king in my stead.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he visited his friends, the gulls, who were even then feasting upon the +dead bear, and told them of the coming battle. +</p> + +<p> +“I shall conquer,” he said, proudly. “Yet my people are in +the right, for only a hairy one like themselves can hope to command their +obedience.” +</p> + +<p> +The queen gull said: +</p> + +<p> +“I met an eagle yesterday, which had made its escape from a big city of +men. And the eagle told me he had seen a monstrous polar bear skin thrown over +the back of a carriage that rolled along the street. That skin must have been +yours, oh king, and if you wish I will sent an hundred of my gulls to the city +to bring it back to you.” +</p> + +<p> +“Let them go!” said the king, gruffly. And the hundred gulls were +soon flying rapidly southward. +</p> + +<p> +For three days they flew straight as an arrow, until they came to scattered +houses, to villages, and to cities. Then their search began. +</p> + +<p> +The gulls were brave, and cunning, and wise. Upon the fourth day they reached +the great metropolis, and hovered over the streets until a carriage rolled +along with a great white bear robe thrown over the back seat. Then the birds +swooped down—the whole hundred of them—and seizing the skin in +their beaks flew quickly away. +</p> + +<p> +They were late. The king’s great battle was upon the seventh day, and +they must fly swiftly to reach the Polar regions by that time. +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile the bird-bear was preparing for his fight. He sharpened his claws in +the small crevasses of the ice. He caught a seal and tested his big yellow +teeth by crunching its bones between them. And the queen gull set her band to +pluming the king bear’s feathers until they lay smoothly upon his body. +</p> + +<p> +But every day they cast anxious glances into the southern sky, watching for the +hundred gulls to bring back the king’s own skin. +</p> + +<p> +The seventh day came, and all the Polar bears in that region gathered around +the king’s cavern. Among them was Woof, strong and confident of his +success. +</p> + +<p> +“The bird-bear’s feathers will fly fast enough when I get my claws +upon him!” he boasted; and the others laughed and encouraged him. +</p> + +<p> +The king was disappointed at not having recovered his skin, but he resolved to +fight bravely without it. He advanced from the opening of his cavern with a +proud and kingly bearing, and when he faced his enemy he gave so terrible a +growl that Woof’s heart stopped beating for a moment, and he began to +realize that a fight with the wise and mighty king of his race was no laughing +matter. +</p> + +<p> +After exchanging one or two heavy blows with his foe Woof’s courage +returned, and he determined to dishearten his adversary by bluster. +</p> + +<p> +“Come nearer, bird-bear!” he cried. “Come nearer, that I may +pluck your plumage!” +</p> + +<p> +The defiance filled the king with rage. He ruffled his feathers as a bird does, +till he appeared to be twice his actual size, and then he strode forward and +struck Woof so powerful a blow that his skull crackled like an egg-shell and he +fell prone upon the ground. +</p> + +<p> +While the assembled bears stood looking with fear and wonder at their fallen +champion the sky became darkened. +</p> + +<p> +An hundred gulls flew down from above and dripped upon the king’s body a +skin covered with pure white hair that glittered in the sun like silver. +</p> + +<p> +And behold! the bears saw before them the well-known form of their wise and +respected master, and with one accord they bowed their shaggy heads in homage +to the mighty King of the Polar Bears. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<p> +This story teaches us that true dignity and courage depend not upon outward +appearance, but come rather from within; also that brag and bluster are poor +weapons to carry into battle. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap12"></a>THE MANDARIN AND THE BUTTERFLY</h2> + +<p> +A mandarin once lived in Kiang-ho who was so exceedingly cross and disagreeable +that everyone hated him. He snarled and stormed at every person he met and was +never known to laugh or be merry under any circumstances. Especially he hated +boys and girls; for the boys jeered at him, which aroused his wrath, and the +girls made fun of him, which hurt his pride. +</p> + +<p> +When he had become so unpopular that no one would speak to him, the emperor +heard about it and commanded him to emigrate to America. This suited the +mandarin very well; but before he left China he stole the Great Book of Magic +that belonged to the wise magician Haot-sai. Then, gathering up his little +store of money, he took ship for America. +</p> + +<p> +He settled in a city of the middle west and of course started a laundry, since +that seems to be the natural vocation of every Chinaman, be he coolie or +mandarin. +</p> + +<p> +He made no acquaintances with the other Chinamen of the town, who, when they +met him and saw the red button in his hat, knew him for a real mandarin and +bowed low before him. He put up a red and white sign and people brought their +laundry to him and got paper checks, with Chinese characters upon them, in +exchange, this being the only sort of character the mandarin had left. +</p> + +<p> +One day as the ugly one was ironing in his shop in the basement of 263 1/2 Main +street, he looked up and saw a crowd of childish faces pressed against the +window. Most Chinamen make friends with children; this one hated them and tried +to drive them away. But as soon as he returned to his work they were back at +the window again, mischievously smiling down upon him. +</p> + +<p> +The naughty mandarin uttered horrid words in the Manchu language and made +fierce gestures; but this did no good at all. The children stayed as long as +they pleased, and they came again the very next day as soon as school was over, +and likewise the next day, and the next. For they saw their presence at the +window bothered the Chinaman and were delighted accordingly. +</p> + +<p> +The following day being Sunday the children did not appear, but as the +mandarin, being a heathen, worked in his little shop a big butterfly flew in at +the open door and fluttered about the room. +</p> + +<p> +The mandarin closed the door and chased the butterfly until he caught it, when +he pinned it against the wall by sticking two pins through its beautiful wings. +This did not hurt the butterfly, there being no feeling in its wings; but it +made him a safe prisoner. +</p> + +<p> +This butterfly was of large size and its wings were exquisitely marked by +gorgeous colors laid out in regular designs like the stained glass windows of a +cathedral. +</p> + +<p> +The mandarin now opened his wooden chest and drew forth the Great Book of Magic +he had stolen from Haot-sai. Turning the pages slowly he came to a passage +describing “How to understand the language of butterflies.” This he +read carefully and then mixed a magic formula in a tin cup and drank it down +with a wry face. Immediately thereafter he spoke to the butterfly in its own +language, saying: +</p> + +<p> +“Why did you enter this room?” +</p> + +<p> +“I smelled bees-wax,” answered the butterfly; “therefore I +thought I might find honey here.” +</p> + +<p> +“But you are my prisoner,” said the mandarin. “If I please I +can kill you, or leave you on the wall to starve to death.” +</p> + +<p> +“I expect that,” replied the butterfly, with a sigh. “But my +race is shortlived, anyway; it doesn’t matter whether death comes sooner +or later.” +</p> + +<p> +“Yet you like to live, do you not?” asked the mandarin. +</p> + +<p> +“Yet; life is pleasant and the world is beautiful. I do not seek +death.” +</p> + +<p> +“Then,” said the mandarin, “I will give you life—a long +and pleasant life—if you will promise to obey me for a time and carry out +my instructions.” +</p> + +<p> +“How can a butterfly serve a man?” asked the creature, in surprise. +</p> + +<p> +“Usually they cannot,” was the reply. “But I have a book of +magic which teaches me strange things. Do you promise?” +</p> + +<p> +“Oh, yes; I promise,” answered the butterfly; “for even as +your slave I will get some enjoyment out of life, while should you kill +me—that is the end of everything!” +</p> + +<p> +“Truly,” said the mandarin, “butterflies have no souls, and +therefore cannot live again.” +</p> + +<p> +“But I have enjoyed three lives already,” returned the butterfly, +with some pride. “I have been a caterpillar and a chrysalis before I +became a butterfly. You were never anything but a Chinaman, although I admit +your life is longer than mine.” +</p> + +<p> +“I will extend your life for many days, if you will obey me,” +declared the Chinaman. “I can easily do so by means of my magic.” +</p> + +<p> +“Of course I will obey you,” said the butterfly, carelessly. +</p> + +<p> +“Then, listen! You know children, do you not?—boys and +girls?” +</p> + +<p> +“Yes, I know them. They chase me, and try to catch me, as you have +done,” replied the butterfly. +</p> + +<p> +“And they mock me, and jeer at me through the window,” continued +the mandarin, bitterly. “Therefore, they are your enemies and mine! But +with your aid and the help of the magic book we shall have a fine revenge for +their insults.” +</p> + +<p> +“I don’t care much for revenge,” said the butterfly. +“They are but children, and ’tis natural they should wish to catch +such a beautiful creature as I am.” +</p> + +<p> +“Nevertheless, I care! and you must obey me,” retorted the +mandarin, harshly. “I, at least, will have my revenge.” +</p> + +<p> +Then he stuck a drop of molasses upon the wall beside the butterfly’s +head and said: +</p> + +<p> +“Eat that, while I read my book and prepare my magic formula.” +</p> + +<p> +So the butterfly feasted upon the molasses and the mandarin studied his book, +after which he began to mix a magic compound in the tin cup. +</p> + +<p> +When the mixture was ready he released the butterfly from the wall and said to +it: +</p> + +<p> +“I command you to dip your two front feet into this magic compound and +then fly away until you meet a child. Fly close, whether it be a boy or a girl, +and touch the child upon its forehead with your feet. Whosoever is thus +touched, the book declares, will at once become a pig, and will remain such +forever after. Then return to me and dip your legs afresh in the contents of +this cup. So shall all my enemies, the children, become miserable swine, while +no one will think of accusing me of the sorcery.” +</p> + +<p> +“Very well; since such is your command, I obey,” said the +butterfly. Then it dipped its front legs, which were the shortest of the six, +into the contents of the tin cup, and flew out of the door and away over the +houses to the edge of the town. There it alighted in a flower garden and soon +forgot all about its mission to turn children into swine. +</p> + +<p> +In going from flower to flower it soon brushed the magic compound from its +legs, so that when the sun began to set and the butterfly finally remembered +its master, the mandarin, it could not have injured a child had it tried. +</p> + +<p> +But it did not intend to try. +</p> + +<p> +“That horrid old Chinaman,” it thought, “hates children and +wishes to destroy them. But I rather like children myself and shall not harm +them. Of course I must return to my master, for he is a magician, and would +seek me out and kill me; but I can deceive him about this matter easily +enough.” +</p> + +<p> +When the butterfly flew in at the door of the mandarin’s laundry he +asked, eagerly: +</p> + +<p> +“Well, did you meet a child?” +</p> + +<p> +“I did,” replied the butterfly, calmly. “It was a pretty, +golden-haired girl—but now ’tis a grunting pig!” +</p> + +<p> +“Good! Good! Good!” cried the mandarin, dancing joyfully about the +room. “You shall have molasses for your supper, and to-morrow you must +change two children into pigs.” +</p> + +<p> +The butterfly did not reply, but ate the molasses in silence. Having no soul it +had no conscience, and having no conscience it was able to lie to the mandarin +with great readiness and a certain amount of enjoyment. +</p> + +<p> +Next morning, by the mandarin’s command, the butterfly dipped its legs in +the mixture and flew away in search of children. +</p> + +<p> +When it came to the edge of the town it noticed a pig in a sty, and alighting +upon the rail of the sty it looked down at the creature and thought. +</p> + +<p> +“If I could change a child into a pig by touching it with the magic +compound, what could I change a pig into, I wonder?” +</p> + +<p> +Being curious to determine this fine point in sorcery the butterfly fluttered +down and touched its front feet to the pig’s nose. Instantly the animal +disappeared, and in its place was a shock-headed, dirty looking boy, which +sprang from the sty and ran down the road uttering load whoops. +</p> + +<p> +“That’s funny,” said the butterfly to itself. “The +mandarin would be very angry with me if he knew of this, for I have liberated +one more of the creatures that bother him.” +</p> + +<p> +It fluttered along after the boy, who had paused to throw stones at a cat. But +pussy escaped by running up a tree, where thick branches protected her from the +stones. Then the boy discovered a newly-planted garden, and trampled upon the +beds until the seeds were scattered far and wide, and the garden was ruined. +Next he caught up a switch and struck with it a young calf that stood quietly +grazing in a field. The poor creature ran away with piteous bleats, and the boy +laughed and followed after it, striking the frightened animal again and again. +</p> + +<p> +“Really,” thought the butterfly, “I do not wonder the +mandarin hates children, if they are all so cruel and wicked as this +one.” +</p> + +<p> +The calf having escaped him the boy came back to the road, where he met two +little girls on their way to school. One of them had a red apple in her hand, +and the boy snatched it away and began eating it. The little girl commenced to +cry, but her companion, more brave and sturdy, cried out: +</p> + +<p> +“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, you nasty boy!” +</p> + +<p> +At this the boy reached out and slapped her pretty face, whereupon she also +began to sob. +</p> + +<p> +Although possessed of neither soul nor conscience, the butterfly had a very +tender heart, and now decided it could endure this boy no longer. +</p> + +<p> +“If I permitted him to exist,” it reflected, “I should never +forgive myself, for the monster would do nothing but evil from morning +’til night.” +</p> + +<p> +So it flew directly into his face and touched his forehead with its sticky +front feet. +</p> + +<p> +The next instant the boy had disappeared, but a grunting pig ran swiftly up the +road in the direction of its sty. +</p> + +<p> +The butterfly gave a sigh of relief. +</p> + +<p> +“This time I have indeed used the mandarin’s magic upon a +child,” it whispered, as it floated lazily upon the light breeze; +“but since the child was originally a pig I do not think I have any cause +to reproach myself. The little girls were sweet and gentle, and I would not +injure them to save my life, but were all boys like this transformed pig, I +should not hesitate to carry out the mandarin’s orders.” +</p> + +<p> +Then it flew into a rose bush, where it remained comfortably until evening. At +sundown it returned to its master. +</p> + +<p> +“Have you changed two of them into pigs?” he asked, at once. +</p> + +<p> +“I have,” replied the butterfly. “One was a pretty, +black-eyed baby, and the other a freckle-faced, red-haired, barefooted +newboy.” +</p> + +<p> +“Good! Good! Good!” screamed the mandarin, in an ecstasy of +delight. “Those are the ones who torment me the most! Change every newboy +you meet into a pig!” +</p> + +<p> +“Very well,” answered the butterfly, quietly, and ate its supper of +molasses. +</p> + +<p> +Several days were passed by the butterfly in the same manner. It fluttered +aimlessly about the flower gardens while the sun shone, and returned at night +to the mandarin with false tales of turning children into swine. Sometimes it +would be one child which was transformed, sometimes two, and occasionally +three; but the mandarin always greeted the butterfly’s report with +intense delight and gave him molasses for supper. +</p> + +<p> +One evening, however, the butterfly thought it might be well to vary the +report, so that the mandarin might not grow suspicious; and when its master +asked what child had been had been changed into a pig that day the lying +creature answered: +</p> + +<p> +“It was a Chinese boy, and when I touched him he became a black +pig.” +</p> + +<p> +This angered the mandarin, who was in an especially cross mood. He spitefully +snapped the butterfly with his finger, and nearly broke its beautiful wing; for +he forgot that Chinese boys had once mocked him and only remembered his hatred +for American boys. +</p> + +<p> +The butterfly became very indignant at this abuse from the mandarin. It refused +to eat its molasses and sulked all the evening, for it had grown to hate the +mandarin almost as much as the mandarin hated children. +</p> + +<p> +When morning came it was still trembling with indignation; but the mandarin +cried out: +</p> + +<p> +“Make haste, miserable slave; for to-day you must change four children +into pigs, to make up for yesterday.” +</p> + +<p> +The butterfly did not reply. His little black eyes were sparkling wickedly, and +no sooner had he dipped his feet into the magic compound than he flew full in +the mandarin’s face, and touched him upon his ugly, flat forehead. +</p> + +<p> +Soon after a gentleman came into the room for his laundry. The mandarin was not +there, but running around the place was a repulsive, scrawny pig, which +squealed most miserably. +</p> + +<p> +The butterfly flew away to a brook and washed from its feet all traces of the +magic compound. When night came it slept in a rose bush. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMERICAN FAIRY TALES ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e47ff6d --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #4357 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4357) diff --git a/old/4357.txt b/old/4357.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c9ce44b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/4357.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4643 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of American Fairy Tales, by L. Frank Baum + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: American Fairy Tales + +Author: L. Frank Baum + +Posting Date: July 26, 2009 [EBook #4357] +Release Date: August, 2003 +First Posted: January 14, 2002 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMERICAN FAIRY TALES *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Aldarondo. HTML version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + + +American Fairy Tales + + +By L. FRANK BAUM + + + +Author of + +FATHER GOOSE; HIS BOOK, +THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, ETC. + + + +CONTENTS + + THE BOX OF ROBBERS + THE GLASS DOG + THE QUEEN OF QUOK + THE GIRL WHO OWNED A BEAR + THE ENCHANTED TYPES + THE LAUGHING HIPPOPOTAMUS + THE MAGIC BON BONS + THE CAPTURE OF FATHER TIME + THE WONDERFUL PUMP + THE DUMMY THAT LIVED + THE KING OF THE POLAR BEARS + THE MANDARIN AND THE BUTTERFLY + + + + +THE BOX OF ROBBERS + + +No one intended to leave Martha alone that afternoon, but it +happened that everyone was called away, for one reason or another. +Mrs. McFarland was attending the weekly card party held by the +Women's Anti-Gambling League. Sister Nell's young man had called +quite unexpectedly to take her for a long drive. Papa was at the +office, as usual. It was Mary Ann's day out. As for Emeline, she +certainly should have stayed in the house and looked after the +little girl; but Emeline had a restless nature. + +"Would you mind, miss, if I just crossed the alley to speak a word +to Mrs. Carleton's girl?" she asked Martha. + +"'Course not," replied the child. "You'd better lock the back door, +though, and take the key, for I shall be upstairs." + +"Oh, I'll do that, of course, miss," said the delighted maid, and +ran away to spend the afternoon with her friend, leaving Martha +quite alone in the big house, and locked in, into the bargain. + +The little girl read a few pages in her new book, sewed a few +stitches in her embroidery and started to "play visiting" with her +four favorite dolls. Then she remembered that in the attic was a +doll's playhouse that hadn't been used for months, so she decided +she would dust it and put it in order. + +Filled with this idea, the girl climbed the winding stairs to the +big room under the roof. It was well lighted by three dormer windows +and was warm and pleasant. Around the walls were rows of boxes and +trunks, piles of old carpeting, pieces of damaged furniture, bundles +of discarded clothing and other odds and ends of more or less value. +Every well-regulated house has an attic of this sort, so I need not +describe it. + +The doll's house had been moved, but after a search Martha found it +away over in a corner near the big chimney. + +She drew it out and noticed that behind it was a black wooden chest +which Uncle Walter had sent over from Italy years and years +ago--before Martha was born, in fact. Mamma had told her about it +one day; how there was no key to it, because Uncle Walter wished it +to remain unopened until he returned home; and how this wandering +uncle, who was a mighty hunter, had gone into Africa to hunt +elephants and had never been heard from afterwards. + +The little girl looked at the chest curiously, now that it had by +accident attracted her attention. + +It was quite big--bigger even than mamma's traveling trunk--and was +studded all over with tarnished brassheaded nails. It was heavy, +too, for when Martha tried to lift one end of it she found she could +not stir it a bit. But there was a place in the side of the cover +for a key. She stooped to examine the lock, and saw that it would +take a rather big key to open it. + +Then, as you may suspect, the little girl longed to open Uncle +Walter's big box and see what was in it. For we are all curious, and +little girls are just as curious as the rest of us. + +"I don't b'lieve Uncle Walter'll ever come back," she thought. "Papa +said once that some elephant must have killed him. If I only had a +key--" She stopped and clapped her little hands together gayly as +she remembered a big basket of keys on the shelf in the linen +closet. They were of all sorts and sizes; perhaps one of them would +unlock the mysterious chest! + +She flew down the stairs, found the basket and returned with it to +the attic. Then she sat down before the brass-studded box and began +trying one key after another in the curious old lock. Some were too +large, but most were too small. One would go into the lock but would +not turn; another stuck so fast that she feared for a time that she +would never get it out again. But at last, when the basket was +almost empty, an oddly-shaped, ancient brass key slipped easily into +the lock. With a cry of joy Martha turned the key with both hands; +then she heard a sharp "click," and the next moment the heavy lid +flew up of its own accord! + +The little girl leaned over the edge of the chest an instant, and +the sight that met her eyes caused her to start back in amazement. + +Slowly and carefully a man unpacked himself from the chest, stepped +out upon the floor, stretched his limbs and then took off his hat +and bowed politely to the astonished child. + +He was tall and thin and his face seemed badly tanned or sunburnt. + +Then another man emerged from the chest, yawning and rubbing his +eyes like a sleepy schoolboy. He was of middle size and his skin +seemed as badly tanned as that of the first. + +While Martha stared open-mouthed at the remarkable sight a third man +crawled from the chest. He had the same complexion as his fellows, +but was short and fat. + +All three were dressed in a curious manner. They wore short jackets +of red velvet braided with gold, and knee breeches of sky-blue satin +with silver buttons. Over their stockings were laced wide ribbons of +red and yellow and blue, while their hats had broad brims with high, +peaked crowns, from which fluttered yards of bright-colored ribbons. + +They had big gold rings in their ears and rows of knives and pistols +in their belts. Their eyes were black and glittering and they wore +long, fierce mustaches, curling at the ends like a pig's tail. + +"My! but you were heavy," exclaimed the fat one, when he had pulled +down his velvet jacket and brushed the dust from his sky-blue +breeches. "And you squeezed me all out of shape." + +"It was unavoidable, Luigi," responded the thin man, lightly; "the +lid of the chest pressed me down upon you. Yet I tender you my +regrets." + +"As for me," said the middle-sized man, carelessly rolling a +cigarette and lighting it, "you must acknowledge I have been your +nearest friend for years; so do not be disagreeable." + +"You mustn't smoke in the attic," said Martha, recovering herself at +sight of the cigarette. "You might set the house on fire." + +The middle-sized man, who had not noticed her before, at this speech +turned to the girl and bowed. + +"Since a lady requests it," said he, "I shall abandon my cigarette," +and he threw it on the floor and extinguished it with his foot. + +"Who are you?" asked Martha, who until now had been too astonished +to be frightened. + +"Permit us to introduce ourselves," said the thin man, flourishing +his hat gracefully. "This is Lugui," the fat man nodded; "and this +is Beni," the middle-sized man bowed; "and I am Victor. We are three +bandits--Italian bandits." + +"Bandits!" cried Martha, with a look of horror. + +"Exactly. Perhaps in all the world there are not three other bandits +so terrible and fierce as ourselves," said Victor, proudly. + +"'Tis so," said the fat man, nodding gravely. + +"But it's wicked!" exclaimed Martha. + +"Yes, indeed," replied Victor. "We are extremely and tremendously +wicked. Perhaps in all the world you could not find three men more +wicked than those who now stand before you." + +"'Tis so," said the fat man, approvingly. + +"But you shouldn't be so wicked," said the girl; +"it's--it's--naughty!" + +Victor cast down his eyes and blushed. + +"Naughty!" gasped Beni, with a horrified look. + +"'Tis a hard word," said Luigi, sadly, and buried his face in his +hands. + +"I little thought," murmured Victor, in a voice broken by emotion, +"ever to be so reviled--and by a lady! Yet, perhaps you spoke +thoughtlessly. You must consider, miss, that our wickedness has an +excuse. For how are we to be bandits, let me ask, unless we are +wicked?" + +Martha was puzzled and shook her head, thoughtfully. Then she +remembered something. + +"You can't remain bandits any longer," said she, "because you are +now in America." + +"America!" cried the three, together. + +"Certainly. You are on Prairie avenue, in Chicago. Uncle Walter sent +you here from Italy in this chest." + +The bandits seemed greatly bewildered by this announcement. Lugui +sat down on an old chair with a broken rocker and wiped his forehead +with a yellow silk handkerchief. Beni and Victor fell back upon the +chest and looked at her with pale faces and staring eyes. + +When he had somewhat recovered himself Victor spoke. + +"Your Uncle Walter has greatly wronged us," he said, reproachfully. +"He has taken us from our beloved Italy, where bandits are highly +respected, and brought us to a strange country where we shall not +know whom to rob or how much to ask for a ransom." + +"'Tis so!" said the fat man, slapping his leg sharply. + +"And we had won such fine reputations in Italy!" said Beni, +regretfully. + +"Perhaps Uncle Walter wanted to reform you," suggested Martha. + +"Are there, then, no bandits in Chicago?" asked Victor. + +"Well," replied the girl, blushing in her turn, "we do not call them +bandits." + +"Then what shall we do for a living?" inquired Beni, despairingly. + +"A great deal can be done in a big American city," said the child. +"My father is a lawyer" (the bandits shuddered), "and my mother's +cousin is a police inspector." + +"Ah," said Victor, "that is a good employment. The police need to be +inspected, especially in Italy." + +"Everywhere!" added Beni. + +"Then you could do other things," continued Martha, encouragingly. +"You could be motor men on trolley cars, or clerks in a department +store. Some people even become aldermen to earn a living." + +The bandits shook their heads sadly. + +"We are not fitted for such work," said Victor. "Our business is to +rob." + +Martha tried to think. + +"It is rather hard to get positions in the gas office," she said, +"but you might become politicians." + +"No!" cried Beni, with sudden fierceness; "we must not abandon our +high calling. Bandits we have always been, and bandits we must +remain!" + +"'Tis so!" agreed the fat man. + +"Even in Chicago there must be people to rob," remarked Victor, with +cheerfulness. + +Martha was distressed. + +"I think they have all been robbed," she objected. + +"Then we can rob the robbers, for we have experience and talent +beyond the ordinary," said Beni. + +"Oh, dear; oh, dear!" moaned the girl; "why did Uncle Walter ever +send you here in this chest?" + +The bandits became interested. + +"That is what we should like to know," declared Victor, eagerly. + +"But no one will ever know, for Uncle Walter was lost while hunting +elephants in Africa," she continued, with conviction. + +"Then we must accept our fate and rob to the best of our ability," +said Victor. "So long as we are faithful to our beloved profession +we need not be ashamed." + +"'Tis so!" cried the fat man. + +"Brothers! we will begin now. Let us rob the house we are in." + +"Good!" shouted the others and sprang to their feet. + +Beni turned threateningly upon the child. + +"Remain here!" he commanded. "If you stir one step your blood will +be on your own head!" Then he added, in a gentler voice: "Don't be +afraid; that's the way all bandits talk to their captives. But of +course we wouldn't hurt a young lady under any circumstances." + +"Of course not," said Victor. + +The fat man drew a big knife from his belt and flourished it about +his head. + +"S'blood!" he ejaculated, fiercely. + +"S'bananas!" cried Beni, in a terrible voice. + +"Confusion to our foes!" hissed Victor. + +And then the three bent themselves nearly double and crept +stealthily down the stairway with cocked pistols in their hands and +glittering knives between their teeth, leaving Martha trembling with +fear and too horrified to even cry for help. + +How long she remained alone in the attic she never knew, but finally +she heard the catlike tread of the returning bandits and saw them +coming up the stairs in single file. + +All bore heavy loads of plunder in their arms, and Lugui was +balancing a mince pie on the top of a pile of her mother's best +evening dresses. Victor came next with an armful of bric-a-brac, a +brass candelabra and the parlor clock. Beni had the family Bible, +the basket of silverware from the sideboard, a copper kettle and +papa's fur overcoat. + +"Oh, joy!" said Victor, putting down his load; "it is pleasant to +rob once more." + +"Oh, ecstacy!" said Beni; but he let the kettle drop on his toe and +immediately began dancing around in anguish, while he muttered queer +words in the Italian language. + +"We have much wealth," continued Victor, holding the mince pie while +Lugui added his spoils to the heap; "and all from one house! This +America must be a rich place." + +With a dagger he then cut himself a piece of the pie and handed the +remainder to his comrades. Whereupon all three sat upon the floor +and consumed the pie while Martha looked on sadly. + +"We should have a cave," remarked Beni; "for we must store our +plunder in a safe place. Can you tell us of a secret cave?" he asked +Martha. + +"There's a Mammoth cave," she answered, "but it's in Kentucky. You +would be obliged to ride on the cars a long time to get there." + +The three bandits looked thoughtful and munched their pie silently, +but the next moment they were startled by the ringing of the +electric doorbell, which was heard plainly even in the remote attic. + +"What's that?" demanded Victor, in a hoarse voice, as the three +scrambled to their feet with drawn daggers. + +Martha ran to the window and saw it was only the postman, who had +dropped a letter in the box and gone away again. But the incident +gave her an idea of how to get rid of her troublesome bandits, so +she began wringing her hands as if in great distress and cried out: + +"It's the police!" + +The robbers looked at one another with genuine alarm, and Lugui +asked, tremblingly: + +"Are there many of them?" + +"A hundred and twelve!" exclaimed Martha, after pretending to count +them. + +"Then we are lost!" declared Beni; "for we could never fight so many +and live." + +"Are they armed?" inquired Victor, who was shivering as if cold. + +"Oh, yes," said she. "They have guns and swords and pistols and axes +and--and--" + +"And what?" demanded Lugui. + +"And cannons!" + +The three wicked ones groaned aloud and Beni said, in a hollow +voice: + +"I hope they will kill us quickly and not put us to the torture. I +have been told these Americans are painted Indians, who are +bloodthirsty and terrible." + +"'Tis so!" gasped the fat man, with a shudder. + +Suddenly Martha turned from the window. + +"You are my friends, are you not?" she asked. + +"We are devoted!" answered Victor. + +"We adore you!" cried Beni. + +"We would die for you!" added Lugui, thinking he was about to die +anyway. + +"Then I will save you," said the girl. + +"How?" asked the three, with one voice. + +"Get back into the chest," she said. "I will then close the lid, so +they will be unable to find you." + +They looked around the room in a dazed and irresolute way, but she +exclaimed: + +"You must be quick! They will soon be here to arrest you." + +Then Lugui sprang into the chest and lay fat upon the bottom. Beni +tumbled in next and packed himself in the back side. Victor followed +after pausing to kiss her hand to the girl in a graceful manner. + +Then Martha ran up to press down the lid, but could not make it +catch. + +"You must squeeze down," she said to them. + +Lugui groaned. + +"I am doing my best, miss," said Victor, who was nearest the top; +"but although we fitted in very nicely before, the chest now seems +rather small for us." + +"'Tis so!" came the muffled voice of the fat man from the bottom. + +"I know what takes up the room," said Beni. + +"What?" inquired Victor, anxiously. + +"The pie," returned Beni. + +"'Tis so!" came from the bottom, in faint accents. + +Then Martha sat upon the lid and pressed it down with all her +weight. To her great delight the lock caught, and, springing down, +she exerted all her strength and turned the key. + +* * * * * + +This story should teach us not to interfere in matters that do not +concern us. For had Martha refrained from opening Uncle Walter's +mysterious chest she would not have been obliged to carry downstairs +all the plunder the robbers had brought into the attic. + + + + +THE GLASS DOG + + +An accomplished wizard once lived on the top floor of a tenement +house and passed his time in thoughtful study and studious thought. +What he didn't know about wizardry was hardly worth knowing, for he +possessed all the books and recipes of all the wizards who had lived +before him; and, moreover, he had invented several wizardments +himself. + +This admirable person would have been completely happy but for the +numerous interruptions to his studies caused by folk who came to +consult him about their troubles (in which he was not interested), +and by the loud knocks of the iceman, the milkman, the baker's boy, +the laundryman and the peanut woman. He never dealt with any of +these people; but they rapped at his door every day to see him about +this or that or to try to sell him their wares. Just when he was +most deeply interested in his books or engaged in watching the +bubbling of a cauldron there would come a knock at his door. And +after sending the intruder away he always found he had lost his +train of thought or ruined his compound. + +At length these interruptions aroused his anger, and he decided he +must have a dog to keep people away from his door. He didn't know +where to find a dog, but in the next room lived a poor glass-blower +with whom he had a slight acquaintance; so he went into the man's +apartment and asked: + +"Where can I find a dog?" + +"What sort of a dog?" inquired the glass-blower. + +"A good dog. One that will bark at people and drive them away. One +that will be no trouble to keep and won't expect to be fed. One that +has no fleas and is neat in his habits. One that will obey me when I +speak to him. In short, a good dog," said the wizard. + +"Such a dog is hard to find," returned the glass-blower, who was +busy making a blue glass flower pot with a pink glass rosebush in +it, having green glass leaves and yellow glass roses. + +The wizard watched him thoughtfully. + +"Why cannot you blow me a dog out of glass?" he asked, presently. + +"I can," declared the glass-blower; "but it would not bark at +people, you know." + +"Oh, I'll fix that easily enough," replied the other. "If I could +not make a glass dog bark I would be a mighty poor wizard." + +"Very well; if you can use a glass dog I'll be pleased to blow one +for you. Only, you must pay for my work." + +"Certainly," agreed the wizard. "But I have none of that horrid +stuff you call money. You must take some of my wares in exchange." + +The glass-blower considered the matter for a moment. + +"Could you give me something to cure my rheumatism?" he asked. + +"Oh, yes; easily." + +"Then it's a bargain. I'll start the dog at once. What color of +glass shall I use?" + +"Pink is a pretty color," said the wizard, "and it's unusual for a +dog, isn't it?" + +"Very," answered the glass-blower; "but it shall be pink." + +So the wizard went back to his studies and the glass-blower began to +make the dog. + +Next morning he entered the wizard's room with the glass dog under +his arm and set it carefully upon the table. It was a beautiful pink +in color, with a fine coat of spun glass, and about its neck was +twisted a blue glass ribbon. Its eyes were specks of black glass and +sparkled intelligently, as do many of the glass eyes worn by men. + +The wizard expressed himself pleased with the glass-blower's skill +and at once handed him a small vial. + +"This will cure your rheumatism," he said. + +"But the vial is empty!" protested the glass-blower. + +"Oh, no; there is one drop of liquid in it," was the wizard's reply. + +"Will one drop cure my rheumatism?" inquired the glass-blower, in +wonder. + +"Most certainly. That is a marvelous remedy. The one drop contained +in the vial will cure instantly any kind of disease ever known to +humanity. Therefore it is especially good for rheumatism. But guard +it well, for it is the only drop of its kind in the world, and I've +forgotten the recipe." + +"Thank you," said the glass-blower, and went back to his room. + +Then the wizard cast a wizzy spell and mumbled several very learned +words in the wizardese language over the glass dog. Whereupon the +little animal first wagged its tail from side to side, then winked +his left eye knowingly, and at last began barking in a most +frightful manner--that is, when you stop to consider the noise came +from a pink glass dog. There is something almost astonishing in the +magic arts of wizards; unless, of course, you know how to do the +things yourself, when you are not expected to be surprised at them. + +The wizard was as delighted as a school teacher at the success of +his spell, although he was not astonished. Immediately he placed the +dog outside his door, where it would bark at anyone who dared knock +and so disturb the studies of its master. + +The glass-blower, on returning to his room, decided not to use the +one drop of wizard cure-all just then. + +"My rheumatism is better to-day," he reflected, "and I will be wise +to save the medicine for a time when I am very ill, when it will be +of more service to me." + +So he placed the vial in his cupboard and went to work blowing more +roses out of glass. Presently he happened to think the medicine +might not keep, so he started to ask the wizard about it. But when +he reached the door the glass dog barked so fiercely that he dared +not knock, and returned in great haste to his own room. Indeed, the +poor man was quite upset at so unfriendly a reception from the dog +he had himself so carefully and skillfully made. + +The next morning, as he read his newspaper, he noticed an article +stating that the beautiful Miss Mydas, the richest young lady in +town, was very ill, and the doctors had given up hope of her +recovery. + +The glass-blower, although miserably poor, hard-working and homely +of feature, was a man of ideas. He suddenly recollected his precious +medicine, and determined to use it to better advantage than +relieving his own ills. He dressed himself in his best clothes, +brushed his hair and combed his whiskers, washed his hands and tied +his necktie, blackened his hoes and sponged his vest, and then put +the vial of magic cure-all in his pocket. Next he locked his door, +went downstairs and walked through the streets to the grand mansion +where the wealthy Miss Mydas resided. + +The butler opened the door and said: + +"No soap, no chromos, no vegetables, no hair oil, no books, no +baking powder. My young lady is dying and we're well supplied for +the funeral." + +The glass-blower was grieved at being taken for a peddler. + +"My friend," he began, proudly; but the butler interrupted him, +saying: + +"No tombstones, either; there's a family graveyard and the +monument's built." + +"The graveyard won't be needed if you will permit me to speak," said +the glass-blower. + +"No doctors, sir; they've given up my young lady, and she's given up +the doctors," continued the butler, calmly. + +"I'm no doctor," returned the glass-blower. + +"Nor are the others. But what is your errand?" + +"I called to cure your young lady by means of a magical compound." + +"Step in, please, and take a seat in the hall. I'll speak to the +housekeeper," said the butler, more politely. + +So he spoke to the housekeeper and the housekeeper mentioned the +matter to the steward and the steward consulted the chef and the +chef kissed the lady's maid and sent her to see the stranger. Thus +are the very wealthy hedged around with ceremony, even when dying. + +When the lady's maid heard from the glass-blower that he had a +medicine which would cure her mistress, she said: + +"I'm glad you came." + +"But," said he, "if I restore your mistress to health she must marry +me." + +"I'll make inquiries and see if she's willing," answered the maid, +and went at once to consult Miss Mydas. + +The young lady did not hesitate an instant. + +"I'd marry any old thing rather than die!" she cried. "Bring him +here at once!" + +So the glass-blower came, poured the magic drop into a little water, +gave it to the patient, and the next minute Miss Mydas was as well +as she had ever been in her life. + +"Dear me!" she exclaimed; "I've an engagement at the Fritters' +reception to-night. Bring my pearl-colored silk, Marie, and I will +begin my toilet at once. And don't forget to cancel the order for +the funeral flowers and your mourning gown." + +"But, Miss Mydas," remonstrated the glass-blower, who stood by, "you +promised to marry me if I cured you." + +"I know," said the young lady, "but we must have time to make proper +announcement in the society papers and have the wedding cards +engraved. Call to-morrow and we'll talk it over." + +The glass-blower had not impressed her favorably as a husband, and +she was glad to find an excuse for getting rid of him for a time. +And she did not want to miss the Fritters' reception. + +Yet the man went home filled with joy; for he thought his stratagem +had succeeded and he was about to marry a rich wife who would keep +him in luxury forever afterward. + +The first thing he did on reaching his room was to smash his +glass-blowing tools and throw them out of the window. + +He then sat down to figure out ways of spending his wife's money. + +The following day he called upon Miss Mydas, who was reading a novel +and eating chocolate creams as happily as if she had never been ill +in her life. + +"Where did you get the magic compound that cured me?" she asked. + +"From a learned wizard," said he; and then, thinking it would +interest her, he told how he had made the glass dog for the wizard, +and how it barked and kept everybody from bothering him. + +"How delightful!" she said. "I've always wanted a glass dog that +could bark." + +"But there is only one in the world," he answered, "and it belongs +to the wizard." + +"You must buy it for me," said the lady. + +"The wizard cares nothing for money," replied the glass-blower. + +"Then you must steal it for me," she retorted. "I can never live +happily another day unless I have a glass dog that can bark." + +The glass-blower was much distressed at this, but said he would see +what he could do. For a man should always try to please his wife, +and Miss Mydas has promised to marry him within a week. + +On his way home he purchased a heavy sack, and when he passed the +wizard's door and the pink glass dog ran out to bark at him he threw +the sack over the dog, tied the opening with a piece of twine, and +carried him away to his own room. + +The next day he sent the sack by a messenger boy to Miss Mydas, with +his compliments, and later in the afternoon he called upon her in +person, feeling quite sure he would be received with gratitude for +stealing the dog she so greatly desired. + +But when he came to the door and the butler opened it, what was his +amazement to see the glass dog rush out and begin barking at him +furiously. + +"Call off your dog," he shouted, in terror. + +"I can't, sir," answered the butler. "My young lady has ordered the +glass dog to bark whenever you call here. You'd better look out, +sir," he added, "for if it bites you, you may have glassophobia!" + +This so frightened the poor glass-blower that he went away +hurriedly. But he stopped at a drug store and put his last dime in +the telephone box so he could talk to Miss Mydas without being +bitten by the dog. + +"Give me Pelf 6742!" he called. + +"Hello! What is it?" said a voice. + +"I want to speak with Miss Mydas," said the glass-blower. + +Presently a sweet voice said: "This is Miss Mydas. What is it?" + +"Why have you treated me so cruelly and set the glass dog on me?" +asked the poor fellow. + +"Well, to tell the truth," said the lady, "I don't like your looks. +Your cheeks are pale and baggy, your hair is coarse and long, your +eyes are small and red, your hands are big and rough, and you are +bow-legged." + +"But I can't help my looks!" pleaded the glass-blower; "and you +really promised to marry me." + +"If you were better looking I'd keep my promise," she returned. "But +under the circumstances you are no fit mate for me, and unless you +keep away from my mansion I shall set my glass dog on you!" Then she +dropped the 'phone and would have nothing more to say. + +The miserable glass-blower went home with a heart bursting with +disappointment and began tying a rope to the bedpost by which to +hang himself. + +Some one knocked at the door, and, upon opening it, he saw the +wizard. + +"I've lost my dog," he announced. + +"Have you, indeed?" replied the glass-blower tying a knot in the +rope. + +"Yes; some one has stolen him." + +"That's too bad," declared the glass-blower, indifferently. + +"You must make me another," said the wizard. + +"But I cannot; I've thrown away my tools." + +"Then what shall I do?" asked the wizard. + +"I do not know, unless you offer a reward for the dog." + +"But I have no money," said the wizard. + +"Offer some of your compounds, then," suggested the glass-blower, +who was making a noose in the rope for his head to go through. + +"The only thing I can spare," replied the wizard, thoughtfully, "is +a Beauty Powder." + +"What!" cried the glass-blower, throwing down the rope, "have you +really such a thing?" + +"Yes, indeed. Whoever takes the powder will become the most +beautiful person in the world." + +"If you will offer that as a reward," said the glass-blower, +eagerly, "I'll try to find the dog for you, for above everything +else I long to be beautiful." + +"But I warn you the beauty will only be skin deep," said the wizard. + +"That's all right," replied the happy glass-blower; "when I lose my +skin I shan't care to remain beautiful." + +"Then tell me where to find my dog and you shall have the powder," +promised the wizard. + +So the glass-blower went out and pretended to search, and by-and-by +he returned and said: + +"I've discovered the dog. You will find him in the mansion of Miss +Mydas." + +The wizard went at once to see if this were true, and, sure enough, +the glass dog ran out and began barking at him. Then the wizard +spread out his hands and chanted a magic spell which sent the dog +fast asleep, when he picked him up and carried him to his own room +on the top floor of the tenement house. + +Afterward he carried the Beauty Powder to the glass-blower as a +reward, and the fellow immediately swallowed it and became the most +beautiful man in the world. + +The next time he called upon Miss Mydas there was no dog to bark at +him, and when the young lady saw him she fell in love with his +beauty at once. + +"If only you were a count or a prince," she sighed, "I'd willingly +marry you." + +"But I am a prince," he answered; "the Prince of Dogblowers." + +"Ah!" said she; "then if you are willing to accept an allowance of +four dollars a week I'll order the wedding cards engraved." + +The man hesitated, but when he thought of the rope hanging from his +bedpost he consented to the terms. + +So they were married, and the bride was very jealous of her +husband's beauty and led him a dog's life. So he managed to get into +debt and made her miserable in turn. + +* * * * * + +As for the glass dog, the wizard set him barking again by means of +his wizardness and put him outside his door. I suppose he is there +yet, and am rather sorry, for I should like to consult the wizard +about the moral to this story. + + + + +THE QUEEN OF QUOK + + +A king once died, as kings are apt to do, being as liable to +shortness of breath as other mortals. + +It was high time this king abandoned his earth life, for he had +lived in a sadly extravagant manner, and his subjects could spare +him without the slightest inconvenience. + +His father had left him a full treasury, both money and jewels being +in abundance. But the foolish king just deceased had squandered +every penny in riotous living. He had then taxed his subjects until +most of them became paupers, and this money vanished in more riotous +living. Next he sold all the grand old furniture in the palace; all +the silver and gold plate and bric-a-brac; all the rich carpets and +furnishings and even his own kingly wardrobe, reserving only a +soiled and moth-eaten ermine robe to fold over his threadbare +raiment. And he spent the money in further riotous living. + +Don't ask me to explain what riotous living is. I only know, from +hearsay, that it is an excellent way to get rid of money. And so +this spendthrift king found it. + +He now picked all the magnificent jewels from this kingly crown and +from the round ball on the top of his scepter, and sold them and +spent the money. Riotous living, of course. But at last he was at +the end of his resources. He couldn't sell the crown itself, because +no one but the king had the right to wear it. Neither could he sell +the royal palace, because only the king had the right to live there. + +So, finally, he found himself reduced to a bare palace, containing +only a big mahogany bedstead that he slept in, a small stool on +which he sat to pull off his shoes and the moth-eaten ermine robe. + +In this straight he was reduced to the necessity of borrowing an +occasional dime from his chief counselor, with which to buy a ham +sandwich. And the chief counselor hadn't many dimes. One who +counseled his king so foolishly was likely to ruin his own prospects +as well. + +So the king, having nothing more to live for, died suddenly and left +a ten-year-old son to inherit the dismantled kingdom, the moth-eaten +robe and the jewel-stripped crown. + +No one envied the child, who had scarcely been thought of until he +became king himself. Then he was recognized as a personage of some +importance, and the politicians and hangers-on, headed by the chief +counselor of the kingdom, held a meeting to determine what could be +done for him. + +These folk had helped the old king to live riotously while his money +lasted, and now they were poor and too proud to work. So they tried +to think of a plan that would bring more money into the little +king's treasury, where it would be handy for them to help +themselves. + +After the meeting was over the chief counselor came to the young +king, who was playing peg-top in the courtyard, and said: + +"Your majesty, we have thought of a way to restore your kingdom to +its former power and magnificence." + +"All right," replied his majesty, carelessly. "How will you do it?" + +"By marrying you to a lady of great wealth," replied the counselor. + +"Marrying me!" cried the king. "Why, I am only ten years old!" + +"I know; it is to be regretted. But your majesty will grow older, +and the affairs of the kingdom demand that you marry a wife." + +"Can't I marry a mother, instead?" asked the poor little king, who +had lost his mother when a baby. + +"Certainly not," declared the counselor. "To marry a mother would be +illegal; to marry a wife is right and proper." + +"Can't you marry her yourself?" inquired his majesty, aiming his +peg-top at the chief counselor's toe, and laughing to see how he +jumped to escape it. + +"Let me explain," said the other. "You haven't a penny in the world, +but you have a kingdom. There are many rich women who would be glad +to give their wealth in exchange for a queen's coronet--even if the +king is but a child. So we have decided to advertise that the one +who bids the highest shall become the queen of Quok." + +"If I must marry at all," said the king, after a moment's thought, +"I prefer to marry Nyana, the armorer's daughter." + +"She is too poor," replied the counselor. + +"Her teeth are pearls, her eyes are amethysts, and her hair is +gold," declared the little king. + +"True, your majesty. But consider that your wife's wealth must be +used. How would Nyana look after you have pulled her teeth of +pearls, plucked out her amethyst eyes and shaved her golden head?" + +The boy shuddered. + +"Have your own way," he said, despairingly. "Only let the lady be as +dainty as possible and a good playfellow." + +"We shall do our best," returned the chief counselor, and went away +to advertise throughout the neighboring kingdoms for a wife for the +boy king of Quok. + +There were so many applicants for the privilege of marrying the +little king that it was decided to put him up at auction, in order +that the largest possible sum of money should be brought into the +kingdom. So, on the day appointed, the ladies gathered at the palace +from all the surrounding kingdoms--from Bilkon, Mulgravia, Junkum +and even as far away as the republic of Macvelt. + +The chief counselor came to the palace early in the morning and had +the king's face washed and his hair combed; and then he padded the +inside of the crown with old newspapers to make it small enough to +fit his majesty's head. It was a sorry looking crown, having many +big and little holes in it where the jewels had once been; and it +had been neglected and knocked around until it was quite battered +and tarnished. Yet, as the counselor said, it was the king's crown, +and it was quite proper he should wear it on the solemn occasion of +his auction. + +Like all boys, be they kings or paupers, his majesty had torn and +soiled his one suit of clothes, so that they were hardly +presentable; and there was no money to buy new ones. Therefore the +counselor wound the old ermine robe around the king and sat him upon +the stool in the middle of the otherwise empty audience chamber. + +And around him stood all the courtiers and politicians and +hangers-on of the kingdom, consisting of such people as were too +proud or lazy to work for a living. There was a great number of +them, you may be sure, and they made an imposing appearance. + +Then the doors of the audience chamber were thrown open, and the +wealthy ladies who aspired to being queen of Quok came trooping in. +The king looked them over with much anxiety, and decided they were +each and all old enough to be his grandmother, and ugly enough to +scare away the crows from the royal cornfields. After which he lost +interest in them. + +But the rich ladies never looked at the poor little king squatting +upon his stool. They gathered at once about the chief counselor, who +acted as auctioneer. + +"How much am I offered for the coronet of the queen of Quok?" asked +the counselor, in a loud voice. + +"Where is the coronet?" inquired a fussy old lady who had just +buried her ninth husband and was worth several millions. + +"There isn't any coronet at present," explained the chief counselor, +"but whoever bids highest will have the right to wear one, and she +can then buy it." + +"Oh," said the fussy old lady, "I see." Then she added: "I'll bid +fourteen dollars." + +"Fourteen thousand dollars!" cried a sour-looking woman who was thin +and tall and had wrinkles all over her skin--"like a frosted apple," +the king thought. + +The bidding now became fast and furious, and the poverty-stricken +courtiers brightened up as the sum began to mount into the millions. + +"He'll bring us a very pretty fortune, after all," whispered one to +his comrade, "and then we shall have the pleasure of helping him +spend it." + +The king began to be anxious. All the women who looked at all +kind-hearted or pleasant had stopped bidding for lack of money, and +the slender old dame with the wrinkles seemed determined to get the +coronet at any price, and with it the boy husband. This ancient +creature finally became so excited that her wig got crosswise of her +head and her false teeth kept slipping out, which horrified the +little king greatly; but she would not give up. + +At last the chief counselor ended the auction by crying out: + +"Sold to Mary Ann Brodjinsky de la Porkus for three million, nine +hundred thousand, six hundred and twenty-four dollars and sixteen +cents!" And the sour-looking old woman paid the money in cash and on +the spot, which proves this is a fairy story. + +The king was so disturbed at the thought that he must marry this +hideous creature that he began to wail and weep; whereupon the woman +boxed his ears soundly. But the counselor reproved her for punishing +her future husband in public, saying: + +"You are not married yet. Wait until to-morrow, after the wedding +takes place. Then you can abuse him as much as you wish. But at +present we prefer to have people think this is a love match." + +The poor king slept but little that night, so filled was he with +terror of his future wife. Nor could he get the idea out of his head +that he preferred to marry the armorer's daughter, who was about his +own age. He tossed and tumbled around upon his hard bed until the +moonlight came in at the window and lay like a great white sheet +upon the bare floor. Finally, in turning over for the hundredth +time, his hand struck against a secret spring in the headboard of +the big mahogany bedstead, and at once, with a sharp click, a panel +flew open. + +The noise caused the king to look up, and, seeing the open panel, he +stood upon tiptoe, and, reaching within, drew out a folded paper. It +had several leaves fastened together like a book, and upon the first +page was written: + + "When the king is in trouble + This leaf he must double + And set it on fire + To obtain his desire." + +This was not very good poetry, but when the king had spelled it out +in the moonlight he was filled with joy. + +"There's no doubt about my being in trouble," he exclaimed; "so I'll +burn it at once, and see what happens." + +He tore off the leaf and put the rest of the book in its secret +hiding place. Then, folding the paper double, he placed it on the +top of his stool, lighted a match and set fire to it. + +It made a horrid smudge for so small a paper, and the king sat on +the edge of the bed and watched it eagerly. + +When the smoke cleared away he was surprised to see, sitting upon +the stool, a round little man, who, with folded arms and crossed +legs, sat calmly facing the king and smoking a black briarwood pipe. + +"Well, here I am," said he. + +"So I see," replied the little king. "But how did you get here?" + +"Didn't you burn the paper?" demanded the round man, by way of +answer. + +"Yes, I did," acknowledged the king. + +"Then you are in trouble, and I've come to help you out of it. I'm +the Slave of the Royal Bedstead." + +"Oh!" said the king. "I didn't know there was one." + +"Neither did your father, or he would not have been so foolish as to +sell everything he had for money. By the way, it's lucky for you he +did not sell this bedstead. Now, then, what do you want?" + +"I'm not sure what I want," replied the king; "but I know what I +don't want, and that is the old woman who is going to marry me." + +"That's easy enough," said the Slave of the Royal Bedstead. "All you +need do is to return her the money she paid the chief counselor and +declare the match off. Don't be afraid. You are the king, and your +word is law." + +"To be sure," said the majesty. "But I am in great need of money. +How am I going to live if the chief counselor returns to Mary Ann +Brodjinski her millions?" + +"Phoo! that's easy enough," again answered the man, and, putting his +hand in his pocket, he drew out and tossed to the king an +old-fashioned leather purse. "Keep that with you," said he, "and you +will always be rich, for you can take out of the purse as many +twenty-five-cent silver pieces as you wish, one at a time. No matter +how often you take one out, another will instantly appear in its +place within the purse." + +"Thank you," said the king, gratefully. "You have rendered me a rare +favor; for now I shall have money for all my needs and will not be +obliged to marry anyone. Thank you a thousand times!" + +"Don't mention it," answered the other, puffing his pipe slowly and +watching the smoke curl into the moonlight. "Such things are easy to +me. Is that all you want?" + +"All I can think of just now," returned the king. + +"Then, please close that secret panel in the bedstead," said the +man; "the other leaves of the book may be of use to you some time." + +The boy stood upon the bed as before and, reaching up, closed the +opening so that no one else could discover it. Then he turned to +face his visitor, but the Slave of the Royal Bedstead had +disappeared. + +"I expected that," said his majesty; "yet I am sorry he did not wait +to say good-by." + +With a lightened heart and a sense of great relief the boy king +placed the leathern purse underneath his pillow, and climbing into +bed again slept soundly until morning. + +When the sun rose his majesty rose also, refreshed and comforted, +and the first thing he did was to send for the chief counselor. + +That mighty personage arrived looking glum and unhappy, but the boy +was too full of his own good fortune to notice it. Said he: + +"I have decided not to marry anyone, for I have just come into a +fortune of my own. Therefore I command you return to that old woman +the money she has paid you for the right to wear the coronet of the +queen of Quok. And make public declaration that the wedding will not +take place." + +Hearing this the counselor began to tremble, for he saw the young +king had decided to reign in earnest; and he looked so guilty that +his majesty inquired: + +"Well! what is the matter now?" + +"Sire," replied the wretch, in a shaking voice, "I cannot return the +woman her money, for I have lost it!" + +"Lost it!" cried the king, in mingled astonishment and anger. + +"Even so, your majesty. On my way home from the auction last night I +stopped at the drug store to get some potash lozenges for my throat, +which was dry and hoarse with so much loud talking; and your majesty +will admit it was through my efforts the woman was induced to pay so +great a price. Well, going into the drug store I carelessly left the +package of money lying on the seat of my carriage, and when I came +out again it was gone. Nor was the thief anywhere to be seen." + +"Did you call the police?" asked the king. + +"Yes, I called; but they were all on the next block, and although +they have promised to search for the robber I have little hope they +will ever find him." + +The king sighed. + +"What shall we do now?" he asked. + +"I fear you must marry Mary Ann Brodjinski," answered the chief +counselor; "unless, indeed, you order the executioner to cut her +head off." + +"That would be wrong," declared the king. "The woman must not be +harmed. And it is just that we return her money, for I will not +marry her under any circumstances." + +"Is that private fortune you mentioned large enough to repay her?" +asked the counselor. + +"Why, yes," said the king, thoughtfully, "but it will take some time +to do it, and that shall be your task. Call the woman here." + +The counselor went in search of Mary Ann, who, when she heard she +was not to become a queen, but would receive her money back, flew +into a violent passion and boxed the chief counselor's ears so +viciously that they stung for nearly an hour. But she followed him +into the king's audience chamber, where she demanded her money in a +loud voice, claiming as well the interest due upon it over night. + +"The counselor has lost your money," said the boy king, "but he +shall pay you every penny out of my own private purse. I fear, +however, you will be obliged to take it in small change." + +"That will not matter," she said, scowling upon the counselor as if +she longed to reach his ears again; "I don't care how small the +change is so long as I get every penny that belongs to me, and the +interest. Where is it?" + +"Here," answered the king, handing the counselor the leathern purse. +"It is all in silver quarters, and they must be taken from the purse +one at a time; but there will be plenty to pay your demands, and to +spare." + +So, there being no chairs, the counselor sat down upon the floor in +one corner and began counting out silver twenty-five-cent pieces +from the purse, one by one. And the old woman sat upon the floor +opposite him and took each piece of money from his hand. + +It was a large sum: three million, nine hundred thousand, six +hundred and twenty-four dollars and sixteen cents. And it takes four +times as many twenty-five-cent pieces as it would dollars to make up +the amount. + +The king left them sitting there and went to school, and often +thereafter he came to the counselor and interrupted him long enough +to get from the purse what money he needed to reign in a proper and +dignified manner. This somewhat delayed the counting, but as it was +a long job, anyway, that did not matter much. + +The king grew to manhood and married the pretty daughter of the +armorer, and they now have two lovely children of their own. Once in +awhile they go into the big audience chamber of the palace and let +the little ones watch the aged, hoary-headed counselor count out +silver twenty-five-cent pieces to a withered old woman, who watched +his every movement to see that he does not cheat her. + +It is a big sum, three million, nine hundred thousand, six hundred +and twenty-four dollars and sixteen cents in twenty-five-cent +pieces. + +But this is how the counselor was punished for being so careless +with the woman's money. And this is how Mary Ann Brodjinski de la +Porkus was also punished for wishing to marry a ten-year-old king in +order that she might wear the coronet of the queen of Quok. + + + + +THE GIRL WHO OWNED A BEAR + + +Mamma had gone down-town to shop. She had asked Nora to look after +Jane Gladys, and Nora promised she would. But it was her afternoon +for polishing the silver, so she stayed in the pantry and left Jane +Gladys to amuse herself alone in the big sitting-room upstairs. + +The little girl did not mind being alone, for she was working on her +first piece of embroidery--a sofa pillow for papa's birthday +present. So she crept into the big bay window and curled herself up +on the broad sill while she bent her brown head over her work. + +Soon the door opened and closed again, quietly. Jane Gladys thought +it was Nora, so she didn't look up until she had taken a couple more +stitches on a forget-me-not. Then she raised her eyes and was +astonished to find a strange man in the middle of the room, who +regarded her earnestly. + +He was short and fat, and seemed to be breathing heavily from his +climb up the stairs. He held a work silk hat in one hand and +underneath his other elbow was tucked a good-sized book. He was +dressed in a black suit that looked old and rather shabby, and his +head was bald upon the top. + +"Excuse me," he said, while the child gazed at him in solemn +surprise. "Are you Jane Gladys Brown?" + +"Yes, sir," she answered. + +"Very good; very good, indeed!" he remarked, with a queer sort of +smile. "I've had quite a hunt to find you, but I've succeeded at +last." + +"How did you get in?" inquired Jane Gladys, with a growing distrust +of her visitor. + +"That is a secret," he said, mysteriously. + +This was enough to put the girl on her guard. She looked at the man +and the man looked at her, and both looks were grave and somewhat +anxious. + +"What do you want?" she asked, straightening herself up with a +dignified air. + +"Ah!--now we are coming to business," said the man, briskly. "I'm +going to be quite frank with you. To begin with, your father has +abused me in a most ungentlemanly manner." + +Jane Gladys got off the window sill and pointed her small finger at +the door. + +"Leave this room 'meejitly!" she cried, her voice trembling with +indignation. "My papa is the best man in the world. He never 'bused +anybody!" + +"Allow me to explain, please," said the visitor, without paying any +attention to her request to go away. "Your father may be very kind +to you, for you are his little girl, you know. But when he's +down-town in his office he's inclined to be rather severe, +especially on book agents. Now, I called on him the other day and +asked him to buy the 'Complete Works of Peter Smith,' and what do +you suppose he did?" + +She said nothing. + +"Why," continued the man, with growing excitement, "he ordered me +from his office, and had me put out of the building by the janitor! +What do you think of such treatment as that from the 'best papa in +the world,' eh?" + +"I think he was quite right," said Jane Gladys. + +"Oh, you do? Well," said the man, "I resolved to be revenged for the +insult. So, as your father is big and strong and a dangerous man, I +have decided to be revenged upon his little girl." + +Jane Gladys shivered. + +"What are you going to do?" she asked. + +"I'm going to present you with this book," he answered, taking it +from under his arm. Then he sat down on the edge of a chair, placed +his hat on the rug and drew a fountain pen from his vest pocket. + +"I'll write your name in it," said he. "How do you spell Gladys?" + +"G-l-a-d-y-s," she replied. + +"Thank you. Now this," he continued, rising and handing her the book +with a bow, "is my revenge for your father's treatment of me. +Perhaps he'll be sorry he didn't buy the 'Complete Works of Peter +Smith.' Good-by, my dear." + +He walked to the door, gave her another bow, and left the room, and +Jane Gladys could see that he was laughing to himself as if very +much amused. + +When the door had closed behind the queer little man the child sat +down in the window again and glanced at the book. It had a red and +yellow cover and the word "Thingamajigs" was across the front in big +letters. + +Then she opened it, curiously, and saw her name written in black +letters upon the first white leaf. + +"He was a funny little man," she said to herself, thoughtfully. + +She turned the next leaf, and saw a big picture of a clown, dressed +in green and red and yellow, and having a very white face with +three-cornered spots of red on each cheek and over the eyes. While +she looked at this the book trembled in her hands, the leaf crackled +and creaked and suddenly the clown jumped out of it and stood upon +the floor beside her, becoming instantly as big as any ordinary +clown. + +After stretching his arms and legs and yawning in a rather impolite +manner, he gave a silly chuckle and said: + +"This is better! You don't know how cramped one gets, standing so +long upon a page of flat paper." + +Perhaps you can imagine how startled Jane Gladys was, and how she +stared at the clown who had just leaped out of the book. + +"You didn't expect anything of this sort, did you?" he asked, +leering at her in clown fashion. Then he turned around to take a +look at the room and Jane Gladys laughed in spite of her +astonishment. + +"What amuses you?" demanded the clown. + +"Why, the back of you is all white!" cried the girl. "You're only a +clown in front of you." + +"Quite likely," he returned, in an annoyed tone. "The artist made a +front view of me. He wasn't expected to make the back of me, for +that was against the page of the book." + +"But it makes you look so funny!" said Jane Gladys, laughing until +her eyes were moist with tears. + +The clown looked sulky and sat down upon a chair so she couldn't see +his back. + +"I'm not the only thing in the book," he remarked, crossly. + +This reminded her to turn another page, and she had scarcely noted +that it contained the picture of a monkey when the animal sprang +from the book with a great crumpling of paper and landed upon the +window seat beside her. + +"He-he-he-he-he!" chattered the creature, springing to the girl's +shoulder and then to the center table. "This is great fun! Now I can +be a real monkey instead of a picture of one." + +"Real monkeys can't talk," said Jane Gladys, reprovingly. + +"How do you know? Have you ever been one yourself?" inquired the +animal; and then he laughed loudly, and the clown laughed, too, as +if he enjoyed the remark. + +The girl was quite bewildered by this time. She thoughtlessly turned +another leaf, and before she had time to look twice a gray donkey +leaped from the book and stumbled from the window seat to the floor +with a great clatter. + +"You're clumsy enough, I'm sure!" said the child, indignantly, for +the beast had nearly upset her. + +"Clumsy! And why not?" demanded the donkey, with angry voice. "If +the fool artist had drawn you out of perspective, as he did me, I +guess you'd be clumsy yourself." + +"What's wrong with you?" asked Jane Gladys. + +"My front and rear legs on the left side are nearly six inches too +short, that's what's the matter! If that artist didn't know how to +draw properly why did he try to make a donkey at all?" + +"I don't know," replied the child, seeing an answer was expected. + +"I can hardly stand up," grumbled the donkey; "and the least little +thing will topple me over." + +"Don't mind that," said the monkey, making a spring at the +chandelier and swinging from it by his tail until Jane Gladys feared +he would knock all the globes off; "the same artist has made my ears +as big as that clown's and everyone knows a monkey hasn't any ears +to speak of--much less to draw." + +"He should be prosecuted," remarked the clown, gloomily. "I haven't +any back." + +Jane Gladys looked from one to the other with a puzzled expression +upon her sweet face, and turned another page of the book. + +Swift as a flash there sprang over her shoulder a tawney, spotted +leopard, which landed upon the back of a big leather armchair and +turned upon the others with a fierce movement. + +The monkey climbed to the top of the chandelier and chattered with +fright. The donkey tried to run and straightway tipped over on his +left side. The clown grew paler than ever, but he sat still in his +chair and gave a low whistle of surprise. + +The leopard crouched upon the back of the chair, lashed his tail +from side to side and glared at all of them, by turns, including +Jane Gladys. + +"Which of us are you going to attack first?" asked the donkey, +trying hard to get upon his feet again. + +"I can't attack any of you," snarled the leopard. "The artist made +my mouth shut, so I haven't any teeth; and he forgot to make my +claws. But I'm a frightful looking creature, nevertheless; am I +not?" + +"Oh, yes;" said the clown, indifferently. "I suppose you're +frightful looking enough. But if you have no teeth nor claws we +don't mind your looks at all." + +This so annoyed the leopard that he growled horribly, and the monkey +laughed at him. + +Just then the book slipped from the girl's lap, and as she made a +movement to catch it one of the pages near the back opened wide. She +caught a glimpse of a fierce grizzly bear looking at her from the +page, and quickly threw the book from her. It fell with a crash in +the middle of the room, but beside it stood the great grizzly, who +had wrenched himself from the page before the book closed. + +"Now," cried the leopard from his perch, "you'd better look out for +yourselves! You can't laugh at him as you did at me. The bear has +both claws and teeth." + +"Indeed I have," said the bear, in a low, deep, growling voice. "And +I know how to use them, too. If you read in that book you'll find +I'm described as a horrible, cruel and remorseless grizzly, whose +only business in life is to eat up little girls--shoes, dresses, +ribbons and all! And then, the author says, I smack my lips and +glory in my wickedness." + +"That's awful!" said the donkey, sitting upon his haunches and +shaking his head sadly. "What do you suppose possessed the author to +make you so hungry for girls? Do you eat animals, also?" + +"The author does not mention my eating anything but little girls," +replied the bear. + +"Very good," remarked the clown, drawing a long breath of relief. +"you may begin eating Jane Gladys as soon as you wish. She laughed +because I had no back." + +"And she laughed because my legs are out of perspective," brayed the +donkey. + +"But you also deserve to be eaten," screamed the leopard from the +back of the leather chair; "for you laughed and poked fun at me +because I had no claws nor teeth! Don't you suppose Mr. Grizzly, you +could manage to eat a clown, a donkey and a monkey after you finish +the girl?" + +"Perhaps so, and a leopard into the bargain," growled the bear. "It +will depend on how hungry I am. But I must begin on the little girl +first, because the author says I prefer girls to anything." + +Jane Gladys was much frightened on hearing this conversation, and +she began to realize what the man meant when he said he gave her the +book to be revenged. Surely papa would be sorry he hadn't bought the +"Complete Works of Peter Smith" when he came home and found his +little girl eaten up by a grizzly bear--shoes, dress, ribbons and +all! + +The bear stood up and balanced himself on his rear legs. + +"This is the way I look in the book," he said. "Now watch me eat the +little girl." + +He advanced slowly toward Jane Gladys, and the monkey, the leopard, +the donkey and the clown all stood around in a circle and watched +the bear with much interest. + +But before the grizzly reached her the child had a sudden thought, +and cried out: + +"Stop! You mustn't eat me. It would be wrong." + +"Why?" asked the bear, in surprise. + +"Because I own you. You're my private property," she answered. + +"I don't see how you make that out," said the bear, in a +disappointed tone. + +"Why, the book was given to me; my name's on the front leaf. And you +belong, by rights, in the book. So you mustn't dare to eat your +owner!" + +The Grizzly hesitated. + +"Can any of you read?" he asked. + +"I can," said the clown. + +"Then see if she speaks the truth. Is her name really in the book?" + +The clown picked it up and looked at the name. + +"It is," said he. "'Jane Gladys Brown;' and written quite plainly in +big letters." + +The bear sighed. + +"Then, of course, I can't eat her," he decided. "That author is as +disappointing as most authors are." + +"But he's not as bad as the artist," exclaimed the donkey, who was +still trying to stand up straight. + +"The fault lies with yourselves," said Jane Gladys, severely. "Why +didn't you stay in the book, where you were put?" + +The animals looked at each other in a foolish way, and the clown +blushed under his white paint. + +"Really--" began the bear, and then he stopped short. + +The door bell rang loudly. + +"It's mamma!" cried Jane Gladys, springing to her feet. "She's come +home at last. Now, you stupid creatures--" + +But she was interrupted by them all making a rush for the book. +There was a swish and a whirr and a rustling of leaves, and an +instant later the book lay upon the floor looking just like any +other book, while Jane Gladys' strange companions had all +disappeared. + +* * * * * + +This story should teach us to think quickly and clearly upon all +occasions; for had Jane Gladys not remembered that she owned the +bear he probably would have eaten her before the bell rang. + + + + +THE ENCHANTED TYPES + + +One time a knook became tired of his beautiful life and longed for +something new to do. The knooks have more wonderful powers than any +other immortal folk--except, perhaps, the fairies and ryls. So one +would suppose that a knook who might gain anything he desired by a +simple wish could not be otherwise than happy and contented. But +such was not the case with Popopo, the knook we are speaking of. He +had lived thousands of years, and had enjoyed all the wonders he +could think of. Yet life had become as tedious to him now as it +might be to one who was unable to gratify a single wish. + +Finally, by chance, Popopo thought of the earth people who dwell in +cities, and so he resolved to visit them and see how they lived. +This would surely be fine amusement, and serve to pass away many +wearisome hours. + +Therefore one morning, after a breakfast so dainty that you could +scarcely imagine it, Popopo set out for the earth and at once was in +the midst of a big city. + +His own dwelling was so quiet and peaceful that the roaring noise of +the town startled him. His nerves were so shocked that before he had +looked around three minutes he decided to give up the adventure, and +instantly returned home. + +This satisfied for a time his desire to visit the earth cities, but +soon the monotony of his existence again made him restless and gave +him another thought. At night the people slept and the cities would +be quiet. He would visit them at night. + +So at the proper time Popopo transported himself in a jiffy to a +great city, where he began wandering about the streets. Everyone was +in bed. No wagons rattled along the pavements; no throngs of busy +men shouted and halloaed. Even the policemen slumbered slyly and +there happened to be no prowling thieves abroad. + +His nerves being soothed by the stillness, Popopo began to enjoy +himself. He entered many of the houses and examined their rooms with +much curiosity. Locks and bolts made no difference to a knook, and +he saw as well in darkness as in daylight. + +After a time he strolled into the business portion of the city. +Stores are unknown among the immortals, who have no need of money or +of barter and exchange; so Popopo was greatly interested by the +novel sight of so many collections of goods and merchandise. + +During his wanderings he entered a millinery shop, and was surprised +to see within a large glass case a great number of women's hats, +each bearing in one position or another a stuffed bird. Indeed, some +of the most elaborate hats had two or three birds upon them. + +Now knooks are the especial guardians of birds, and love them +dearly. To see so many of his little friends shut up in a glass case +annoyed and grieved Popopo, who had no idea they had purposely been +placed upon the hats by the milliner. So he slid back one of the +doors of the case, gave the little chirruping whistle of the knooks +that all birds know well, and called: + +"Come, friends; the door is open--fly out!" + +Popopo did not know the birds were stuffed; but, stuffed or not, +every bird is bound to obey a knook's whistle and a knook's call. So +they left the hats, flew out of the case and began fluttering about +the room. + +"Poor dears!" said the kind-hearted knook, "you long to be in the +fields and forests again." + +Then he opened the outer door for them and cried: "Off with you! Fly +away, my beauties, and be happy again." + +The astonished birds at once obeyed, and when they had soared away +into the night air the knook closed the door and continued his +wandering through the streets. + +By dawn he saw many interesting sights, but day broke before he had +finished the city, and he resolved to come the next evening a few +hours earlier. + +As soon as it was dark the following day he came again to the city +and on passing the millinery shop noticed a light within. Entering +he found two women, one of whom leaned her head upon the table and +sobbed bitterly, while the other strove to comfort her. + +Of course Popopo was invisible to mortal eyes, so he stood by and +listened to their conversation. + +"Cheer up, sister," said one. "Even though your pretty birds have +all been stolen the hats themselves remain." + +"Alas!" cried the other, who was the milliner, "no one will buy my +hats partly trimmed, for the fashion is to wear birds upon them. And +if I cannot sell my goods I shall be utterly ruined." + +Then she renewed her sobbing and the knook stole away, feeling a +little ashamed to realized that in his love for the birds he had +unconsciously wronged one of the earth people and made her unhappy. + +This thought brought him back to the millinery shop later in the +night, when the two women had gone home. He wanted, in some way, to +replace the birds upon the hats, that the poor woman might be happy +again. So he searched until he came upon a nearby cellar full of +little gray mice, who lived quite undisturbed and gained a +livelihood by gnawing through the walls into neighboring houses and +stealing food from the pantries. + +"Here are just the creatures," thought Popopo, "to place upon the +woman's hats. Their fur is almost as soft as the plumage of the +birds, and it strikes me the mice are remarkably pretty and graceful +animals. Moreover, they now pass their lives in stealing, and were +they obliged to remain always upon women's hats their morals would +be much improved." + +So he exercised a charm that drew all the mice from the cellar and +placed them upon the hats in the glass case, where they occupied the +places the birds had vacated and looked very becoming--at least, in +the eyes of the unworldly knook. To prevent their running about and +leaving the hats Popopo rendered them motionless, and then he was so +pleased with his work that he decided to remain in the shop and +witness the delight of the milliner when she saw how daintily her +hats were now trimmed. + +She came in the early morning, accompanied by her sister, and her +face wore a sad and resigned expression. After sweeping and dusting +the shop and drawing the blinds she opened the glass case and took +out a hat. + +But when she saw a tiny gray mouse nestling among the ribbons and +laces she gave a loud shriek, and, dropping the hat, sprang with one +bound to the top of the table. The sister, knowing the shriek to be +one of fear, leaped upon a chair and exclaimed: + +"What is it? Oh! what is it?" + +"A mouse!" gasped the milliner, trembling with terror. + +Popopo, seeing this commotion, now realized that mice are especially +disagreeable to human beings, and that he had made a grave mistake +in placing them upon the hats; so he gave a low whistle of command +that was heard only by the mice. + +Instantly they all jumped from the hats, dashed out the open door +of the glass case and scampered away to their cellar. But this +action so frightened the milliner and her sister that after giving +several loud screams they fell upon their backs on the floor and +fainted away. + +Popopo was a kind-hearted knook, but on witnessing all this misery, +caused by his own ignorance of the ways of humans, he straightway +wished himself at home, and so left the poor women to recover as +best they could. + +Yet he could not escape a sad feeling of responsibility, and after +thinking upon the matter he decided that since he had caused the +milliner's unhappiness by freeing the birds, he could set the matter +right by restoring them to the glass case. He loved the birds, and +disliked to condemn them to slavery again; but that seemed the only +way to end the trouble. + +So he set off to find the birds. They had flown a long distance, but +it was nothing to Popopo to reach them in a second, and he +discovered them sitting upon the branches of a big chestnut tree and +singing gayly. + +When they saw the knook the birds cried: + +"Thank you, Popopo. Thank you for setting us free." + +"Do not thank me," returned the knook, "for I have come to send you +back to the millinery shop." + +"Why?" demanded a blue jay, angrily, while the others stopped their +songs. + +"Because I find the woman considers you her property, and your loss +has caused her much unhappiness," answered Popopo. + +"But remember how unhappy we were in her glass case," said a robin +redbreast, gravely. "And as for being her property, you are a knook, +and the natural guardian of all birds; so you know that Nature +created us free. To be sure, wicked men shot and stuffed us, and +sold us to the milliner; but the idea of our being her property is +nonsense!" + +Popopo was puzzled. + +"If I leave you free," he said, "wicked men will shoot you again, +and you will be no better off than before." + +"Pooh!" exclaimed the blue jay, "we cannot be shot now, for we are +stuffed. Indeed, two men fired several shots at us this morning, but +the bullets only ruffled our feathers and buried themselves in our +stuffing. We do not fear men now." + +"Listen!" said Popopo, sternly, for he felt the birds were getting +the best of the argument; "the poor milliner's business will be +ruined if I do not return you to her shop. It seems you are +necessary to trim the hats properly. It is the fashion for women to +wear birds upon their headgear. So the poor milliner's wares, +although beautified by lace and ribbons, are worthless unless you +are perched upon them." + +"Fashions," said a black bird, solemnly, "are made by men. What law +is there, among birds or knooks, that requires us to be the slaves +of fashion?" + +"What have we to do with fashions, anyway?" screamed a linnet. "If +it were the fashion to wear knooks perched upon women's hats would +you be contented to stay there? Answer me, Popopo!" + +But Popopo was in despair. He could not wrong the birds by sending +them back to the milliner, nor did he wish the milliner to suffer by +their loss. So he went home to think what could be done. + +After much meditation he decided to consult the king of the knooks, +and going at once to his majesty he told him the whole story. + +The king frowned. + +"This should teach you the folly of interfering with earth people," +he said. "But since you have caused all this trouble, it is your +duty to remedy it. Our birds cannot be enslaved, that is certain; +therefore you must have the fashions changed, so it will no longer +be stylish for women to wear birds upon their hats." + +"How shall I do that?" asked Popopo. + +"Easily enough. Fashions often change among the earth people, who +tire quickly of any one thing. When they read in their newspapers +and magazines that the style is so-and-so, they never question the +matter, but at once obey the mandate of fashion. So you must visit +the newspapers and magazines and enchant the types." + +"Enchant the types!" echoed Popopo, in wonder. + +"Just so. Make them read that it is no longer the fashion to wear +birds upon hats. That will afford relief to your poor milliner and +at the same time set free thousands of our darling birds who have +been so cruelly used." + +Popopo thanked the wise king and followed his advice. + +The office of every newspaper and magazine in the city was visited by +the knook, and then he went to other cities, until there was not a +publication in the land that had not a "new fashion note" in its +pages. Sometimes Popopo enchanted the types, so that whoever read +the print would see only what the knook wished them to. Sometimes he +called upon the busy editors and befuddled their brains until they +wrote exactly what he wanted them to. Mortals seldom know how +greatly they are influenced by fairies, knooks and ryls, who often +put thoughts into their heads that only the wise little immortals +could have conceived. + +The following morning when the poor milliner looked over her +newspaper she was overjoyed to read that "no woman could now wear a +bird upon her hat and be in style, for the newest fashion required +only ribbons and laces." + +Popopo after this found much enjoyment in visiting every millinery +shop he could find and giving new life to the stuffed birds which +were carelessly tossed aside as useless. And they flew to the fields +and forests with songs of thanks to the good knook who had rescued +them. + +Sometimes a hunter fires his gun at a bird and then wonders why he +did not hit it. But, having read this story, you will understand +that the bird must have been a stuffed one from some millinery shop, +which cannot, of course, be killed by a gun. + + + + +THE LAUGHING HIPPOPOTAMUS + + +On one of the upper branches of the Congo river lived an ancient and +aristocratic family of hippopotamuses, which boasted a pedigree +dating back beyond the days of Noah--beyond the existence of +mankind--far into the dim ages when the world was new. + +They had always lived upon the banks of this same river, so that +every curve and sweep of its waters, every pit and shallow of its +bed, every rock and stump and wallow upon its bank was as familiar +to them as their own mothers. And they are living there yet, I +suppose. + +Not long ago the queen of this tribe of hippopotamuses had a child +which she named Keo, because it was so fat and round. Still, that +you may not be misled, I will say that in the hippopotamus language +"Keo," properly translated, means "fat and lazy" instead of fat and +round. However, no one called the queen's attention to this error, +because her tusks were monstrous long and sharp, and she thought Keo +the sweetest baby in the world. + +He was, indeed, all right for a hippopotamus. He rolled and played +in the soft mud of the river bank, and waddled inland to nibble the +leaves of the wild cabbage that grew there, and was happy and +contented from morning till night. And he was the jolliest +hippopotamus that ancient family had ever known. His little red eyes +were forever twinkling with fun, and he laughed his merry laugh on +all occasions, whether there was anything to laugh at or not. + +Therefore the black people who dwelt in that region called him +"Ippi"--the jolly one, although they dared not come anigh him on +account of his fierce mother, and his equally fierce uncles and +aunts and cousins, who lived in a vast colony upon the river bank. + +And while these black people, who lived in little villages scattered +among the trees, dared not openly attack the royal family of +hippopotamuses, they were amazingly fond of eating hippopotamus meat +whenever they could get it. This was no secret to the hippopotamuses. +And, again, when the blacks managed to catch these animals alive, +they had a trick of riding them through the jungles as if they were +horses, thus reducing them to a condition of slavery. + +Therefore, having these things in mind, whenever the tribe of +hippopotamuses smelled the oily odor of black people they were +accustomed to charge upon them furiously, and if by chance they +overtook one of the enemy they would rip him with their sharp tusks +or stamp him into the earth with their huge feet. + +It was continual warfare between the hippopotamuses and the black +people. + +Gouie lived in one of the little villages of the blacks. He was the +son of the chief's brother and grandson of the village sorcerer, the +latter being an aged man known as the "the boneless wonder," because +he could twist himself into as many coils as a serpent and had no +bones to hinder his bending his flesh into any position. This made +him walk in a wabbly fashion, but the black people had great respect +for him. + +Gouie's hut was made of branches of trees stuck together with mud, +and his clothing consisted of a grass mat tied around his middle. +But his relationship to the chief and the sorcerer gave him a +certain dignity, and he was much addicted to solitary thought. +Perhaps it was natural that these thoughts frequently turned upon +his enemies, the hippopotamuses, and that he should consider many +ways of capturing them. + +Finally he completed his plans, and set about digging a great pit in +the ground, midway between two sharp curves of the river. When the +pit was finished he covered it over with small branches of trees, +and strewed earth upon them, smoothing the surface so artfully that +no one would suspect there was a big hole underneath. Then Gouie +laughed softly to himself and went home to supper. + +That evening the queen said to Keo, who was growing to be a fine +child for his age: + +"I wish you'd run across the bend and ask your Uncle Nikki to come +here. I have found a strange plant, and want him to tell me if it is +good to eat." + +The jolly one laughed heartily as he started upon his errand, for he +felt as important as a boy does when he is sent for the first time +to the corner grocery to buy a yeast cake. + +"Guk-uk-uk-uk! guk-uk-uk-uk!" was the way he laughed; and if you +think a hippopotamus does not laugh this way you have but to listen +to one and you will find I am right. + +He crawled out of the mud where he was wallowing and tramped away +through the bushes, and the last his mother heard as she lay half in +and half out of the water was his musical "guk-uk-uk-uk!" dying away +in the distance. + +Keo was in such a happy mood that he scarcely noticed where he +stepped, so he was much surprised when, in the middle of a laugh, +the ground gave way beneath him, and he fell to the bottom of +Gouie's deep pit. He was not badly hurt, but had bumped his nose +severely as he went down; so he stopped laughing and began to think +how he should get out again. Then he found the walls were higher +than his head, and that he was a prisoner. + +So he laughed a little at his own misfortune, and the laughter +soothed him to sleep, so that he snored all through the night until +daylight came. + +When Gouie peered over the edge of the pit next morning he +exclaimed: + +"Why, 'tis Ippi--the Jolly One!" + +Keo recognized the scent of a black man and tried to raise his head +high enough to bite him. Seeing which Gouie spoke in the +hippopotamus language, which he had learned from his grandfather, +the sorcerer. + +"Have peace, little one; you are my captive." + +"Yes; I will have a piece of your leg, if I can reach it," retorted +Keo; and then he laughed at his own joke: "Guk-uk-uk-uk!" + +But Gouie, being a thoughtful black man, went away without further +talk, and did not return until the following morning. When he again +leaned over the pit Keo was so weak from hunger that he could hardly +laugh at all. + +"Do you give up?" asked Gouie, "or do you still wish to fight?" + +"What will happen if I give up?" inquired Keo. + +The black man scratched his woolly head in perplexity. + +"It is hard to say, Ippi. You are too young to work, and if I kill +you for food I shall lose your tusks, which are not yet grown. Why, +O Jolly One, did you fall into my hole? I wanted to catch your +mother or one of your uncles." + +"Guk-uk-uk-uk!" laughed Keo. "You must let me go, after all, black +man; for I am of no use to you!" + +"That I will not do," declared Gouie; "unless," he added, as an +afterthought, "you will make a bargain with me." + +"Let me hear about the bargain, black one, for I am hungry," said +Keo. + +"I will let your go if you swear by the tusks of your grandfather +that you will return to me in a year and a day and become my +prisoner again." + +The youthful hippopotamus paused to think, for he knew it was a +solemn thing to swear by the tusks of his grandfather; but he was +exceedingly hungry, and a year and a day seemed a long time off; so +he said, with another careless laugh: + +"Very well; if you will now let me go I swear by the tusks of my +grandfather to return to you in a year and a day and become your +prisoner." + +Gouie was much pleased, for he knew that in a year and a day Keo +would be almost full grown. So he began digging away one end of the +pit and filling it up with the earth until he had made an incline +which would allow the hippopotamus to climb out. + +Keo was so pleased when he found himself upon the surface of the +earth again that he indulged in a merry fit of laughter, after which +he said: + +"Good-by, Gouie; in a year and a day you will see me again." + +Then he waddled away toward the river to see his mother and get his +breakfast, and Gouie returned to his village. + +During the months that followed, as the black man lay in his hut or +hunted in the forest, he heard at times the faraway "Guk-uk-uk-uk!" +of the laughing hippopotamus. But he only smiled to himself and +thought: "A year and a day will soon pass away!" + +Now when Keo returned to his mother safe and well every member of +his tribe was filled with joy, for the Jolly One was a general +favorite. But when he told them that in a year and a day he must +again become the slave of the black man, they began to wail and +weep, and so many were their tears that the river rose several +inches. + +Of course Keo only laughed at their sorrow; but a great meeting of +the tribe was called and the matter discussed seriously. + +"Having sworn by the tusks of his grandfather," said Uncle Nikki, +"he must keep his promise. But it is our duty to try in some way to +rescue him from death or a life of slavery." + +To this all agreed, but no one could think of any method of saving +Keo from his fate. So months passed away, during which all the royal +hippopotamuses were sad and gloomy except the Jolly One himself. + +Finally but a week of freedom remained to Keo, and his mother, the +queen, became so nervous and worried that another meeting of the +tribe was called. By this time the laughing hippopotamus had grown +to enormous size, and measured nearly fifteen feet long and six feet +high, while his sharp tusks were whiter and harder than those of an +elephant. + +"Unless something is done to save my child," said the mother, "I +shall die of grief." + +Then some of her relations began to make foolish suggestions; but +presently Uncle Nep, a wise and very big hippopotamus, said: + +"We must go to Glinkomok and implore his aid." + +Then all were silent, for it was a bold thing to face the mighty +Glinkomok. But the mother's love was equal to any heroism. + +"I will myself go to him, if Uncle Nep will accompany me," she said, +quickly. + +Uncle Nep thoughtfully patted the soft mud with his fore foot and +wagged his short tail leisurely from side to side. + +"We have always been obedient to Glinkomok, and shown him great +respect," said he. "Therefore I fear no danger in facing him. I will +go with you." + +All the others snorted approval, being very glad they were not +called upon to go themselves. + +So the queen and Uncle Nep, with Keo swimming between them, set out +upon their journey. They swam up the river all that day and all the +next, until they came at sundown to a high, rocky wall, beneath +which was the cave where the might Glinkomok dwelt. + +This fearful creature was part beast, part man, part fowl and part +fish. It had lived since the world began. Through years of wisdom it +had become part sorcerer, part wizard, part magician and part fairy. +Mankind knew it not, but the ancient beasts knew and feared it. + +The three hippopotamuses paused before the cave, with their front +feet upon the bank and their bodies in the water, and called in +chorus a greeting to Glinkomok. Instantly thereafter the mouth of +the cave darkened and the creature glided silently toward them. + +The hippopotamuses were afraid to look upon it, and bowed their +heads between their legs. + +"We come, O Glinkomok, to implore your mercy and friendly +assistance!" began Uncle Nep; and then he told the story of Keo's +capture, and how he had promised to return to the black man. + +"He must keep his promise," said the creature, in a voice that +sounded like a sigh. + +The mother hippopotamus groaned aloud. + +"But I will prepare him to overcome the black man, and to regain his +liberty," continued Glinkomok. + +Keo laughed. + +"Lift your right paw," commanded Glinkomok. Keo obeyed, and the +creature touched it with its long, hairy tongue. Then it held four +skinny hands over Keo's bowed head and mumbled some words in a +language unknown to man or beast or fowl or fish. After this it +spoke again in hippopotamese: + +"Your skin has now become so tough that no man can hurt you. Your +strength is greater than that of ten elephants. Your foot is so +swift that you can distance the wind. Your wit is sharper than the +bulthorn. Let the man fear, but drive fear from your own breast +forever; for of all your race you are the mightiest!" + +Then the terrible Glinkomok leaned over, and Keo felt its fiery +breath scorch him as it whispered some further instructions in his +ear. The next moment it glided back into its cave, followed by the +loud thanks of the three hippopotamuses, who slid into the water and +immediately began their journey home. + +The mother's heart was full of joy; Uncle Nep shivered once or twice +as he remembered a glimpse he had caught of Glinkomok; but Keo was +as jolly as possible, and, not content to swim with his dignified +elders, he dived under their bodies, raced all around them and +laughed merrily every inch of the way home. + +Then all the tribe held high jinks and praised the mighty Glinkomok +for befriending their queen's son. And when the day came for the +Jolly One to give himself up to the black man they all kissed him +good-by without a single fear for his safety. + +Keo went away in good spirits, and they could hear his laughing +"guk-uk-uk-uk!" long after he was lost in sight in the jungle. + +Gouie had counted the days and knew when to expect Keo; but he was +astonished at the monstrous size to which his captive had grown, and +congratulated himself on the wise bargain he had made. And Keo was +so fat that Gouie determined to eat him--that is, all of him he +possibly could, and the remainder of the carcass he would trade off +to his fellow villagers. + +So he took a knife and tried to stick it into the hippopotamus, but +the skin was so tough the knife was blunted against it. Then he +tried other means; but Keo remained unhurt. + +And now indeed the Jolly One laughed his most gleeful laugh, till +all the forest echoed the "guk-uk-uk-uk-uk!" And Gouie decided not +to kill him, since that was impossible, but to use him for a beast +of burden. He mounted upon Keo's back and commanded him to march. So +Keo trotted briskly through the village, his little eyes twinkling +with merriment. + +The other blacks were delighted with Gouie's captive, and begged +permission to ride upon the Jolly One's back. So Gouie bargained +with them for bracelets and shell necklaces and little gold +ornaments, until he had acquired quite a heap of trinkets. Then a +dozen black men climbed upon Keo's back to enjoy a ride, and the one +nearest his nose cried out: + +"Run, Mud-dog--run!" + +And Keo ran. Swift as the wind he strode, away from the village, +through the forest and straight up the river bank. The black men +howled with fear; the Jolly One roared with laughter; and on, on, on +they rushed! + +Then before them, on the opposite side of the river, appeared the +black mouth of Glinkomok's cave. Keo dashed into the water, dived to +the bottom and left the black people struggling to swim out. But +Glinkomok had heard the laughter of Keo and knew what to do. When +the Jolly One rose to the surface and blew the water from his throat +there was no black man to be seen. + +Keo returned alone to the village, and Gouie asked, with surprise: + +"Where are my brothers:" + +"I do not know," answered Keo. "I took them far away, and they +remained where I left them." + +Gouie would have asked more questions then, but another crowd of +black men impatiently waited to ride on the back of the laughing +hippopotamus. So they paid the price and climbed to their seats, +after which the foremost said: + +"Run, mud-wallower--run!" + +And Keo ran as before and carried them to the mouth of Glinkomok's +cave, and returned alone. + +But now Gouie became anxious to know the fate of his fellows, for he +was the only black man left in his village. So he mounted the +hippopotamus and cried: + +"Run, river-hog--run!" + +Keo laughed his jolly "guk-uk-uk-uk!" and ran with the speed of the +wind. But this time he made straight for the river bank where his +own tribe lived, and when he reached it he waded into the river, +dived to the bottom and left Gouie floating in the middle of the +stream. + +The black man began swimming toward the right bank, but there he saw +Uncle Nep and half the royal tribe waiting to stamp him into the +soft mud. So he turned toward the left bank, and there stood the +queen mother and Uncle Nikki, red-eyed and angry, waiting to tear +him with their tusks. + +Then Gouie uttered loud screams of terror, and, spying the Jolly +One, who swam near him, he cried: + +"Save me, Keo! Save me, and I will release you from slavery!" + +"That is not enough," laughed Keo. + +"I will serve you all my life!" screamed Gouie; "I will do +everything you bid me!" + +"Will you return to me in a year and a day and become my captive, if +I allow you to escape?" asked Keo. + +"I will! I will! I will!" cried Gouie. + +"Swear it by the bones of your grandfather!" commanded Keo, +remembering that black men have no tusks to swear by. + +And Gouie swore it by the bones of his grandfather. + +Then Keo swam to the black one, who clambered upon his back again. +In this fashion they came to the bank, where Keo told his mother and +all the tribe of the bargain he had made with Gouie, who was to +return in a year and a day and become his slave. + +Therefore the black man was permitted to depart in peace, and once +more the Jolly One lived with his own people and was happy. + +When a year and a day had passed Keo began watching for the return +of Gouie; but he did not come, then or ever afterwards. + +For the black man had made a bundle of his bracelets and shell +necklaces and little gold ornaments and had traveled many miles into +another country, where the ancient and royal tribe of hippopotamuses +was unknown. And he set up for a great chief, because of his riches, +and people bowed down before him. + +By day he was proud and swaggering. But at night he tumbled and +tossed upon his bed and could not sleep. His conscience troubled +him. + +For he had sworn by the bones of his grandfather; and his +grandfather had no bones. + + + + +THE MAGIC BON BONS + + +There lived in Boston a wise and ancient chemist by the name of Dr. +Daws, who dabbled somewhat in magic. There also lived in Boston a +young lady by the name of Claribel Sudds, who was possessed of much +money, little wit and an intense desire to go upon the stage. + +So Claribel went to Dr. Daws and said: + +"I can neither sing nor dance; I cannot recite verse nor play upon +the piano; I am no acrobat nor leaper nor high kicker; yet I wish to +go upon the stage. What shall I do?" + +"Are you willing to pay for such accomplishments?" asked the wise +chemist. + +"Certainly," answered Claribel, jingling her purse. + +"Then come to me to-morrow at two o'clock," said he. + +All that night he practiced what is known as chemical sorcery; so +that when Claribel Sudds came next day at two o'clock he showed her +a small box filled with compounds that closely resembled French +bonbons. + +"This is a progressive age," said the old man, "and I flatter myself +your Uncle Daws keeps right along with the procession. Now, one of +your old-fashioned sorcerers would have made you some nasty, bitter +pills to swallow; but I have consulted your taste and convenience. +Here are some magic bonbons. If you eat this one with the lavender +color you can dance thereafter as lightly and gracefully as if you +had been trained a lifetime. After you consume the pink confection +you will sing like a nightingale. Eating the white one will enable +you to become the finest elocutionist in the land. The chocolate +piece will charm you into playing the piano better than Rubenstein, +while after eating you lemon-yellow bonbon you can easily kick six +feet above your head." + +"How delightful!" exclaimed Claribel, who was truly enraptured. "You +are certainly a most clever sorcerer as well as a considerate +compounder," and she held out her hand for the box. + +"Ahem!" said the wise one; "a check, please." + +"Oh, yes; to be sure! How stupid of me to forget it," she returned. + +He considerately retained the box in his own hand while she signed a +check for a large amount of money, after which he allowed her to +hold the box herself. + +"Are you sure you have made them strong enough?" she inquired, +anxiously; "it usually takes a great deal to affect me." + +"My only fear," replied Dr. Daws, "is that I have made them too +strong. For this is the first time I have ever been called upon to +prepare these wonderful confections." + +"Don't worry," said Claribel; "the stronger they act the better I +shall act myself." + +She went away, after saying this, but stopping in at a dry goods +store to shop, she forgot the precious box in her new interest and +left it lying on the ribbon counter. + +Then little Bessie Bostwick came to the counter to buy a hair ribbon +and laid her parcels beside the box. When she went away she gathered +up the box with her other bundles and trotted off home with it. + +Bessie never knew, until after she had hung her coat in the hall +closet and counted up her parcels, that she had one too many. Then +she opened it and exclaimed: + +"Why, it's a box of candy! Someone must have mislaid it. But it is +too small a matter to worry about; there are only a few pieces." So +she dumped the contents of the box into a bonbon dish that stood +upon the hall table and picking out the chocolate piece--she was +fond of chocolates--ate it daintily while she examined her purchases. + +These were not many, for Bessie was only twelve years old and was +not yet trusted by her parents to expend much money at the stores. +But while she tried on the hair ribbon she suddenly felt a great +desire to play upon the piano, and the desire at last became so +overpowering that she went into the parlor and opened the +instrument. + +The little girl had, with infinite pains, contrived to learn two +"pieces" which she usually executed with a jerky movement of her +right hand and a left hand that forgot to keep up and so made +dreadful discords. But under the influence of the chocolate bonbon +she sat down and ran her fingers lightly over the keys producing +such exquisite harmony that she was filled with amazement at her own +performance. + +That was the prelude, however. The next moment she dashed into +Beethoven's seventh sonata and played it magnificently. + +Her mother, hearing the unusual burst of melody, came downstairs to +see what musical guest had arrived; but when she discovered it was +her own little daughter who was playing so divinely she had an +attack of palpitation of the heart (to which she was subject) and +sat down upon a sofa until it should pass away. + +Meanwhile Bessie played one piece after another with untiring +energy. She loved music, and now found that all she need do was to +sit at the piano and listen and watch her hands twinkle over the +keyboard. + +Twilight deepened in the room and Bessie's father came home and hung +up his hat and overcoat and placed his umbrella in the rack. Then he +peeped into the parlor to see who was playing. + +"Great Caesar!" he exclaimed. But the mother came to him softly with +her finger on her lips and whispered: "Don't interrupt her, John. +Our child seems to be in a trance. Did you ever hear such superb +music?" + +"Why, she's an infant prodigy!" gasped the astounded father. "Beats +Blind Tom all hollow! It's--it's wonderful!" + +As they stood listening the senator arrived, having been invited to +dine with them that evening. And before he had taken off his coat +the Yale professor--a man of deep learning and scholarly +attainments--joined the party. + +Bessie played on; and the four elders stood in a huddled but silent +and amazed group, listening to the music and waiting for the sound +of the dinner gong. + +Mr. Bostwick, who was hungry, picked up the bonbon dish that lay on +the table beside him and ate the pink confection. The professor was +watching him, so Mr. Bostwick courteously held the dish toward him. +The professor ate the lemon-yellow piece and the senator reached out +his hand and took the lavender piece. He did not eat it, however, +for, chancing to remember that it might spoil his dinner, he put it +in his vest pocket. Mrs. Bostwick, still intently listening to her +precocious daughter, without thinking what she did, took the +remaining piece, which was the white one, and slowly devoured it. + +The dish was now empty, and Claribel Sudds' precious bonbons had +passed from her possession forever! + +Suddenly Mr. Bostwick, who was a big man, began to sing in a shrill, +tremolo soprano voice. It was not the same song Bessie was playing, +and the discord was shocking that the professor smiled, the senator +put his hands to his ears and Mrs. Bostwick cried in a horrified +voice: + +"William!" + +Her husband continued to sing as if endeavoring to emulate the +famous Christine Nillson, and paid no attention whatever to his wife +or his guests. + +Fortunately the dinner gong now sounded, and Mrs. Bostwick dragged +Bessie from the piano and ushered her guests into the dining-room. +Mr. Bostwick followed, singing "The Last Rose of Summer" as if it +had been an encore demanded by a thousand delighted hearers. + +The poor woman was in despair at witnessing her husband's +undignified actions and wondered what she might do to control him. +The professor seemed more grave than usual; the senator's face wore +an offended expression, and Bessie kept moving her fingers as if she +still wanted to play the piano. + +Mrs. Bostwick managed to get them all seated, although her husband +had broken into another aria; and then the maid brought in the soup. + +When she carried a plate to the professor, he cried, in an excited +voice: + +"Hold it higher! Higher--I say!" And springing up he gave it a +sudden kick that sent it nearly to the ceiling, from whence the dish +descended to scatter soup over Bessie and the maid and to smash in +pieces upon the crown of the professor's bald head. + +At this atrocious act the senator rose from his seat with an +exclamation of horror and glanced at his hostess. + +For some time Mrs. Bostwick had been staring straight ahead, with a +dazed expression; but now, catching the senator's eye, she bowed +gracefully and began reciting "The Charge of the Light Brigade" in +forceful tones. + +The senator shuddered. Such disgraceful rioting he had never seen +nor heard before in a decent private family. He felt that his +reputation was at stake, and, being the only sane person, +apparently, in the room, there was no one to whom he might appeal. + +The maid had run away to cry hysterically in the kitchen; Mr. +Bostwick was singing "O Promise Me;" the professor was trying to +kick the globes off the chandelier; Mrs. Bostwick had switched her +recitation to "The Boy Stood on the Burning Deck," and Bessie had +stolen into the parlor and was pounding out the overture from the +"Flying Dutchman." + +The senator was not at all sure he would not go crazy himself, +presently; so he slipped away from the turmoil, and, catching up his +had and coat in the hall, hurried from the house. + +That night he sat up late writing a political speech he was to +deliver the next afternoon at Faneuil hall, but his experiences at +the Bostwicks' had so unnerved him that he could scarcely collect +his thoughts, and often he would pause and shake his head pityingly +as he remembered the strange things he had seen in that usually +respectable home. + +The next day he met Mr. Bostwick in the street, but passed him by +with a stony glare of oblivion. He felt he really could not afford +to know this gentleman in the future. Mr. Bostwick was naturally +indignant at the direct snub; yet in his mind lingered a faint +memory of some quite unusual occurrences at his dinner party the +evening before, and he hardly knew whether he dared resent the +senator's treatment or not. + +The political meeting was the feature of the day, for the senator's +eloquence was well known in Boston. So the big hall was crowded with +people, and in one of the front rows sat the Bostwick family, with +the learned Yale professor beside them. They all looked tired and +pale, as if they had passed a rather dissipated evening, and the +senator was rendered so nervous by seeing them that he refused to +look in their direction a second time. + +While the mayor was introducing him the great man sat fidgeting in +his chair; and, happening to put his thumb and finger into his vest +pocket, he found the lavender-colored bonbon he had placed there the +evening before. + +"This may clear my throat," thought the senator, and slipped the +bonbon into his mouth. + +A few minutes afterwards he arose before the vast audience, which +greeted him with enthusiastic plaudits. + +"My friends," began the senator, in a grave voice, "this is a most +impressive and important occasion." + +Then he paused, balanced himself upon his left foot, and kicked his +right leg into the air in the way favored by ballet-dancers! + +There was a hum of amazement and horror from the spectators, but the +senator appeared not to notice it. He whirled around upon the tips +of his toes, kicked right and left in a graceful manner, and +startled a bald-headed man in the front row by casting a languishing +glance in his direction. + +Suddenly Claribel Sudds, who happened to be present, uttered a scream +and sprang to her feet. Pointing an accusing finger at the dancing +senator, she cried in a loud voice: + +"That's the man who stole my bonbons! Seize him! Arrest him! Don't +let him escape!" + +But the ushers rushed her out of the hall, thinking she had gone +suddenly insane; and the senator's friends seized him firmly and +carried him out the stage entrance to the street, where they put him +into an open carriage and instructed the driver to take him home. + +The effect of the magic bonbon was still powerful enough to control +the poor senator, who stood upon the rear seat of the carriage and +danced energetically all the way home, to the delight of the crowd +of small boys who followed the carriage and the grief of the +sober-minded citizens, who shook their heads sadly and whispered +that "another good man had gone wrong." + +It took the senator several months to recover from the shame and +humiliation of this escapade; and, curiously enough, he never had +the slightest idea what had induced him to act in so extraordinary a +manner. Perhaps it was fortunate the last bonbon had now been eaten, +for they might easily have caused considerably more trouble than +they did. + +Of course Claribel went again to the wise chemist and signed a check +for another box of magic bonbons; but she must have taken better +care of these, for she is now a famous vaudeville actress. + +* * * * * + +This story should teach us the folly of condemning others for +actions that we do not understand, for we never know what may happen +to ourselves. It may also serve as a hint to be careful about +leaving parcels in public places, and, incidentally, to let other +people's packages severely alone. + + + + +THE CAPTURE OF FATHER TIME + + +Jim was the son of a cowboy, and lived on the broad plains of +Arizona. His father had trained him to lasso a bronco or a young +bull with perfect accuracy, and had Jim possessed the strength to +back up his skill he would have been as good a cowboy as any in all +Arizona. + +When he was twelve years old he made his first visit to the east, +where Uncle Charles, his father's brother, lived. Of course Jim took +his lasso with him, for he was proud of his skill in casting it, and +wanted to show his cousins what a cowboy could do. + +At first the city boys and girls were much interested in watching +Jim lasso posts and fence pickets, but they soon tired of it, and +even Jim decided it was not the right sort of sport for cities. + +But one day the butcher asked Jim to ride one of his horses into the +country, to a pasture that had been engaged, and Jim eagerly +consented. He had been longing for a horseback ride, and to make it +seem like old times he took his lasso with him. + +He rode through the streets demurely enough, but on reaching the +open country roads his spirits broke forth into wild jubilation, +and, urging the butcher's horse to full gallop, he dashed away in +true cowboy fashion. + +Then he wanted still more liberty, and letting down the bars that +led into a big field he began riding over the meadow and throwing +his lasso at imaginary cattle, while he yelled and whooped to his +heart's content. + +Suddenly, on making a long cast with his lasso, the loop caught upon +something and rested about three feet from the ground, while the +rope drew taut and nearly pulled Jim from his horse. + +This was unexpected. More than that, it was wonderful; for the field +seemed bare of even a stump. Jim's eyes grew big with amazement, but +he knew he had caught something when a voice cried out: + +"Here, let go! Let go, I say! Can't you see what you've done?" + +No, Jim couldn't see, nor did he intend to let go until he found out +what was holding the loop of the lasso. So he resorted to an old +trick his father had taught him and, putting the butcher's horse to +a run, began riding in a circle around the spot where his lasso had +caught. + +As he thus drew nearer and nearer his quarry he saw the rope coil +up, yet it looked to be coiling over nothing but air. One end of the +lasso was made fast to a ring in the saddle, and when the rope was +almost wound up and the horse began to pull away and snort with +fear, Jim dismounted. Holding the reins of the bridle in one hand, +he followed the rope, and an instant later saw an old man caught +fast in the coils of the lasso. + +His head was bald and uncovered, but long white whiskers grew down +to his waist. About his body was thrown a loose robe of fine white +linen. In one hand he bore a great scythe, and beneath the other arm +he carried an hourglass. + +While Jim gazed wonderingly upon him, this venerable old man spoke +in an angry voice: + +"Now, then--get that rope off as fast as you can! You've brought +everything on earth to a standstill by your foolishness! Well--what +are you staring at? Don't you know who I am?" + +"No," said Jim, stupidly. + +"Well, I'm Time--Father Time! Now, make haste and set me free--if +you want the world to run properly." + +"How did I happen to catch you?" asked Jim, without making a move to +release his captive. + +"I don't know. I've never been caught before," growled Father Time. +"But I suppose it was because you were foolishly throwing your lasso +at nothing." + +"I didn't see you," said Jim. + +"Of course you didn't. I'm invisible to the eyes of human beings +unless they get within three feet of me, and I take care to keep +more than that distance away from them. That's why I was crossing +this field, where I supposed no one would be. And I should have been +perfectly safe had it not been for your beastly lasso. Now, then," +he added, crossly, "are you going to get that rope off?" + +"Why should I?" asked Jim. + +"Because everything in the world stopped moving the moment you +caught me. I don't suppose you want to make an end of all business +and pleasure, and war and love, and misery and ambition and +everything else, do you? Not a watch has ticked since you tied me up +here like a mummy!" + +Jim laughed. It really was funny to see the old man wound round and +round with coils of rope from his knees up to his chin. + +"It'll do you good to rest," said the boy. "From all I've heard you +lead a rather busy life." + +"Indeed I do," replied Father Time, with a sigh. "I'm due in +Kamchatka this very minute. And to think one small boy is upsetting +all my regular habits!" + +"Too bad!" said Jim, with a grin. "But since the world has stopped +anyhow, it won't matter if it takes a little longer recess. As soon +as I let you go Time will fly again. Where are your wings?" + +"I haven't any," answered the old man. "That is a story cooked up by +some one who never saw me. As a matter of fact, I move rather +slowly." + +"I see, you take your time," remarked the boy. "What do you use that +scythe for?" + +"To mow down the people," said the ancient one. "Every time I swing +my scythe some one dies." + +"Then I ought to win a life-saving medal by keeping you tied up," +said Jim. "Some folks will live this much longer." + +"But they won't know it," said Father Time, with a sad smile; "so it +will do them no good. You may as well untie me at once." + +"No," said Jim, with a determined air. "I may never capture you +again; so I'll hold you for awhile and see how the world wags +without you." + +Then he swung the old man, bound as he was, upon the back of the +butcher's horse, and, getting into the saddle himself, started back +toward town, one hand holding his prisoner and the other guiding the +reins. + +When he reached the road his eye fell on a strange tableau. A horse +and buggy stood in the middle of the road, the horse in the act of +trotting, with his head held high and two legs in the air, but +perfectly motionless. In the buggy a man and a woman were seated; +but had they been turned into stone they could not have been more +still and stiff. + +"There's no Time for them!" sighed the old man. "Won't you let me go +now?" + +"Not yet," replied the boy. + +He rode on until he reached the city, where all the people stood in +exactly the same positions they were in when Jim lassoed Father +Time. Stopping in front of a big dry goods store, the boy hitched +his horse and went in. The clerks were measuring out goods and +showing patterns to the rows of customers in front of them, but +everyone seemed suddenly to have become a statue. + +There was something very unpleasant in this scene, and a cold shiver +began to run up and down Jim's back; so he hurried out again. + +On the edge of the sidewalk sat a poor, crippled beggar, holding out +his hat, and beside him stood a prosperous-looking gentleman who was +about to drop a penny into the beggar's hat. Jim knew this gentleman +to be very rich but rather stingy, so he ventured to run his hand +into the man's pocket and take out his purse, in which was a $20 +gold piece. This glittering coin he put in the gentleman's fingers +instead of the penny and then restored the purse to the rich man's +pocket. + +"That donation will surprise him when he comes to life," thought the +boy. + +He mounted the horse again and rode up the street. As he passed the +shop of his friend, the butcher, he noticed several pieces of meat +hanging outside. + +"I'm afraid that meat'll spoil," he remarked. + +"It takes Time to spoil meat," answered the old man. + +This struck Jim as being queer, but true. + +"It seems Time meddles with everything," said he. + +"Yes; you've made a prisoner of the most important personage in the +world," groaned the old man; "and you haven't enough sense to let +him go again." + +Jim did not reply, and soon they came to his uncle's house, where he +again dismounted. The street was filled with teams and people, but +all were motionless. His two little cousins were just coming out the +gate on their way to school, with their books and slates underneath +their arms; so Jim had to jump over the fence to avoid knocking them +down. + +In the front room sat his aunt, reading her Bible. She was just +turning a page when Time stopped. In the dining-room was his uncle, +finishing his luncheon. His mouth was open and his fork poised just +before it, while his eyes were fixed upon the newspaper folded +beside him. Jim helped himself to his uncle's pie, and while he ate +it he walked out to his prisoner. + +"There's one thing I don't understand," said he. + +"What's that?" asked Father Time. + +"Why is it that I'm able to move around while everyone else +is--is--froze up?" + +"That is because I'm your prisoner," answered the other. "You can do +anything you wish with Time now. But unless you are careful you'll +do something you will be sorry for." + +Jim threw the crust of his pie at a bird that was suspended in the +air, where it had been flying when Time stopped. + +"Anyway," he laughed, "I'm living longer than anyone else. No one +will ever be able to catch up with me again." + +"Each life has its allotted span," said the old man. "When you have +lived your proper time my scythe will mow you down." + +"I forgot your scythe," said Jim, thoughtfully. + +Then a spirit of mischief came into the boy's head, for he happened +to think that the present opportunity to have fun would never occur +again. He tied Father Time to his uncle's hitching post, that he +might not escape, and then crossed the road to the corner grocery. + +The grocer had scolded Jim that very morning for stepping into a +basket of turnips by accident. So the boy went to the back end of +the grocery and turned on the faucet of the molasses barrel. + +"That'll make a nice mess when Time starts the molasses running all +over the floor," said Jim, with a laugh. + +A little further down the street was a barber shop, and sitting in +the barber's chair Jim saw the man that all the boys declared was +the "meanest man in town." He certainly did not like the boys and +the boys knew it. The barber was in the act of shampooing this +person when Time was captured. Jim ran to the drug store, and, +getting a bottle of mucilage, he returned and poured it over the +ruffled hair of the unpopular citizen. + +"That'll probably surprise him when he wakes up," thought Jim. + +Near by was the schoolhouse. Jim entered it and found that only a +few of the pupils were assembled. But the teacher sat at his desk, +stern and frowning as usual. + +Taking a piece of chalk, Jim marked upon the blackboard in big +letters the following words: + +"Every scholar is requested to yell the minute he enters the room. +He will also please throw his books at the teacher's head. Signed, +Prof. Sharpe." + +"That ought to raise a nice rumpus," murmured the mischiefmaker, as +he walked away. + +On the corner stood Policeman Mulligan, talking with old Miss +Scrapple, the worst gossip in town, who always delighted in saying +something disagreeable about her neighbors. Jim thought this +opportunity was too good to lose. So he took off the policeman's cap +and brass-buttoned coat and put them on Miss Scrapple, while the +lady's feathered and ribboned hat he placed jauntily upon the +policeman's head. + +The effect was so comical that the boy laughed aloud, and as a good +many people were standing near the corner Jim decided that Miss +Scrapple and Officer Mulligan would create a sensation when Time +started upon his travels. + +Then the young cowboy remembered his prisoner, and, walking back to +the hitching post, he came within three feet of it and saw Father +Time still standing patiently within the toils of the lasso. He +looked angry and annoyed, however, and growled out: + +"Well, when do you intend to release me?" + +"I've been thinking about that ugly scythe of yours," said Jim. + +"What about it?" asked Father Time. + +"Perhaps if I let you go you'll swing it at me the first thing, to +be revenged," replied the boy. + +Father Time gave him a severe look, but said: + +"I've known boys for thousands of years, and of course I know +they're mischievous and reckless. But I like boys, because they grow +up to be men and people my world. Now, if a man had caught me by +accident, as you did, I could have scared him into letting me go +instantly; but boys are harder to scare. I don't know as I blame +you. I was a boy myself, long ago, when the world was new. But +surely you've had enough fun with me by this time, and now I hope +you'll show the respect that is due to old age. Let me go, and in +return I will promise to forget all about my capture. The incident +won't do much harm, anyway, for no one will ever know that Time has +halted the last three hours or so." + +"All right," said Jim, cheerfully, "since you've promised not to mow +me down, I'll let you go." But he had a notion some people in the +town would suspect Time had stopped when they returned to life. + +He carefully unwound the rope from the old man, who, when he was +free, at once shouldered his scythe, rearranged his white robe and +nodded farewell. + +The next moment he had disappeared, and with a rustle and rumble and +roar of activity the world came to life again and jogged along as it +always had before. + +Jim wound up his lasso, mounted the butcher's horse and rode slowly +down the street. + +Loud screams came from the corner, where a great crowd of people +quickly assembled. From his seat on the horse Jim saw Miss Scrapple, +attired in the policeman's uniform, angrily shaking her fists in +Mulligan's face, while the officer was furiously stamping upon the +lady's hat, which he had torn from his own head amidst the jeers of +the crowd. + +As he rode past the schoolhouse he heard a tremendous chorus of +yells, and knew Prof. Sharpe was having a hard time to quell the +riot caused by the sign on the blackboard. + +Through the window of the barber shop he saw the "mean man" +frantically belaboring the barber with a hair brush, while his hair +stood up stiff as bayonets in all directions. And the grocer ran out +of his door and yelled "Fire!" while his shoes left a track of +molasses wherever he stepped. + +Jim's heart was filled with joy. He was fairly reveling in the +excitement he had caused when some one caught his leg and pulled him +from the horse. + +"What're ye doin' hear, ye rascal?" cried the butcher, angrily; +"didn't ye promise to put that beast inter Plympton's pasture? An' +now I find ye ridin' the poor nag around like a gentleman o' +leisure!" + +"That's a fact," said Jim, with surprise; "I clean forgot about the +horse!" + +* * * * * + +This story should teach us the supreme importance of Time and the +folly of trying to stop it. For should you succeed, as Jim did, in +bringing Time to a standstill, the world would soon become a dreary +place and life decidedly unpleasant. + + + + +THE WONDERFUL PUMP + + +Not many years ago there lived on a stony, barren New England farm a +man and his wife. They were sober, honest people, working hard from +early morning until dark to enable them to secure a scanty living +from their poor land. + +Their house, a small, one-storied building, stood upon the side of a +steep hill, and the stones lay so thickly about it that scarce +anything green could grow from the ground. At the foot of the hill, +a quarter of a mile from the house by the winding path, was a small +brook, and the woman was obliged to go there for water and to carry +it up the hill to the house. This was a tedious task, and with the +other hard work that fell to her share had made her gaunt and bent +and lean. + +Yet she never complained, but meekly and faithfully performed her +duties, doing the housework, carrying the water and helping her +husband hoe the scanty crop that grew upon the best part of their +land. + +One day, as she walked down the path to the brook, her big shoes +scattering the pebbles right and left, she noticed a large beetle +lying upon its back and struggling hard with its little legs to turn +over, that its feet might again touch the ground. But this it could +not accomplish; so the woman, who had a kind heart, reached down and +gently turned the beetle with her finger. At once it scampered from +the path and she went on to the brook. + +The next day, as she came for water, she was surprised to see the +beetle again lying upon its back and struggling helplessly to turn. +Once more the woman stopped and set him upon his feet; and then, as +she stooped over the tiny creature, she heard a small voice say: + +"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much for saving me!" + +Half frightened at hearing a beetle speak in her own language, the +woman started back and exclaimed: + +"La sakes! Surely you can't talk like humans!" Then, recovering from +her alarm, she again bent over the beetle, who answered her: + +"Why shouldn't I talk, if I have anything to say? + +"'Cause you're a bug," replied the woman. + +"That is true; and you saved my life--saved me from my enemies, the +sparrows. And this is the second time you have come to my +assistance, so I owe you a debt of gratitude. Bugs value their lives +as much as human beings, and I am a more important creature than +you, in your ignorance, may suppose. But, tell me, why do you come +each day to the brook?" + +"For water," she answered, staring stupidly down at the talking +beetle. + +"Isn't it hard work?" the creature inquired. + +"Yes; but there's no water on the hill," said she. + +"Then dig a well and put a pump in it," replied the beetle. + +She shook her head. + +"My man tried it once; but there was no water," she said, sadly. + +"Try it again," commanded the beetle; "and in return for your +kindness to me I will make this promise: if you do not get water +from the well you will get that which is more precious to you. I +must go now. Do not forget. Dig a well." + +And then, without pausing to say good-by, it ran swiftly away and +was lost among the stones. + +The woman returned to the house much perplexed by what the beetle +had said, and when her husband came in from his work she told him +the whole story. + +The poor man thought deeply for a time, and then declared: + +"Wife, there may be truth in what the bug told you. There must be +magic in the world yet, if a beetle can speak; and if there is such +a thing as magic we may get water from the well. The pump I bought +to use in the well which proved to be dry is now lying in the barn, +and the only expense in following the talking bug's advice will be +the labor of digging the hole. Labor I am used to; so I will dig the +well." + +Next day he set about it, and dug so far down in the ground that he +could hardly reach the top to climb out again; but not a drop of +water was found. + +"Perhaps you did not dig deep enough," his wife said, when he told +her of his failure. + +So the following day he made a long ladder, which he put into the +hole; and then he dug, and dug, and dug, until the top of the ladder +barely reached the top of the hole. But still there was no water. + +When the woman next went to the brook with her pail she saw the +beetle sitting upon a stone beside her path. So she stopped and +said: + +"My husband has dug the well; but there is no water." + +"Did he put the pump in the well?" asked the beetle. + +"No," she answered. + +"Then do as I commanded; put in the pump, and if you do not get +water I promise you something still more precious." + +Saying which, the beetle swiftly slid from the stone and +disappeared. The woman went back to the house and told her husband +what the bug had said. + +"Well," replied the simple fellow, "there can be no harm in trying." + +So he got the pump from the barn and placed it in the well, and then +he took hold of the handle and began to pump, while his wife stood +by to watch what would happen. + +No water came, but after a few moments a gold piece dropped from the +spout of the pump, and then another, and another, until several +handfuls of gold lay in a little heap upon the ground. + +The man stopped pumping then and ran to help his wife gather the +gold pieces into her apron; but their hands trembled so greatly +through excitement and joy that they could scarcely pick up the +sparkling coins. + +At last she gathered them close to her bosom and together they ran +to the house, where they emptied the precious gold upon the table +and counted the pieces. + +All were stamped with the design of the United States mint and were +worth five dollars each. Some were worn and somewhat discolored from +use, while others seemed bright and new, as if they had not been +much handled. When the value of the pieces was added together they +were found to be worth three hundred dollars. + +Suddenly the woman spoke. + +"Husband, the beetle said truly when he declared we should get +something more precious than water from the well. But run at once +and take away the handle from the pump, lest anyone should pass this +way and discover our secret." + +So the man ran to the pump and removed the handle, which he carried +to the house and hid underneath the bed. + +They hardly slept a wink that night, lying awake to think of their +good fortune and what they should do with their store of yellow +gold. In all their former lives they had never possessed more than a +few dollars at a time, and now the cracked teapot was nearly full of +gold coins. + +The following day was Sunday, and they arose early and ran to see if +their treasure was safe. There it lay, heaped snugly within the +teapot, and they were so willing to feast their eyes upon it that it +was long before the man could leave it to build the fire or the +woman to cook the breakfast. + +While they ate their simple meal the woman said: + +"We will go to church to-day and return thanks for the riches that +have come to us so suddenly. And I will give the pastor one of the +gold pieces." + +"It is well enough to go to church," replied her husband, "and also +to return thanks. But in the night I decided how we will spend all +our money; so there will be none left for the pastor." + +"We can pump more," said the woman. + +"Perhaps; and perhaps not," he answered, cautiously. "What we have +we can depend upon, but whether or not there be more in the well I +cannot say." + +"Then go and find out," she returned, "for I am anxious to give +something to the pastor, who is a poor man and deserving." + +So the man got the pump handle from beneath the bed, and, going to +the pump, fitted it in place. Then he set a large wooden bucket +under the spout and began to pump. To their joy the gold pieces soon +began flowing into the pail, and, seeing it about to run over the +brim, the woman brought another pail. But now the stream suddenly +stopped, and the man said, cheerfully: + +"That is enough for to-day, good wife! We have added greatly to our +treasure, and the parson shall have his gold piece. Indeed, I think +I shall also put a coin into the contribution box." + +Then, because the teapot would hold no more gold, the farmer emptied +the pail into the wood-box, covering the money with dried leaves and +twigs, that no one might suspect what lay underneath. + +Afterward they dressed themselves in their best clothing and started +for the church, each taking a bright gold piece from the teapot as a +gift to the pastor. + +Over the hill and down into the valley beyond they walked, feeling +so gay and light-hearted that they did not mind the distance at all. +At last they came to the little country church and entered just as +the services began. + +Being proud of their wealth and of the gifts they had brought for +the pastor, they could scarcely wait for the moment when the deacon +passed the contribution box. But at last the time came, and the +farmer held his hand high over the box and dropped the gold piece so +that all the congregation could see what he had given. The woman did +likewise, feeling important and happy at being able to give the good +parson so much. + +The parson, watching from the pulpit, saw the gold drop into the +box, and could hardly believe that his eyes did not deceive him. +However, when the box was laid upon his desk there were the two gold +pieces, and he was so surprised that he nearly forgot his sermon. + +When the people were leaving the church at the close of the services +the good man stopped the farmer and his wife and asked: + +"Where did you get so much gold?" + +The woman gladly told him how she had rescued the beetle, and how, +in return, they had been rewarded with the wonderful pump. The +pastor listened to it all gravely, and when the story was finished +he said: + +"According to tradition strange things happened in this world ages +ago, and now I find that strange things may also happen to-day. For +by your tale you have found a beetle that can speak and also has +power to bestow upon you great wealth." Then he looked carefully at +the gold pieces and continued: "Either this money is fairy gold or +it is genuine metal, stamped at the mint of the United States +government. If it is fairy gold it will disappear within 24 hours, +and will therefore do no one any good. If it is real money, then +your beetle must have robbed some one of the gold and placed it in +your well. For all money belongs to some one, and if you have not +earned it honestly, but have come by it in the mysterious way you +mention, it was surely taken from the persons who owned it, without +their consent. Where else could real money come from?" + +The farmer and his wife were confused by this statement and looked +guiltily at each other, for they were honest people and wished to +wrong no one. + +"Then you think the beetle stole the money?" asked the woman. + +"By his magic powers he probably took it from its rightful owners. +Even bugs which can speak have no consciences and cannot tell the +difference between right and wrong. With a desire to reward you for +your kindness the beetle took from its lawful possessors the money +you pumped from the well." + +"Perhaps it really is fairy gold," suggested the man. "If so, we +must go to the town and spend the money before it disappears." + +"That would be wrong," answered the pastor; "for then the merchants +would have neither money nor goods. To give them fairy gold would be +to rob them." + +"What, then, shall we do?" asked the poor woman, wringing her hands +with grief and disappointment. + +"Go home and wait until to-morrow. If the gold is then in your +possession it is real money and not fairy gold. But if it is real +money you must try to restore it to its rightful owners. Take, also, +these pieces which you have given me, for I cannot accept gold that +is not honestly come by." + +Sadly the poor people returned to their home, being greatly +disturbed by what they had heard. Another sleepless night was +passed, and on Monday morning they arose at daylight and ran to see +if the gold was still visible. + +"It is real money, after all!" cried the man; "for not a single +piece has disappeared." + +When the woman went to the brook that day she looked for the beetle, +and, sure enough, there he sat upon the flat stone. + +"Are you happy now?" asked the beetle, as the woman paused before +him. + +"We are very unhappy," she answered; "for, although you have given +us much gold, our good parson says it surely belongs to some one +else, and was stolen by you to reward us." + +"Your parson may be a good man," returned the beetle, with some +indignation, "but he certainly is not overwise. Nevertheless, if you +do not want the gold I can take it from you as easily as I gave it." + +"But we do want it!" cried the woman, fearfully. "That is," she +added, "if it is honestly come by." + +"It is not stolen," replied the beetle, sulkily, "and now belongs to +no one but yourselves. When you saved my life I thought how I might +reward you; and, knowing you to be poor, I decided gold would make +you happier than anything else. + +"You must know," he continued, "that although I appear so small and +insignificant, I am really king of all the insects, and my people +obey my slightest wish. Living, as they do, close to the ground, the +insects often come across gold and other pieces of money which have +been lost by men and have fallen into cracks or crevasses or become +covered with earth or hidden by grass or weeds. Whenever my people +find money in this way they report the fact to me; but I have always +let it lie, because it could be of no possible use to an insect. + +"However, when I decided to give you gold I knew just where to +obtain it without robbing any of your fellow creatures. Thousands of +insects were at once sent by me in every direction to bring the +pieces of lost gold to his hill. It cost my people several days of +hard labor, as you may suppose; but by the time your husband had +finished the well the gold began to arrive from all parts of the +country, and during the night my subjects dumped it all into the +well. So you may use it with a clear conscience, knowing that you +wrong no one." + +This explanation delighted the woman, and when she returned to the +house and reported to her husband what the beetle had said he also +was overjoyed. + +So they at once took a number of the gold pieces and went to the +town to purchase provisions and clothing and many things of which +they had long stood in need; but so proud were they of their newly +acquired wealth that they took no pains to conceal it. They wanted +everyone to know they had money, and so it was no wonder that when +some of the wicked men in the village saw the gold they longed to +possess it themselves. + +"If they spend this money so freely," whispered one to another, +"there must be a great store of gold at their home." + +"That is true," was the answer. "Let us hasten there before they +return and ransack the house." + +So they left the village and hurried away to the farm on the hill, +where they broke down the door and turned everything topsy turvy +until they had discovered the gold in the wood-box and the teapot. +It did not take them long to make this into bundles, which they +slung upon their backs and carried off, and it was probably because +they were in a great hurry that they did not stop to put the house +in order again. + +Presently the good woman and her husband came up the hill from the +village with their arms full of bundles and followed by a crowd of +small boys who had been hired to help carry the purchases. Then +followed others, youngsters and country louts, attracted by the +wealth and prodigality of the pair, who, from simple curiosity, +trailed along behind like the tail of a comet and helped swell the +concourse into a triumphal procession. Last of all came Guggins, the +shopkeeper, carrying with much tenderness a new silk dress which was +to be paid for when they reached the house, all the money they had +taken to the village having been lavishly expended. + +The farmer, who had formerly been a modest man, was now so swelled +with pride that he tipped the rim of his hat over his left ear and +smoked a big cigar that was fast making him ill. His wife strutted +along beside him like a peacock, enjoying to the full the homage and +respect her wealth had won from those who formerly deigned not to +notice her, and glancing from time to time at the admiring +procession in the rear. + +But, alas for their new-born pride! when they reached the farmhouse +they found the door broken in, the furniture strewn in all +directions and their treasure stolen to the very last gold piece. + +The crowd grinned and made slighting remarks of a personal nature, +and Guggins, the shopkeeper, demanded in a loud voice the money for +the silk dress he had brought. + +Then the woman whispered to her husband to run and pump some more +gold while she kept the crowd quiet, and he obeyed quickly. But +after a few moments he returned with a white face to tell her the +pump was dry, and not a gold piece could now be coaxed from the +spout. + +The procession marched back to the village laughing and jeering at +the farmer and his wife, who had pretended to be so rich; and some +of the boys were naughty enough to throw stones at the house from +the top of the hill. Mr. Guggins carried away his dress after +severely scolding the woman for deceiving him, and when the couple +at last found themselves alone their pride had turned to humiliation +and their joy to bitter grief. + +Just before sundown the woman dried her eyes and, having resumed her +ordinary attire, went to the brook for water. When she came to the +flat stone she saw the King Beetle sitting upon it. + +"The well is dry!" she cried out, angrily. + +"Yes," answered the beetle, calmly, "you have pumped from it all the +gold my people could find." + +"But we are now ruined," said the woman, sitting down in the path +beginning to weep; "for robbers have stolen from us every penny we +possessed." + +"I'm sorry," returned the beetle; "but it is your own fault. Had you +not made so great a show of your wealth no one would have suspected +you possessed a treasure, or thought to rob you. As it is, you have +merely lost the gold which others have lost before you. It will +probably be lost many times more before the world comes to an end." + +"But what are we to do now?" she asked. + +"What did you do before I gave you the money?" + +"We worked from morning 'til night," said she. + +"Then work still remains for you," remarked the beetle, composedly; +"no one will ever try to rob you of that, you may be sure!" And he +slid from the stone and disappeared for the last time. + +* * * * * + +This story should teach us to accept good fortune with humble hearts +and to use it with moderation. For, had the farmer and his wife +resisted the temptation to display their wealth ostentatiously, they +might have retained it to this very day. + + + + +THE DUMMY THAT LIVED + + +In all Fairyland there is no more mischievous a person than +Tanko-Mankie the Yellow Ryl. He flew through the city one +afternoon--quite invisible to moral eyes, but seeing everything +himself--and noticed a figure of a wax lady standing behind the big +plate glass window of Mr. Floman's department store. + +The wax lady was beautifully dressed, and extended in her stiff left +hand was a card bearing the words: + + "RARE BARGIN! + This Stylish Costume + (Imported from Paris) + Former Price, $20, + REDUCED TO ONLY $19.98." + +This impressive announcement had drawn before the window a crowd of +women shoppers, who stood looking at the wax lady with critical +eyes. + +Tanko-Mankie laughed to himself the low, gurgling little laugh that +always means mischief. Then he flew close to the wax figure and +breathed twice upon its forehead. + +From that instant the dummy began to live, but so dazed and +astonished was she at the unexpected sensation that she continued to +stand stupidly staring at the women outside and holding out the +placard as before. + +The ryl laughed again and flew away. Anyone but Tanko-Mankie would +have remained to help the wax lady out of the troubles that were +sure to overtake her; but this naughty elf thought it rare fun to +turn the inexperienced lady loose in a cold and heartless world and +leave her to shift for herself. + +Fortunately it was almost six o'clock when the dummy first realized +that she was alive, and before she had collected her new thoughts +and decided what to do a man came around and drew down all the +window shades, shutting off the view from the curious shoppers. + +Then the clerks and cashiers and floorwalkers and cash girls went +home and the store was closed for the night, although the sweepers +and scrubbers remained to clean the floors for the following day. + +The window inhabited by the wax lady was boxed in, like a little +room, one small door being left at the side for the window-trimmer +to creep in and out of. So the scrubbers never noticed that the +dummy, when left to herself, dropped the placard to the floor and +sat down upon a pile of silks to wonder who she was, where she was, +and how she happened to be alive. + +For you must consider, dear reader, that in spite of her size and +her rich costume, in spite of her pink cheeks and fluffy yellow +hair, this lady was very young--no older, in reality, than a baby +born but half an hour. All she knew of the world was contained in +the glimpse she had secured of the busy street facing her window; +all she knew of people lay in the actions of the group of women +which had stood before her on the other side of the window pane and +criticised the fit of her dress or remarked upon its stylish +appearance. + +So she had little enough to think about, and her thoughts moved +somewhat slowly; yet one thing she really decided upon, and that was +not to remain in the window and be insolently stared at by a lot of +women who were not nearly so handsome or well dressed as herself. + +By the time she reached this important conclusion, it was after +midnight; but dim lights were burning in the big, deserted store, so +she crept through the door of her window and walked down the long +aisles, pausing now and then to look with much curiosity at the +wealth of finery confronting her on every side. + +When she came to the glass cases filled with trimmed hats she +remembered having seen upon the heads of the women in the street +similar creations. So she selected one that suited her fancy and +placed it carefully upon her yellow locks. I won't attempt to +explain what instinct it was that made her glance into a near-by +mirror to see if the hat was straight, but this she certainly did. +It didn't correspond with her dress very well, but the poor thing +was too young to have much taste in matching colors. + +When she reached the glove counter she remembered that gloves were +also worn by the women she had seen. She took a pair from the case +and tried to fit them upon her stiff, wax-coated fingers; but the +gloves were too small and ripped in the seams. Then she tried +another pair, and several others, as well; but hours passed before +she finally succeeded in getting her hands covered with a pair of +pea-green kids. + +Next she selected a parasol from a large and varied assortment in +the rear of the store. Not that she had any idea what it was used +for; but other ladies carried such things, so she also would have +one. + +When she again examined herself critically in the mirror she decided +her outfit was now complete, and to her inexperienced eyes there was +no perceptible difference between her and the women who had stood +outside the window. Whereupon she tried to leave the store, but +found every door fast locked. + +The wax lady was in no hurry. She inherited patience from her +previous existence. Just to be alive and to wear beautiful clothes +was sufficient enjoyment for her at present. So she sat down upon a +stool and waited quietly until daylight. + +When the janitor unlocked the door in the morning the wax lady swept +past him and walked with stiff but stately strides down the street. +The poor fellow was so completely whuckered at seeing the well-known +wax lady leave her window and march away from the store that he fell +over in a heap and only saved himself from fainting by striking his +funny bone against the doorstep. When he recovered his wits she had +turned the corner and disappeared. + +The wax lady's immature mind had reasoned that, since she had come +to life, her evident duty was to mix with the world and do whatever +other folks did. She could not realize how different she was from +people of flesh and blood; nor did she know she was the first dummy +that had ever lived, or that she owed her unique experience to +Tanko-Mankie's love of mischief. So ignorance gave her a confidence +in herself that she was not justly entitled to. + +It was yet early in the day, and the few people she met were +hurrying along the streets. Many of them turned into restaurants and +eating houses, and following their example the wax lady also entered +one and sat upon a stool before a lunch counter. + +"Coffee 'n' rolls!" said a shop girl on the next stool. + +"Coffee 'n' rolls!" repeated the dummy, and soon the waiter placed +them before her. Of course she had no appetite, as her constitution, +being mostly wood, did not require food; but she watched the shop +girl, and saw her put the coffee to her mouth and drink it. +Therefore the wax lady did the same, and the next instant was +surprised to feel the hot liquid trickling out between her wooden +ribs. The coffee also blistered her wax lips, and so disagreeable +was the experience that she arose and left the restaurant, paying no +attention to the demands of the waiter for "20 cents, mum." Not that +she intended to defraud him, but the poor creature had no idea what +he meant by "20 cents, mum." + +As she came out she met the window trimmer at Floman's store. The +man was rather near-sighted, but seeing something familiar in the +lady's features he politely raised his hat. The wax lady also raised +her hat, thinking it the proper thing to do, and the man hurried +away with a horrified face. + +Then a woman touched her arm and said: + +"Beg pardon, ma'am; but there's a price-mark hanging on your dress +behind." + +"Yes, I know," replied the wax lady, stiffly; "it was originally +$20, but it's been reduced to $19.98." + +The woman looked surprised at such indifference and walked on. Some +carriages were standing at the edge of the sidewalk, and seeing the +dummy hesitate a driver approached her and touched his cap. + +"Cab, ma'am?" he asked. + +"No," said she, misunderstanding him; "I'm wax." + +"Oh!" he exclaimed, and looked after her wonderingly. + +"Here's yer mornin' paper!" yelled a newsboy. + +"Mine, did you say?" she asked. + +"Sure! Chronicle, 'Quirer, R'public 'n' 'Spatch! Wot'll ye 'ave?" + +"What are they for?" inquired the wax lady, simply. + +"W'y, ter read, o' course. All the news, you know." + +She shook her head and glanced at a paper. + +"It looks all speckled and mixed up," she said. "I'm afraid I can't +read." + +"Ever ben to school?" asked the boy, becoming interested. + +"No; what's school?" she inquired. + +The boy gave her an indignant look. + +"Say!" he cried, "ye'r just a dummy, that's wot ye are!" and ran +away to seek a more promising customer. + +"I wonder that he means," thought the poor lady. "Am I really +different in some way from all the others? I look like them, +certainly; and I try to act like them; yet that boy called me a +dummy and seemed to think I acted queerly." + +This idea worried her a little, but she walked on to the corner, +where she noticed a street car stop to let some people on. The wax +lady, still determined to do as others did, also boarded the car and +sat down quietly in a corner. + +After riding a few blocks the conductor approached her and said: + +"Fare, please!" + +"What's that?" she inquired, innocently. + +"Your fare!" said the man, impatiently. + +She stared at him stupidly, trying to think what he meant. + +"Come, come!" growled the conductor, "either pay up or get off!" + +Still she did not understand, and he grabbed her rudely by the arm +and lifted her to her feet. But when his hand came in contact with +the hard wood of which her arm was made the fellow was filled with +surprise. He stooped down and peered into her face, and, seeing it +was wax instead of flesh, he gave a yell of fear and jumped from the +car, running as if he had seen a ghost. + +At this the other passengers also yelled and sprang from the car, +fearing a collision; and the motorman, knowing something was wrong, +followed suit. The wax lady, seeing the others run, jumped from the +car last of all, and stepped in front of another car coming at full +speed from the opposite direction. + +She heard cries of fear and of warning on all sides, but before she +understood her danger she was knocked down and dragged for half a +block. + +When the car was brought to a stop a policeman reached down and +pulled her from under the wheels. Her dress was badly torn and +soiled. Her left ear was entirely gone, and the left side of her +head was caved in; but she quickly scrambled to her feet and asked +for her hat. This a gentleman had already picked up, and when the +policeman handed it to her and noticed the great hole in her head +and the hollow place it disclosed, the poor fellow trembled so +frightfully that his knees actually knocked together. + +"Why--why, ma'am, you're killed!" he gasped. + +"What does it mean to be killed?" asked the wax lady. + +The policeman shuddered and wiped the perspiration from his +forehead. + +"You're it!" he answered, with a groan. + +The crowd that had collected were looking upon the lady wonderingly, +and a middle-aged gentleman now exclaimed: + +"Why, she's wax!" + +"Wax!" echoed the policeman. + +"Certainly. She's one of those dummies they put in the windows," +declared the middle-aged man. + +The people who had collected shouted: "You're right!" "That's what +she is!" "She's a dummy!" + +"Are you?" inquired the policeman, sternly. + +The wax lady did not reply. She began to fear she was getting into +trouble, and the staring crowd seemed to embarrass her. + +Suddenly a bootblack attempted to solve the problem by saying: "You +guys is all wrong! Can a dummy talk? Can a dummy walk? Can a dummy +live?" + +"Hush!" murmured the policeman. "Look here!" and he pointed to the +hold in the lady's head. The newsboy looked, turned pale and +whistled to keep himself from shivering. + +A second policeman now arrived, and after a brief conference it was +decided to take the strange creature to headquarters. So they called +a hurry-up wagon, and the damaged wax lady was helped inside and +driven to the police station. There the policeman locked her in a +cell and hastened to tell Inspector Mugg their wonderful story. + +Inspector Mugg had just eaten a poor breakfast, and was not in a +pleasant mood; so he roared and stormed at the unlucky policemen, +saying they were themselves dummies to bring such a fairy tale to a +man of sense. He also hinted that they had been guilty of +intemperance. + +The policemen tried to explain, but Inspector Mugg would not listen; +and while they were still disputing in rushed Mr. Floman, the owner +of the department store. + +"I want a dozen detectives, at once, inspector!" he cried. + +"What for?" demanded Mugg. + +"One of the wax ladies has escaped from my store and eloped with a +$19.98 costume, a $4.23 hat, a $2.19 parasol and a 76-cent pair of +gloves, and I want her arrested!" + +While he paused for breath the inspector glared at him in amazement. + +"Is everybody going crazy at the same time?" he inquired, +sarcastically. "How could a wax dummy run away?" + +"I don't know; but she did. When my janitor opened the door this +morning he saw her run out." + +"Why didn't he stop her?" asked Mugg. + +"He was too frightened. But she's stolen my property, your honor, +and I want her arrested!" declared the storekeeper. + +The inspector thought for a moment. + +"You wouldn't be able to prosecute her," he said, "for there's no +law against dummies stealing." + +Mr. Floman sighed bitterly. + +"Am I to lose that $19.98 costume and the $4.25 hat and--" + +"By no means," interrupted Inspector Mugg. "The police of this city +are ever prompt to act in defense of our worthy citizens. We have +already arrested the wax lady, and she is locked up in cell No. 16. +You may go there and recover your property, if you wish, but before +you prosecute her for stealing you'd better hunt up a law that +applies to dummies." + +"All I want," said Mr. Floman, "is that $19.98 costume and--" + +"Come along!" interrupted the policeman. "I'll take you to the +cell." + +But when they entered No. 16 they found only a lifeless dummy lying +prone upon the floor. Its wax was cracked and blistered, its head +was badly damaged, and the bargain costume was dusty, soiled and +much bedraggled. For the mischief-loving Tanko-Mankie had flown by +and breathed once more upon the poor wax lady, and in that instant +her brief life ended. + +"It's just as I thought," said Inspector Mugg, leaning back in his +chair contentedly. "I knew all the time the thing was a fake. It +seems sometimes as though the whole world would go crazy if there +wasn't some level-headed man around to bring 'em to their senses. +Dummies are wood an' wax, an' that's all there is of 'em." + +"That may be the rule," whispered the policeman to himself, "but +this one were a dummy as lived!" + + + + +THE KING OF THE POLAR BEARS + + +The King of the Polar Bears lived among the icebergs in the far +north country. He was old and monstrous big; he was wise and +friendly to all who knew him. His body was thickly covered with +long, white hair that glistened like silver under the rays of the +midnight sun. His claws were strong and sharp, that he might walk +safely over the smooth ice or grasp and tear the fishes and seals +upon which he fed. + +The seals were afraid when he drew near, and tried to avoid him; but +the gulls, both white and gray, loved him because he left the +remnants of his feasts for them to devour. + +Often his subjects, the polar bears, came to him for advice when ill +or in trouble; but they wisely kept away from his hunting grounds, +lest they might interfere with his sport and arouse his anger. + +The wolves, who sometimes came as far north as the icebergs, +whispered among themselves that the King of the Polar Bears was +either a magician or under the protection of a powerful fairy. For +no earthly thing seemed able to harm him; he never failed to secure +plenty of food, and he grew bigger and stronger day by day and year +by year. + +Yet the time came when this monarch of the north met man, and his +wisdom failed him. + +He came out of his cave among the icebergs one day and saw a boat +moving through the strip of water which had been uncovered by the +shifting of the summer ice. In the boat were men. + +The great bear had never seen such creatures before, and therefore +advanced toward the boat, sniffing the strange scent with aroused +curiosity and wondering whether he might take them for friends or +foes, food or carrion. + +When the king came near the water's edge a man stood up in the boat +and with a queer instrument made a loud "bang!" The polar bear felt +a shock; his brain became numb; his thoughts deserted him; his great +limbs shook and gave way beneath him and his body fell heavily upon +the hard ice. + +That was all he remembered for a time. + +When he awoke he was smarting with pain on every inch of his huge +bulk, for the men had cut away his hide with its glorious white hair +and carried it with them to a distant ship. + +Above him circled thousands of his friends the gulls, wondering if +their benefactor were really dead and it was proper to eat him. But +when they saw him raise his head and groan and tremble they knew he +still lived, and one of them said to his comrades: + +"The wolves were right. The king is a great magician, for even men +cannot kill him. But he suffers for lack of covering. Let us repay +his kindness to us by each giving him as many feathers as we can +spare." + +This idea pleased the gulls. One after another they plucked with +their beaks the softest feathers from under their wings, and, flying +down, dropped then gently upon the body of the King of the Polar +Bears. + +Then they called to him in a chorus: + +"Courage, friend! Our feathers are as soft and beautiful as your own +shaggy hair. They will guard you from the cold winds and warm you +while you sleep. Have courage, then, and live!" + +And the King of the Polar Bears had courage to bear his pain and +lived and was strong again. + +The feathers grew as they had grown upon the bodies of the birds and +covered him as his own hair had done. Mostly they were pure white in +color, but some from the gray gulls gave his majesty a slight +mottled appearance. + +The rest of that summer and all through the six months of night the +king left his icy cavern only to fish or catch seals for food. He +felt no shame at his feathery covering, but it was still strange to +him, and he avoided meeting any of his brother bears. + +During this period of retirement he thought much of the men who had +harmed him, and remembered the way they had made the great "bang!" +And he decided it was best to keep away from such fierce creatures. +Thus he added to his store of wisdom. + +When the moon fell away from the sky and the sun came to make the +icebergs glitter with the gorgeous tintings of the rainbow, two of +the polar bears arrived at the king's cavern to ask his advice about +the hunting season. But when they saw his great body covered with +feathers instead of hair they began to laugh, and one said: + +"Our mighty king has become a bird! Who ever before heard of a +feathered polar bear?" + +Then the king gave way to wrath. He advanced upon them with deep +growls and stately tread and with one blow of his monstrous paw +stretched the mocker lifeless at his feet. + +The other ran away to his fellows and carried the news of the king's +strange appearance. The result was a meeting of all the polar bears +upon a broad field of ice, where they talked gravely of the +remarkable change that had come upon their monarch. + +"He is, in reality, no longer a bear," said one; "nor can he justly +be called a bird. But he is half bird and half bear, and so unfitted +to remain our king." + +"Then who shall take his place?" asked another. + +"He who can fight the bird-bear and overcome him," answered an aged +member of the group. "Only the strongest is fit to rule our race." + +There was silence for a time, but at length a great bear moved to +the front and said: + +"I will fight him; I--Woof--the strongest of our race! And I will be +King of the Polar Bears." + +The others nodded assent, and dispatched a messenger to the king to +say he must fight the great Woof and master him or resign his +sovereignty. + +"For a bear with feathers," added the messenger, "is no bear at all, +and the king we obey must resemble the rest of us." + +"I wear feathers because it pleases me," growled the king. "Am I not +a great magician? But I will fight, nevertheless, and if Woof +masters me he shall be king in my stead." + +Then he visited his friends, the gulls, who were even then feasting +upon the dead bear, and told them of the coming battle. + +"I shall conquer," he said, proudly. "Yet my people are in the +right, for only a hairy one like themselves can hope to command +their obedience." + +The queen gull said: + +"I met an eagle yesterday, which had made its escape from a big city +of men. And the eagle told me he had seen a monstrous polar bear +skin thrown over the back of a carriage that rolled along the +street. That skin must have been yours, oh king, and if you wish I +will sent an hundred of my gulls to the city to bring it back to +you." + +"Let them go!" said the king, gruffly. And the hundred gulls were +soon flying rapidly southward. + +For three days they flew straight as an arrow, until they came to +scattered houses, to villages, and to cities. Then their search +began. + +The gulls were brave, and cunning, and wise. Upon the fourth day +they reached the great metropolis, and hovered over the streets +until a carriage rolled along with a great white bear robe thrown +over the back seat. Then the birds swooped down--the whole hundred +of them--and seizing the skin in their beaks flew quickly away. + +They were late. The king's great battle was upon the seventh day, +and they must fly swiftly to reach the Polar regions by that time. + +Meanwhile the bird-bear was preparing for his fight. He sharpened +his claws in the small crevasses of the ice. He caught a seal and +tested his big yellow teeth by crunching its bones between them. And +the queen gull set her band to pluming the king bear's feathers +until they lay smoothly upon his body. + +But every day they cast anxious glances into the southern sky, +watching for the hundred gulls to bring back the king's own skin. + +The seventh day came, and all the Polar bears in that region +gathered around the king's cavern. Among them was Woof, strong and +confident of his success. + +"The bird-bear's feathers will fly fast enough when I get my claws +upon him!" he boasted; and the others laughed and encouraged him. + +The king was disappointed at not having recovered his skin, but he +resolved to fight bravely without it. He advanced from the opening +of his cavern with a proud and kingly bearing, and when he faced his +enemy he gave so terrible a growl that Woof's heart stopped beating +for a moment, and he began to realize that a fight with the wise and +mighty king of his race was no laughing matter. + +After exchanging one or two heavy blows with his foe Woof's courage +returned, and he determined to dishearten his adversary by bluster. + +"Come nearer, bird-bear!" he cried. "Come nearer, that I may pluck +your plumage!" + +The defiance filled the king with rage. He ruffled his feathers as a +bird does, till he appeared to be twice his actual size, and then he +strode forward and struck Woof so powerful a blow that his skull +crackled like an egg-shell and he fell prone upon the ground. + +While the assembled bears stood looking with fear and wonder at +their fallen champion the sky became darkened. + +An hundred gulls flew down from above and dripped upon the king's +body a skin covered with pure white hair that glittered in the sun +like silver. + +And behold! the bears saw before them the well-known form of their +wise and respected master, and with one accord they bowed their +shaggy heads in homage to the mighty King of the Polar Bears. + +* * * * * + +This story teaches us that true dignity and courage depend not upon +outward appearance, but come rather from within; also that brag and +bluster are poor weapons to carry into battle. + + + + +THE MANDARIN AND THE BUTTERFLY + + +A mandarin once lived in Kiang-ho who was so exceedingly cross and +disagreeable that everyone hated him. He snarled and stormed at +every person he met and was never known to laugh or be merry under +any circumstances. Especially he hated boys and girls; for the boys +jeered at him, which aroused his wrath, and the girls made fun of +him, which hurt his pride. + +When he had become so unpopular that no one would speak to him, the +emperor heard about it and commanded him to emigrate to America. +This suited the mandarin very well; but before he left China he +stole the Great Book of Magic that belonged to the wise magician +Haot-sai. Then, gathering up his little store of money, he took ship +for America. + +He settled in a city of the middle west and of course started a +laundry, since that seems to be the natural vocation of every +Chinaman, be he coolie or mandarin. + +He made no acquaintances with the other Chinamen of the town, who, +when they met him and saw the red button in his hat, knew him for a +real mandarin and bowed low before him. He put up a red and white +sign and people brought their laundry to him and got paper checks, +with Chinese characters upon them, in exchange, this being the only +sort of character the mandarin had left. + +One day as the ugly one was ironing in his shop in the basement of +263 1/2 Main street, he looked up and saw a crowd of childish faces +pressed against the window. Most Chinamen make friends with +children; this one hated them and tried to drive them away. But as +soon as he returned to his work they were back at the window again, +mischievously smiling down upon him. + +The naughty mandarin uttered horrid words in the Manchu language and +made fierce gestures; but this did no good at all. The children +stayed as long as they pleased, and they came again the very next +day as soon as school was over, and likewise the next day, and the +next. For they saw their presence at the window bothered the +Chinaman and were delighted accordingly. + +The following day being Sunday the children did not appear, but as +the mandarin, being a heathen, worked in his little shop a big +butterfly flew in at the open door and fluttered about the room. + +The mandarin closed the door and chased the butterfly until he +caught it, when he pinned it against the wall by sticking two pins +through its beautiful wings. This did not hurt the butterfly, there +being no feeling in its wings; but it made him a safe prisoner. + +This butterfly was of large size and its wings were exquisitely +marked by gorgeous colors laid out in regular designs like the +stained glass windows of a cathedral. + +The mandarin now opened his wooden chest and drew forth the Great +Book of Magic he had stolen from Haot-sai. Turning the pages slowly +he came to a passage describing "How to understand the language of +butterflies." This he read carefully and then mixed a magic formula +in a tin cup and drank it down with a wry face. Immediately +thereafter he spoke to the butterfly in its own language, saying: + +"Why did you enter this room?" + +"I smelled bees-wax," answered the butterfly; "therefore I thought +I might find honey here." + +"But you are my prisoner," said the mandarin. "If I please I can kill +you, or leave you on the wall to starve to death." + +"I expect that," replied the butterfly, with a sigh. "But my race is +shortlived, anyway; it doesn't matter whether death comes sooner or +later." + +"Yet you like to live, do you not?" asked the mandarin. + +"Yet; life is pleasant and the world is beautiful. I do not seek +death." + +"Then," said the mandarin, "I will give you life--a long and +pleasant life--if you will promise to obey me for a time and carry +out my instructions." + +"How can a butterfly serve a man?" asked the creature, in surprise. + +"Usually they cannot," was the reply. "But I have a book of magic +which teaches me strange things. Do you promise?" + +"Oh, yes; I promise," answered the butterfly; "for even as your +slave I will get some enjoyment out of life, while should you kill +me--that is the end of everything!" + +"Truly," said the mandarin, "butterflies have no souls, and +therefore cannot live again." + +"But I have enjoyed three lives already," returned the butterfly, +with some pride. "I have been a caterpillar and a chrysalis before I +became a butterfly. You were never anything but a Chinaman, although +I admit your life is longer than mine." + +"I will extend your life for many days, if you will obey me," +declared the Chinaman. "I can easily do so by means of my magic." + +"Of course I will obey you," said the butterfly, carelessly. + +"Then, listen! You know children, do you not?--boys and girls?" + +"Yes, I know them. They chase me, and try to catch me, as you have +done," replied the butterfly. + +"And they mock me, and jeer at me through the window," continued the +mandarin, bitterly. "Therefore, they are your enemies and mine! But +with your aid and the help of the magic book we shall have a fine +revenge for their insults." + +"I don't care much for revenge," said the butterfly. "They are but +children, and 'tis natural they should wish to catch such a +beautiful creature as I am." + +"Nevertheless, I care! and you must obey me," retorted the mandarin, +harshly. "I, at least, will have my revenge." + +Then he stuck a drop of molasses upon the wall beside the +butterfly's head and said: + +"Eat that, while I read my book and prepare my magic formula." + +So the butterfly feasted upon the molasses and the mandarin studied +his book, after which he began to mix a magic compound in the tin +cup. + +When the mixture was ready he released the butterfly from the wall +and said to it: + +"I command you to dip your two front feet into this magic compound +and then fly away until you meet a child. Fly close, whether it be a +boy or a girl, and touch the child upon its forehead with your feet. +Whosoever is thus touched, the book declares, will at once become a +pig, and will remain such forever after. Then return to me and dip +you legs afresh in the contents of this cup. So shall all my +enemies, the children, become miserable swine, while no one will +think of accusing me of the sorcery." + +"Very well; since such is your command, I obey," said the butterfly. +Then it dipped its front legs, which were the shortest of the six, +into the contents of the tin cup, and flew out of the door and away +over the houses to the edge of the town. There it alighted in a +flower garden and soon forgot all about its mission to turn children +into swine. + +In going from flower to flower it soon brushed the magic compound +from its legs, so that when the sun began to set and the butterfly +finally remembered its master, the mandarin, it could not have +injured a child had it tried. + +But it did not intend to try. + +"That horrid old Chinaman," it thought, "hates children and wishes +to destroy them. But I rather like children myself and shall not +harm them. Of course I must return to my master, for he is a +magician, and would seek me out and kill me; but I can deceive him +about this matter easily enough." + +When the butterfly flew in at the door of the mandarin's laundry he +asked, eagerly: + +"Well, did you meet a child?" + +"I did," replied the butterfly, calmly. "It was a pretty, +golden-haired girl--but now 'tis a grunting pig!" + +"Good! Good! Good!" cried the mandarin, dancing joyfully about the +room. "You shall have molasses for your supper, and to-morrow you +must change two children into pigs." + +The butterfly did not reply, but ate the molasses in silence. Having +no soul it had no conscience, and having no conscience it was able +to lie to the mandarin with great readiness and a certain amount of +enjoyment. + +Next morning, by the mandarin's command, the butterfly dipped its +legs in the mixture and flew away in search of children. + +When it came to the edge of the town it noticed a pig in a sty, and +alighting upon the rail of the sty it looked down at the creature +and thought. + +"If I could change a child into a pig by touching it with the magic +compound, what could I change a pig into, I wonder?" + +Being curious to determine this fine point in sorcery the butterfly +fluttered down and touched its front feet to the pig's nose. +Instantly the animal disappeared, and in its place was a +shock-headed, dirty looking boy, which sprang from the sty and ran +down the road uttering load whoops. + +"That's funny," said the butterfly to itself. "The mandarin would be +very angry with me if he knew of this, for I have liberated one more +of the creatures that bother him." + +It fluttered along after the boy, who had paused to throw stones at +a cat. But pussy escaped by running up a tree, where thick branches +protected her from the stones. Then the boy discovered a +newly-planted garden, and trampled upon the beds until the seeds +were scattered far and wide, and the garden was ruined. Next he +caught up a switch and struck with it a young calf that stood +quietly grazing in a field. The poor creature ran away with piteous +bleats, and the boy laughed and followed after it, striking the +frightened animal again and again. + +"Really," thought the butterfly, "I do not wonder the mandarin hates +children, if they are all so cruel and wicked as this one." + +The calf having escaped him the boy came back to the road, where he +met two little girls on their way to school. One of them had a red +apple in her hand, and the boy snatched it away and began eating it. +The little girl commenced to cry, but her companion, more brave and +sturdy, cried out: + +"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, you nasty boy!" + +At this the boy reached out and slapped her pretty face, whereupon +she also began to sob. + +Although possessed of neither soul nor conscience, the butterfly had +a very tender heart, and now decided it could endure this boy no +longer. + +"If I permitted him to exist," it reflected, "I should never forgive +myself, for the monster would do nothing but evil from morning 'til +night." + +So it flew directly into his face and touched his forehead with its +sticky front feet. + +The next instant the boy had disappeared, but a grunting pig ran +swiftly up the road in the direction of its sty. + +The butterfly gave a sigh of relief. + +"This time I have indeed used the mandarin's magic upon a child," it +whispered, as it floated lazily upon the light breeze; "but since +the child was originally a pig I do not think I have any cause to +reproach myself. The little girls were sweet and gentle, and I would +not injure them to save my life, but were all boys like this +transformed pig, I should not hesitate to carry out the mandarin's +orders." + +Then it flew into a rose bush, where it remained comfortably until +evening. At sundown it returned to its master. + +"Have you changed two of them into pigs?" he asked, at once. + +"I have," replied the butterfly. "One was a pretty, black-eyed baby, +and the other a freckle-faced, red-haired, barefooted newboy." + +"Good! Good! Good!" screamed the mandarin, in an ecstasy of delight. +"Those are the ones who torment me the most! Change every newboy you +meet into a pig!" + +"Very well," answered the butterfly, quietly, and ate its supper of +molasses. + +Several days were passed by the butterfly in the same manner. It +fluttered aimlessly about the flower gardens while the sun shone, +and returned at night to the mandarin with false tales of turning +children into swine. Sometimes it would be one child which was +transformed, sometimes two, and occasionally three; but the mandarin +always greeted the butterfly's report with intense delight and gave +him molasses for supper. + +One evening, however, the butterfly thought it might be well to vary +the report, so that the mandarin might not grow suspicious; and when +its master asked what child had been had been changed into a pig +that day the lying creature answered: + +"It was a Chinese boy, and when I touched him he became a black +pig." + +This angered the mandarin, who was in an especially cross mood. He +spitefully snapped the butterfly with his finger, and nearly broke +its beautiful wing; for he forgot that Chinese boys had once mocked +him and only remembered his hatred for American boys. + +The butterfly became very indignant at this abuse from the mandarin. +It refused to eat its molasses and sulked all the evening, for it +had grown to hate the mandarin almost as much as the mandarin hated +children. + +When morning came it was still trembling with indignation; but the +mandarin cried out: + +"Make haste, miserable slave; for to-day you must change four +children into pigs, to make up for yesterday." + +The butterfly did not reply. His little black eyes were sparkling +wickedly, and no sooner had he dipped his feet into the magic +compound than he flew full in the mandarin's face, and touched him +upon his ugly, flat forehead. + +Soon after a gentleman came into the room for his laundry. The +mandarin was not there, but running around the place was a +repulsive, scrawny pig, which squealed most miserably. + +The butterfly flew away to a brook and washed from its feet all +traces of the magic compound. When night came it slept in a rose +bush. + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of American Fairy Tales, by L. Frank Baum + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMERICAN FAIRY TALES *** + +***** This file should be named 4357.txt or 4357.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/5/4357/ + +Produced by Charles Aldarondo. 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As for Emeline, she +certainly should have stayed in the house and looked after the +little girl; but Emeline had a restless nature. + +"Would you mind, miss, if I just crossed the alley to speak a word +to Mrs. Carleton's girl?" she asked Martha. + +"'Course not," replied the child. "You'd better lock the back door, +though, and take the key, for I shall be upstairs." + +"Oh, I'll do that, of course, miss," said the delighted maid, and +ran away to spend the afternoon with her friend, leaving Martha +quite alone in the big house, and locked in, into the bargain. + +The little girl read a few pages in her new book, sewed a few +stitches in her embroidery and started to "play visiting" with her +four favorite dolls. Then she remembered that in the attic was a +doll's playhouse that hadn't been used for months, so she decided +she would dust it and put it in order. + +Filled with this idea, the girl climbed the winding stairs to the +big room under the roof. It was well lighted by three dormer windows +and was warm and pleasant. Around the walls were rows of boxes and +trunks, piles of old carpeting, pieces of damaged furniture, bundles +of discarded clothing and other odds and ends of more or less value. +Every well-regulated house has an attic of this sort, so I need not +describe it. + +The doll's house had been moved, but after a search Martha found it +away over in a corner near the big chimney. + +She drew it out and noticed that behind it was a black wooden chest +which Uncle Walter had sent over from Italy years and years +ago--before Martha was born, in fact. Mamma had told her about it +one day; how there was no key to it, because Uncle Walter wished it +to remain unopened until he returned home; and how this wandering +uncle, who was a mighty hunter, had gone into Africa to hunt +elephants and had never been heard from afterwards. + +The little girl looked at the chest curiously, now that it had by +accident attracted her attention. + +It was quite big--bigger even than mamma's traveling trunk--and was +studded all over with tarnished brassheaded nails. It was heavy, +too, for when Martha tried to lift one end of it she found she could +not stir it a bit. But there was a place in the side of the cover +for a key. She stooped to examine the lock, and saw that it would +take a rather big key to open it. + +Then, as you may suspect, the little girl longed to open Uncle +Walter's big box and see what was in it. For we are all curious, and +little girls are just as curious as the rest of us. + +"I don't b'lieve Uncle Walter'll ever come back," she thought. "Papa +said once that some elephant must have killed him. If I only had a +key--" She stopped and clapped her little hands together gayly as +she remembered a big basket of keys on the shelf in the linen +closet. They were of all sorts and sizes; perhaps one of them would +unlock the mysterious chest! + +She flew down the stairs, found the basket and returned with it to +the attic. Then she sat down before the brass-studded box and began +trying one key after another in the curious old lock. Some were too +large, but most were too small. One would go into the lock but would +not turn; another stuck so fast that she feared for a time that she +would never get it out again. But at last, when the basket was +almost empty, an oddly-shaped, ancient brass key slipped easily into +the lock. With a cry of joy Martha turned the key with both hands; +then she heard a sharp "click," and the next moment the heavy lid +flew up of its own accord! + +The little girl leaned over the edge of the chest an instant, and +the sight that met her eyes caused her to start back in amazement. + +Slowly and carefully a man unpacked himself from the chest, stepped +out upon the floor, stretched his limbs and then took off his hat +and bowed politely to the astonished child. + +He was tall and thin and his face seemed badly tanned or sunburnt. + +Then another man emerged from the chest, yawning and rubbing his +eyes like a sleepy schoolboy. He was of middle size and his skin +seemed as badly tanned as that of the first. + +While Martha stared open-mouthed at the remarkable sight a third man +crawled from the chest. He had the same complexion as his fellows, +but was short and fat. + +All three were dressed in a curious manner. They wore short jackets +of red velvet braided with gold, and knee breeches of sky-blue satin +with silver buttons. Over their stockings were laced wide ribbons of +red and yellow and blue, while their hats had broad brims with high, +peaked crowns, from which fluttered yards of bright-colored ribbons. + +They had big gold rings in their ears and rows of knives and pistols +in their belts. Their eyes were black and glittering and they wore +long, fierce mustaches, curling at the ends like a pig's tail. + +"My! but you were heavy," exclaimed the fat one, when he had pulled +down his velvet jacket and brushed the dust from his sky-blue +breeches. "And you squeezed me all out of shape." + +"It was unavoidable, Luigi," responded the thin man, lightly; "the +lid of the chest pressed me down upon you. Yet I tender you my +regrets." + +"As for me," said the middle-sized man, carelessly rolling a +cigarette and lighting it, "you must acknowledge I have been your +nearest friend for years; so do not be disagreeable." + +"You mustn't smoke in the attic," said Martha, recovering herself at +sight of the cigarette. "You might set the house on fire." + +The middle-sized man, who had not noticed her before, at this speech +turned to the girl and bowed. + +"Since a lady requests it," said he, "I shall abandon my cigarette," +and he threw it on the floor and extinguished it with his foot. + +"Who are you?" asked Martha, who until now had been too astonished +to be frightened. + +"Permit us to introduce ourselves," said the thin man, flourishing +his hat gracefully. "This is Lugui," the fat man nodded; "and this +is Beni," the middle-sized man bowed; "and I am Victor. We are three +bandits--Italian bandits." + +"Bandits!" cried Martha, with a look of horror. + +"Exactly. Perhaps in all the world there are not three other bandits +so terrible and fierce as ourselves," said Victor, proudly. + +"'Tis so," said the fat man, nodding gravely. + +"But it's wicked!" exclaimed Martha. + +"Yes, indeed," replied Victor. "We are extremely and tremendously +wicked. Perhaps in all the world you could not find three men more +wicked than those who now stand before you." + +"'Tis so," said the fat man, approvingly. + +"But you shouldn't be so wicked," said the girl; +"it's--it's--naughty!" + +Victor cast down his eyes and blushed. + +"Naughty!" gasped Beni, with a horrified look. + +"'Tis a hard word," said Luigi, sadly, and buried his face in his +hands. + +"I little thought," murmured Victor, in a voice broken by emotion, +"ever to be so reviled--and by a lady! Yet, perhaps you spoke +thoughtlessly. You must consider, miss, that our wickedness has an +excuse. For how are we to be bandits, let me ask, unless we are +wicked?" + +Martha was puzzled and shook her head, thoughtfully. Then she +remembered something. + +"You can't remain bandits any longer," said she, "because you are +now in America." + +"America!" cried the three, together. + +"Certainly. You are on Prairie avenue, in Chicago. Uncle Walter sent +you here from Italy in this chest." + +The bandits seemed greatly bewildered by this announcement. Lugui +sat down on an old chair with a broken rocker and wiped his forehead +with a yellow silk handkerchief. Beni and Victor fell back upon the +chest and looked at her with pale faces and staring eyes. + +When he had somewhat recovered himself Victor spoke. + +"Your Uncle Walter has greatly wronged us," he said, reproachfully. +"He has taken us from our beloved Italy, where bandits are highly +respected, and brought us to a strange country where we shall not +know whom to rob or how much to ask for a ransom." + +"'Tis so!" said the fat man, slapping his leg sharply. + +"And we had won such fine reputations in Italy!" said Beni, +regretfully. + +"Perhaps Uncle Walter wanted to reform you," suggested Martha. + +"Are there, then, no bandits in Chicago?" asked Victor. + +"Well," replied the girl, blushing in her turn, "we do not call them +bandits." + +"Then what shall we do for a living?" inquired Beni, despairingly. + +"A great deal can be done in a big American city," said the child. +"My father is a lawyer" (the bandits shuddered), "and my mother's +cousin is a police inspector." + +"Ah," said Victor, "that is a good employment. The police need to be +inspected, especially in Italy." + +"Everywhere!" added Beni. + +"Then you could do other things," continued Martha, encouragingly. +"You could be motor men on trolley cars, or clerks in a department +store. Some people even become aldermen to earn a living." + +The bandits shook their heads sadly. + +"We are not fitted for such work," said Victor. "Our business is to +rob." + +Martha tried to think. + +"It is rather hard to get positions in the gas office," she said, +"but you might become politicians." + +"No!" cried Beni, with sudden fierceness; "we must not abandon our +high calling. Bandits we have always been, and bandits we must +remain!" + +"'Tis so!" agreed the fat man. + +"Even in Chicago there must be people to rob," remarked Victor, with +cheerfulness. + +Martha was distressed. + +"I think they have all been robbed," she objected. + +"Then we can rob the robbers, for we have experience and talent +beyond the ordinary," said Beni. + +"Oh, dear; oh, dear!" moaned the girl; "why did Uncle Walter ever +send you here in this chest?" + +The bandits became interested. + +"That is what we should like to know," declared Victor, eagerly. + +"But no one will ever know, for Uncle Walter was lost while hunting +elephants in Africa," she continued, with conviction. + +"Then we must accept our fate and rob to the best of our ability," +said Victor. "So long as we are faithful to our beloved profession +we need not be ashamed." + +"'Tis so!" cried the fat man. + +"Brothers! we will begin now. Let us rob the house we are in." + +"Good!" shouted the others and sprang to their feet. + +Beni turned threateningly upon the child. + +"Remain here!" he commanded. "If you stir one step your blood will +be on your own head!" Then he added, in a gentler voice: "Don't be +afraid; that's the way all bandits talk to their captives. But of +course we wouldn't hurt a young lady under any circumstances." + +"Of course not," said Victor. + +The fat man drew a big knife from his belt and flourished it about +his head. + +"S'blood!" he ejaculated, fiercely. + +"S'bananas!" cried Beni, in a terrible voice. + +"Confusion to our foes!" hissed Victor. + +And then the three bent themselves nearly double and crept +stealthily down the stairway with cocked pistols in their hands and +glittering knives between their teeth, leaving Martha trembling with +fear and too horrified to even cry for help. + +How long she remained alone in the attic she never knew, but finally +she heard the catlike tread of the returning bandits and saw them +coming up the stairs in single file. + +All bore heavy loads of plunder in their arms, and Lugui was +balancing a mince pie on the top of a pile of her mother's best +evening dresses. Victor came next with an armful of bric-a-brac, a +brass candelabra and the parlor clock. Beni had the family Bible, +the basket of silverware from the sideboard, a copper kettle and +papa's fur overcoat. + +"Oh, joy!" said Victor, putting down his load; "it is pleasant to +rob once more." + +"Oh, ecstacy!" said Beni; but he let the kettle drop on his toe and +immediately began dancing around in anguish, while he muttered queer +words in the Italian language. + +"We have much wealth," continued Victor, holding the mince pie while +Lugui added his spoils to the heap; "and all from one house! This +America must be a rich place." + +With a dagger he then cut himself a piece of the pie and handed the +remainder to his comrades. Whereupon all three sat upon the floor +and consumed the pie while Martha looked on sadly. + +"We should have a cave," remarked Beni; "for we must store our +plunder in a safe place. Can you tell us of a secret cave?" he asked +Martha. + +"There's a Mammoth cave," she answered, "but it's in Kentucky. You +would be obliged to ride on the cars a long time to get there." + +The three bandits looked thoughtful and munched their pie silently, +but the next moment they were startled by the ringing of the +electric doorbell, which was heard plainly even in the remote attic. + +"What's that?" demanded Victor, in a hoarse voice, as the three +scrambled to their feet with drawn daggers. + +Martha ran to the window and saw it was only the postman, who had +dropped a letter in the box and gone away again. But the incident +gave her an idea of how to get rid of her troublesome bandits, so +she began wringing her hands as if in great distress and cried out: + +"It's the police!" + +The robbers looked at one another with genuine alarm, and Lugui +asked, tremblingly: + +"Are there many of them?" + +"A hundred and twelve!" exclaimed Martha, after pretending to count +them. + +"Then we are lost!" declared Beni; "for we could never fight so many +and live." + +"Are they armed?" inquired Victor, who was shivering as if cold. + +"Oh, yes," said she. "They have guns and swords and pistols and axes +and--and--" + +"And what?" demanded Lugui. + +"And cannons!" + +The three wicked ones groaned aloud and Beni said, in a hollow +voice: + +"I hope they will kill us quickly and not put us to the torture. I +have been told these Americans are painted Indians, who are +bloodthirsty and terrible." + +"'Tis so!" gasped the fat man, with a shudder. + +Suddenly Martha turned from the window. + +"You are my friends, are you not?" she asked. + +"We are devoted!" answered Victor. + +"We adore you!" cried Beni. + +"We would die for you!" added Lugui, thinking he was about to die +anyway. + +"Then I will save you," said the girl. + +"How?" asked the three, with one voice. + +"Get back into the chest," she said. "I will then close the lid, so +they will be unable to find you." + +They looked around the room in a dazed and irresolute way, but she +exclaimed: + +"You must be quick! They will soon be here to arrest you." + +Then Lugui sprang into the chest and lay fat upon the bottom. Beni +tumbled in next and packed himself in the back side. Victor followed +after pausing to kiss her hand to the girl in a graceful manner. + +Then Martha ran up to press down the lid, but could not make it +catch. + +"You must squeeze down," she said to them. + +Lugui groaned. + +"I am doing my best, miss," said Victor, who was nearest the top; +"but although we fitted in very nicely before, the chest now seems +rather small for us." + +"'Tis so!" came the muffled voice of the fat man from the bottom. + +"I know what takes up the room," said Beni. + +"What?" inquired Victor, anxiously. + +"The pie," returned Beni. + +"'Tis so!" came from the bottom, in faint accents. + +Then Martha sat upon the lid and pressed it down with all her +weight. To her great delight the lock caught, and, springing down, +she exerted all her strength and turned the key. + +* * * * * + +This story should teach us not to interfere in matters that do not +concern us. For had Martha refrained from opening Uncle Walter's +mysterious chest she would not have been obliged to carry downstairs +all the plunder the robbers had brought into the attic. + + + + + + +THE GLASS DOG. + + + + + +An accomplished wizard once lived on the top floor of a tenement +house and passed his time in thoughtful study and studious thought. +What he didn't know about wizardry was hardly worth knowing, for he +possessed all the books and recipes of all the wizards who had lived +before him; and, moreover, he had invented several wizardments +himself. + +This admirable person would have been completely happy but for the +numerous interruptions to his studies caused by folk who came to +consult him about their troubles (in which he was not interested), +and by the loud knocks of the iceman, the milkman, the baker's boy, +the laundryman and the peanut woman. He never dealt with any of +these people; but they rapped at his door every day to see him about +this or that or to try to sell him their wares. Just when he was +most deeply interested in his books or engaged in watching the +bubbling of a cauldron there would come a knock at his door. And +after sending the intruder away he always found he had lost his +train of thought or ruined his compound. + +At length these interruptions aroused his anger, and he decided he +must have a dog to keep people away from his door. He didn't know +where to find a dog, but in the next room lived a poor glass-blower +with whom he had a slight acquaintance; so he went into the man's +apartment and asked: + +"Where can I find a dog?" + +"What sort of a dog?" inquired the glass-blower. + +"A good dog. One that will bark at people and drive them away. One +that will be no trouble to keep and won't expect to be fed. One that +has no fleas and is neat in his habits. One that will obey me when I +speak to him. In short, a good dog," said the wizard. + +"Such a dog is hard to find," returned the glass-blower, who was +busy making a blue glass flower pot with a pink glass rosebush in +it, having green glass leaves and yellow glass roses. + +The wizard watched him thoughtfully. + +"Why cannot you blow me a dog out of glass?" he asked, presently. + +"I can," declared the glass-blower; "but it would not bark at +people, you know." + +"Oh, I'll fix that easily enough," replied the other. "If I could +not make a glass dog bark I would be a mighty poor wizard." + +"Very well; if you can use a glass dog I'll be pleased to blow one +for you. Only, you must pay for my work." + +"Certainly," agreed the wizard. "But I have none of that horrid +stuff you call money. You must take some of my wares in exchange." + +The glass-blower considered the matter for a moment. + +"Could you give me something to cure my rheumatism?" he asked. + +"Oh, yes; easily." + +"Then it's a bargain. I'll start the dog at once. What color of +glass shall I use?" + +"Pink is a pretty color," said the wizard, "and it's unusual for a +dog, isn't it?" + +"Very," answered the glass-blower; "but it shall be pink." + +So the wizard went back to his studies and the glass-blower began to +make the dog. + +Next morning he entered the wizard's room with the glass dog under +his arm and set it carefully upon the table. It was a beautiful pink +in color, with a fine coat of spun glass, and about its neck was +twisted a blue glass ribbon. Its eyes were specks of black glass and +sparkled intelligently, as do many of the glass eyes worn by men. + +The wizard expressed himself pleased with the glass-blower's skill +and at once handed him a small vial. + +"This will cure your rheumatism," he said. + +"But the vial is empty!" protested the glass-blower. + +"Oh, no; there is one drop of liquid in it," was the wizard's reply. + +"Will one drop cure my rheumatism?" inquired the glass-blower, in +wonder. + +"Most certainly. That is a marvelous remedy. The one drop contained +in the vial will cure instantly any kind of disease ever known to +humanity. Therefore it is especially good for rheumatism. But guard +it well, for it is the only drop of its kind in the world, and I've +forgotten the recipe." + +"Thank you," said the glass-blower, and went back to his room. + +Then the wizard cast a wizzy spell and mumbled several very learned +words in the wizardese language over the glass dog. Whereupon the +little animal first wagged its tail from side to side, then winked +his left eye knowingly, and at last began barking in a most +frightful manner--that is, when you stop to consider the noise came +from a pink glass dog. There is something almost astonishing in the +magic arts of wizards; unless, of course, you know how to do the +things yourself, when you are not expected to be surprised at them. + +The wizard was as delighted as a school teacher at the success of +his spell, although he was not astonished. Immediately he placed the +dog outside his door, where it would bark at anyone who dared knock +and so disturb the studies of its master. + +The glass-blower, on returning to his room, decided not to use the +one drop of wizard cure-all just then. + +"My rheumatism is better to-day," he reflected, "and I will be wise +to save the medicine for a time when I am very ill, when it will be +of more service to me." + +So he placed the vial in his cupboard and went to work blowing more +roses out of glass. Presently he happened to think the medicine +might not keep, so he started to ask the wizard about it. But when +he reached the door the glass dog barked so fiercely that he dared +not knock, and returned in great haste to his own room. Indeed, the +poor man was quite upset at so unfriendly a reception from the dog +he had himself so carefully and skillfully made. + +The next morning, as he read his newspaper, he noticed an article +stating that the beautiful Miss Mydas, the richest young lady in +town, was very ill, and the doctors had given up hope of her +recovery. + +The glass-blower, although miserably poor, hard-working and homely +of feature, was a man of ideas. He suddenly recollected his precious +medicine, and determined to use it to better advantage than +relieving his own ills. He dressed himself in his best clothes, +brushed his hair and combed his whiskers, washed his hands and tied +his necktie, blackened his hoes and sponged his vest, and then put +the vial of magic cure-all in his pocket. Next he locked his door, +went downstairs and walked through the streets to the grand mansion +where the wealthy Miss Mydas resided. + +The butler opened the door and said: + +"No soap, no chromos, no vegetables, no hair oil, no books, no +baking powder. My young lady is dying and we're well supplied for +the funeral." + +The glass-blower was grieved at being taken for a peddler. + +"My friend," he began, proudly; but the butler interrupted him, +saying: + +"No tombstones, either; there's a family graveyard and the +monument's built." + +"The graveyard won't be needed if you will permit me to speak," said +the glass-blower. + +"No doctors, sir; they've given up my young lady, and she's given up +the doctors," continued the butler, calmly. + +"I'm no doctor," returned the glass-blower. + +"Nor are the others. But what is your errand?" + +"I called to cure your young lady by means of a magical compound." + +"Step in, please, and take a seat in the hall. I'll speak to the +housekeeper," said the butler, more politely. + +So he spoke to the housekeeper and the housekeeper mentioned the +matter to the steward and the steward consulted the chef and the +chef kissed the lady's maid and sent her to see the stranger. Thus +are the very wealthy hedged around with ceremony, even when dying. + +When the lady's maid heard from the glass-blower that he had a +medicine which would cure her mistress, she said: + +"I'm glad you came." + +"But," said he, "if I restore your mistress to health she must marry +me." + +"I'll make inquiries and see if she's willing," answered the maid, +and went at once to consult Miss Mydas. + +The young lady did not hesitate an instant. + +"I'd marry any old thing rather than die!" she cried. "Bring him +here at once!" + +So the glass-blower came, poured the magic drop into a little water, +gave it to the patient, and the next minute Miss Mydas was as well +as she had ever been in her life. + +"Dear me!" she exclaimed; "I've an engagement at the Fritters' +reception to-night. Bring my pearl-colored silk, Marie, and I will +begin my toilet at once. And don't forget to cancel the order for +the funeral flowers and your mourning gown." + +"But, Miss Mydas," remonstrated the glass-blower, who stood by, "you +promised to marry me if I cured you." + +"I know," said the young lady, "but we must have time to make proper +announcement in the society papers and have the wedding cards +engraved. Call to-morrow and we'll talk it over." + +The glass-blower had not impressed her favorably as a husband, and +she was glad to find an excuse for getting rid of him for a time. +And she did not want to miss the Fritters' reception. + +Yet the man went home filled with joy; for he thought his stratagem +had succeeded and he was about to marry a rich wife who would keep +him in luxury forever afterward. + +The first thing he did on reaching his room was to smash his +glass-blowing tools and throw them out of the window. + +He then sat down to figure out ways of spending his wife's money. + +The following day he called upon Miss Mydas, who was reading a novel +and eating chocolate creams as happily as if she had never been ill +in her life. + +"Where did you get the magic compound that cured me?" she asked. + +"From a learned wizard," said he; and then, thinking it would +interest her, he told how he had made the glass dog for the wizard, +and how it barked and kept everybody from bothering him. + +"How delightful!" she said. "I've always wanted a glass dog that +could bark." + +"But there is only one in the world," he answered, "and it belongs +to the wizard." + +"You must buy it for me," said the lady. + +"The wizard cares nothing for money," replied the glass-blower. + +"Then you must steal it for me," she retorted. "I can never live +happily another day unless I have a glass dog that can bark." + +The glass-blower was much distressed at this, but said he would see +what he could do. For a man should always try to please his wife, +and Miss Mydas has promised to marry him within a week. + +On his way home he purchased a heavy sack, and when he passed the +wizard's door and the pink glass dog ran out to bark at him he threw +the sack over the dog, tied the opening with a piece of twine, and +carried him away to his own room. + +The next day he sent the sack by a messenger boy to Miss Mydas, with +his compliments, and later in the afternoon he called upon her in +person, feeling quite sure he would be received with gratitude for +stealing the dog she so greatly desired. + +But when he came to the door and the butler opened it, what was his +amazement to see the glass dog rush out and begin barking at him +furiously. + +"Call off your dog," he shouted, in terror. + +"I can't, sir," answered the butler. "My young lady has ordered the +glass dog to bark whenever you call here. You'd better look out, +sir," he added, "for if it bites you, you may have glassophobia!" + +This so frightened the poor glass-blower that he went away +hurriedly. But he stopped at a drug store and put his last dime in +the telephone box so he could talk to Miss Mydas without being +bitten by the dog. + +"Give me Pelf 6742!" he called. + +"Hello! What is it?" said a voice. + +"I want to speak with Miss Mydas," said the glass-blower. + +Presently a sweet voice said: "This is Miss Mydas. What is it?" + +"Why have you treated me so cruelly and set the glass dog on me?" +asked the poor fellow. + +"Well, to tell the truth," said the lady, "I don't like your looks. +Your cheeks are pale and baggy, your hair is coarse and long, your +eyes are small and red, your hands are big and rough, and you are +bow-legged." + +"But I can't help my looks!" pleaded the glass-blower; "and you +really promised to marry me." + +"If you were better looking I'd keep my promise," she returned. "But +under the circumstances you are no fit mate for me, and unless you +keep away from my mansion I shall set my glass dog on you!" Then she +dropped the 'phone and would have nothing more to say. + +The miserable glass-blower went home with a heart bursting with +disappointment and began tying a rope to the bedpost by which to +hang himself. + +Some one knocked at the door, and, upon opening it, he saw the +wizard. + +"I've lost my dog," he announced. + +"Have you, indeed?" replied the glass-blower tying a knot in the +rope. + +"Yes; some one has stolen him." + +"That's too bad," declared the glass-blower, indifferently. + +"You must make me another," said the wizard. + +"But I cannot; I've thrown away my tools." + +"Then what shall I do?" asked the wizard. + +"I do not know, unless you offer a reward for the dog." + +"But I have no money," said the wizard. + +"Offer some of your compounds, then," suggested the glass-blower, +who was making a noose in the rope for his head to go through. + +"The only thing I can spare," replied the wizard, thoughtfully, "is +a Beauty Powder." + +"What!" cried the glass-blower, throwing down the rope, "have you +really such a thing?" + +"Yes, indeed. Whoever takes the powder will become the most +beautiful person in the world." + +"If you will offer that as a reward," said the glass-blower, +eagerly, "I'll try to find the dog for you, for above everything +else I long to be beautiful." + +"But I warn you the beauty will only be skin deep," said the wizard. + +"That's all right," replied the happy glass-blower; "when I lose my +skin I shan't care to remain beautiful." + +"Then tell me where to find my dog and you shall have the powder," +promised the wizard. + +So the glass-blower went out and pretended to search, and by-and-by +he returned and said: + +"I've discovered the dog. You will find him in the mansion of Miss +Mydas." + +The wizard went at once to see if this were true, and, sure enough, +the glass dog ran out and began barking at him. Then the wizard +spread out his hands and chanted a magic spell which sent the dog +fast asleep, when he picked him up and carried him to his own room +on the top floor of the tenement house. + +Afterward he carried the Beauty Powder to the glass-blower as a +reward, and the fellow immediately swallowed it and became the most +beautiful man in the world. + +The next time he called upon Miss Mydas there was no dog to bark at +him, and when the young lady saw him she fell in love with his +beauty at once. + +"If only you were a count or a prince," she sighed, "I'd willingly +marry you." + +"But I am a prince," he answered; "the Prince of Dogblowers." + +"Ah!" said she; "then if you are willing to accept an allowance of +four dollars a week I'll order the wedding cards engraved." + +The man hesitated, but when he thought of the rope hanging from his +bedpost he consented to the terms. + +So they were married, and the bride was very jealous of her +husband's beauty and led him a dog's life. So he managed to get into +debt and made her miserable in turn. + +* * * * * + +As for the glass dog, the wizard set him barking again by means of +his wizardness and put him outside his door. I suppose he is there +yet, and am rather sorry, for I should like to consult the wizard +about the moral to this story. + + + + + + +THE QUEEN OF QUOK + + + + + +A king once died, as kings are apt to do, being as liable to +shortness of breath as other mortals. + +It was high time this king abandoned his earth life, for he had +lived in a sadly extravagant manner, and his subjects could spare +him without the slightest inconvenience. + +His father had left him a full treasury, both money and jewels being +in abundance. But the foolish king just deceased had squandered +every penny in riotous living. He had then taxed his subjects until +most of them became paupers, and this money vanished in more riotous +living. Next he sold all the grand old furniture in the palace; all +the silver and gold plate and bric-a-brac; all the rich carpets and +furnishings and even his own kingly wardrobe, reserving only a +soiled and moth-eaten ermine robe to fold over his threadbare +raiment. And he spent the money in further riotous living. + +Don't ask me to explain what riotous living is. I only know, from +hearsay, that it is an excellent way to get rid of money. And so +this spendthrift king found it. + +He now picked all the magnificent jewels from this kingly crown and +from the round ball on the top of his scepter, and sold them and +spent the money. Riotous living, of course. But at last he was at +the end of his resources. He couldn't sell the crown itself, because +no one but the king had the right to wear it. Neither could he sell +the royal palace, because only the king had the right to live there. + +So, finally, he found himself reduced to a bare palace, containing +only a big mahogany bedstead that he slept in, a small stool on +which he sat to pull off his shoes and the moth-eaten ermine robe. + +In this straight he was reduced to the necessity of borrowing an +occasional dime from his chief counselor, with which to buy a ham +sandwich. And the chief counselor hadn't many dimes. One who +counseled his king so foolishly was likely to ruin his own prospects +as well. + +So the king, having nothing more to live for, died suddenly and left +a ten-year-old son to inherit the dismantled kingdom, the moth-eaten +robe and the jewel-stripped crown. + +No one envied the child, who had scarcely been thought of until he +became king himself. Then he was recognized as a personage of some +importance, and the politicians and hangers-on, headed by the chief +counselor of the kingdom, held a meeting to determine what could be +done for him. + +These folk had helped the old king to live riotously while his money +lasted, and now they were poor and too proud to work. So they tried +to think of a plan that would bring more money into the little +king's treasury, where it would be handy for them to help +themselves. + +After the meeting was over the chief counselor came to the young +king, who was playing peg-top in the courtyard, and said: + +"Your majesty, we have thought of a way to restore your kingdom to +its former power and magnificence." + +"All right," replied his majesty, carelessly. "How will you do it?" + +"By marrying you to a lady of great wealth," replied the counselor. + +"Marrying me!" cried the king. "Why, I am only ten years old!" + +"I know; it is to be regretted. But your majesty will grow older, +and the affairs of the kingdom demand that you marry a wife." + +"Can't I marry a mother, instead?" asked the poor little king, who +had lost his mother when a baby. + +"Certainly not," declared the counselor. "To marry a mother would be +illegal; to marry a wife is right and proper." + +"Can't you marry her yourself?" inquired his majesty, aiming his +peg-top at the chief counselor's toe, and laughing to see how he +jumped to escape it. + +"Let me explain," said the other. "You haven't a penny in the world, +but you have a kingdom. There are many rich women who would be glad +to give their wealth in exchange for a queen's coronet--even if the +king is but a child. So we have decided to advertise that the one +who bids the highest shall become the queen of Quok." + +"If I must marry at all," said the king, after a moment's thought, +"I prefer to marry Nyana, the armorer's daughter." + +"She is too poor," replied the counselor. + +"Her teeth are pearls, her eyes are amethysts, and her hair is +gold," declared the little king. + +"True, your majesty. But consider that your wife's wealth must be +used. How would Nyana look after you have pulled her teeth of +pearls, plucked out her amethyst eyes and shaved her golden head?" + +The boy shuddered. + +"Have your own way," he said, despairingly. "Only let the lady be as +dainty as possible and a good playfellow." + +"We shall do our best," returned the chief counselor, and went away +to advertise throughout the neighboring kingdoms for a wife for the +boy king of Quok. + +There were so many applicants for the privilege of marrying the +little king that it was decided to put him up at auction, in order +that the largest possible sum of money should be brought into the +kingdom. So, on the day appointed, the ladies gathered at the palace +from all the surrounding kingdoms--from Bilkon, Mulgravia, Junkum +and even as far away as the republic of Macvelt. + +The chief counselor came to the palace early in the morning and had +the king's face washed and his hair combed; and then he padded the +inside of the crown with old newspapers to make it small enough to +fit his majesty's head. It was a sorry looking crown, having many +big and little holes in it where the jewels had once been; and it +had been neglected and knocked around until it was quite battered +and tarnished. Yet, as the counselor said, it was the king's crown, +and it was quite proper he should wear it on the solemn occasion of +his auction. + +Like all boys, be they kings or paupers, his majesty had torn and +soiled his one suit of clothes, so that they were hardly +presentable; and there was no money to buy new ones. Therefore the +counselor wound the old ermine robe around the king and sat him upon +the stool in the middle of the otherwise empty audience chamber. + +And around him stood all the courtiers and politicians and +hangers-on of the kingdom, consisting of such people as were too +proud or lazy to work for a living. There was a great number of +them, you may be sure, and they made an imposing appearance. + +Then the doors of the audience chamber were thrown open, and the +wealthy ladies who aspired to being queen of Quok came trooping in. +The king looked them over with much anxiety, and decided they were +each and all old enough to be his grandmother, and ugly enough to +scare away the crows from the royal cornfields. After which he lost +interest in them. + +But the rich ladies never looked at the poor little king squatting +upon his stool. They gathered at once about the chief counselor, who +acted as auctioneer. + +"How much am I offered for the coronet of the queen of Quok?" asked +the counselor, in a loud voice. + +"Where is the coronet?" inquired a fussy old lady who had just +buried her ninth husband and was worth several millions. + +"There isn't any coronet at present," explained the chief counselor, +"but whoever bids highest will have the right to wear one, and she +can then buy it." + +"Oh," said the fussy old lady, "I see." Then she added: "I'll bid +fourteen dollars." + +"Fourteen thousand dollars!" cried a sour-looking woman who was thin +and tall and had wrinkles all over her skin--"like a frosted apple," +the king thought. + +The bidding now became fast and furious, and the poverty-stricken +courtiers brightened up as the sum began to mount into the millions. + +"He'll bring us a very pretty fortune, after all," whispered one to +his comrade, "and then we shall have the pleasure of helping him +spend it." + +The king began to be anxious. All the women who looked at all +kind-hearted or pleasant had stopped bidding for lack of money, and +the slender old dame with the wrinkles seemed determined to get the +coronet at any price, and with it the boy husband. This ancient +creature finally became so excited that her wig got crosswise of her +head and her false teeth kept slipping out, which horrified the +little king greatly; but she would not give up. + +At last the chief counselor ended the auction by crying out: + +"Sold to Mary Ann Brodjinsky de la Porkus for three million, nine +hundred thousand, six hundred and twenty-four dollars and sixteen +cents!" And the sour-looking old woman paid the money in cash and on +the spot, which proves this is a fairy story. + +The king was so disturbed at the thought that he must marry this +hideous creature that he began to wail and weep; whereupon the woman +boxed his ears soundly. But the counselor reproved her for punishing +her future husband in public, saying: + +"You are not married yet. Wait until to-morrow, after the wedding +takes place. Then you can abuse him as much as you wish. But at +present we prefer to have people think this is a love match." + +The poor king slept but little that night, so filled was he with +terror of his future wife. Nor could he get the idea out of his head +that he preferred to marry the armorer's daughter, who was about his +own age. He tossed and tumbled around upon his hard bed until the +moonlight came in at the window and lay like a great white sheet +upon the bare floor. Finally, in turning over for the hundredth +time, his hand struck against a secret spring in the headboard of +the big mahogany bedstead, and at once, with a sharp click, a panel +flew open. + +The noise caused the king to look up, and, seeing the open panel, he +stood upon tiptoe, and, reaching within, drew out a folded paper. It +had several leaves fastened together like a book, and upon the first +page was written: + +"When the king is in trouble +This leaf he must double +And set it on fire +To obtain his desire." + +This was not very good poetry, but when the king had spelled it out +in the moonlight he was filled with joy. + +"There's no doubt about my being in trouble," he exclaimed; "so I'll +burn it at once, and see what happens." + +He tore off the leaf and put the rest of the book in its secret +hiding place. Then, folding the paper double, he placed it on the +top of his stool, lighted a match and set fire to it. + +It made a horrid smudge for so small a paper, and the king sat on +the edge of the bed and watched it eagerly. + +When the smoke cleared away he was surprised to see, sitting upon +the stool, a round little man, who, with folded arms and crossed +legs, sat calmly facing the king and smoking a black briarwood pipe. + +"Well, here I am," said he. + +"So I see," replied the little king. "But how did you get here?" + +"Didn't you burn the paper?" demanded the round man, by way of +answer. + +"Yes, I did," acknowledged the king. + +"Then you are in trouble, and I've come to help you out of it. I'm +the Slave of the Royal Bedstead." + +"Oh!" said the king. "I didn't know there was one." + +"Neither did your father, or he would not have been so foolish as to +sell everything he had for money. By the way, it's lucky for you he +did not sell this bedstead. Now, then, what do you want?" + +"I'm not sure what I want," replied the king; "but I know what I +don't want, and that is the old woman who is going to marry me." + +"That's easy enough," said the Slave of the Royal Bedstead. "All you +need do is to return her the money she paid the chief counselor and +declare the match off. Don't be afraid. You are the king, and your +word is law." + +"To be sure," said the majesty. "But I am in great need of money. +How am I going to live if the chief counselor returns to Mary Ann +Brodjinski her millions?" + +"Phoo! that's easy enough," again answered the man, and, putting his +hand in his pocket, he drew out and tossed to the king an +old-fashioned leather purse. "Keep that with you," said he, "and you +will always be rich, for you can take out of the purse as many +twenty-five-cent silver pieces as you wish, one at a time. No matter +how often you take one out, another will instantly appear in its +place within the purse." + +"Thank you," said the king, gratefully. "You have rendered me a rare +favor; for now I shall have money for all my needs and will not be +obliged to marry anyone. Thank you a thousand times!" + +"Don't mention it," answered the other, puffing his pipe slowly and +watching the smoke curl into the moonlight. "Such things are easy to +me. Is that all you want?" + +"All I can think of just now," returned the king. + +"Then, please close that secret panel in the bedstead," said the +man; "the other leaves of the book may be of use to you some time." + +The boy stood upon the bed as before and, reaching up, closed the +opening so that no one else could discover it. Then he turned to +face his visitor, but the Slave of the Royal Bedstead had +disappeared. + +"I expected that," said his majesty; "yet I am sorry he did not wait +to say good-by." + +With a lightened heart and a sense of great relief the boy king +placed the leathern purse underneath his pillow, and climbing into +bed again slept soundly until morning. + +When the sun rose his majesty rose also, refreshed and comforted, +and the first thing he did was to send for the chief counselor. + +That mighty personage arrived looking glum and unhappy, but the boy +was too full of his own good fortune to notice it. Said he: + +"I have decided not to marry anyone, for I have just come into a +fortune of my own. Therefore I command you return to that old woman +the money she has paid you for the right to wear the coronet of the +queen of Quok. And make public declaration that the wedding will not +take place." + +Hearing this the counselor began to tremble, for he saw the young +king had decided to reign in earnest; and he looked so guilty that +his majesty inquired: + +"Well! what is the matter now?" + +"Sire," replied the wretch, in a shaking voice, "I cannot return the +woman her money, for I have lost it!" + +"Lost it!" cried the king, in mingled astonishment and anger. + +"Even so, your majesty. On my way home from the auction last night I +stopped at the drug store to get some potash lozenges for my throat, +which was dry and hoarse with so much loud talking; and your majesty +will admit it was through my efforts the woman was induced to pay so +great a price. Well, going into the drug store I carelessly left the +package of money lying on the seat of my carriage, and when I came +out again it was gone. Nor was the thief anywhere to be seen." + +"Did you call the police?" asked the king. + +"Yes, I called; but they were all on the next block, and although +they have promised to search for the robber I have little hope they +will ever find him." + +The king sighed. + +"What shall we do now?" he asked. + +"I fear you must marry Mary Ann Brodjinski," answered the chief +counselor; "unless, indeed, you order the executioner to cut her +head off." + +"That would be wrong," declared the king. "The woman must not be +harmed. And it is just that we return her money, for I will not +marry her under any circumstances." + +"Is that private fortune you mentioned large enough to repay her?" +asked the counselor. + +"Why, yes," said the king, thoughtfully, "but it will take some time +to do it, and that shall be your task. Call the woman here." + +The counselor went in search of Mary Ann, who, when she heard she +was not to become a queen, but would receive her money back, flew +into a violent passion and boxed the chief counselor's ears so +viciously that they stung for nearly an hour. But she followed him +into the king's audience chamber, where she demanded her money in a +loud voice, claiming as well the interest due upon it over night. + +"The counselor has lost your money," said the boy king, "but he +shall pay you every penny out of my own private purse. I fear, +however, you will be obliged to take it in small change." + +"That will not matter," she said, scowling upon the counselor as if +she longed to reach his ears again; "I don't care how small the +change is so long as I get every penny that belongs to me, and the +interest. Where is it?" + +"Here," answered the king, handing the counselor the leathern purse. +"It is all in silver quarters, and they must be taken from the purse +one at a time; but there will be plenty to pay your demands, and to +spare." + +So, there being no chairs, the counselor sat down upon the floor in +one corner and began counting out silver twenty-five-cent pieces +from the purse, one by one. And the old woman sat upon the floor +opposite him and took each piece of money from his hand. + +It was a large sum: three million, nine hundred thousand, six +hundred and twenty-four dollars and sixteen cents. And it takes four +times as many twenty-five-cent pieces as it would dollars to make up +the amount. + +The king left them sitting there and went to school, and often +thereafter he came to the counselor and interrupted him long enough +to get from the purse what money he needed to reign in a proper and +dignified manner. This somewhat delayed the counting, but as it was +a long job, anyway, that did not matter much. + +The king grew to manhood and married the pretty daughter of the +armorer, and they now have two lovely children of their own. Once in +awhile they go into the big audience chamber of the palace and let +the little ones watch the aged, hoary-headed counselor count out +silver twenty-five-cent pieces to a withered old woman, who watched +his every movement to see that he does not cheat her. + +It is a big sum, three million, nine hundred thousand, six hundred +and twenty-four dollars and sixteen cents in twenty-five-cent +pieces. + +But this is how the counselor was punished for being so careless +with the woman's money. And this is how Mary Ann Brodjinski de la +Porkus was also punished for wishing to marry a ten-year-old king in +order that she might wear the coronet of the queen of Quok. + + + + + + +THE GIRL WHO OWNED A BEAR + + + + + +Mamma had gone down-town to shop. She had asked Nora to look after +Jane Gladys, and Nora promised she would. But it was her afternoon +for polishing the silver, so she stayed in the pantry and left Jane +Gladys to amuse herself alone in the big sitting-room upstairs. + +The little girl did not mind being alone, for she was working on her +first piece of embroidery--a sofa pillow for papa's birthday +present. So she crept into the big bay window and curled herself up +on the broad sill while she bent her brown head over her work. + +Soon the door opened and closed again, quietly. Jane Gladys thought +it was Nora, so she didn't look up until she had taken a couple more +stitches on a forget-me-not. Then she raised her eyes and was +astonished to find a strange man in the middle of the room, who +regarded her earnestly. + +He was short and fat, and seemed to be breathing heavily from his +climb up the stairs. He held a work silk hat in one hand and +underneath his other elbow was tucked a good-sized book. He was +dressed in a black suit that looked old and rather shabby, and his +head was bald upon the top. + +"Excuse me," he said, while the child gazed at him in solemn +surprise. "Are you Jane Gladys Brown?" + +"Yes, sir," she answered. + +"Very good; very good, indeed!" he remarked, with a queer sort of +smile. "I've had quite a hunt to find you, but I've succeeded at +last." + +"How did you get in?" inquired Jane Gladys, with a growing distrust +of her visitor. + +"That is a secret," he said, mysteriously. + +This was enough to put the girl on her guard. She looked at the man +and the man looked at her, and both looks were grave and somewhat +anxious. + +"What do you want?" she asked, straightening herself up with a +dignified air. + +"Ah!--now we are coming to business," said the man, briskly. "I'm +going to be quite frank with you. To begin with, your father has +abused me in a most ungentlemanly manner." + +Jane Gladys got off the window sill and pointed her small finger at +the door. + +"Leave this room 'meejitly!" she cried, her voice trembling with +indignation. "My papa is the best man in the world. He never 'bused +anybody!" + +"Allow me to explain, please," said the visitor, without paying any +attention to her request to go away. "Your father may be very kind +to you, for you are his little girl, you know. But when he's +down-town in his office he's inclined to be rather severe, +especially on book agents. Now, I called on him the other day and +asked him to buy the 'Complete Works of Peter Smith,' and what do +you suppose he did?" + +She said nothing. + +"Why," continued the man, with growing excitement, "he ordered me +from his office, and had me put out of the building by the janitor! +What do you think of such treatment as that from the 'best papa in +the world,' eh?" + +"I think he was quite right," said Jane Gladys. + +"Oh, you do? Well," said the man, "I resolved to be revenged for the +insult. So, as your father is big and strong and a dangerous man, I +have decided to be revenged upon his little girl." + +Jane Gladys shivered. + +"What are you going to do?" she asked. + +"I'm going to present you with this book," he answered, taking it +from under his arm. Then he sat down on the edge of a chair, placed +his hat on the rug and drew a fountain pen from his vest pocket. + +"I'll write your name in it," said he. "How do you spell Gladys?" + +"G-l-a-d-y-s," she replied. + +"Thank you. Now this," he continued, rising and handing her the book +with a bow, "is my revenge for your father's treatment of me. +Perhaps he'll be sorry he didn't buy the 'Complete Works of Peter +Smith.' Good-by, my dear." + +He walked to the door, gave her another bow, and left the room, and +Jane Gladys could see that he was laughing to himself as if very +much amused. + +When the door had closed behind the queer little man the child sat +down in the window again and glanced at the book. It had a red and +yellow cover and the word "Thingamajigs" was across the front in big +letters. + +Then she opened it, curiously, and saw her name written in black +letters upon the first white leaf. + +"He was a funny little man," she said to herself, thoughtfully. + +She turned the next leaf, and saw a big picture of a clown, dressed +in green and red and yellow, and having a very white face with +three-cornered spots of red on each cheek and over the eyes. While +she looked at this the book trembled in her hands, the leaf crackled +and creaked and suddenly the clown jumped out of it and stood upon +the floor beside her, becoming instantly as big as any ordinary +clown. + +After stretching his arms and legs and yawning in a rather impolite +manner, he gave a silly chuckle and said: + +"This is better! You don't know how cramped one gets, standing so +long upon a page of flat paper." + +Perhaps you can imagine how startled Jane Gladys was, and how she +stared at the clown who had just leaped out of the book. + +"You didn't expect anything of this sort, did you?" he asked, +leering at her in clown fashion. Then he turned around to take a +look at the room and Jane Gladys laughed in spite of her +astonishment. + +"What amuses you?" demanded the clown. + +"Why, the back of you is all white!" cried the girl. "You're only a +clown in front of you." + +"Quite likely," he returned, in an annoyed tone. "The artist made a +front view of me. He wasn't expected to make the back of me, for +that was against the page of the book." + +"But it makes you look so funny!" said Jane Gladys, laughing until +her eyes were moist with tears. + +The clown looked sulky and sat down upon a chair so she couldn't see +his back. + +"I'm not the only thing in the book," he remarked, crossly. + +This reminded her to turn another page, and she had scarcely noted +that it contained the picture of a monkey when the animal sprang +from the book with a great crumpling of paper and landed upon the +window seat beside her. + +"He-he-he-he-he!" chattered the creature, springing to the girl's +shoulder and then to the center table. "This is great fun! Now I can +be a real monkey instead of a picture of one." + +"Real monkeys can't talk," said Jane Gladys, reprovingly. + +"How do you know? Have you ever been one yourself?" inquired the +animal; and then he laughed loudly, and the clown laughed, too, as +if he enjoyed the remark. + +The girl was quite bewildered by this time. She thoughtlessly turned +another leaf, and before she had time to look twice a gray donkey +leaped from the book and stumbled from the window seat to the floor +with a great clatter. + +"You're clumsy enough, I'm sure!" said the child, indignantly, for +the beast had nearly upset her. + +"Clumsy! And why not?" demanded the donkey, with angry voice. "If +the fool artist had drawn you out of perspective, as he did me, I +guess you'd be clumsy yourself." + +"What's wrong with you?" asked Jane Gladys. + +"My front and rear legs on the left side are nearly six inches too +short, that's what's the matter! If that artist didn't know how to +draw properly why did he try to make a donkey at all?" + +"I don't know," replied the child, seeing an answer was expected. + +"I can hardly stand up," grumbled the donkey; "and the least little +thing will topple me over." + +"Don't mind that," said the monkey, making a spring at the +chandelier and swinging from it by his tail until Jane Gladys feared +he would knock all the globes off; "the same artist has made my ears +as big as that clown's and everyone knows a monkey hasn't any ears +to speak of--much less to draw." + +"He should be prosecuted," remarked the clown, gloomily. "I haven't +any back." + +Jane Gladys looked from one to the other with a puzzled expression +upon her sweet face, and turned another page of the book. + +Swift as a flash there sprang over her shoulder a tawney, spotted +leopard, which landed upon the back of a big leather armchair and +turned upon the others with a fierce movement. + +The monkey climbed to the top of the chandelier and chattered with +fright. The donkey tried to run and straightway tipped over on his +left side. The clown grew paler than ever, but he sat still in his +chair and gave a low whistle of surprise. + +The leopard crouched upon the back of the chair, lashed his tail +from side to side and glared at all of them, by turns, including +Jane Gladys. + +"Which of us are you going to attack first?" asked the donkey, +trying hard to get upon his feet again. + +"I can't attack any of you," snarled the leopard. "The artist made +my mouth shut, so I haven't any teeth; and he forgot to make my +claws. But I'm a frightful looking creature, nevertheless; am I +not?" + +"Oh, yes;" said the clown, indifferently. "I suppose you're +frightful looking enough. But if you have no teeth nor claws we +don't mind your looks at all." + +This so annoyed the leopard that he growled horribly, and the monkey +laughed at him. + +Just then the book slipped from the girl's lap, and as she made a +movement to catch it one of the pages near the back opened wide. She +caught a glimpse of a fierce grizzly bear looking at her from the +page, and quickly threw the book from her. It fell with a crash in +the middle of the room, but beside it stood the great grizzly, who +had wrenched himself from the page before the book closed. + +"Now," cried the leopard from his perch, "you'd better look out for +yourselves! You can't laugh at him as you did at me. The bear has +both claws and teeth." + +"Indeed I have," said the bear, in a low, deep, growling voice. "And +I know how to use them, too. If you read in that book you'll find +I'm described as a horrible, cruel and remorseless grizzly, whose +only business in life is to eat up little girls--shoes, dresses, +ribbons and all! And then, the author says, I smack my lips and +glory in my wickedness." + +"That's awful!" said the donkey, sitting upon his haunches and +shaking his head sadly. "What do you suppose possessed the author to +make you so hungry for girls? Do you eat animals, also?" + +"The author does not mention my eating anything but little girls," +replied the bear. + +"Very good," remarked the clown, drawing a long breath of relief. +"you may begin eating Jane Gladys as soon as you wish. She laughed +because I had no back." + +"And she laughed because my legs are out of perspective," brayed the +donkey. + +"But you also deserve to be eaten," screamed the leopard from the +back of the leather chair; "for you laughed and poked fun at me +because I had no claws nor teeth! Don't you suppose Mr. Grizzly, you +could manage to eat a clown, a donkey and a monkey after you finish +the girl?" + +"Perhaps so, and a leopard into the bargain," growled the bear. "It +will depend on how hungry I am. But I must begin on the little girl +first, because the author says I prefer girls to anything." + +Jane Gladys was much frightened on hearing this conversation, and +she began to realize what the man meant when he said he gave her the +book to be revenged. Surely papa would be sorry he hadn't bought the +"Complete Works of Peter Smith" when he came home and found his +little girl eaten up by a grizzly bear--shoes, dress, ribbons and +all! + +The bear stood up and balanced himself on his rear legs. + +"This is the way I look in the book," he said. "Now watch me eat the +little girl." + +He advanced slowly toward Jane Gladys, and the monkey, the leopard, +the donkey and the clown all stood around in a circle and watched +the bear with much interest. + +But before the grizzly reached her the child had a sudden thought, +and cried out: + +"Stop! You mustn't eat me. It would be wrong." + +"Why?" asked the bear, in surprise. + +"Because I own you. You're my private property," she answered. + +"I don't see how you make that out," said the bear, in a +disappointed tone. + +"Why, the book was given to me; my name's on the front leaf. And you +belong, by rights, in the book. So you mustn't dare to eat your +owner!" + +The Grizzly hesitated. + +"Can any of you read?" he asked. + +"I can," said the clown. + +"Then see if she speaks the truth. Is her name really in the book?" + +The clown picked it up and looked at the name. + +"It is," said he. "'Jane Gladys Brown;' and written quite plainly in +big letters." + +The bear sighed. + +"Then, of course, I can't eat her," he decided. "That author is as +disappointing as most authors are." + +"But he's not as bad as the artist," exclaimed the donkey, who was +still trying to stand up straight. + +"The fault lies with yourselves," said Jane Gladys, severely. "Why +didn't you stay in the book, where you were put?" + +The animals looked at each other in a foolish way, and the clown +blushed under his white paint. + +"Really--" began the bear, and then he stopped short. + +The door bell rang loudly. + +"It's mamma!" cried Jane Gladys, springing to her feet. "She's come +home at last. Now, you stupid creatures--" + +But she was interrupted by them all making a rush for the book. +There was a swish and a whirr and a rustling of leaves, and an +instant later the book lay upon the floor looking just like any +other book, while Jane Gladys' strange companions had all +disappeared. + +* * * * * + +This story should teach us to think quickly and clearly upon all +occasions; for had Jane Gladys not remembered that she owned the +bear he probably would have eaten her before the bell rang. + + + + + + +THE ENCHANTED TYPES + + + + + +One time a knook became tired of his beautiful life and longed for +something new to do. The knooks have more wonderful powers than any +other immortal folk--except, perhaps, the fairies and ryls. So one +would suppose that a knook who might gain anything he desired by a +simple wish could not be otherwise than happy and contented. But +such was not the case with Popopo, the knook we are speaking of. He +had lived thousands of years, and had enjoyed all the wonders he +could think of. Yet life had become as tedious to him now as it +might be to one who was unable to gratify a single wish. + +Finally, by chance, Popopo thought of the earth people who dwell in +cities, and so he resolved to visit them and see how they lived. +This would surely be fine amusement, and serve to pass away many +wearisome hours. + +Therefore one morning, after a breakfast so dainty that you could +scarcely imagine it, Popopo set out for the earth and at once was in +the midst of a big city. + +His own dwelling was so quiet and peaceful that the roaring noise of +the town startled him. His nerves were so shocked that before he had +looked around three minutes he decided to give up the adventure, and +instantly returned home. + +This satisfied for a time his desire to visit the earth cities, but +soon the monotony of his existence again made him restless and gave +him another thought. At night the people slept and the cities would +be quiet. He would visit them at night. + +So at the proper time Popopo transported himself in a jiffy to a +great city, where he began wandering about the streets. Everyone was +in bed. No wagons rattled along the pavements; no throngs of busy +men shouted and halloaed. Even the policemen slumbered slyly and +there happened to be no prowling thieves abroad. + +His nerves being soothed by the stillness, Popopo began to enjoy +himself. He entered many of the houses and examined their rooms with +much curiosity. Locks and bolts made no difference to a knook, and +he saw as well in darkness as in daylight. + +After a time he strolled into the business portion of the city. +Stores are unknown among the immortals, who have no need of money or +of barter and exchange; so Popopo was greatly interested by the +novel sight of so many collections of goods and merchandise. + +During his wanderings he entered a millinery shop, and was surprised +to see within a large glass case a great number of women's hats, +each bearing in one position or another a stuffed bird. Indeed, some +of the most elaborate hats had two or three birds upon them. + +Now knooks are the especial guardians of birds, and love them +dearly. To see so many of his little friends shut up in a glass case +annoyed and grieved Popopo, who had no idea they had purposely been +placed upon the hats by the milliner. So he slid back one of the +doors of the case, gave the little chirruping whistle of the knooks +that all birds know well, and called: + +"Come, friends; the door is open--fly out!" + +Popopo did not know the birds were stuffed; but, stuffed or not, +every bird is bound to obey a knook's whistle and a knook's call. So +they left the hats, flew out of the case and began fluttering about +the room. + +"Poor dears!" said the kind-hearted knook, "you long to be in the +fields and forests again." + +Then he opened the outer door for them and cried: "Off with you! Fly +away, my beauties, and be happy again." + +The astonished birds at once obeyed, and when they had soared away +into the night air the knook closed the door and continued his +wandering through the streets. + +By dawn he saw many interesting sights, but day broke before he had +finished the city, and he resolved to come the next evening a few +hours earlier. + +As soon as it was dark the following day he came again to the city +and on passing the millinery shop noticed a light within. Entering +he found two women, one of whom leaned her head upon the table and +sobbed bitterly, while the other strove to comfort her. + +Of course Popopo was invisible to mortal eyes, so he stood by and +listened to their conversation. + +"Cheer up, sister," said one. "Even though your pretty birds have +all been stolen the hats themselves remain." + +"Alas!" cried the other, who was the milliner, "no one will buy my +hats partly trimmed, for the fashion is to wear birds upon them. And +if I cannot sell my goods I shall be utterly ruined." + +Then she renewed her sobbing and the knook stole away, feeling a +little ashamed to realized that in his love for the birds he had +unconsciously wronged one of the earth people and made her unhappy. + +This thought brought him back to the millinery shop later in the +night, when the two women had gone home. He wanted, in some way, to +replace the birds upon the hats, that the poor woman might be happy +again. So he searched until he came upon a nearby cellar full of +little gray mice, who lived quite undisturbed and gained a +livelihood by gnawing through the walls into neighboring houses and +stealing food from the pantries. + +"Here are just the creatures," thought Popopo, "to place upon the +woman's hats. Their fur is almost as soft as the plumage of the +birds, and it strikes me the mice are remarkably pretty and graceful +animals. Moreover, they now pass their lives in stealing, and were +they obliged to remain always upon women's hats their morals would +be much improved." + +So he exercised a charm that drew all the mice from the cellar and +placed them upon the hats in the glass case, where they occupied the +places the birds had vacated and looked very becoming--at least, in +the eyes of the unworldly knook. To prevent their running about and +leaving the hats Popopo rendered them motionless, and then he was so +pleased with his work that he decided to remain in the shop and +witness the delight of the milliner when she saw how daintily her +hats were now trimmed. + +She came in the early morning, accompanied by her sister, and her +face wore a sad and resigned expression. After sweeping and dusting +the shop and drawing the blinds she opened the glass case and took +out a hat. + +But when she saw a tiny gray mouse nestling among the ribbons and +laces she gave a loud shriek, and, dropping the hat, sprang with one +bound to the top of the table. The sister, knowing the shriek to be +one of fear, leaped upon a chair and exclaimed: + +"What is it? Oh! what is it?" + +"A mouse!" gasped the milliner, trembling with terror. + +Popopo, seeing this commotion, now realized that mice are especially +disagreeable to human beings, and that he had made a grave mistake +in placing them upon the hats; so he gave a low whistle of command +that was heard only by the mice. + +Instantly they all jumpped from the hats, dashed out the open door +of the glass case and scampered away to their cellar. But this +action so frightened the milliner and her sister that after giving +several loud screams they fell upon their backs on the floor and +fainted away. + +Popopo was a kind-hearted knook, but on witnessing all this misery, +caused by his own ignorance of the ways of humans, he straightway +wished himself at home, and so left the poor women to recover as +best they could. + +Yet he could not escape a sad feeling of responsibility, and after +thinking upon the matter he decided that since he had caused the +milliner's unhappiness by freeing the birds, he could set the matter +right by restoring them to the glass case. He loved the birds, and +disliked to condemn them to slavery again; but that seemed the only +way to end the trouble. + +So he set off to find the birds. They had flown a long distance, but +it was nothing to Popopo to reach them in a second, and he +discovered them sitting upon the branches of a big chestnut tree and +singing gayly. + +When they saw the knook the birds cried: + +"Thank you, Popopo. Thank you for setting us free." + +"Do not thank me," returned the knook, "for I have come to send you +back to the millinery shop." + +"Why?" demanded a blue jay, angrily, while the others stopped their +songs. + +"Because I find the woman considers you her property, and your loss +has caused her much unhappiness," answered Popopo. + +"But remember how unhappy we were in her glass case," said a robin +redbreast, gravely. "And as for being her property, you are a knook, +and the natural guardian of all birds; so you know that Nature +created us free. To be sure, wicked men shot and stuffed us, and +sold us to the milliner; but the idea of our being her property is +nonsense!" + +Popopo was puzzled. + +"If I leave you free," he said, "wicked men will shoot you again, +and you will be no better off than before." + +"Pooh!" exclaimed the blue jay, "we cannot be shot now, for we are +stuffed. Indeed, two men fired several shots at us this morning, but +the bullets only ruffled our feathers and buried themselves in our +stuffing. We do not fear men now." + +"Listen!" said Popopo, sternly, for he felt the birds were getting +the best of the argument; "the poor milliner's business will be +ruined if I do not return you to her shop. It seems you are +necessary to trim the hats properly. It is the fashion for women to +wear birds upon their headgear. So the poor milliner's wares, +although beautified by lace and ribbons, are worthless unless you +are perched upon them." + +"Fashions," said a black bird, solemnly, "are made by men. What law +is there, among birds or knooks, that requires us to be the slaves +of fashion?" + +"What have we to do with fashions, anyway?" screamed a linnet. "If +it were the fashion to wear knooks perched upon women's hats would +you be contented to stay there? Answer me, Popopo!" + +But Popopo was in despair. He could not wrong the birds by sending +them back to the milliner, nor did he wish the milliner to suffer by +their loss. So he went home to think what could be done. + +After much meditation he decided to consult the king of the knooks, +and going at once to his majesty he told him the whole story. + +The king frowned. + +"This should teach you the folly of interfering with earth people," +he said. "But since you have caused all this trouble, it is your +duty to remedy it. Our birds cannot be enslaved, that is certain; +therefore you must have the fashions changed, so it will no longer +be stylish for women to wear birds upon their hats." + +"How shall I do that?" asked Popopo. + +"Easily enough. Fashions often change among the earth people, who +tire quickly of any one thing. When they read in their newspapers +and magazines that the style is so-and-so, they never question the +matter, but at once obey the mandate of fashion. So you must visit +the newspapers and magazines and enchant the types." + +"Enchant the types!" echoed Popopo, in wonder. + +"Just so. Make them read that it is no longer the fashion to wear +birds upon hats. That will afford relief to your poor milliner and +at the same time set free thousands of our darling birds who have +been so cruelly used." + +Popopo thanked the wise king and followed his advice. + +The office of every newspaper and magazine in the city was visited by +the knook, and then he went to other cities, until there was not a +publication in the land that had not a "new fashion note" in its +pages. Sometimes Popopo enchanted the types, so that whoever read +the print would see only what the knook wished them to. Sometimes he +called upon the busy editors and befuddled their brains until they +wrote exactly what he wanted them to. Mortals seldom know how +greatly they are influenced by fairies, knooks and ryls, who often +put thoughts into their heads that only the wise little immortals +could have conceived. + +The following morning when the poor milliner looked over her +newspaper she was overjoyed to read that "no woman could now wear a +bird upon her hat and be in style, for the newest fashion required +only ribbons and laces." + +Popopo after this found much enjoyment in visiting every millinery +shop he could find and giving new life to the stuffed birds which +were carelessly tossed aside as useless. And they flew to the fields +and forests with songs of thanks to the good knook who had rescued +them. + +Sometimes a hunter fires his gun at a bird and then wonders why he +did not hit it. But, having read this story, you will understand +that the bird must have been a stuffed one from some millinery shop, +which cannot, of course, be killed by a gun. + + + + + +THE LAUGHING HIPPOPOTAMUS + + + + + +On one of the upper branches of the Congo river lived an ancient and +aristocratic family of hippopotamuses, which boasted a pedigree +dating back beyond the days of Noah--beyond the existence of +mankind--far into the dim ages when the world was new. + +They had always lived upon the banks of this same river, so that +every curve and sweep of its waters, every pit and shallow of its +bed, every rock and stump and wallow upon its bank was as familiar +to them as their own mothers. And they are living there yet, I +suppose. + +Not long ago the queen of this tribe of hippopotamuses had a child +which she named Keo, because it was so fat and round. Still, that +you may not be misled, I will say that in the hippopotamus language +"Keo," properly translated, means "fat and lazy" instead of fat and +round. However, no one called the queen's attention to this error, +because her tusks were monstrous long and sharp, and she thought Keo +the sweetest baby in the world. + +He was, indeed, all right for a hippopotamus. He rolled and played +in the soft mud of the river bank, and waddled inland to nibble the +leaves of the wild cabbage that grew there, and was happy and +contented from morning till night. And he was the jolliest +hippopotamus that ancient family had ever known. His little red eyes +were forever twinkling with fun, and he laughed his merry laugh on +all occasions, whether there was anything to laugh at or not. + +Therefore the black people who dwelt in that region called him +"Ippi"--the jolly one, although they dared not come anigh him on +account of his fierce mother, and his equally fierce uncles and +aunts and cousins, who lived in a vast colony upon the river bank. + +And while these black people, who lived in little villages scattered +among the trees, dared not openly attack the royal family of +hippopotamuses, they were amazingly fond of eating hippopotamus meat +whenever they could get it. This was no secret to the +hippopotamuses. And, again, when the blacks managed to catch these +animals alive, they had a trick of riding them through the jungles +as if they were horses, thus reducing them to a condition of +slavery. + +Therefore, having these things in mind, whenever the tribe of +hippopotamuses smelled the oily odor of black people they were +accustomed to charge upon them furiously, and if by chance they +overtook one of the enemy they would rip him with their sharp tusks +or stamp him into the earth with their huge feet. + +It was continual warfare between the hippopotamuses and the black +people. + +Gouie lived in one of the little villages of the blacks. He was the +son of the chief's brother and grandson of the village sorcerer, the +latter being an aged man known as the "the boneless wonder," because +he could twist himself into as many coils as a serpent and had no +bones to hinder his bending his flesh into any position. This made +him walk in a wabbly fashion, but the black people had great respect +for him. + +Gouie's hut was made of branches of trees stuck together with mud, +and his clothing consisted of a grass mat tied around his middle. +But his relationship to the chief and the sorcerer gave him a +certain dignity, and he was much addicted to solitary thought. +Perhaps it was natural that these thoughts frequently turned upon +his enemies, the hippopotamuses, and that he should consider many +ways of capturing them. + +Finally he completed his plans, and set about digging a great pit in +the ground, midway between two sharp curves of the river. When the +pit was finished he covered it over with small branches of trees, +and strewed earth upon them, smoothing the surface so artfully that +no one would suspect there was a big hole underneath. Then Gouie +laughed softly to himself and went home to supper. + +That evening the queen said to Keo, who was growing to be a fine +child for his age: + +"I wish you'd run across the bend and ask your Uncle Nikki to come +here. I have found a strange plant, and want him to tell me if it is +good to eat." + +The jolly one laughed heartily as he started upon his errand, for he +felt as important as a boy does when he is sent for the first time +to the corner grocery to buy a yeast cake. + +"Guk-uk-uk-uk! guk-uk-uk-uk!" was the way he laughed; and if you +think a hippopotamus does not laugh this way you have but to listen +to one and you will find I am right. + +He crawled out of the mud where he was wallowing and tramped away +through the bushes, and the last his mother heard as she lay half in +and half out of the water was his musical "guk-uk-uk-uk!" dying away +in the distance. + +Keo was in such a happy mood that he scarcely noticed where he +stepped, so he was much surprised when, in the middle of a laugh, +the ground gave way beneath him, and he fell to the bottom of +Gouie's deep pit. He was not badly hurt, but had bumped his nose +severely as he went down; so he stopped laughing and began to think +how he should get out again. Then he found the walls were higher +than his head, and that he was a prisoner. + +So he laughed a little at his own misfortune, and the laughter +soothed him to sleep, so that he snored all through the night until +daylight came. + +When Gouie peered over the edge of the pit next morning he +exclaimed: + +"Why, 'tis Ippi--the Jolly One!" + +Keo recognized the scent of a black man and tried to raise his head +high enough to bite him. Seeing which Gouie spoke in the +hippopotamus language, which he had learned from his grandfather, +the sorcerer. + +"Have peace, little one; you are my captive." + +"Yes; I will have a piece of your leg, if I can reach it," retorted +Keo; and then he laughed at his own joke: "Guk-uk-uk-uk!" + +But Gouie, being a thoughtful black man, went away without further +talk, and did not return until the following morning. When he again +leaned over the pit Keo was so weak from hunger that he could hardly +laugh at all. + +"Do you give up?" asked Gouie, "or do you still wish to fight?" + +"What will happen if I give up?" inquired Keo. + +The black man scratched his woolly head in perplexity. + +"It is hard to say, Ippi. You are too young to work, and if I kill +you for food I shall lose your tusks, which are not yet grown. Why, +O Jolly One, did you fall into my hole? I wanted to catch your +mother or one of your uncles." + +"Guk-uk-uk-uk!" laughed Keo. "You must let me go, after all, black +man; for I am of no use to you!" + +"That I will not do," declared Gouie; "unless," he added, as an +afterthought, "you will make a bargain with me." + +"Let me hear about the bargain, black one, for I am hungry," said +Keo. + +"I will let your go if you swear by the tusks of your grandfather +that you will return to me in a year and a day and become my +prisoner again." + +The youthful hippopotamus paused to think, for he knew it was a +solemn thing to swear by the tusks of his grandfather; but he was +exceedingly hungry, and a year and a day seemed a long time off; so +he said, with another careless laugh: + +"Very well; if you will now let me go I swear by the tusks of my +grandfather to return to you in a year and a day and become your +prisoner." + +Gouie was much pleased, for he knew that in a year and a day Keo +would be almost full grown. So he began digging away one end of the +pit and filling it up with the earth until he had made an incline +which would allow the hippopotamus to climb out. + +Keo was so pleased when he found himself upon the surface of the +earth again that he indulged in a merry fit of laughter, after which +he said: + +"Good-by, Gouie; in a year and a day you will see me again." + +Then he waddled away toward the river to see his mother and get his +breakfast, and Gouie returned to his village. + +During the months that followed, as the black man lay in his hut or +hunted in the forest, he heard at times the faraway "Guk-uk-uk-uk!" +of the laughing hippopotamus. But he only smiled to himself and +thought: "A year and a day will soon pass away!" + +Now when Keo returned to his mother safe and well every member of +his tribe was filled with joy, for the Jolly One was a general +favorite. But when he told them that in a year and a day he must +again become the slave of the black man, they began to wail and +weep, and so many were their tears that the river rose several +inches. + +Of course Keo only laughed at their sorrow; but a great meeting of +the tribe was called and the matter discussed seriously. + +"Having sworn by the tusks of his grandfather," said Uncle Nikki, +"he must keep his promise. But it is our duty to try in some way to +rescue him from death or a life of slavery." + +To this all agreed, but no one could think of any method of saving +Keo from his fate. So months passed away, during which all the royal +hippopotamuses were sad and gloomy except the Jolly One himself. + +Finally but a week of freedom remained to Keo, and his mother, the +queen, became so nervous and worried that another meeting of the +tribe was called. By this time the laughing hippopotamus had grown +to enormous size, and measured nearly fifteen feet long and six feet +high, while his sharp tusks were whiter and harder than those of an +elephant. + +"Unless something is done to save my child," said the mother, "I +shall die of grief." + +Then some of her relations began to make foolish suggestions; but +presently Uncle Nep, a wise and very big hippopotamus, said: + +"We must go to Glinkomok and implore his aid." + +Then all were silent, for it was a bold thing to face the mighty +Glinkomok. But the mother's love was equal to any heroism. + +"I will myself go to him, if Uncle Nep will accompany me," she said, +quickly. + +Uncle Nep thoughtfully patted the soft mud with his fore foot and +wagged his short tail leisurely from side to side. + +"We have always been obedient to Glinkomok, and shown him great +respect," said he. "Therefore I fear no danger in facing him. I will +go with you." + +All the others snorted approval, being very glad they were not +called upon to go themselves. + +So the queen and Uncle Nep, with Keo swimming between them, set out +upon their journey. They swam up the river all that day and all the +next, until they came at sundown to a high, rocky wall, beneath +which was the cave where the might Glinkomok dwelt. + +This fearful creature was part beast, part man, part fowl and part +fish. It had lived since the world began. Through years of wisdom it +had become part sorcerer, part wizard, part magician and part fairy. +Mankind knew it not, but the ancient beasts knew and feared it. + +The three hippopotamuses paused before the cave, with their front +feet upon the bank and their bodies in the water, and called in +chorus a greeting to Glinkomok. Instantly thereafter the mouth of +the cave darkened and the creature glided silently toward them. + +The hippopotamuses were afraid to look upon it, and bowed their +heads between their legs. + +"We come, O Glinkomok, to implore your mercy and friendly +assistance!" began Uncle Nep; and then he told the story of Keo's +capture, and how he had promised to return to the black man. + +"He must keep his promise," said the creature, in a voice that +sounded like a sigh. + +The mother hippopotamus groaned aloud. + +"But I will prepare him to overcome the black man, and to regain his +liberty," continued Glinkomok. + +Keo laughed. + +"Lift your right paw," commanded Glinkomok. Keo obeyed, and the +creature touched it with its long, hairy tongue. Then it held four +skinny hands over Keo's bowed head and mumbled some words in a +language unknown to man or beast or fowl or fish. After this it +spoke again in hippopotamese: + +"Your skin has now become so tough that no man can hurt you. Your +strength is greater than that of ten elephants. Your foot is so +swift that you can distance the wind. Your wit is sharper than the +bulthorn. Let the man fear, but drive fear from your own breast +forever; for of all your race you are the mightiest!" + +Then the terrible Glinkomok leaned over, and Keo felt its fiery +breath scorch him as it whispered some further instructions in his +ear. The next moment it glided back into its cave, followed by the +loud thanks of the three hippopotamuses, who slid into the water and +immediately began their journey home. + +The mother's heart was full of joy; Uncle Nep shivered once or twice +as he remembered a glimpse he had caught of Glinkomok; but Keo was +as jolly as possible, and, not content to swim with his dignified +elders, he dived under their bodies, raced all around them and +laughed merrily every inch of the way home. + +Then all the tribe held high jinks and praised the mighty Glinkomok +for befriending their queen's son. And when the day came for the +Jolly One to give himself up to the black man they all kissed him +good-by without a single fear for his safety. + +Keo went away in good spirits, and they could hear his laughing +"guk-uk-uk-uk!" long after he was lost in sight in the jungle. + +Gouie had counted the days and knew when to expect Keo; but he was +astonished at the monstrous size to which his captive had grown, and +congratulated himself on the wise bargain he had made. And Keo was +so fat that Gouie determined to eat him--that is, all of him he +possibly could, and the remainder of the carcass he would trade off +to his fellow villagers. + +So he took a knife and tried to stick it into the hippopotamus, but +the skin was so tough the knife was blunted against it. Then he +tried other means; but Keo remained unhurt. + +And now indeed the Jolly One laughed his most gleeful laugh, till +all the forest echoed the "guk-uk-uk-uk-uk!" And Gouie decided not +to kill him, since that was impossible, but to use him for a beast +of burden. He mounted upon Keo's back and commanded him to march. So +Keo trotted briskly through the village, his little eyes twinkling +with merriment. + +The other blacks were delighted with Gouie's captive, and begged +permission to ride upon the Jolly One's back. So Gouie bargained +with them for bracelets and shell necklaces and little gold +ornaments, until he had acquired quite a heap of trinkets. Then a +dozen black men climbed upon Keo's back to enjoy a ride, and the one +nearest his nose cried out: + +"Run, Mud-dog--run!" + +And Keo ran. Swift as the wind he strode, away from the village, +through the forest and straight up the river bank. The black men +howled with fear; the Jolly One roared with laughter; and on, on, on +they rushed! + +Then before them, on the opposite side of the river, appeared the +black mouth of Glinkomok's cave. Keo dashed into the water, dived to +the bottom and left the black people struggling to swim out. But +Glinkomok had heard the laughter of Keo and knew what to do. When +the Jolly One rose to the surface and blew the water from his throat +there was no black man to be seen. + +Keo returned alone to the village, and Gouie asked, with surprise: + +"Where are my brothers:" + +"I do not know," answered Keo. "I took them far away, and they +remained where I left them." + +Gouie would have asked more questions then, but another crowd of +black men impatiently waited to ride on the back of the laughing +hippopotamus. So they paid the price and climbed to their seats, +after which the foremost said: + +"Run, mud-wallower--run!" + +And Keo ran as before and carried them to the mouth of Glinkomok's +cave, and returned alone. + +But now Gouie became anxious to know the fate of his fellows, for he +was the only black man left in his village. So he mounted the +hippopotamus and cried: + +"Run, river-hog--run!" + +Keo laughed his jolly "guk-uk-uk-uk!" and ran with the speed of the +wind. But this time he made straight for the river bank where his +own tribe lived, and when he reached it he waded into the river, +dived to the bottom and left Gouie floating in the middle of the +stream. + +The black man began swimming toward the right bank, but there he saw +Uncle Nep and half the royal tribe waiting to stamp him into the +soft mud. So he turned toward the left bank, and there stood the +queen mother and Uncle Nikki, red-eyed and angry, waiting to tear +him with their tusks. + +Then Gouie uttered loud screams of terror, and, spying the Jolly +One, who swam near him, he cried: + +"Save me, Keo! Save me, and I will release you from slavery!" + +"That is not enough," laughed Keo. + +"I will serve you all my life!" screamed Gouie; "I will do +everything you bid me!" + +"Will you return to me in a year and a day and become my captive, if +I allow you to escape?" asked Keo. + +"I will! I will! I will!" cried Gouie. + +"Swear it by the bones of your grandfather!" commanded Keo, +remembering that black men have no tusks to swear by. + +And Gouie swore it by the bones of his grandfather. + +Then Keo swam to the black one, who clambered upon his back again. +In this fashion they came to the bank, where Keo told his mother and +all the tribe of the bargain he had made with Gouie, who was to +return in a year and a day and become his slave. + +Therefore the black man was permitted to depart in peace, and once +more the Jolly One lived with his own people and was happy. + +When a year and a day had passed Keo began watching for the return +of Gouie; but he did not come, then or ever afterwards. + +For the black man had made a bundle of his bracelets and shell +necklaces and little gold ornaments and had traveled many miles into +another country, where the ancient and royal tribe of hippopotamuses +was unknown. And he set up for a great chief, because of his riches, +and people bowed down before him. + +By day he was proud and swaggering. But at night he tumbled and +tossed upon his bed and could not sleep. His conscience troubled +him. + +For he had sworn by the bones of his grandfather; and his +grandfather had no bones. + + + + + + +THE MAGIC BON BONS + + + + + +There lived in Boston a wise and ancient chemist by the name of Dr. +Daws, who dabbled somewhat in magic. There also lived in Boston a +young lady by the name of Claribel Sudds, who was possessed of much +money, little wit and an intense desire to go upon the stage. + +So Claribel went to Dr. Daws and said: + +"I can neither sing nor dance; I cannot recite verse nor play upon +the piano; I am no acrobat nor leaper nor high kicker; yet I wish to +go upon the stage. What shall I do?" + +"Are you willing to pay for such accomplishments?" asked the wise +chemist. + +"Certainly," answered Claribel, jingling her purse. + +"Then come to me to-morrow at two o'clock," said he. + +All that night he practiced what is known as chemical sorcery; so +that when Claribel Sudds came next day at two o'clock he showed her +a small box filled with compounds that closely resembled French +bonbons. + +"This is a progressive age," said the old man, "and I flatter myself +your Uncle Daws keeps right along with the procession. Now, one of +your old-fashioned sorcerers would have made you some nasty, bitter +pills to swallow; but I have consulted your taste and convenience. +Here are some magic bonbons. If you eat this one with the lavender +color you can dance thereafter as lightly and gracefully as if you +had been trained a lifetime. After you consume the pink confection +you will sing like a nightingale. Eating the white one will enable +you to become the finest elocutionist in the land. The chocolate +piece will charm you into playing the piano better than Rubenstein, +while after eating you lemon-yellow bonbon you can easily kick six +feet above your head." + +"How delightful!" exclaimed Claribel, who was truly enraptured. "You +are certainly a most clever sorcerer as well as a considerate +compounder," and she held out her hand for the box. + +"Ahem!" said the wise one; "a check, please." + +"Oh, yes; to be sure! How stupid of me to forget it," she returned. + +He considerately retained the box in his own hand while she signed a +check for a large amount of money, after which he allowed her to +hold the box herself. + +"Are you sure you have made them strong enough?" she inquired, +anxiously; "it usually takes a great deal to affect me." + +"My only fear," replied Dr. Daws, "is that I have made them too +strong. For this is the first time I have ever been called upon to +prepare these wonderful confections." + +"Don't worry," said Claribel; "the stronger they act the better I +shall act myself." + +She went away, after saying this, but stopping in at a dry goods +store to shop, she forgot the precious box in her new interest and +left it lying on the ribbon counter. + +Then little Bessie Bostwick came to the counter to buy a hair ribbon +and laid her parcels beside the box. When she went away she gathered +up the box with her other bundles and trotted off home with it. + +Bessie never knew, until after she had hung her coat in the hall +closet and counted up her parcels, that she had one too many. Then +she opened it and exclaimed: + +"Why, it's a box of candy! Someone must have mislaid it. But it is +too small a matter to worry about; there are only a few pieces." So +she dumped the contents of the box into a bonbon dish that stood +upon the hall table and picking out the chocolate piece--she was +fond of chocolates--ate it daintily while she examined her purchases. + +These were not many, for Bessie was only twelve years old and was +not yet trusted by her parents to expend much money at the stores. +But while she tried on the hair ribbon she suddenly felt a great +desire to play upon the piano, and the desire at last became so +overpowering that she went into the parlor and opened the +instrument. + +The little girl had, with infinite pains, contrived to learn two +"pieces" which she usually executed with a jerky movement of her +right hand and a left hand that forgot to keep up and so made +dreadful discords. But under the influence of the chocolate bonbon +she sat down and ran her fingers lightly over the keys producing +such exquisite harmony that she was filled with amazement at her own +performance. + +That was the prelude, however. The next moment she dashed into +Beethoven's seventh sonata and played it magnificently. + +Her mother, hearing the unusual burst of melody, came downstairs to +see what musical guest had arrived; but when she discovered it was +her own little daughter who was playing so divinely she had an +attack of palpitation of the heart (to which she was subject) and +sat down upon a sofa until it should pass away. + +Meanwhile Bessie played one piece after another with untiring +energy. She loved music, and now found that all she need do was to +sit at the piano and listen and watch her hands twinkle over the +keyboard. + +Twilight deepened in the room and Bessie's father came home and hung +up his hat and overcoat and placed his umbrella in the rack. Then he +peeped into the parlor to see who was playing. + +"Great Caesar!" he exclaimed. But the mother came to him softly with +her finger on her lips and whispered: "Don't interrupt her, John. +Our child seems to be in a trance. Did you ever hear such superb +music?" + +"Why, she's an infant prodigy!" gasped the astounded father. "Beats +Blind Tom all hollow! It's--it's wonderful!" + +As they stood listening the senator arrived, having been invited to +dine with them that evening. And before he had taken off his coat +the Yale professor--a man of deep learning and scholarly +attainments--joined the party. + +Bessie played on; and the four elders stood in a huddled but silent +and amazed group, listening to the music and waiting for the sound +of the dinner gong. + +Mr. Bostwick, who was hungry, picked up the bonbon dish that lay on +the table beside him and ate the pink confection. The professor was +watching him, so Mr. Bostwick courteously held the dish toward him. +The professor ate the lemon-yellow piece and the senator reached out +his hand and took the lavender piece. He did not eat it, however, +for, chancing to remember that it might spoil his dinner, he put it +in his vest pocket. Mrs. Bostwick, still intently listening to her +precocious daughter, without thinking what she did, took the +remaining piece, which was the white one, and slowly devoured it. + +The dish was now empty, and Claribel Sudds' precious bonbons had +passed from her possession forever! + +Suddenly Mr. Bostwick, who was a big man, began to sing in a shrill, +tremolo soprano voice. It was not the same song Bessie was playing, +and the discord was shocking that the professor smiled, the senator +put his hands to his ears and Mrs. Bostwick cried in a horrified +voice: + +"William!" + +Her husband continued to sing as if endeavoring to emulate the +famous Christine Nillson, and paid no attention whatever to his wife +or his guests. + +Fortunately the dinner gong now sounded, and Mrs. Bostwick dragged +Bessie from the piano and ushered her guests into the dining-room. +Mr. Bostwick followed, singing "The Last Rose of Summer" as if it +had been an encore demanded by a thousand delighted hearers. + +The poor woman was in despair at witnessing her husband's +undignified actions and wondered what she might do to control him. +The professor seemed more grave than usual; the senator's face wore +an offended expression, and Bessie kept moving her fingers as if she +still wanted to play the piano. + +Mrs. Bostwick managed to get them all seated, although her husband +had broken into another aria; and then the maid brought in the soup. + +When she carried a plate to the professor, he cried, in an excited +voice: + +"Hold it higher! Higher--I say!" And springing up he gave it a +sudden kick that sent it nearly to the ceiling, from whence the dish +descended to scatter soup over Bessie and the maid and to smash in +pieces upon the crown of the professor's bald head. + +At this atrocious act the senator rose from his seat with an +exclamation of horror and glanced at his hostess. + +For some time Mrs. Bostwick had been staring straight ahead, with a +dazed expression; but now, catching the senator's eye, she bowed +gracefully and began reciting "The Charge of the Light Brigade" in +forceful tones. + +The senator shuddered. Such disgraceful rioting he had never seen +nor heard before in a decent private family. He felt that his +reputation was at stake, and, being the only sane person, +apparently, in the room, there was no one to whom he might appeal. + +The maid had run away to cry hysterically in the kitchen; Mr. +Bostwick was singing "O Promise Me;" the professor was trying to +kick the globes off the chandelier; Mrs. Bostwick had switched her +recitation to "The Boy Stood on the Burning Deck," and Bessie had +stolen into the parlor and was pounding out the overture from the +"Flying Dutchman." + +The senator was not at all sure he would not go crazy himself, +presently; so he slipped away from the turmoil, and, catching up his +had and coat in the hall, hurried from the house. + +That night he sat up late writing a political speech he was to +deliver the next afternoon at Faneuil hall, but his experiences at +the Bostwicks' had so unnerved him that he could scarcely collect +his thoughts, and often he would pause and shake his head pityingly +as he remembered the strange things he had seen in that usually +respectable home. + +The next day he met Mr. Bostwick in the street, but passed him by +with a stony glare of oblivion. He felt he really could not afford +to know this gentleman in the future. Mr. Bostwick was naturally +indignant at the direct snub; yet in his mind lingered a faint +memory of some quite unusual occurrences at his dinner party the +evening before, and he hardly knew whether he dared resent the +senator's treatment or not. + +The political meeting was the feature of the day, for the senator's +eloquence was well known in Boston. So the big hall was crowded with +people, and in one of the front rows sat the Bostwick family, with +the learned Yale professor beside them. They all looked tired and +pale, as if they had passed a rather dissipated evening, and the +senator was rendered so nervous by seeing them that he refused to +look in their direction a second time. + +While the mayor was introducing him the great man sat fidgeting in +his chair; and, happening to put his thumb and finger into his vest +pocket, he found the lavender-colored bonbon he had placed there the +evening before. + +"This may clear my throat," thought the senator, and slipped the +bonbon into his mouth. + +A few minutes afterwards he arose before the vast audience, which +greeted him with enthusiastic plaudits. + +"My friends," began the senator, in a grave voice, "this is a most +impressive and important occasion." + +Then he paused, balanced himself upon his left foot, and kicked his +right leg into the air in the way favored by ballet-dancers! + +There was a hum of amazement and horror from the spectators, but the +senator appeared not to notice it. He whirled around upon the tips +of his toes, kicked right and left in a graceful manner, and +startled a bald-headed man in the front row by casting a languishing +glance in his direction. + +Suddenly Claribel Sudds, who happened to be present, uttered a scream +and sprang to her feet. Pointing an accusing finger at the dancing +senator, she cried in a loud voice: + +"That's the man who stole my bonbons! Seize him! Arrest him! Don't +let him escape!" + +But the ushers rushed her out of the hall, thinking she had gone +suddenly insane; and the senator's friends seized him firmly and +carried him out the stage entrance to the street, where they put him +into an open carriage and instructed the driver to take him home. + +The effect of the magic bonbon was still powerful enough to control +the poor senator, who stood upon the rear seat of the carriage and +danced energetically all the way home, to the delight of the crowd +of small boys who followed the carriage and the grief of the +sober-minded citizens, who shook their heads sadly and whispered +that "another good man had gone wrong." + +It took the senator several months to recover from the shame and +humiliation of this escapade; and, curiously enough, he never had +the slightest idea what had induced him to act in so extraordinary a +manner. Perhaps it was fortunate the last bonbon had now been eaten, +for they might easily have caused considerably more trouble than +they did. + +Of course Claribel went again to the wise chemist and signed a check +for another box of magic bonbons; but she must have taken better +care of these, for she is now a famous vaudeville actress. + +* * * * * + +This story should teach us the folly of condemning others for +actions that we do not understand, for we never know what may happen +to ourselves. It may also serve as a hint to be careful about +leaving parcels in public places, and, incidentally, to let other +people's packages severely alone. + + + + + + +The CAPTURE of FATHER TIME + + + + + +Jim was the son of a cowboy, and lived on the broad plains of +Arizona. His father had trained him to lasso a bronco or a young +bull with perfect accuracy, and had Jim possessed the strength to +back up his skill he would have been as good a cowboy as any in all +Arizona. + +When he was twelve years old he made his first visit to the east, +where Uncle Charles, his father's brother, lived. Of course Jim took +his lasso with him, for he was proud of his skill in casting it, and +wanted to show his cousins what a cowboy could do. + +At first the city boys and girls were much interested in watching +Jim lasso posts and fence pickets, but they soon tired of it, and +even Jim decided it was not the right sort of sport for cities. + +But one day the butcher asked Jim to ride one of his horses into the +country, to a pasture that had been engaged, and Jim eagerly +consented. He had been longing for a horseback ride, and to make it +seem like old times he took his lasso with him. + +He rode through the streets demurely enough, but on reaching the +open country roads his spirits broke forth into wild jubilation, +and, urging the butcher's horse to full gallop, he dashed away in +true cowboy fashion. + +Then he wanted still more liberty, and letting down the bars that +led into a big field he began riding over the meadow and throwing +his lasso at imaginary cattle, while he yelled and whooped to his +heart's content. + +Suddenly, on making a long cast with his lasso, the loop caught upon +something and rested about three feet from the ground, while the +rope drew taut and nearly pulled Jim from his horse. + +This was unexpected. More than that, it was wonderful; for the field +seemed bare of even a stump. Jim's eyes grew big with amazement, but +he knew he had caught something when a voice cried out: + +"Here, let go! Let go, I say! Can't you see what you've done?" + +No, Jim couldn't see, nor did he intend to let go until he found out +what was holding the loop of the lasso. So he resorted to an old +trick his father had taught him and, putting the butcher's horse to +a run, began riding in a circle around the spot where his lasso had +caught. + +As he thus drew nearer and nearer his quarry he saw the rope coil +up, yet it looked to be coiling over nothing but air. One end of the +lasso was made fast to a ring in the saddle, and when the rope was +almost wound up and the horse began to pull away and snort with +fear, Jim dismounted. Holding the reins of the bridle in one hand, +he followed the rope, and an instant later saw an old man caught +fast in the coils of the lasso. + +His head was bald and uncovered, but long white whiskers grew down +to his waist. About his body was thrown a loose robe of fine white +linen. In one hand he bore a great scythe, and beneath the other arm +he carried an hourglass. + +While Jim gazed wonderingly upon him, this venerable old man spoke +in an angry voice: + +"Now, then--get that rope off as fast as you can! You've brought +everything on earth to a standstill by your foolishness! Well--what +are you staring at? Don't you know who I am?" + +"No," said Jim, stupidly. + +"Well, I'm Time--Father Time! Now, make haste and set me free--if +you want the world to run properly." + +"How did I happen to catch you?" asked Jim, without making a move to +release his captive. + +"I don't know. I've never been caught before," growled Father Time. +"But I suppose it was because you were foolishly throwing your lasso +at nothing." + +"I didn't see you," said Jim. + +"Of course you didn't. I'm invisible to the eyes of human beings +unless they get within three feet of me, and I take care to keep +more than that distance away from them. That's why I was crossing +this field, where I supposed no one would be. And I should have been +perfectly safe had it not been for your beastly lasso. Now, then," +he added, crossly, "are you going to get that rope off?" + +"Why should I?" asked Jim. + +"Because everything in the world stopped moving the moment you +caught me. I don't suppose you want to make an end of all business +and pleasure, and war and love, and misery and ambition and +everything else, do you? Not a watch has ticked since you tied me up +here like a mummy!" + +Jim laughed. It really was funny to see the old man wound round and +round with coils of rope from his knees up to his chin. + +"It'll do you good to rest," said the boy. "From all I've heard you +lead a rather busy life." + +"Indeed I do," replied Father Time, with a sigh. "I'm due in +Kamchatka this very minute. And to think one small boy is upsetting +all my regular habits!" + +"Too bad!" said Jim, with a grin. "But since the world has stopped +anyhow, it won't matter if it takes a little longer recess. As soon +as I let you go Time will fly again. Where are your wings?" + +"I haven't any," answered the old man. "That is a story cooked up by +some one who never saw me. As a matter of fact, I move rather +slowly." + +"I see, you take your time," remarked the boy. "What do you use that +scythe for?" + +"To mow down the people," said the ancient one. "Every time I swing +my scythe some one dies." + +"Then I ought to win a life-saving medal by keeping you tied up," +said Jim. "Some folks will live this much longer." + +"But they won't know it," said Father Time, with a sad smile; "so it +will do them no good. You may as well untie me at once." + +"No," said Jim, with a determined air. "I may never capture you +again; so I'll hold you for awhile and see how the world wags +without you." + +Then he swung the old man, bound as he was, upon the back of the +butcher's horse, and, getting into the saddle himself, started back +toward town, one hand holding his prisoner and the other guiding the +reins. + +When he reached the road his eye fell on a strange tableau. A horse +and buggy stood in the middle of the road, the horse in the act of +trotting, with his head held high and two legs in the air, but +perfectly motionless. In the buggy a man and a woman were seated; +but had they been turned into stone they could not have been more +still and stiff. + +"There's no Time for them!" sighed the old man. "Won't you let me go +now?" + +"Not yet," replied the boy. + +He rode on until he reached the city, where all the people stood in +exactly the same positions they were in when Jim lassoed Father +Time. Stopping in front of a big dry goods store, the boy hitched +his horse and went in. The clerks were measuring out goods and +showing patterns to the rows of customers in front of them, but +everyone seemed suddenly to have become a statue. + +There was something very unpleasant in this scene, and a cold shiver +began to run up and down Jim's back; so he hurried out again. + +On the edge of the sidewalk sat a poor, crippled beggar, holding out +his hat, and beside him stood a prosperous-looking gentleman who was +about to drop a penny into the beggar's hat. Jim knew this gentleman +to be very rich but rather stingy, so he ventured to run his hand +into the man's pocket and take out his purse, in which was a $20 +gold piece. This glittering coin he put in the gentleman's fingers +instead of the penny and then restored the purse to the rich man's +pocket. + +"That donation will surprise him when he comes to life," thought the +boy. + +He mounted the horse again and rode up the street. As he passed the +shop of his friend, the butcher, he noticed several pieces of meat +hanging outside. + +"I'm afraid that meat'll spoil," he remarked. + +"It takes Time to spoil meat," answered the old man. + +This struck Jim as being queer, but true. + +"It seems Time meddles with everything," said he. + +"Yes; you've made a prisoner of the most important personage in the +world," groaned the old man; "and you haven't enough sense to let +him go again." + +Jim did not reply, and soon they came to his uncle's house, where he +again dismounted. The street was filled with teams and people, but +all were motionless. His two little cousins were just coming out the +gate on their way to school, with their books and slates underneath +their arms; so Jim had to jump over the fence to avoid knocking them +down. + +In the front room sat his aunt, reading her Bible. She was just +turning a page when Time stopped. In the dining-room was his uncle, +finishing his luncheon. His mouth was open and his fork poised just +before it, while his eyes were fixed upon the newspaper folded +beside him. Jim helped himself to his uncle's pie, and while he ate +it he walked out to his prisoner. + +"There's one thing I don't understand," said he. + +"What's that?" asked Father Time. + +"Why is it that I'm able to move around while everyone else +is--is--froze up?" + +"That is because I'm your prisoner," answered the other. "You can do +anything you wish with Time now. But unless you are careful you'll +do something you will be sorry for." + +Jim threw the crust of his pie at a bird that was suspended in the +air, where it had been flying when Time stopped. + +"Anyway," he laughed, "I'm living longer than anyone else. No one +will ever be able to catch up with me again." + +"Each life has its allotted span," said the old man. "When you have +lived your proper time my scythe will mow you down." + +"I forgot your scythe," said Jim, thoughtfully. + +Then a spirit of mischief came into the boy's head, for he happened +to think that the present opportunity to have fun would never occur +again. He tied Father Time to his uncle's hitching post, that he +might not escape, and then crossed the road to the corner grocery. + +The grocer had scolded Jim that very morning for stepping into a +basket of turnips by accident. So the boy went to the back end of +the grocery and turned on the faucet of the molasses barrel. + +"That'll make a nice mess when Time starts the molasses running all +over the floor," said Jim, with a laugh. + +A little further down the street was a barber shop, and sitting in +the barber's chair Jim saw the man that all the boys declared was +the "meanest man in town." He certainly did not like the boys and +the boys knew it. The barber was in the act of shampooing this +person when Time was captured. Jim ran to the drug store, and, +getting a bottle of mucilage, he returned and poured it over the +ruffled hair of the unpopular citizen. + +"That'll probably surprise him when he wakes up," thought Jim. + +Near by was the schoolhouse. Jim entered it and found that only a +few of the pupils were assembled. But the teacher sat at his desk, +stern and frowning as usual. + +Taking a piece of chalk, Jim marked upon the blackboard in big +letters the following words: + +"Every scholar is requested to yell the minute he enters the room. +He will also please throw his books at the teacher's head. Signed, +Prof. Sharpe." + +"That ought to raise a nice rumpus," murmured the mischiefmaker, as +he walked away. + +On the corner stood Policeman Mulligan, talking with old Miss +Scrapple, the worst gossip in town, who always delighted in saying +something disagreeable about her neighbors. Jim thought this +opportunity was too good to lose. So he took off the policeman's cap +and brass-buttoned coat and put them on Miss Scrapple, while the +lady's feathered and ribboned hat he placed jauntily upon the +policeman's head. + +The effect was so comical that the boy laughed aloud, and as a good +many people were standing near the corner Jim decided that Miss +Scrapple and Officer Mulligan would create a sensation when Time +started upon his travels. + +Then the young cowboy remembered his prisoner, and, walking back to +the hitching post, he came within three feet of it and saw Father +Time still standing patiently within the toils of the lasso. He +looked angry and annoyed, however, and growled out: + +"Well, when do you intend to release me?" + +"I've been thinking about that ugly scythe of yours," said Jim. + +"What about it?" asked Father Time. + +"Perhaps if I let you go you'll swing it at me the first thing, to +be revenged," replied the boy. + +Father Time gave him a severe look, but said: + +"I've known boys for thousands of years, and of course I know +they're mischievous and reckless. But I like boys, because they grow +up to be men and people my world. Now, if a man had caught me by +accident, as you did, I could have scared him into letting me go +instantly; but boys are harder to scare. I don't know as I blame +you. I was a boy myself, long ago, when the world was new. But +surely you've had enough fun with me by this time, and now I hope +you'll show the respect that is due to old age. Let me go, and in +return I will promise to forget all about my capture. The incident +won't do much harm, anyway, for no one will ever know that Time has +halted the last three hours or so." + +"All right," said Jim, cheerfully, "since you've promised not to mow +me down, I'll let you go." But he had a notion some people in the +town would suspect Time had stopped when they returned to life. + +He carefully unwound the rope from the old man, who, when he was +free, at once shouldered his scythe, rearranged his white robe and +nodded farewell. + +The next moment he had disappeared, and with a rustle and rumble and +roar of activity the world came to life again and jogged along as it +always had before. + +Jim wound up his lasso, mounted the butcher's horse and rode slowly +down the street. + +Loud screams came from the corner, where a great crowd of people +quickly assembled. From his seat on the horse Jim saw Miss Scrapple, +attired in the policeman's uniform, angrily shaking her fists in +Mulligan's face, while the officer was furiously stamping upon the +lady's hat, which he had torn from his own head amidst the jeers of +the crowd. + +As he rode past the schoolhouse he heard a tremendous chorus of +yells, and knew Prof. Sharpe was having a hard time to quell the +riot caused by the sign on the blackboard. + +Through the window of the barber shop he saw the "mean man" +frantically belaboring the barber with a hair brush, while his hair +stood up stiff as bayonets in all directions. And the grocer ran out +of his door and yelled "Fire!" while his shoes left a track of +molasses wherever he stepped. + +Jim's heart was filled with joy. He was fairly reveling in the +excitement he had caused when some one caught his leg and pulled him +from the horse. + +"What're ye doin' hear, ye rascal?" cried the butcher, angrily; +"didn't ye promise to put that beast inter Plympton's pasture? An' +now I find ye ridin' the poor nag around like a gentleman o' +leisure!" + +"That's a fact," said Jim, with surprise; "I clean forgot about the +horse!" + +* * * * * + +This story should teach us the supreme importance of Time and the +folly of trying to stop it. For should you succeed, as Jim did, in +bringing Time to a standstill, the world would soon become a dreary +place and life decidedly unpleasant. + + + + + + +The WONDERFUL PUMP + + + + + +Not many years ago there lived on a stony, barren New England farm a +man and his wife. They were sober, honest people, working hard from +early morning until dark to enable them to secure a scanty living +from their poor land. + +Their house, a small, one-storied building, stood upon the side of a +steep hill, and the stones lay so thickly about it that scarce +anything green could grow from the ground. At the foot of the hill, +a quarter of a mile from the house by the winding path, was a small +brook, and the woman was obliged to go there for water and to carry +it up the hill to the house. This was a tedious task, and with the +other hard work that fell to her share had made her gaunt and bent +and lean. + +Yet she never complained, but meekly and faithfully performed her +duties, doing the housework, carrying the water and helping her +husband hoe the scanty crop that grew upon the best part of their +land. + +One day, as she walked down the path to the brook, her big shoes +scattering the pebbles right and left, she noticed a large beetle +lying upon its back and struggling hard with its little legs to turn +over, that its feet might again touch the ground. But this it could +not accomplish; so the woman, who had a kind heart, reached down and +gently turned the beetle with her finger. At once it scampered from +the path and she went on to the brook. + +The next day, as she came for water, she was surprised to see the +beetle again lying upon its back and struggling helplessly to turn. +Once more the woman stopped and set him upon his feet; and then, as +she stooped over the tiny creature, she heard a small voice say: + +"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much for saving me!" + +Half frightened at hearing a beetle speak in her own language, the +woman started back and exclaimed: + +"La sakes! Surely you can't talk like humans!" Then, recovering from +her alarm, she again bent over the beetle, who answered her: + +"Why shouldn't I talk, if I have anything to say? + +"'Cause you're a bug," replied the woman. + +"That is true; and you saved my life--saved me from my enemies, the +sparrows. And this is the second time you have come to my +assistance, so I owe you a debt of gratitude. Bugs value their lives +as much as human beings, and I am a more important creature than +you, in your ignorance, may suppose. But, tell me, why do you come +each day to the brook?" + +"For water," she answered, staring stupidly down at the talking +beetle. + +"Isn't it hard work?" the creature inquired. + +"Yes; but there's no water on the hill," said she. + +"Then dig a well and put a pump in it," replied the beetle. + +She shook her head. + +"My man tried it once; but there was no water," she said, sadly. + +"Try it again," commanded the beetle; "and in return for your +kindness to me I will make this promise: if you do not get water +from the well you will get that which is more precious to you. I +must go now. Do not forget. Dig a well." + +And then, without pausing to say good-by, it ran swiftly away and +was lost among the stones. + +The woman returned to the house much perplexed by what the beetle +had said, and when her husband came in from his work she told him +the whole story. + +The poor man thought deeply for a time, and then declared: + +"Wife, there may be truth in what the bug told you. There must be +magic in the world yet, if a beetle can speak; and if there is such +a thing as magic we may get water from the well. The pump I bought +to use in the well which proved to be dry is now lying in the barn, +and the only expense in following the talking bug's advice will be +the labor of digging the hole. Labor I am used to; so I will dig the +well." + +Next day he set about it, and dug so far down in the ground that he +could hardly reach the top to climb out again; but not a drop of +water was found. + +"Perhaps you did not dig deep enough," his wife said, when he told +her of his failure. + +So the following day he made a long ladder, which he put into the +hole; and then he dug, and dug, and dug, until the top of the ladder +barely reached the top of the hole. But still there was no water. + +When the woman next went to the brook with her pail she saw the +beetle sitting upon a stone beside her path. So she stopped and +said: + +"My husband has dug the well; but there is no water." + +"Did he put the pump in the well?" asked the beetle. + +"No," she answered. + +"Then do as I commanded; put in the pump, and if you do not get +water I promise you something still more precious." + +Saying which, the beetle swiftly slid from the stone and +disappeared. The woman went back to the house and told her husband +what the bug had said. + +"Well," replied the simple fellow, "there can be no harm in trying." + +So he got the pump from the barn and placed it in the well, and then +he took hold of the handle and began to pump, while his wife stood +by to watch what would happen. + +No water came, but after a few moments a gold piece dropped from the +spout of the pump, and then another, and another, until several +handfuls of gold lay in a little heap upon the ground. + +The man stopped pumping then and ran to help his wife gather the +gold pieces into her apron; but their hands trembled so greatly +through excitement and joy that they could scarcely pick up the +sparkling coins. + +At last she gathered them close to her bosom and together they ran +to the house, where they emptied the precious gold upon the table +and counted the pieces. + +All were stamped with the design of the United States mint and were +worth five dollars each. Some were worn and somewhat discolored from +use, while others seemed bright and new, as if they had not been +much handled. When the value of the pieces was added together they +were found to be worth three hundred dollars. + +Suddenly the woman spoke. + +"Husband, the beetle said truly when he declared we should get +something more precious than water from the well. But run at once +and take away the handle from the pump, lest anyone should pass this +way and discover our secret." + +So the man ran to the pump and removed the handle, which he carried +to the house and hid underneath the bed. + +They hardly slept a wink that night, lying awake to think of their +good fortune and what they should do with their store of yellow +gold. In all their former lives they had never possessed more than a +few dollars at a time, and now the cracked teapot was nearly full of +gold coins. + +The following day was Sunday, and they arose early and ran to see if +their treasure was safe. There it lay, heaped snugly within the +teapot, and they were so willing to feast their eyes upon it that it +was long before the man could leave it to build the fire or the +woman to cook the breakfast. + +While they ate their simple meal the woman said: + +"We will go to church to-day and return thanks for the riches that +have come to us so suddenly. And I will give the pastor one of the +gold pieces." + +"It is well enough to go to church," replied her husband, "and also +to return thanks. But in the night I decided how we will spend all +our money; so there will be none left for the pastor." + +"We can pump more," said the woman. + +"Perhaps; and perhaps not," he answered, cautiously. "What we have +we can depend upon, but whether or not there be more in the well I +cannot say." + +"Then go and find out," she returned, "for I am anxious to give +something to the pastor, who is a poor man and deserving." + +So the man got the pump handle from beneath the bed, and, going to +the pump, fitted it in place. Then he set a large wooden bucket +under the spout and began to pump. To their joy the gold pieces soon +began flowing into the pail, and, seeing it about to run over the +brim, the woman brought another pail. But now the stream suddenly +stopped, and the man said, cheerfully: + +"That is enough for to-day, good wife! We have added greatly to our +treasure, and the parson shall have his gold piece. Indeed, I think +I shall also put a coin into the contribution box." + +Then, because the teapot would hold no more gold, the farmer emptied +the pail into the wood-box, covering the money with dried leaves and +twigs, that no one might suspect what lay underneath. + +Afterward they dressed themselves in their best clothing and started +for the church, each taking a bright gold piece from the teapot as a +gift to the pastor. + +Over the hill and down into the valley beyond they walked, feeling +so gay and light-hearted that they did not mind the distance at all. +At last they came to the little country church and entered just as +the services began. + +Being proud of their wealth and of the gifts they had brought for +the pastor, they could scarcely wait for the moment when the deacon +passed the contribution box. But at last the time came, and the +farmer held his hand high over the box and dropped the gold piece so +that all the congregation could see what he had given. The woman did +likewise, feeling important and happy at being able to give the good +parson so much. + +The parson, watching from the pulpit, saw the gold drop into the +box, and could hardly believe that his eyes did not deceive him. +However, when the box was laid upon his desk there were the two gold +pieces, and he was so surprised that he nearly forgot his sermon. + +When the people were leaving the church at the close of the services +the good man stopped the farmer and his wife and asked: + +"Where did you get so much gold?" + +The woman gladly told him how she had rescued the beetle, and how, +in return, they had been rewarded with the wonderful pump. The +pastor listened to it all gravely, and when the story was finished +he said: + +"According to tradition strange things happened in this world ages +ago, and now I find that strange things may also happen to-day. For +by your tale you have found a beetle that can speak and also has +power to bestow upon you great wealth." Then he looked carefully at +the gold pieces and continued: "Either this money is fairy gold or +it is genuine metal, stamped at the mint of the United States +government. If it is fairy gold it will disappear within 24 hours, +and will therefore do no one any good. If it is real money, then +your beetle must have robbed some one of the gold and placed it in +your well. For all money belongs to some one, and if you have not +earned it honestly, but have come by it in the mysterious way you +mention, it was surely taken from the persons who owned it, without +their consent. Where else could real money come from?" + +The farmer and his wife were confused by this statement and looked +guiltily at each other, for they were honest people and wished to +wrong no one. + +"Then you think the beetle stole the money?" asked the woman. + +"By his magic powers he probably took it from its rightful owners. +Even bugs which can speak have no consciences and cannot tell the +difference between right and wrong. With a desire to reward you for +your kindness the beetle took from its lawful possessors the money +you pumped from the well." + +"Perhaps it really is fairy gold," suggested the man. "If so, we +must go to the town and spend the money before it disappears." + +"That would be wrong," answered the pastor; "for then the merchants +would have neither money nor goods. To give them fairy gold would be +to rob them." + +"What, then, shall we do?" asked the poor woman, wringing her hands +with grief and disappointment. + +"Go home and wait until to-morrow. If the gold is then in your +possession it is real money and not fairy gold. But if it is real +money you must try to restore it to its rightful owners. Take, also, +these pieces which you have given me, for I cannot accept gold that +is not honestly come by." + +Sadly the poor people returned to their home, being greatly +disturbed by what they had heard. Another sleepless night was +passed, and on Monday morning they arose at daylight and ran to see +if the gold was still visible. + +"It is real money, after all!" cried the man; "for not a single +piece has disappeared." + +When the woman went to the brook that day she looked for the beetle, +and, sure enough, there he sat upon the flat stone. + +"Are you happy now?" asked the beetle, as the woman paused before +him. + +"We are very unhappy," she answered; "for, although you have given +us much gold, our good parson says it surely belongs to some one +else, and was stolen by you to reward us." + +"Your parson may be a good man," returned the beetle, with some +indignation, "but he certainly is not overwise. Nevertheless, if you +do not want the gold I can take it from you as easily as I gave it." + +"But we do want it!" cried the woman, fearfully. "That is," she +added, "if it is honestly come by." + +"It is not stolen," replied the beetle, sulkily, "and now belongs to +no one but yourselves. When you saved my life I thought how I might +reward you; and, knowing you to be poor, I decided gold would make +you happier than anything else. + +"You must know," he continued, "that although I appear so small and +insignificant, I am really king of all the insects, and my people +obey my slightest wish. Living, as they do, close to the ground, the +insects often come across gold and other pieces of money which have +been lost by men and have fallen into cracks or crevasses or become +covered with earth or hidden by grass or weeds. Whenever my people +find money in this way they report the fact to me; but I have always +let it lie, because it could be of no possible use to an insect. + +"However, when I decided to give you gold I knew just where to +obtain it without robbing any of your fellow creatures. Thousands of +insects were at once sent by me in every direction to bring the +pieces of lost gold to his hill. It cost my people several days of +hard labor, as you may suppose; but by the time your husband had +finished the well the gold began to arrive from all parts of the +country, and during the night my subjects dumped it all into the +well. So you may use it with a clear conscience, knowing that you +wrong no one." + +This explanation delighted the woman, and when she returned to the +house and reported to her husband what the beetle had said he also +was overjoyed. + +So they at once took a number of the gold pieces and went to the +town to purchase provisions and clothing and many things of which +they had long stood in need; but so proud were they of their newly +acquired wealth that they took no pains to conceal it. They wanted +everyone to know they had money, and so it was no wonder that when +some of the wicked men in the village saw the gold they longed to +possess it themselves. + +"If they spend this money so freely," whispered one to another, +"there must be a great store of gold at their home." + +"That is true," was the answer. "Let us hasten there before they +return and ransack the house." + +So they left the village and hurried away to the farm on the hill, +where they broke down the door and turned everything topsy turvy +until they had discovered the gold in the wood-box and the teapot. +It did not take them long to make this into bundles, which they +slung upon their backs and carried off, and it was probably because +they were in a great hurry that they did not stop to put the house +in order again. + +Presently the good woman and her husband came up the hill from the +village with their arms full of bundles and followed by a crowd of +small boys who had been hired to help carry the purchases. Then +followed others, youngsters and country louts, attracted by the +wealth and prodigality of the pair, who, from simple curiosity, +trailed along behind like the tail of a comet and helped swell the +concourse into a triumphal procession. Last of all came Guggins, the +shopkeeper, carrying with much tenderness a new silk dress which was +to be paid for when they reached the house, all the money they had +taken to the village having been lavishly expended. + +The farmer, who had formerly been a modest man, was now so swelled +with pride that he tipped the rim of his hat over his left ear and +smoked a big cigar that was fast making him ill. His wife strutted +along beside him like a peacock, enjoying to the full the homage and +respect her wealth had won from those who formerly deigned not to +notice her, and glancing from time to time at the admiring +procession in the rear. + +But, alas for their new-born pride! when they reached the farmhouse +they found the door broken in, the furniture strewn in all +directions and their treasure stolen to the very last gold piece. + +The crowd grinned and made slighting remarks of a personal nature, +and Guggins, the shopkeeper, demanded in a loud voice the money for +the silk dress he had brought. + +Then the woman whispered to her husband to run and pump some more +gold while she kept the crowd quiet, and he obeyed quickly. But +after a few moments he returned with a white face to tell her the +pump was dry, and not a gold piece could now be coaxed from the +spout. + +The procession marched back to the village laughing and jeering at +the farmer and his wife, who had pretended to be so rich; and some +of the boys were naughty enough to throw stones at the house from +the top of the hill. Mr. Guggins carried away his dress after +severely scolding the woman for deceiving him, and when the couple +at last found themselves alone their pride had turned to humiliation +and their joy to bitter grief. + +Just before sundown the woman dried her eyes and, having resumed her +ordinary attire, went to the brook for water. When she came to the +flat stone she saw the King Beetle sitting upon it. + +"The well is dry!" she cried out, angrily. + +"Yes," answered the beetle, calmly, "you have pumped from it all the +gold my people could find." + +"But we are now ruined," said the woman, sitting down in the path +beginning to weep; "for robbers have stolen from us every penny we +possessed." + +"I'm sorry," returned the beetle; "but it is your own fault. Had you +not made so great a show of your wealth no one would have suspected +you possessed a treasure, or thought to rob you. As it is, you have +merely lost the gold which others have lost before you. It will +probably be lost many times more before the world comes to an end." + +"But what are we to do now?" she asked. + +"What did you do before I gave you the money?" + +"We worked from morning 'til night," said she. + +"Then work still remains for you," remarked the beetle, composedly; +"no one will ever try to rob you of that, you may be sure!" And he +slid from the stone and disappeared for the last time. + +* * * * * + +This story should teach us to accept good fortune with humble hearts +and to use it with moderation. For, had the farmer and his wife +resisted the temptation to display their wealth ostentatiously, they +might have retained it to this very day. + + + + + + +THE DUMMY THAT LIVED + + + + + +In all Fairyland there is no more mischievous a person than +Tanko-Mankie the Yellow Ryl. He flew through the city one +afternoon--quite invisible to moral eyes, but seeing everything +himself--and noticed a figure of a wax lady standing behind the big +plate glass window of Mr. Floman's department store. + +The wax lady was beautifully dressed, and extended in her stiff left +hand was a card bearing the words: + + "RARE BARGIN! + This Stylish Costume + (Imported from Paris) + Former Price, $20, + REDUCED TO ONLY $19.98." + +This impressive announcement had drawn before the window a crowd of +women shoppers, who stood looking at the wax lady with critical +eyes. + +Tanko-Mankie laughed to himself the low, gurgling little laugh that +always means mischief. Then he flew close to the wax figure and +breathed twice upon its forehead. + +From that instant the dummy began to live, but so dazed and +astonished was she at the unexpected sensation that she continued to +stand stupidly staring at the women outside and holding out the +placard as before. + +The ryl laughed again and flew away. Anyone but Tanko-Mankie would +have remained to help the wax lady out of the troubles that were +sure to overtake her; but this naughty elf thought it rare fun to +turn the inexperienced lady loose in a cold and heartless world and +leave her to shift for herself. + +Fortunately it was almost six o'clock when the dummy first realized +that she was alive, and before she had collected her new thoughts +and decided what to do a man came around and drew down all the +window shades, shutting off the view from the curious shoppers. + +Then the clerks and cashiers and floorwalkers and cash girls went +home and the store was closed for the night, although the sweepers +and scrubbers remained to clean the floors for the following day. + +The window inhabited by the wax lady was boxed in, like a little +room, one small door being left at the side for the window-trimmer +to creep in and out of. So the scrubbers never noticed that the +dummy, when left to herself, dropped the placard to the floor and +sat down upon a pile of silks to wonder who she was, where she was, +and how she happened to be alive. + +For you must consider, dear reader, that in spite of her size and +her rich costume, in spite of her pink cheeks and fluffy yellow +hair, this lady was very young--no older, in reality, than a baby +born but half an hour. All she knew of the world was contained in +the glimpse she had secured of the busy street facing her window; +all she knew of people lay in the actions of the group of women +which had stood before her on the other side of the window pane and +criticised the fit of her dress or remarked upon its stylish +appearance. + +So she had little enough to think about, and her thoughts moved +somewhat slowly; yet one thing she really decided upon, and that was +not to remain in the window and be insolently stared at by a lot of +women who were not nearly so handsome or well dressed as herself. + +By the time she reached this important conclusion, it was after +midnight; but dim lights were burning in the big, deserted store, so +she crept through the door of her window and walked down the long +aisles, pausing now and then to look with much curiosity at the +wealth of finery confronting her on every side. + +When she came to the glass cases filled with trimmed hats she +remembered having seen upon the heads of the women in the street +similar creations. So she selected one that suited her fancy and +placed it carefully upon her yellow locks. I won't attempt to +explain what instinct it was that made her glance into a near-by +mirror to see if the hat was straight, but this she certainly did. +It didn't correspond with her dress very well, but the poor thing +was too young to have much taste in matching colors. + +When she reached the glove counter she remembered that gloves were +also worn by the women she had seen. She took a pair from the case +and tried to fit them upon her stiff, wax-coated fingers; but the +gloves were too small and ripped in the seams. Then she tried +another pair, and several others, as well; but hours passed before +she finally succeeded in getting her hands covered with a pair of +pea-green kids. + +Next she selected a parasol from a large and varied assortment in +the rear of the store. Not that she had any idea what it was used +for; but other ladies carried such things, so she also would have +one. + +When she again examined herself critically in the mirror she decided +her outfit was now complete, and to her inexperienced eyes there was +no perceptible difference between her and the women who had stood +outside the window. Whereupon she tried to leave the store, but +found every door fast locked. + +The wax lady was in no hurry. She inherited patience from her +previous existence. Just to be alive and to wear beautiful clothes +was sufficient enjoyment for her at present. So she sat down upon a +stool and waited quietly until daylight. + +When the janitor unlocked the door in the morning the wax lady swept +past him and walked with stiff but stately strides down the street. +The poor fellow was so completely whuckered at seeing the well-known +wax lady leave her window and march away from the store that he fell +over in a heap and only saved himself from fainting by striking his +funny bone against the doorstep. When he recovered his wits she had +turned the corner and disappeared. + +The wax lady's immature mind had reasoned that, since she had come +to life, her evident duty was to mix with the world and do whatever +other folks did. She could not realize how different she was from +people of flesh and blood; nor did she know she was the first dummy +that had ever lived, or that she owed her unique experience to +Tanko-Mankie's love of mischief. So ignorance gave her a confidence +in herself that she was not justly entitled to. + +It was yet early in the day, and the few people she met were +hurrying along the streets. Many of them turned into restaurants and +eating houses, and following their example the wax lady also entered +one and sat upon a stool before a lunch counter. + +"Coffee 'n' rolls!" said a shop girl on the next stool. + +"Coffee 'n' rolls!" repeated the dummy, and soon the waiter placed +them before her. Of course she had no appetite, as her constitution, +being mostly wood, did not require food; but she watched the shop +girl, and saw her put the coffee to her mouth and drink it. +Therefore the wax lady did the same, and the next instant was +surprised to feel the hot liquid trickling out between her wooden +ribs. The coffee also blistered her wax lips, and so disagreeable +was the experience that she arose and left the restaurant, paying no +attention to the demands of the waiter for "20 cents, mum." Not that +she intended to defraud him, but the poor creature had no idea what +he meant by "20 cents, mum." + +As she came out she met the window trimmer at Floman's store. The +man was rather near-sighted, but seeing something familiar in the +lady's features he politely raised his hat. The wax lady also raised +her hat, thinking it the proper thing to do, and the man hurried +away with a horrified face. + +Then a woman touched her arm and said: + +"Beg pardon, ma'am; but there's a price-mark hanging on your dress +behind." + +"Yes, I know," replied the wax lady, stiffly; "it was originally +$20, but it's been reduced to $19.98." + +The woman looked surprised at such indifference and walked on. Some +carriages were standing at the edge of the sidewalk, and seeing the +dummy hesitate a driver approached her and touched his cap. + +"Cab, ma'am?" he asked. + +"No," said she, misunderstanding him; "I'm wax." + +"Oh!" he exclaimed, and looked after her wonderingly. + +"Here's yer mornin' paper!" yelled a newsboy. + +"Mine, did you say?" she asked. + +"Sure! Chronicle, 'Quirer, R'public 'n' 'Spatch! Wot'll ye 'ave?" + +"What are they for?" inquired the wax lady, simply. + +"W'y, ter read, o' course. All the news, you know." + +She shook her head and glanced at a paper. + +"It looks all speckled and mixed up," she said. "I'm afraid I can't +read." + +"Ever ben to school?" asked the boy, becoming interested. + +"No; what's school?" she inquired. + +The boy gave her an indignant look. + +"Say!" he cried, "ye'r just a dummy, that's wot ye are!" and ran +away to seek a more promising customer. + +"I wonder that he means," thought the poor lady. "Am I really +different in some way from all the others? I look like them, +certainly; and I try to act like them; yet that boy called me a +dummy and seemed to think I acted queerly." + +This idea worried her a little, but she walked on to the corner, +where she noticed a street car stop to let some people on. The wax +lady, still determined to do as others did, also boarded the car and +sat down quietly in a corner. + +After riding a few blocks the conductor approached her and said: + +"Fare, please!" + +"What's that?" she inquired, innocently. + +"Your fare!" said the man, impatiently. + +She stared at him stupidly, trying to think what he meant. + +"Come, come!" growled the conductor, "either pay up or get off!" + +Still she did not understand, and he grabbed her rudely by the arm +and lifted her to her feet. But when his hand came in contact with +the hard wood of which her arm was made the fellow was filled with +surprise. He stooped down and peered into her face, and, seeing it +was wax instead of flesh, he gave a yell of fear and jumped from the +car, running as if he had seen a ghost. + +At this the other passengers also yelled and sprang from the car, +fearing a collision; and the motorman, knowing something was wrong, +followed suit. The wax lady, seeing the others run, jumped from the +car last of all, and stepped in front of another car coming at full +speed from the opposite direction. + +She heard cries of fear and of warning on all sides, but before she +understood her danger she was knocked down and dragged for half a +block. + +When the car was brought to a stop a policeman reached down and +pulled her from under the wheels. Her dress was badly torn and +soiled. Her left ear was entirely gone, and the left side of her +head was caved in; but she quickly scrambled to her feet and asked +for her hat. This a gentleman had already picked up, and when the +policeman handed it to her and noticed the great hole in her head +and the hollow place it disclosed, the poor fellow trembled so +frightfully that his knees actually knocked together. + +"Why--why, ma'am, you're killed!" he gasped. + +"What does it mean to be killed?" asked the wax lady. + +The policeman shuddered and wiped the perspiration from his +forehead. + +"You're it!" he answered, with a groan. + +The crowd that had collected were looking upon the lady wonderingly, +and a middle-aged gentleman now exclaimed: + +"Why, she's wax!" + +"Wax!" echoed the policeman. + +"Certainly. She's one of those dummies they put in the windows," +declared the middle-aged man. + +The people who had collected shouted: "You're right!" "That's what +she is!" "She's a dummy!" + +"Are you?" inquired the policeman, sternly. + +The wax lady did not reply. She began to fear she was getting into +trouble, and the staring crowd seemed to embarrass her. + +Suddenly a bootblack attempted to solve the problem by saying: "You +guys is all wrong! Can a dummy talk? Can a dummy walk? Can a dummy +live?" + +"Hush!" murmured the policeman. "Look here!" and he pointed to the +hold in the lady's head. The newsboy looked, turned pale and +whistled to keep himself from shivering. + +A second policeman now arrived, and after a brief conference it was +decided to take the strange creature to headquarters. So they called +a hurry-up wagon, and the damaged wax lady was helped inside and +driven to the police station. There the policeman locked her in a +cell and hastened to tell Inspector Mugg their wonderful story. + +Inspector Mugg had just eaten a poor breakfast, and was not in a +pleasant mood; so he roared and stormed at the unlucky policemen, +saying they were themselves dummies to bring such a fairy tale to a +man of sense. He also hinted that they had been guilty of +intemperance. + +The policemen tried to explain, but Inspector Mugg would not listen; +and while they were still disputing in rushed Mr. Floman, the owner +of the department store. + +"I want a dozen detectives, at once, inspector!" he cried. + +"What for?" demanded Mugg. + +"One of the wax ladies has escaped from my store and eloped with a +$19.98 costume, a $4.23 hat, a $2.19 parasol and a 76-cent pair of +gloves, and I want her arrested!" + +While he paused for breath the inspector glared at him in amazement. + +"Is everybody going crazy at the same time?" he inquired, +sarcastically. "How could a wax dummy run away?" + +"I don't know; but she did. When my janitor opened the door this +morning he saw her run out." + +"Why didn't he stop her?" asked Mugg. + +"He was too frightened. But she's stolen my property, your honor, +and I want her arrested!" declared the storekeeper. + +The inspector thought for a moment. + +"You wouldn't be able to prosecute her," he said, "for there's no +law against dummies stealing." + +Mr. Floman sighed bitterly. + +"Am I to lose that $19.98 costume and the $4.25 hat and--" + +"By no means," interrupted Inspector Mugg. "The police of this city +are ever prompt to act in defense of our worthy citizens. We have +already arrested the wax lady, and she is locked up in cell No. 16. +You may go there and recover your property, if you wish, but before +you prosecute her for stealing you'd better hunt up a law that +applies to dummies." + +"All I want," said Mr. Floman, "is that $19.98 costume and--" + +"Come along!" interrupted the policeman. "I'll take you to the +cell." + +But when they entered No. 16 they found only a lifeless dummy lying +prone upon the floor. Its wax was cracked and blistered, its head +was badly damaged, and the bargain costume was dusty, soiled and +much bedraggled. For the mischief-loving Tanko-Mankie had flown by +and breathed once more upon the poor wax lady, and in that instant +her brief life ended. + +"It's just as I thought," said Inspector Mugg, leaning back in his +chair contentedly. "I knew all the time the thing was a fake. It +seems sometimes as though the whole world would go crazy if there +wasn't some level-headed man around to bring 'em to their senses. +Dummies are wood an' wax, an' that's all there is of 'em." + +"That may be the rule," whispered the policeman to himself, "but +this one were a dummy as lived!" + + + + + + +THE KING of the POLAR BEARS + + + + + + +The King of the Polar Bears lived among the icebergs in the far +north country. He was old and monstrous big; he was wise and +friendly to all who knew him. His body was thickly covered with +long, white hair that glistened like silver under the rays of the +midnight sun. His claws were strong and sharp, that he might walk +safely over the smooth ice or grasp and tear the fishes and seals +upon which he fed. + +The seals were afraid when he drew near, and tried to avoid him; but +the gulls, both white and gray, loved him because he left the +remnants of his feasts for them to devour. + +Often his subjects, the polar bears, came to him for advice when ill +or in trouble; but they wisely kept away from his hunting grounds, +lest they might interfere with his sport and arouse his anger. + +The wolves, who sometimes came as far north as the icebergs, +whispered among themselves that the King of the Polar Bears was +either a magician or under the protection of a powerful fairy. For +no earthly thing seemed able to harm him; he never failed to secure +plenty of food, and he grew bigger and stronger day by day and year +by year. + +Yet the time came when this monarch of the north met man, and his +wisdom failed him. + +He came out of his cave among the icebergs one day and saw a boat +moving through the strip of water which had been uncovered by the +shifting of the summer ice. In the boat were men. + +The great bear had never seen such creatures before, and therefore +advanced toward the boat, sniffing the strange scent with aroused +curiosity and wondering whether he might take them for friends or +foes, food or carrion. + +When the king came near the water's edge a man stood up in the boat +and with a queer instrument made a loud "bang!" The polar bear felt +a shock; his brain became numb; his thoughts deserted him; his great +limbs shook and gave way beneath him and his body fell heavily upon +the hard ice. + +That was all he remembered for a time. + +When he awoke he was smarting with pain on every inch of his huge +bulk, for the men had cut away his hide with its glorious white hair +and carried it with them to a distant ship. + +Above him circled thousands of his friends the gulls, wondering if +their benefactor were really dead and it was proper to eat him. But +when they saw him raise his head and groan and tremble they knew he +still lived, and one of them said to his comrades: + +"The wolves were right. The king is a great magician, for even men +cannot kill him. But he suffers for lack of covering. Let us repay +his kindness to us by each giving him as many feathers as we can +spare." + +This idea pleased the gulls. One after another they plucked with +their beaks the softest feathers from under their wings, and, flying +down, dropped then gently upon the body of the King of the Polar +Bears. + +Then they called to him in a chorus: + +"Courage, friend! Our feathers are as soft and beautiful as your own +shaggy hair. They will guard you from the cold winds and warm you +while you sleep. Have courage, then, and live!" + +And the King of the Polar Bears had courage to bear his pain and +lived and was strong again. + +The feathers grew as they had grown upon the bodies of the birds and +covered him as his own hair had done. Mostly they were pure white in +color, but some from the gray gulls gave his majesty a slight +mottled appearance. + +The rest of that summer and all through the six months of night the +king left his icy cavern only to fish or catch seals for food. He +felt no shame at his feathery covering, but it was still strange to +him, and he avoided meeting any of his brother bears. + +During this period of retirement he thought much of the men who had +harmed him, and remembered the way they had made the great "bang!" +And he decided it was best to keep away from such fierce creatures. +Thus he added to his store of wisdom. + +When the moon fell away from the sky and the sun came to make the +icebergs glitter with the gorgeous tintings of the rainbow, two of +the polar bears arrived at the king's cavern to ask his advice about +the hunting season. But when they saw his great body covered with +feathers instead of hair they began to laugh, and one said: + +"Our mighty king has become a bird! Who ever before heard of a +feathered polar bear?" + +Then the king gave way to wrath. He advanced upon them with deep +growls and stately tread and with one blow of his monstrous paw +stretched the mocker lifeless at his feet. + +The other ran away to his fellows and carried the news of the king's +strange appearance. The result was a meeting of all the polar bears +upon a broad field of ice, where they talked gravely of the +remarkable change that had come upon their monarch. + +"He is, in reality, no longer a bear," said one; "nor can he justly +be called a bird. But he is half bird and half bear, and so unfitted +to remain our king." + +"Then who shall take his place?" asked another. + +"He who can fight the bird-bear and overcome him," answered an aged +member of the group. "Only the strongest is fit to rule our race." + +There was silence for a time, but at length a great bear moved to +the front and said: + +"I will fight him; I--Woof--the strongest of our race! And I will be +King of the Polar Bears." + +The others nodded assent, and dispatched a messenger to the king to +say he must fight the great Woof and master him or resign his +sovereignty. + +"For a bear with feathers," added the messenger, "is no bear at all, +and the king we obey must resemble the rest of us." + +"I wear feathers because it pleases me," growled the king. "Am I not +a great magician? But I will fight, nevertheless, and if Woof +masters me he shall be king in my stead." + +Then he visited his friends, the gulls, who were even then feasting +upon the dead bear, and told them of the coming battle. + +"I shall conquer," he said, proudly. "Yet my people are in the +right, for only a hairy one like themselves can hope to command +their obedience." + +The queen gull said: + +"I met an eagle yesterday, which had made its escape from a big city +of men. And the eagle told me he had seen a monstrous polar bear +skin thrown over the back of a carriage that rolled along the +street. That skin must have been yours, oh king, and if you wish I +will sent an hundred of my gulls to the city to bring it back to +you." + +"Let them go!" said the king, gruffly. And the hundred gulls were +soon flying rapidly southward. + +For three days they flew straight as an arrow, until they came to +scattered houses, to villages, and to cities. Then their search +began. + +The gulls were brave, and cunning, and wise. Upon the fourth day +they reached the great metropolis, and hovered over the streets +until a carriage rolled along with a great white bear robe thrown +over the back seat. Then the birds swooped down--the whole hundred +of them--and seizing the skin in their beaks flew quickly away. + +They were late. The king's great battle was upon the seventh day, +and they must fly swiftly to reach the Polar regions by that time. + +Meanwhile the bird-bear was preparing for his fight. He sharpened +his claws in the small crevasses of the ice. He caught a seal and +tested his big yellow teeth by crunching its bones between them. And +the queen gull set her band to pluming the king bear's feathers +until they lay smoothly upon his body. + +But every day they cast anxious glances into the southern sky, +watching for the hundred gulls to bring back the king's own skin. + +The seventh day came, and all the Polar bears in that region +gathered around the king's cavern. Among them was Woof, strong and +confident of his success. + +"The bird-bear's feathers will fly fast enough when I get my claws +upon him!" he boasted; and the others laughed and encouraged him. + +The king was disappointed at not having recovered his skin, but he +resolved to fight bravely without it. He advanced from the opening +of his cavern with a proud and kingly bearing, and when he faced his +enemy he gave so terrible a growl that Woof's heart stopped beating +for a moment, and he began to realize that a fight with the wise and +mighty king of his race was no laughing matter. + +After exchanging one or two heavy blows with his foe Woof's courage +returned, and he determined to dishearten his adversary by bluster. + +"Come nearer, bird-bear!" he cried. "Come nearer, that I may pluck +your plumage!" + +The defiance filled the king with rage. He ruffled his feathers as a +bird does, till he appeared to be twice his actual size, and then he +strode forward and struck Woof so powerful a blow that his skull +crackled like an egg-shell and he fell prone upon the ground. + +While the assembled bears stood looking with fear and wonder at +their fallen champion the sky became darkened. + +An hundred gulls flew down from above and dripped upon the king's +body a skin covered with pure white hair that glittered in the sun +like silver. + +And behold! the bears saw before them the well-known form of their +wise and respected master, and with one accord they bowed their +shaggy heads in homage to the mighty King of the Polar Bears. + +* * * * * + +This story teaches us that true dignity and courage depend not upon +outward appearance, but come rather from within; also that brag and +bluster are poor weapons to carry into battle. + + + + + + +The MANDARIN and the BUTTERFLY + + + + + +A mandarin once lived in Kiang-ho who was so exceedingly cross and +disagreeable that everyone hated him. He snarled and stormed at +every person he met and was never known to laugh or be merry under +any circumstances. Especially he hated boys and girls; for the boys +jeered at him, which aroused his wrath, and the girls made fun of +him, which hurt his pride. + +When he had become so unpopular that no one would speak to him, the +emperor heard about it and commanded him to emigrate to America. +This suited the mandarin very well; but before he left China he +stole the Great Book of Magic that belonged to the wise magician +Haot-sai. Then, gathering up his little store of money, he took ship +for America. + +He settled in a city of the middle west and of course started a +laundry, since that seems to be the natural vocation of every +Chinaman, be he coolie or mandarin. + +He made no acquaintances with the other Chinamen of the town, who, +when they met him and saw the red button in his hat, knew him for a +real mandarin and bowed low before him. He put up a red and white +sign and people brought their laundry to him and got paper checks, +with Chinese characters upon them, in exchange, this being the only +sort of character the mandarin had left. + +One day as the ugly one was ironing in his shop in the basement of +263 1/2 Main street, he looked up and saw a crowd of childish faces +pressed against the window. Most Chinamen make friends with +children; this one hated them and tried to drive them away. But as +soon as he returned to his work they were back at the window again, +mischievously smiling down upon him. + +The naughty mandarin uttered horrid words in the Manchu language and +made fierce gestures; but this did no good at all. The children +stayed as long as they pleased, and they came again the very next +day as soon as school was over, and likewise the next day, and the +next. For they saw their presence at the window bothered the +Chinaman and were delighted accordingly. + +The following day being Sunday the children did not appear, but as +the mandarin, being a heathen, worked in his little shop a big +butterfly flew in at the open door and fluttered about the room. + +The mandarin closed the door and chased the butterfly until he +caught it, when he pinned it against the wall by sticking two pins +through its beautiful wings. This did not hurt the butterfly, there +being no feeling in its wings; but it made him a safe prisoner. + +This butterfly was of large size and its wings were exquisitely +marked by gorgeous colors laid out in regular designs like the +stained glass windows of a cathedral. + +The mandarin now opened his wooden chest and drew forth the Great +Book of Magic he had stolen from Haot-sai. Turning the pages slowly +he came to a passage describing "How to understand the language of +butterflies." This he read carefully and then mixed a magic formula +in a tin cup and drank it down with a wry face. Immediately +thereafter he spoke to the butterfly in its own language, saying: + +"Why did you enter this room?" + +"I smelled bees-wax," answered the butterfly; "therefore I thought +I might find honey here." + +"But you are my prisoner," said the mandarin. "If I please I can kill +you, or leave you on the wall to starve to death." + +"I expect that," replied the butterfly, with a sigh. "But my race is +shortlived, anyway; it doesn't matter whether death comes sooner or +later." + +"Yet you like to live, do you not?" asked the mandarin. + +"Yet; life is pleasant and the world is beautiful. I do not seek +death." + +"Then," said the mandarin, "I will give you life--a long and +pleasant life--if you will promise to obey me for a time and carry +out my instructions." + +"How can a butterfly serve a man?" asked the creature, in surprise. + +"Usually they cannot," was the reply. "But I have a book of magic +which teaches me strange things. Do you promise?" + +"Oh, yes; I promise," answered the butterfly; "for even as your +slave I will get some enjoyment out of life, while should you kill +me--that is the end of everything!" + +"Truly," said the mandarin, "butterflies have no souls, and +therefore cannot live again." + +"But I have enjoyed three lives already," returned the butterfly, +with some pride. "I have been a caterpillar and a chrysalis before I +became a butterfly. You were never anything but a Chinaman, although +I admit your life is longer than mine." + +"I will extend your life for many days, if you will obey me," +declared the Chinaman. "I can easily do so by means of my magic." + +"Of course I will obey you," said the butterfly, carelessly. + +"Then, listen! You know children, do you not?--boys and girls?" + +"Yes, I know them. They chase me, and try to catch me, as you have +done," replied the butterfly. + +"And they mock me, and jeer at me through the window," continued the +mandarin, bitterly. "Therefore, they are your enemies and mine! But +with your aid and the help of the magic book we shall have a fine +revenge for their insults." + +"I don't care much for revenge," said the butterfly. "They are but +children, and 'tis natural they should wish to catch such a +beautiful creature as I am." + +"Nevertheless, I care! and you must obey me," retorted the mandarin, +harshly. "I, at least, will have my revenge." + +Then he stuck a drop of molasses upon the wall beside the +butterfly's head and said: + +"Eat that, while I read my book and prepare my magic formula." + +So the butterfly feasted upon the molasses and the mandarin studied +his book, after which he began to mix a magic compound in the tin +cup. + +When the mixture was ready he released the butterfly from the wall +and said to it: + +"I command you to dip your two front feet into this magic compound +and then fly away until you meet a child. Fly close, whether it be a +boy or a girl, and touch the child upon its forehead with your feet. +Whosoever is thus touched, the book declares, will at once become a +pig, and will remain such forever after. Then return to me and dip +you legs afresh in the contents of this cup. So shall all my +enemies, the children, become miserable swine, while no one will +think of accusing me of the sorcery." + +"Very well; since such is your command, I obey," said the butterfly. +Then it dipped its front legs, which were the shortest of the six, +into the contents of the tin cup, and flew out of the door and away +over the houses to the edge of the town. There it alighted in a +flower garden and soon forgot all about its mission to turn children +into swine. + +In going from flower to flower it soon brushed the magic compound +from its legs, so that when the sun began to set and the butterfly +finally remembered its master, the mandarin, it could not have +injured a child had it tried. + +But it did not intend to try. + +"That horrid old Chinaman," it thought, "hates children and wishes +to destroy them. But I rather like children myself and shall not +harm them. Of course I must return to my master, for he is a +magician, and would seek me out and kill me; but I can deceive him +about this matter easily enough." + +When the butterfly flew in at the door of the mandarin's laundry he +asked, eagerly: + +"Well, did you meet a child?" + +"I did," replied the butterfly, calmly. "It was a pretty, +golden-haired girl--but now 'tis a grunting pig!" + +"Good! Good! Good!" cried the mandarin, dancing joyfully about the +room. "You shall have molasses for your supper, and to-morrow you +must change two children into pigs." + +The butterfly did not reply, but ate the molasses in silence. Having +no soul it had no conscience, and having no conscience it was able +to lie to the mandarin with great readiness and a certain amount of +enjoyment. + +Next morning, by the mandarin's command, the butterfly dipped its +legs in the mixture and flew away in search of children. + +When it came to the edge of the town it noticed a pig in a sty, and +alighting upon the rail of the sty it looked down at the creature +and thought. + +"If I could change a child into a pig by touching it with the magic +compound, what could I change a pig into, I wonder?" + +Being curious to determine this fine point in sorcery the butterfly +fluttered down and touched its front feet to the pig's nose. +Instantly the animal disappeared, and in its place was a +shock-headed, dirty looking boy, which sprang from the sty and ran +down the road uttering load whoops. + +"That's funny," said the butterfly to itself. "The mandarin would be +very angry with me if he knew of this, for I have liberated one more +of the creatures that bother him." + +It fluttered along after the boy, who had paused to throw stones at +a cat. But pussy escaped by running up a tree, where thick branches +protected her from the stones. Then the boy discovered a +newly-planted garden, and trampled upon the beds until the seeds +were scattered far and wide, and the garden was ruined. Next he +caught up a switch and struck with it a young calf that stood +quietly grazing in a field. The poor creature ran away with piteous +bleats, and the boy laughed and followed after it, striking the +frightened animal again and again. + +"Really," thought the butterfly, "I do not wonder the mandarin hates +children, if they are all so cruel and wicked as this one." + +The calf having escaped him the boy came back to the road, where he +met two little girls on their way to school. One of them had a red +apple in her hand, and the boy snatched it away and began eating it. +The little girl commenced to cry, but her companion, more brave and +sturdy, cried out: + +"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, you nasty boy!" + +At this the boy reached out and slapped her pretty face, whereupon +she also began to sob. + +Although possessed of neither soul nor conscience, the butterfly had +a very tender heart, and now decided it could endure this boy no +longer. + +"If I permitted him to exist," it reflected, "I should never forgive +myself, for the monster would do nothing but evil from morning 'til +night." + +So it flew directly into his face and touched his forehead with its +sticky front feet. + +The next instant the boy had disappeared, but a grunting pig ran +swiftly up the road in the direction of its sty. + +The butterfly gave a sigh of relief. + +"This time I have indeed used the mandarin's magic upon a child," it +whispered, as it floated lazily upon the light breeze; "but since +the child was originally a pig I do not think I have any cause to +reproach myself. The little girls were sweet and gentle, and I would +not injure them to save my life, but were all boys like this +transformed pig, I should not hesitate to carry out the mandarin's +orders." + +Then it flew into a rose bush, where it remained comfortably until +evening. At sundown it returned to its master. + +"Have you changed two of them into pigs?" he asked, at once. + +"I have," replied the butterfly. "One was a pretty, black-eyed baby, +and the other a freckle-faced, red-haired, barefooted newboy." + +"Good! Good! Good!" screamed the mandarin, in an ecstasy of delight. +"Those are the ones who torment me the most! Change every newboy you +meet into a pig!" + +"Very well," answered the butterfly, quietly, and ate its supper of +molasses. + +Several days were passed by the butterfly in the same manner. It +fluttered aimlessly about the flower gardens while the sun shone, +and returned at night to the mandarin with false tales of turning +children into swine. Sometimes it would be one child which was +transformed, sometimes two, and occasionally three; but the mandarin +always greeted the butterfly's report with intense delight and gave +him molasses for supper. + +One evening, however, the butterfly thought it might be well to vary +the report, so that the mandarin might not grow suspicious; and when +its master asked what child had been had been changed into a pig +that day the lying creature answered: + +"It was a Chinese boy, and when I touched him he became a black +pig." + +This angered the mandarin, who was in an especially cross mood. He +spitefully snapped the butterfly with his finger, and nearly broke +its beautiful wing; for he forgot that Chinese boys had once mocked +him and only remembered his hatred for American boys. + +The butterfly became very indignant at this abuse from the mandarin. +It refused to eat its molasses and sulked all the evening, for it +had grown to hate the mandarin almost as much as the mandarin hated +children. + +When morning came it was still trembling with indignation; but the +mandarin cried out: + +"Make haste, miserable slave; for to-day you must change four +children into pigs, to make up for yesterday." + +The butterfly did not reply. His little black eyes were sparkling +wickedly, and no sooner had he dipped his feet into the magic +compound than he flew full in the mandarin's face, and touched him +upon his ugly, flat forehead. + +Soon after a gentleman came into the room for his laundry. The +mandarin was not there, but running around the place was a +repulsive, scrawny pig, which squealed most miserably. + +The butterfly flew away to a brook and washed from its feet all +traces of the magic compound. When night came it slept in a rose +bush. + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of American Fairy Tales +by L. Frank Baum + diff --git a/old/mrcnf10.zip b/old/mrcnf10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..97ce1f1 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/mrcnf10.zip |