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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..33a0b9f --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #52047 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/52047) diff --git a/old/52047-0.txt b/old/52047-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index a3a42da..0000000 --- a/old/52047-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3895 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Little Maid in Toyland, by Adah Louise -Sutton, Illustrated by A. Russell - - -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'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: A Little Maid in Toyland - - -Author: Adah Louise Sutton - - - -Release Date: May 11, 2016 [eBook #52047] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A LITTLE MAID IN TOYLAND*** - - -E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Emmy, and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 52047-h.htm or 52047-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/52047/52047-h/52047-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/52047/52047-h.zip) - - - - - -A LITTLE MAID IN TOYLAND - - -[Illustration: THE SLEIGH DREW UP BESIDE A LARGE SHEET OF CLEAR GLASS, -LIGHTLY SPRINKLED WITH SNOW POWDER SO THAT IT WAS NOT TOO SLIPPERY FOR -ROLLER SKATING] - - -A LITTLE MAID IN TOYLAND - -by - -ADAH LOUISE SUTTON - -Author of -“Mr. Bunny, His Book,” “The Teddy Bears,” etc. - - -[Illustration] - - -Pictured by A. Russell - - - - - - - -The Saalfield Publishing Company -Chicago Akron, Ohio New York -Made in U. S. A. - -Copyright, 1908 -By -The Saalfield Publishing Company - - - - -CHAPTER I - -THE WALKING HOUSE - - -THE doll’s house stood in the most convenient corner of the nursery, -having, like Noah’s dove, found rest only after a somewhat varied and -tempestuous experience. Sally had not been at all able to make up her -mind just what location suited her best, and the house had patiently -traveled, or, in other words, had been propelled by the united efforts -of Bob and Sally—“The corporal pushed and the sergeant pulled”—the one -dragging, the other pushing, from corner to corner and from side to -side of the spacious room. Not a piece of furniture but had been moved -out of the way that the doll’s house might stand in its place, and was -as methodically moved back again when the building resumed its travels. -Never did it remain in one place for longer than twenty-four hours, -much to the disgust and terror of its inmates, who were frequently -joggled from their chairs and tilted out of bed as their domicile -renewed its pilgrimage. They concluded by naming it the Walking House, -which certainly seemed appropriate enough under existing circumstances. - -Finally, when the Walking House had traveled around the nursery, -Sally decided that the very best position was the one it had at first -occupied, a sunny spot between two windows, and at night lighted from -above by a bracket from which depended four electric bulbs. To be sure, -the dresser, to which this post of vantage had originally belonged, -became very sulky at being deprived of her rights, and purposely -twisted off one of her castors while in transit to the other side of -the room. But as nothing in the world was easier than for John, the man -of all work, to screw another castor in its place, nobody really minded -it the least little bit. - -A great man by the name of Ruskin once said that “Architecture is -frozen music.” Now the architecture of the Walking House was no -description of music at all, and I have no doubt that the gentleman who -admired Grecian architecture would have held up both hands in dismay at -mentioning architecture and the Walking House in the same breath. Truth -to tell, the building had been designed by Sally herself, and had been -elaborated by John’s handy fingers from a number of good-sized boxes -procured from the grocery man. The boxes diminished in size as the -house soared upward, the whole terminating in a peaked roof under whose -roomy gable Sally had planned and consummated an attic for her beloved -dollies that would have put to shame the garret of many a grown-up -housekeeper. - -All the rest of the rooms had been papered by the children’s deft -fingers in neat little designs procured from Mr. Brouse, the gentleman -with a wooden leg who lived three blocks away and then around the -corner and up one flight, as he himself was wont to describe it. And -although he really did live up one flight as far as eating and drinking -and sleeping were concerned, the shop was in reality only up one -step—that most fascinating shop, from whose mysterious recesses might -be procured rolls of the most delightful wall paper, which was surely -invented and designed simply and solely for the decoration of doll -houses. - -Mr. Brouse was an old soldier, according to his own account, and indeed -was familiarly addressed as “Captain” by his intimate cronies. He had -lost a limb in a mysterious battle, the name of which, as spoken by -himself, Sally had never been able to discover in any one of several -histories of the United States through which the little girl had -patiently toiled in search of it. However, Sally had unbounded faith -in her hero, for such she considered him to be; and her admiration -was returned with interest by the retired “Captain” who, with his own -hands—that, as Bob seriously remarked, had once wielded a sword—carried -to the nursery a large pail of paste and assisted in hanging the wall -paper, and many a difficult corner he had arranged with neatness and -despatch. He had even tacked up tiny mouldings made from the slender -strips of which wee gilt frames are fashioned. In fact, his work was -a masterpiece of art, and Sally appreciated it hugely, making a shy -return in the way of fat pin-cushions and sprawling penwipers, and even -a gorgeous silk needlebook, mysterious of design and most difficult of -access as regarding certain wabbly strings and buttons, which, when -once fastened, could never be persuaded to open themselves again, and -behind whose secret fastnesses the needles comfortably and aimlessly -rusted. - -So much for the papering of the rooms. When it came to finishing the -attic, why, that was quite another thing. Sally calmly but firmly -declared that it _must be plastered_, and plastered it was, but -altogether without the assistance of Mr. Brouse, who declared that -matters were growing altogether too complicated for him. And he -politely retired, forgetting his pail of paste, however, into which -nurse presently fell, much to the detriment of her best gloves which -she had put on in order to appear unusually fine on her afternoon out. -Nothing daunted, Sally flew to the cellar and routed out John, who was -taking a bit of a nap in a cosy little den he had fixed for himself -in the furnace room. John was surely an exception to most people, who -are usually cranky at being wakened. He bobbed up smiling, and readily -agreed to attend to plastering the attic of the Walking House. And in -a much shorter time than Sally had really expected, the whole job was -finished and the little room with its peaked ceiling looked exactly -like a really truly attic. - -[Illustration: The “Captain” assisted in hanging the wall paper.] - -The house, as before described, was built of good-sized boxes, neatly -put together with narrow cleats to hide the joinings, and the whole was -painted a delicate gray, only the sloping roof being moss green. John -had covered this roof with tiny shingles, and the effect of the whole -was extremely attractive. It was divided in the middle by a broad hall, -at the back of which was a wide stairway. John had rather demurred at -the stairway, foreseeing that the making of it would be a troublesome -piece of business. But Sally had stoutly insisted thereon, for how on -earth could a doll descend from upper stories to lower without stairs? -She would be forced to hurl herself out of the front windows,—called -so by compliment since the whole front of the house stood open in one -generous space—a proceeding extremely detrimental to china limbs. Sally -was a matter-of-fact little soul, albeit she possessed a brilliant -imagination. But she certainly builded better than she knew when she -insisted on that staircase. John, as usual, gave in and the stairs -became an accomplished fact. - -The lower floor of the Walking House consisted of a spacious -dining-room on one side of the hall and a kitchen and laundry on the -other. On the next floor were the drawing-room, library and music-room. -On the third floor were three bed-rooms and a bath-room, and above all, -the attic. - -On one side of the house and running across the front on the lower -floor, John had built a veranda, on which a doll might enjoy coolness -and comfort on the hottest of days, while all the way up the other side -ran a tiny fire-escape, which finally disappeared in a scuttle in the -sloping roof. - -Bob, just then much interested in electricity, wired the whole house -and connected it with the electric light chandelier which hung above -it, so that every room was brilliantly lighted with electricity, and an -electric bell at the front door gave notice whenever a friendly doll -dropped in for afternoon tea. - -Sally’s one regret was that there was no cellar. The child had dreamed -of a wee furnace and a fruit closet filled with jars of jam and jelly -put up over a tiny electric stove. But the stove had been utterly -impracticable, John had declared that it would be impossible to dig -down through the floor of the room for the cellar, and practical nurse -had pointed out the fact that nowhere could one find preserve jars tiny -enough for the purpose. So Sally had given up the project, not without -a sigh however. She had very, very realistic ideas, had Sally. - -One of her pet projects, confided to her governess, Miss Palmer, not -without misgivings, had been to build a revolving house, one that -could be “swung around” as the child, knowing nothing of pivots, had -expressed it. This idea she had conceived to be applied not only to -doll houses, but to real dwellings. - -“You could always have the sunshine wherever you wanted it,” she had -explained. “And wouldn’t it be fine to have it always right here in the -nursery?” - -Miss Palmer had hesitated a little before replying. Indeed Sally’s -theories often caused her to hesitate. However, she finally explained -that the idea would be quite impossible, as all buildings of any size -require a firm foundation. And she thereupon proceeded to explain the -nature of the pivot, considering the opportunity a very fitting one. - -“Besides,” she concluded, “wouldn’t it be very selfish for us to keep -all the sunshine on our side of the house all the time? What would -become of Grandma and Bob?” - -Sally was quiet for a moment, thinking. - -“I didn’t mean to be selfish,” she whispered, snuggling her peachy -cheek against her teacher’s shoulder. - -“I’m sure you didn’t, my dear,” returned Miss Palmer. - -And so it fell out that no architect, not even John, was ever requested -to draw plans for a house that might revolve on a pivot. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE HOUSE IS FURNISHED - - -THE furnishing of the doll’s house proved a keen delight to Sally, and -the infection spread from the little girl to the other members of the -household, even Papa Doctor often emerging from his carriage with his -arms full of mysterious, knobby parcels. - -Mamma Wee, as Sally lovingly nicknamed Mrs. North, renounced pink teas -and bridge parties and spent hours every day sitting bow-legged like a -Turk or a tailor, while she arranged the fascinating little rooms, laid -small carpets and tacked up tiny, ruffled curtains. For all the windows -were real ones, with panes of glass let into the small sashes and with -the cunningest little white blinds that opened in the middle and could -be securely fastened with bolts at night. Sally, who, as Bob said, was -“always thinking up something else,” was already revolving in her own -mind the propriety of demanding screens to head off imaginary flies and -mosquitoes. - -“Just fancy how perfectly _huge_ a _real_ fly would look to one of -the dollies!” she said to herself as she thoughtfully pondered on the -momentous question. - -She scarcely liked to ask John if he would undertake such a particular -job, he had done so much already. “Pernickety” he was sure to call it. -So, after much mature deliberation, she concluded to drop the matter -for the present, at least. - -“What is the use of screening up the back and sides when the front is -all open anyway?” Bob had exclaimed when Sally finally broached the -subject to him. - -“Oh, but we are imagining the front is just like that in any other -house!” retorted Sally with some spirit. - -“Well, then imagine that the flies can’t come in,” responded Bob. And -that settled it. - -Odd as it may seem, the attic was the very first room that Sally -started to put in order. And a most delicious little place it was, with -its raftered ceiling and neatly plastered walls. With the vision of -their own immaculate attic in her mind’s eye, the child proceeded to -neatly range around the walls several doll’s trunks, a tiny spinning -wheel and two or three odd wooden chairs; also one of the many cradles -that had been presented as offerings at the shrine of the doll’s house. -A spinning wheel and a cradle comprised, for the most part, what Sally -denominated a “proper” attic. - -From the rafters the child hung tiny bunches of good-smelling herbs, -for which cook had been levied upon. To be sure, no such thing existed -in city attics as a rule, but they did down at the farm. Sally suddenly -recollected that they also had spiders and cobwebs in the attic at the -farm. The very thought of a spider made her shiver, but she wondered if -it would not be well to affect a few cobwebs, and privately concluded -to request Miss Palmer, her beloved governess, to paint in a few with -water-colors,—a scheme into which Miss Palmer heartily entered, adding -on her own responsibility a fat, yellow spider, whose appearance was -so realistic that Sally shrieked when she first discovered it. Bob -promptly suggested that a few rats should be added. But rats, Miss -Palmer declared, were beyond her powers of creation. They would require -to be real, solid little beasts, and not simply painted flat on the -wall. To this Bob readily assented, gravely adding that if they were -only painted on the wall, of course they never could come down at night -to bite the dolls. Bob concluded his remarks by making a grimace so -fearfully suggestive of a prowling rat that Sally fled in anguish, and -Miss Palmer, while she could not refrain from smiling, felt forced to -request that he would cease from tormenting his sister. - -From the attic to the kitchen is quite a long jump, at least it would -have been without the staircase. But the kitchen was the next on the -program, and thither were the forces of the furnishing party now -directed. Never had a new kitchen been so liberally supplied with -stoves, kettles, pans and pots, especially _stoves_. It really seemed -as if everyone who had not sent a cradle had sent a stove. Every kind -except an electric one, as Sally sadly reflected. But Miss Palmer -consoled her by saying that she doubted very much if electric stoves -came in so small a size. So Sally was presently very well content to -see a most fascinating little cast-iron affair set up, on top of which -was ranged an array of pots and kettles sufficient to prepare a dinner -for the most particular of dolls, albeit of diminutive size. - -Opposite the stove stood a neat dresser, filled with a most wonderful -array of china and glass. To be sure, Sally had reserved the very best -for the china closet in the dining-room, but the display in the kitchen -was a goodly one. So also was the wooden and tinware that hung upon -hooks and displayed itself on shelves all around the walls. But the -article dearest to Sally’s heart, and over which the child lingered -longest in a perfect passion of delight was a miniature refrigerator, -an almost exact reproduction of the big one downstairs. Lined with -opal glass, its well-filled shelves were weighted down with all sorts -of delectable edibles that dolls are presumed to delight in. Its upper -compartment was filled with chunks of ground glass to represent ice. -Sally lingered long in rapture over this delightful bit of furniture, -and having at last located it entirely to her satisfaction, placed over -against it a cute little three-cornered closet containing a collection -of brooms and mops, and a wee carpet sweeper, whose tiny, revolving -brushes really picked up any small bits of fluff and lint that happened -to be about. - -Surely never was a kitchen so perfectly and generously supplied with -all things needful, from the shining yellow oil-cloth on the floor to -the beautiful blue table and chairs, the gift of nurse, who declared -them to be exactly like those used in the “auld counthry.” The whole -shining region was presided over by a stiff, colored cook in turban and -apron, who, alas! could never sit down on the beautiful blue chairs, as -she belonged to the variety of dolls that does not bend in the middle. - -Out of the kitchen opened the laundry, which was furnished quite as -perfectly in its way, with a ravishing little laundry set which Mamma -Wee had discovered in one of the big department stores. Everything -was most complete and the whole family lingered in admiration over -the shiny copper boiler that adorned the neat stove, the glittering -flatirons and very tiny clothes-pins. The arrangement for heating -the irons, a black, pointed kind of stove against the sides of which -the irons stood up flatly, filled everybody with ecstasy. Sarah, the -laundress, begged for a loan of it, declaring that she had never seen -anything that could compare with it for heating real irons. - -[Illustration] - -This joking pleased Sally immensely, and she invited Sarah to use the -laundry for the family washing whenever she felt so inclined. Whereupon -Sarah departed laughing and declaring that she had “never seen anything -to come up to it, before nor since.” “Before nor since” was a favorite -expression of Sarah’s, the meaning of which neither Sally nor indeed -anybody else had ever been able to fathom. “Forevermore” was another -expression over which the little girl pondered deeply. She was afraid -to ask for information, lest she should give offense, for Mamma Wee -had carefully trained her little daughter to be especially considerate -of the feelings of all who were dependents in the household. Therefore -Sally wondered in secret, and the mystery was never solved, as far as I -know, to the end of the chapter. - -The dining-room came next in the natural sequence of things, and an -extremely imposing and spacious room it was, with floor and paneling -polished to represent hard wood, while above the panels was displayed -a gorgeous paper of a lively red pattern. The ceiling was raftered and -studded with tiny electric light bulbs. A fine bow window occupied one -whole end. In truth, ’twas a love of a room and no mistake. - -A lofty china closet contained all the fine glass and china, while a -sideboard of newest pattern groaned under its weight of rich German -silver. Everything was of the most novel and up-to-date pattern. The -round table, the finely carved chairs, and the beautiful Persian rug -that Grandma had knitted from ravelings of carpet, worked in with heavy -crochet cotton, all went to make up a picture not easily to be rivaled -in the annals of doll’s houses. - -The bow window was a delight in itself. All around it ran a wide -seat which Sally piled high with tiny silk cushions, while crisp -muslin curtains finished with wee ruffles shaded the panes. A couple -of canaries hung aloft in their gilded cages. The whole effect was -stunning, and the assembled family silently gloated over it and -unitedly envied the dolls who were to enjoy such an ideal dining-room. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -THE TEDDY BEARS TAKE A HAND - - -THE Teddy Bears, as one may well suppose, were no less interested in -the furnishing and arrangement of the doll’s house than the members of -the family themselves. They had scarcely been able to sleep a wink for -thinking and talking over the subject in hand, and Peter Pan himself -had proudly brought gifts, not exactly gold, frankincense and myrrh, -but something much more acceptable in the shape of a wee mail-box, the -very counterpart of those that hang upon the telephone posts. It had -been captured during one of his predatory night raids, during which -he and Bedelia had ransacked a neighboring toy store, carrying off -the mail-box as Peter Pan’s share of the loot, while Bedelia joyfully -abstracted a most delightful little workstand that could be shut up -like a camp chair and stood against the wall if so desired, with a -gorgeous yellow silk lining. - -In justice to the bears, it must be said of them that they did not, in -this case, break through and steal, for Peter Pan left upon the counter -a piece of money, shaken down from his own little bank—a most beautiful -bank in the shape of a mottled, earthenware pig, which Sally had -presented to him without the smallest idea in the world that he would -ever use it for legitimate purposes. But the very fact of ownership -turned the Teddy Bear at once into an inveterate miser, and he hoarded -like a magpie, levying on every pocketbook that his mischievous paws -fell upon. He was, however, too cute to appropriate any but small -coins, so that thus far nothing had been missed. Teddy Bears can -scarcely be supposed to have any adequate idea of values, so when Peter -Pan proudly deposited a nickel on the counter, he considered that he -was paying very well for the articles chosen by himself and his wife. -The piece of money was afterwards found by the shopkeeper, and as he -never missed the small articles that had taken the fancy of the Teddy -Bears, he considered himself a nickel in, and “As a man thinketh, so is -he.” - -To extract the bit of money from the bowels of the pig had been a -fearful piece of work, and had it not been for the end in view, the -Teddy Bear would have given up in despair. To drop a nickel into the -little slot in the creature’s back, and then to listen to the delicious -rattling it made in the cavernous interior was one thing, but to fish -it out through that narrow aperture was quite another. Anyone who -has ever tried the experiment will appreciate the dreadful quarter -of an hour that ensued as the Teddy Bears, perspiring in every pore, -struggled with that most niggardly of china pigs. - -[Illustration] - -First they essayed to fish out the coin, using successively a hair-pin -bent out straight and one end fashioned into a hook, a buttonhook, a -pair of manicure scissors, ruining the curved points, a crochet needle, -and nurse’s best hat-pin. Nothing, however, availed. The pig, like his -predecessor in the story that would not jump over the stile, would not -give up the coveted coin. Finally Bedelia seized it by its head and -shook it frantically, literally as the oft quoted terrier shakes the -rat. But no nickel! To be sure, they could have smashed the pig, but -in spite of his obstinacy he was the Teddy Bear’s chief treasure, and -Peter Pan loved his mottled exterior and gloried in his impossible -snout and extremely unpiglike ears. He could not bring himself to -sacrifice a thing so cherished, even on the altar of his love for Sally. - -After a while the bears desisted from their efforts and held a council -of war. Peter Pan had about come to the end of his tether when suddenly -his eyes, roaming miserably about in search of some new weapon of -offense, fell upon something that caused him to utter a little shriek -of delight. And the article was nothing more nor less than a stick of -chewing gum. Now the Teddy Bear knew all about gum. He had tried to -chew some once and had been obliged to beg help from Sally, so closely -were his jaws welded together. She had laughingly pried them open, and -had advised him not to bite off more than he could chew in the future. - -Peter Pan did not intend to bite off anything in this case. He put one -end of the gum in his mouth and chewed on it till his jaws ached, and -then passed it on to Bedelia, who repeated the performance. And in -two shakes of a lamb’s tail the end of the stick of gum was reduced -to a mass of stickiness that rivaled fly-paper. Peter Pan now turned -the bank, that is, the pig on its back so that the coins within it -came rattling down over the opening. He next carefully inserted the -chewed end of the gum, using the unchewed portion as a handle by which -to propel it into the aperture, and presently drew it triumphantly -forth with two dimes and a nickel sticking to the mass. Great were the -rejoicings at the success of the trick, and Peter Pan, supposing that -the nickel was much the more valuable as it was greater in size than -the dimes, laid it aside while he returned the other coins to the bank. -Afterward he explained the whole performance to Sally, who was very -glad indeed to hear it, for at first she had been somewhat doubtful as -to the origin of her delightful mail-box. - -Meanwhile the furnishing and arranging went merrily on, and Sally -sighed in delighted rapture as she contemplated the work of her hands -and found that it was very good. - -Her drawing-room she thought was her especial delight, all done in red -velvet, with a splendid red carpet and lace curtains at the windows, -over which hung draperies of red silk. A tall pier glass stood between -the windows, and on the mantel-shelf were a gilt clock under a glass -case, and two gilt candlesticks holding real wax candles. Underneath, -in the grate, a glowing flame of crimson tinfoil shone comfortably, -tinfoil being the fuel universally accepted for grates in doll houses. - -A fine center table, marble-topped, occupied the middle of the room. -The chairs were luxurious, and Sally only wished that her size were -compatible with nestling down on one of them. - -Across the hall from the drawing-room was the music-room, all furnished -in blue upholstered satin, and containing two pianos, a grand and an -upright. Potted plants of the paper variety bloomed in the windows and -a wee violin in a polished case lay atop of the music cabinet. - -Sally had destined this apartment to be a living-room and music-room in -one, and finally added a porch swing that hung in a frame and teetered -delightfully when a doll sat in it; a couple of parrots in a gilt -cage; and Bedelia’s workstand. The effect was somewhat incongruous, -especially in connection with blue satin chairs and sofas, while Bob -remarked, quite gratuitously, that when once the parrots got started -nobody could ever hear either the violin or pianos. However, as Sally -was the only one to be pleased, no one took any notice of this remark. - -With regret Sally turned from the bright little music-room, but was -presently just as deeply engrossed with the library. Here was a -peach of a room, to use her own expression—a room all furnished and -upholstered in green, with sleepy hollow chairs and a roll-top desk in -one corner. Around the walls ran shelves filled with tiny books, and a -wee telephone hung in one angle of the wall, near the desk. At one end -of the room was a big fireplace, over which rose a high mantel-shelf, -and a grandfather’s clock ticked, metaphorically speaking, in the -corner. - -Sally had desired that her library should be “restful” and to that -end had worked out the scheme of furnishings on a somewhat subdued -scale. However, she succeeded admirably in carrying out her design, an -end which few grown-ups ever attain. Never was there a more charming -haven of rest to which a doll might fly for refuge from the turmoil -without than this dim, shadowy room, with its deep lounging chairs and -bewitching tea-table drawn up at one side of the fire. - -There was a tiny smoker’s set, too, ranged on an oriental looking -tabouret, a collection of tiny brass articles that would have delighted -the soul of any lover of the weed. Want of space had compelled Sally -to unite library and den, but the union of the two made a much more -charming room than either one could ever have hoped to attain to by -itself. - -[Illustration] - -Bob had contributed to the library a distracting pipe rack, fashioned -from the bits of a cigarbox and cunningly cut out with his jig-saw, an -article whose usefulness promised to be unlimited as far as a doll’s -house was concerned. The rack was hung with tiny pipes picked up at one -of the ten-cent stores at ten cents per dozen. Bob was proud of his -handiwork and Sally considered it one of her chief treasures because -Bob had made it. - -On the third floor were the bed-rooms and bath-room. The bed-rooms, -fascinatingly furnished with dainty patterns of cretonne, with fine -brass beds, and ruffled curtains at the windows, were places of rest -and delight. One of them was arranged for a nursery and contained two -cunning little white enameled cribs. There was also, in this room, a -most intricate folding bed for the nurse. - -The bath-room was most elaborately appointed with shower and needle -baths, as well as a fine, white enameled tub and a complicated system -of plumbing. By means of this real water ran from a tank over the tub -and furnished forth a liberal supply for the ablutions of all the -dollies. To be sure, one was obliged to be very careful not to allow -the tub to run over, for an overflow meant ruin and rout to ceilings -below stairs. - -Teddy Bears have no sense of ratio and no amount of explanation could -ever convince Bedelia that she was of a size entirely out of proportion -for the Walking House. Finally she made one valiant effort to -establish herself therein, but was driven to retire, growling, as she -could not force more than her big head and shoulders into any of the -ordinary-sized rooms. There would not have been room even for Little -Breeches, let alone for Bedelia’s generous proportions. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -BEDELIA GROWS A TAIL - - -BEDELIA was an extremely handsome bear, as Teddy Bears go, but for some -time she had been plunged in inexpressible gloom because she possessed -no tail. In vain her family expostulated with her, pointing out the -fact that a bear with a tail would indeed be a freak and a monstrosity. -Bedelia persisted in her notion, unreasonable as it was, and very -nearly succeeded in driving Peter Pan to the verge of insanity. For -although she led him a merry dance as a rule, he was extremely fond of -her, and being of a chivalrous nature, made all sorts of excuses for -her queer notions. Therefore he had very nearly arrived at his wits’ -end when Bedelia suddenly ceased her lamentations and became quite -cheerful—a change which, had Peter Pan only read her aright, would have -appeared ominous. However, the poor fellow was so delighted at seeing -his wife once more like her former self that he suspected nothing, not -even when Bedelia began to absent herself at intervals from the family -circle. - -[Illustration] - -Truth to tell, Bedelia had a great deal more sense than most humans and -realized after a little that scolding and fretting would never attain -the end in view. She wanted a tail, and a tail she meant to have, and -immediately began to cast around in her fertile mind as to the means -that she should use to accomplish her end. She was far too cute to ask -advice from those who had so discouraged her, but waited with trembling -anxiety for the inevitable something which is sure to turn up sooner or -later. It is a long lane, indeed, that has no turning, but the further -one progresses, the nearer it is to the end; and Bedelia helped along -the somewhat tedious waiting by a series of experiments that would have -filled the breast of the gloomiest with hysterical mirth. - -The beautiful, feathery appendage of Rough House had at first attracted -her attention as he held it aloft and waved it plume-like in the -air. But somehow Rough House had been very rude and had nipped her -smartly when she laid hold and began a series of heroic tugs. And she -had retreated in disorder with a rip in her coat, made by the dog’s -gleaming teeth. Afterward she reflected that the tail was far too large -and would not have matched her own fur anyway. This thought brought -consolation and she proceeded to turn her attention and her energies in -other directions. But try as she might, she could find nothing in the -line of a tail that became her. She tried them all from every animal -in the nursery, and nurse, finding them one by one lying on the floor, -had shaken her head as she attached them successively to their original -owners. She had her own ideas on the subject and they chiefly included -rats, or perhaps little Rags who was getting his second teeth and -might incline toward chewing things up. Sally alone suspected Bedelia, -but was unable to catch her at her evil-doing, as she carried on her -marauding chiefly in the silent night. - -Having weighed in the balance and found wanting all the ready-made -tails she could find, she looked about for something out of which to -manufacture the right thing. Nothing, however, presented itself, and -Bedelia realized that she could scarcely have formed so important an -article with her own clumsy paws, even if it had. So for the time -her occupation seemed gone, and she began to mope again, filled with -chagrin that all her efforts should thus be foiled. - -Meantime the summer waned and crisp nights began to suggest fall -weather. One bright afternoon Bedelia had been sitting curled up on -the broad window-seat on which she and her family kept house, pouting -as usual and longing for something in the shape of mischief with which -to occupy her rapacious paws. Sally and nurse were busy making doll -clothes, as several occupants of the Walking House were still without -suitable outfits. Suddenly nurse exclaimed, - -“I believe it is soon going to be time for furs. Do you mind, darlin’, -the nice set your aunt, Miss Edith, gave me Christmas, with all thim -little tails on the muff?” - -Tails! Bedelia’s ears were pricked up in a moment. Tails, and fur -tails, too! Well she remembered the day in early spring when all the -furs of the household had been aired and beaten and hung out in the sun -before being laid away in boxes, liberally sprinkled with camphor and -finally the covers all pasted up with strips of paper. They had been -put away in the big store-room at the top of the house, and Bedelia -knew exactly where they were. But she knew, also, that the store-room -was always kept locked and she did not feel very sure where the key was -kept. - -She determined, however, to lose no time in looking for the bunch, and -although it took nearly a week of investigation, they were found at -last, and Bedelia lugged them off and hid them in a place whereof she -knew, and which already contained a motley array of articles which at -one time or other her fancy had prompted her to filch. - -Several more days elapsed before a suitable opportunity to visit the -store-room occurred. But at last Bedelia found herself standing in -front of it with the bunch of keys in her eager paws. Behind the locked -door lay the darling wish of her heart, a tail, and in a moment she -had, as if by magic, selected the right key and swung open the heavy -door. - -Now a new difficulty confronted her, one of which she had not even -dreamed. There were at least a dozen boxes standing on the shelves, all -neatly labelled, of course. But Bedelia could not read, and no good -fairy appeared to tell her which box contained nurse’s furs and the -particular tail. So she stood gloomily gazing into the closet and at -last concluded that much as she hated to take the trouble, there was -but one thing to do and that was to open every box until she discovered -the right one. This she at once set at work to do, tearing and ripping -with a pair of scissors that she had brought along, emptying out furs -and camphor in a promiscuous heap, dumping the contents of one box on -top of another until the erstwhile orderly store-room presented the -appearance of a rummage sale. - -[Illustration] - -Now, had Sally been conducting the investigation, she would have known -that the sets of furs were kept in the smaller boxes, while fur robes -and so on were pinned in big bundles. But Bedelia, of course, never -stopped to think of that so it fell out that nearly everything else -in the closet was ripped open and flung out on the floor before she -came across the box in which the coveted furs reposed. They were very -respectable furs of a shade of brown that seemed to Bedelia just the -proper one to harmonize with her own skin. And there were tails in -plenty, more tails than Bedelia’s wildest dreams had ever conjured. She -felt that she could wallow in tails now if she chose, and it did not -take her long to get possession of what she wanted. She nipped off half -a dozen, taking them from the neckpiece to which they were attached -by little, pointed heads, each one with its ferocious mouth wide open -displaying a number of tiny, white teeth. - -Gathering up her treasures, she hurried downstairs, having taken care -to lock the door and replace the key where it had originally hung. Then -holding fast to the bunch of stolen fur, she hurriedly sought a quiet -corner in the attic, whither she often fled when for any reason she -wanted to be by herself. - -A big, old mirror in a tarnished frame stood on the floor and after -something of a struggle, for the thing was heavy, Bedelia arranged it -so that she could see herself to full advantage. - -[Illustration] - -Everybody knows that Teddy Bears have great facilities for looking over -their shoulders. In fact, when built as a Teddy Bear should be, they -can turn their heads all the way around. Consequently Bedelia found no -difficulty in getting a full view of herself in the rear as she stood -with her back to the glass, the tail in one paw and a couple of pins -in the other. She had decided to leave the little head as it made an -admirable finish for the tail, and really gave a very jaunty appearance -to the whole. So she concluded after having clapped the whole into -place and fastened it firmly with two large shawl pins. So delighted -was she with the result that she stood before the mirror for a long -time, craning her neck and twisting her head around while she admired -her new ornament. To be sure, the head was in a place where no head -ought to be, but it grinned jubilantly while the tail flopped joyfully -as its owner walked. Finally, like Narcissus, satiated with the view of -her own loveliness, she concluded to descend to the lower regions and -show off the latest addition to her charms. - -Down the stairs she trotted, trying to get used to the rather queer -sensation of the tail flapping against her hind legs. Luckily she met -nobody till she reached the nursery. Here her courage suddenly deserted -her and she made a wild break for the window-seat, in the corner of -which she at once threw herself and was making believe to be fast -asleep when a most unforeseen event occurred. The head, which we have -already recorded as being in a place where no head should be, objected -to the full weight of Bedelia’s plump body upon it, and proceeded to -nip her so vigorously that she sprang up, shrieking. - -Peter Pan, who had at first thought that to let her alone was perhaps -the better policy, now flew to the rescue, but when he discovered -the cause of the trouble, he rolled on the floor in convulsions of -laughter. The head kept on nipping for pure viciousness, and poor -Bedelia, half crazed with pain and mortification, raised a dreadful -wail that brought all the members of her family to the rescue. Quite -willing to be relieved of the source of her discomfort, she melted -completely under her husband’s affectionate caresses, and finally -acknowledged that Teddy Bears really had no pressing need of caudal -appendages. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -MARY AND HER LITTLE LAMB AND SOME OTHERS - - -AMONG her most treasured dollies was one that Sally’s Auntie Edith had -dressed as Mary to be accompanied by her little lamb, the latter to be -purchased from some toy store when Mary’s wardrobe was completed. - -Now, the Walking House had been built on generous lines so that the -rooms were more airy and the dolls, in consequence, larger than those -that inhabit most doll’s houses. Mary, then, was a blond beauty, with -the fluffiest of yellow locks, crowned by the most bewitching of -shepherdess’ hats, and the most delightful costume of pale pink and -white, perfect in every detail from the fluffy paniers of the overdress -to the long, slim crook which Bob had carved with his jig-saw and which -Mary, unfortunately, could not carry owing to the fact that her china -fingers, like those of most dollies, were straight and inflexible. -A bit of very fine wire, neatly manipulated, however, produced the -desired effect, and indeed Mary felt very little doubt in her own mind -as to the fact that all the rest of the dolls were cunningly deceived -by it. - -So much for Mary. When it came to the lamb, that was quite another -thing, for it seemed impossible to find anywhere a lamb of the correct -proportions to fit in with those of the charming little Mary. Store -after store was ransacked in vain, when suddenly Sally recollected that -somewhere in the attic reposed the remains of a Noah’s Ark which she -had grown tired of and had put away some time before. To the attic, -then, they flew and presently unearthed the Noah’s Ark carefully tied -up in brown paper and still in a very fair state of preservation. Out -upon the floor pell-mell they emptied the animals, but no bleating or -baahing lambkin rewarded their quest. It seemed as if there had been a -general demand for mutton and that everything of the sheep variety had -been swept from off the face of the earth. Thoroughly disappointed, -Auntie Edith sat dropping the animals back into the Ark when suddenly -she stopped with a little scream of delight and snapped up a small -object that had fallen on the floor and been hidden under her skirt. - -Not a lamb, however, as Sally at first supposed, but a goat that might -have passed anywhere for a sheep except for its horns. It is very odd -what a striking resemblance often exists between the animals of a -Noah’s Ark when really there is no relationship between them at all. -So it was with this goat. The little curls of wool with which he was -covered, his legs and hoofs, his long, meek face, everything except the -sharp, curved horns resembled most intimately Mary’s little lamb. And -it took about five minutes to transform him into that very animal. Off -came his horns, as quick as a wink their little stumps were covered -with bits of cotton wool neatly glued in place. A blue ribbon was tied -around his neck and finished with a graceful bow, and, lo and behold, -the Lamb! - -To say that Mary was hugely delighted at this outcome is to put it very -mildly indeed. For she had been greatly troubled in mind, fearing that -after all she would not be Mary but somebody else that did not require -the continued attendance of a lamb. Somebody else, or perhaps nobody -in particular! At this mournful conclusion a tear rolled silently down -Mary’s china cheek. But now it was all right, and she stood up right -bravely on her little, high-heeled shoes, grasping her crook with one -hand, while the other rested proudly on the Lamb’s woolly back. A very -delightful picture she made, and a very welcome addition to the family -of the Walking House she proved to be. But of Mary and her Little Lamb -we are destined to hear more hereafter. - -Sally was very fond of arranging and re-arranging her doll’s house, -and on one particular morning was busily at work, this time at the -kitchen that already shone with cleanliness. Sally was squatting on her -heels, cleaning out the ice-box, which contained many plates holding -delicious looking foods of all descriptions. To be sure, they were only -make-believe, but they certainly looked good to Sally, who had not -eaten much breakfast and consequently felt hungry. One in particular -appealed to her fancy, a delicious looking cake, frosted and ornamented -as if for a birthday. Really all it needed was an array of glittering -candles to make it perfectly realistic. - -Sally mechanically broke off a bit of the frosting and put it between -her lips. To her astonishment, it tasted crisp and sweet, with rather -a flavor of pineapple, and altogether like the real thing. She broke -off another scrap and swallowed it. Another bit and another followed -the first and then suddenly Sally began to experience a very queer -sensation. She felt as if she were being screwed down and shrinking -together like a pair of opera glasses. So quickly did the whole thing -happen that before she knew it, she was standing in the kitchen of the -Walking House with the black, wooden Dinah gravely regarding her. - -“Oh dear! Oh dear! What would have happened if I had eaten the whole -cake? And it’s a wonder I didn’t, it was such a little one!” exclaimed -Sally. - -Just then she happened to look up, and beheld Peter Pan and Bedelia -regarding her with terrified glances. A great wave of loneliness swept -over the child and she burst into tears. In a moment Peter Pan and -Bedelia had each seized a fragment of cake and in less time than it -takes me to tell it were rapidly following Sally’s example. In about -two minutes they were enjoying the distinction of being the smallest -Teddy Bears on record. - -Into the kitchen they scrambled after Sally, much to the bewilderment -of black Dinah, who had never anywhere seen such creatures as Teddy -Bears of that size, and was not at all sure that she liked them, -especially when they walked into the house and took possession of her -kitchen. - -The first few days of Sally’s sojourn in the doll’s house were full of -events and also full of interest, and the little girl experienced all -the new sensations that always come with a change of scene and place. -Sally’s intimate and somewhat unique experience of nursery life had -really taught her nothing relating to existence in the doll’s house, -and the mode of living employed by the little people to whose number -she now apparently belonged. - -She was, indeed, very much surprised to discover that in all respects -they resembled very closely the human species, with all their little -fads and fancies, jealousies and ambitions; and it was both amusing and -astonishing to encounter among the dolls that she herself had bought -for a few cents and dressed with her own hands in scraps obtained -from the rag-bag, personalities as striking and characteristic, as -distinguishing as those belonging to some of the famous people whose -lives she had studied with Miss Palmer during her history lessons. At -least so one would think from their own opinions of themselves. - -The little girl was amazed to learn that all the dolls could read -and write and that those who were imported spoke French and German -fluently. In fact, one small Japanese doll who was rigged out in a -paper kimono and wide obi of the same material, jabbered away in -Japanese, with the result that none of the others could understand a -word she said. She always presided at afternoon tea, however, which -function they understood very well, as also the tiny cups of the -fragrant drink which she brewed for their benefit. Sally secretly -resolved to teach her English, which she later accomplished, much to -the gratitude of the lonely little foreigner. - -The dolls’ handwriting was not at all like her own, as it did not -take Sally long to discover. It consisted of a number of queer little -hieroglyphics of infinitesimal size, which, as Sally afterward learned, -were known only to dolls and were so small, to wit, that nobody would -ever imagine that they were anything but foolish scrawling. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE LITTLE BACK DOOR - - -SALLY was busily bustling around the kitchen, clad in one of Dinah’s -clean gingham aprons and with a stiff and clean bandanna ’kerchief -perched on her shining hair. For Dinah was ill, the result of an -unfortunate accident, for which the little girl felt herself more or -less responsible. - -For some time the Little Lamb had been growing “grimy, grimier and -grimier,” as Sally said to herself, and the child had finally resolved, -although not without some misgivings, that a bath would be the next -best thing in the order of events. Having several old scores to -settle, Mary joyfully offered to assist, and with such a backing Sally -proceeded with her preparations in a resolute and hopeful frame of mind. - -As the Little Lamb was indeed very dirty, Sally prepared a kind of -shampoo, such as she had often seen nurse concoct for her own use. This -was composed of tar soap, melted over the fire to a kind of jelly, -and then beaten up with a couple of eggs and a dash of borax. When it -was finished, it made a yellow, frothy compound, altogether nice and -delectable looking. Sally had made a liberal quantity, owing to the -area that had to be covered in the personality of the Little Lamb. -She left it on the kitchen table, and hurried off to find that worthy -who, scenting an impending conflict, had betaken himself to the attic. -Entrenched behind Bedelia’s screen, he firmly awaited the onslaught of -the enemy. - -Dinah had all this time been busy in the upper part of the house and -now returning below stairs beheld the foamy, creamy mixture frothing -over the pan on the kitchen table. It never entered into her wooden -head to suppose that it was anything except some nice omelet or -something of the kind that one of the dolls or perhaps Sally had -knocked together for luncheon. Stirring it up with a spoon, she found -it rather thin, and proceeded to thicken it with flour and finally -decided that it would serve best as batter for griddle cakes. As she -herself was extremely fond of lemon flavoring, she added a large dose -of that, and then proceeded to bake the mess on the well-greased and -sputtering griddle. - -[Illustration] - -Now it must be confessed that Dinah was greedy, and the brown cakes -certainly looked tempting. Besides, had she not planned something quite -different for the dolls’ luncheon? Just one nibble she took, and then, -like other people who have hesitated, she proceeded to get lost. Her -wooden palate certainly failed to detect the flavor of tar soap, and -one brown and smoking cake speedily disappeared after another. Goodness -knows when she would have stopped had not Bedelia, attracted by the -odor of the baking cakes, suddenly appeared in the kitchen. - -That worthy had been decidedly out of favor with Sally for several -days, and consequently was in no enviable frame of mind. Without so -much as a “by your leave,” she now advanced on the greedy Dinah, -snatched the plate of cakes from under her very nose, and proceeded -to dispose of them with neatness and despatch. Her taste for eatables -had been well cultivated, however, and she now discovered something -decidedly peculiar in the flavor of the cakes. But she swallowed them -all to the last crumb, more in order to spite Dinah than because she -wanted them, pausing now and then between bites to utter a threatening -little growl that served very effectually to keep Dinah at a distance, -for the cook was dreadfully afraid of the Teddy Bears. It did not take -very long for the soap and borax to get in some very fine work, and -soon Dinah and Bedelia found themselves companions in misery. - -[Illustration] - -When Sally had hunted all over the house without being able to find the -Little Lamb—and no wonder, for he was safely entrenched under Bedelia’s -bed in the attic—and came hurrying into the kitchen to look after her -shampoo, she found two unutterably wretched individuals tied up in -knots and rolling around on the kitchen floor. Had it been Bedelia -alone, Sally would have suspected a trick, but Dinah’s sufferings were -too genuine to admit of suspicion. - -Sally flew for help without waiting for explanations, and in a short -time the sufferers were tucked up in their beds, feeling decidedly more -comfortable and listening to a lecture on gluttony which they did not -soon forget. Not but that this same lecture had to be administered in -two sections, one to Dinah in her room and one to Bedelia in the attic, -for Dinah would have died sooner than lie down in the same room with -the Teddy Bear that she now regarded with more fear and dislike than -ever. - -Thus it happened that Sally was flying around the shining little -kitchen, putting things to rights and making ready to get together -something for the dolls’ luncheon. She smiled as she scoured and dried -the tin pan in which the shampoo, whose ending had been so unusual, had -been mixed. She wondered what had become of the Little Lamb, and could -not help wishing that he, instead of Dinah and Bedelia, had been the -one to gobble up the sickening cakes, for the stuff certainly had been -intended for him in the beginning. - -Sally was a born housekeeper, and as she had formerly played with her -doll house, perpetually cleaning and straightening it, so she now -worked in the bright little rooms until at last all was in order, -the table laid for luncheon and a savory meal made ready. She was -too much delighted with her work to ask for assistance from any of -the dolls, and puttered around briskly, singing little snatches of a -song half under her breath. “Puttering around” was one of Dinah’s pet -expressions, and while Sally had never been sure what it really meant, -she felt quite certain that she could not be doing anything else while -working in Dinah’s kitchen. Vigorously, then, did she flutter Dinah’s -duster, seeking for dust where none existed, and merrily polishing -the already shining window sills, on which stood stiff little pots of -glowing scarlet paper geraniums. And then she suddenly became aware -that she was standing in front of a little door, whose existence she -had heretofore failed to observe. - -The door was directly in the center of the back wall, and Sally could -not but wonder that John should have built it in such a place, for the -doll’s house stood flat against the nursery wall, as any orderly doll’s -house always stands. Hence there was absolutely no use for a door in -such a location. Sally meditated for a moment or two and then suddenly -concluded that the best thing to do would be to open the door and do a -little investigating. She seized the knob and pulled vigorously, but -to no purpose. The door was locked sure enough, and her best efforts -resulted in nothing. It seemed very odd that the door should be locked -and no key anywhere about. Suddenly she remembered that hanging up in -her room was a tiny golden key belonging to a chain bracelet that Papa -Doctor had once locked upon Mamma Wee’s pretty white wrist. For some -inexplicable reason Mamma Wee had never unlocked the bracelet, but -Papa Doctor always wore the key on one end of his watch chain until -one day the slender golden ring from which it hung broke, and Sally -had found the key lying on the floor. Papa Doctor had been called -out of town for an important consultation just then, and had not yet -returned. Therefore the key was hanging up in Sally’s room, and thither -the little girl hastened. Having possessed herself of the article -in question, she hurried back to the kitchen, all on tip-toe with -curiosity. - -[Illustration] - -She did not hear the padding of velvet paws behind her, nor see the -furry brown figure that came trotting stealthily in her wake. Having -taken a good nap, Bedelia awoke feeling as good as new. After a few -preliminary yawns, she bounced out of bed, much to the detriment of -the Little Lamb who, too much scared by all the rumpus to run away, -had finally fallen asleep under the bed with his head sticking out -at the inner side where he had considered it quite safe, as the bed -stood comparatively close to the wall. But with her usual perversity, -Bedelia jumped out of that side of the bed, landing plump in the Little -Lamb’s face. Bedelia was no light weight, and the unhappy Little Lamb -uttered a piercing shriek, at the same time hastily wriggling back into -his place of concealment. Bedelia had been considerably shaken by her -sickness and now, scared out of all her impudence by the queer thing -that she felt moving under her feet, she uttered a shrill squawk and -fled precipitately from the attic. She paused at the top of the stairs -and peered down between the railings just in time to see Sally emerge -from her room with the key in her hand. - -In a moment the Teddy Bear was on the alert, trotting silently down the -stairs, dreadfully tempted to take a slide down the polished rail of -the banister, but equally afraid of being sent back if discovered. In -the meantime, Sally hastened to the kitchen, clutching the golden key -which was, of course, very much larger in proportion than in the time -when she had found it lying on the nursery floor. - -“How I do hope it will open the door!” the little girl said to herself -as she thrust it into the lock and pressed against it very gently, -for she was rather afraid of breaking off the golden handle. To her -surprise and delight, however, it yielded at once, and with a turn of -the door knob Sally flung open the door and stepped outside, closely -followed by the still unseen Bedelia. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -D. TABLET, ESQ. - - -IT was surprising enough to find that there was any outside, for Sally -had fully expected to step down between the doll’s house and the wall. -But to find herself on a beautiful country road, flanked on either side -by fields of emerald green that stretched away as far as the eye could -reach, was far more astonishing still. - -On either side of this road stood a row of tall, very stiff, very green -trees. They literally _stood_, for they did not grow out of the ground, -but rose out of flat, wooden stands that did not appear more wooden, -however, than their shiny, brown trunks. Green and stiff also were the -leaves that looked more like curled and painted shavings than anything -else. Sally examined them curiously, remembering she had once possessed -a toy farm that had contained just such trees as these. She laid her -hand against the smooth, glistening trunk, wondering if a brisk breeze -would not upset the whole business, and remembering how easily her -own farmyard trees had been overturned. These, however, seemed steady -enough, and Sally started off at a good pace, determined to investigate -the queer country into which she had made so unceremonious an entrance. - -As far as she could see, the road stretched ahead of her, glaring white -in the noon sunlight, which seemed almost blinding after the subdued -light of the doll’s house. Only a moment did she pause to hang the -precious golden key upon the string of gold beads that she wore around -her neck. Somehow she felt that that dear talisman, the pledge of love -between her parents, would be to her a safeguard in time of danger. A -sudden fear of losing it assailed her, and she quickly tucked beads and -all inside her dress. - -Turning for a farewell look at the Walking House, she beheld Bedelia -sitting demurely on the doorstep. The door she had closed behind her as -she stepped out. Now she jumped up and ran to Sally, who was very much -relieved to find the little bear was quite herself again, and slipped -her hand affectionately inside Bedelia’s arm. And the two proceeded -joyously along the gleaming road. - -It was quite warm, for the stiff up-and-down foliage cast little or -no shadow, and there was no breeze stirring. Sally was grateful for -this as she still felt rather doubtful concerning the stability of the -trees. Bedelia, however, expressed it as her opinion that even if one -of them did blow over, she and Sally would be well able to stand it up -again. But then Bedelia had always been very self-confident. - -The two companions trotted along together, stopping occasionally to -examine some queer flower or a tree that looked a little different from -the common run. Sally noticed that the flowers were all like those that -ornamented the windows of Dinah’s kitchen—of crimped and fluted paper, -while the little blades of grass appeared to be fashioned from the same -material. The whole thing seemed as if it might prove very monotonous, -at least if it were going to exist for good and all. - -[Illustration] - -Presently they came to a fine, large field that was fenced in all -around, and Sally could not but notice that the fences were all -wonderfully like those that had belonged to her own farmyard. In the -field were grazing a number of beautiful, placid looking cows and also -a good many sheep and goats. They were all wonderfully familiar in -appearance. Sally could not understand, although she did later on, why -everything she had seen so far suggested either the Noah’s Ark or the -farmyard. Both of them had long since been relegated to the dust-bin, -defaced and broken beyond any kind of usefulness. - -And then Sally spied not very far ahead of them a sign post, which, -when they came up to it, exclaimed in a most affable manner, “Five -miles to the Palace!” and gently waved one of its arms toward the cross -road, on the edge of which it stood. - -Sally was so much amazed at hearing a sign post speak that for the -moment she failed to notice the absence of any painted directions -upon its arms. However, Bedelia, who was as usual ready for anything, -retorted somewhat pertly, “And where might the road that we are -traveling on lead to?” - -To which the Sign Post responded with the same cordial, although -somewhat wooden tone and a most reassuring smile, “Five miles to the -Palace,” whereupon it subsided and stood quite stiff and straight, as -if, perchance, waiting for another question, to which Sally felt quite -certain it would have responded, “Five miles to the Palace!” - -As there was nothing to be gained by asking questions that would -obviously receive only the one answer, with a word of thanks the -children proceeded on their journey, wishing it were not quite so far -to the Palace, for they were both beginning to feel tired and as she -had taken no luncheon, Sally was decidedly hungry. Once she looked -back and saw that the Sign Post was gazing after them, still wearing -its affable smile. And the child fancied that she could hear a faint -murmur, “Five miles to the Palace,” while she was quite certain that -the Sign Post waved its arms in a friendly adieu. - -[Illustration] - -Sally now noticed for the first time that Bedelia was carrying a large -paper bag which bulged out to such an extent that it seemed every -moment as if it would burst. That it was weighty was vouched for by -the fact that Bedelia frequently shifted it from one paw to the other. -Truth to tell, the Teddy Bear, ever mindful of the inner man, had made -a swift raid on the kitchen as she passed out of the house, and had -swept into the paper bag every eatable that she could quickly lay her -paws on. Sally was just on the eve of asking what the bag contained -when suddenly its bottom gave way and there issued forth a perfect rain -of fruit, sandwiches and cakes, besides a bottle of milk and a jar of -pickles. Since the mystery had seen fit to unravel itself, Sally was -only too glad to commend Bedelia’s forethought. Having gathered up the -scattered feast, the two sat gratefully down under the shadiest tree -they could find and proceeded to feed in a most luxurious manner. - -Unfortunately for Bedelia, her hunger overcame any remote idea she -might have possessed concerning good manners, and she proceeded to -gobble in so outrageous a fashion that Sally was about to remonstrate -when suddenly the culprit was arrested by the sound of a small, -querulous voice that seemed to come from her innermost being, and which -exclaimed in jerky tones, - -“Don’t shovel things down so fast, for goodness’ sake! How do you -expect me to get any work done properly when you work me so fast? Oh, -dear! Oh, dear! I shall never have anything in order!” - -Bedelia distinctly felt a queer sensation as if something were hopping -up and down at the very center of her little, round stomach. To say -that she was terrified is putting it very mildly, while Sally was too -astonished to move, even though she had by this time become used to -queer happenings. - -“Don’t drink any more milk,” continued the voice in a kind of -exasperated squeak. “Everything down here is in a flood. I can hear -your food splash as it drops in. There isn’t a dry place for the sole -of my foot.” - -Although she was scared, Bedelia resolved to preserve a bold front, and -now replied with assumed calmness, “Whoever you are, come out here and -let us see what you are like.” And then she added saucily, “You needn’t -think you can prevent me from eating what I want!” - -“What’s that you say? What’s that you say?” squeaked the voice, as if -its owner were in a terrible rage. And the very next moment Bedelia -felt a dreadfully choking sensation, and out of her mouth popped the -queerest little figure that Sally had ever laid eyes upon. - -He was not more than half an inch tall and he was pink all over, even -his eyes and his hair and his long, flowing beard—bright pink like -Bedelia’s tongue. And there he stood, glaring at Bedelia as well as he -could, for the bright sunshine made him blink dreadfully, and at the -same time he bowed politely to Sally, whom he evidently regarded with -approval. And Sally bowed gravely in return, although she could hardly -keep from laughing outright at the queer little creature with his -round, flat body, his thin, crooked arms and spindling legs, and above -all his extremely pompous manner. - -“In me you behold Tablet—D. Tablet,” he remarked without further -preliminaries. - -[Illustration] - -He paused a moment, and Sally exclaimed impetuously, “I have heard -of dyspep—” Here she stopped abruptly, afraid she had already given -offense. “Dyspepsia tablet” she had been going to say. - -But much to her relief, the little creature nodded affably and -quickly continued, “Children like you, who eat in moderation and show -some breeding while they eat, have no need of my good offices. Only -creatures who stuff like pigs have to be reproved by me.” - -There was a slight pause and D. Tablet presently continued, evidently -flattered by the attention of his audience, although he still glared -at Bedelia out of his pink eyes which had now become accustomed to the -sunlight. - -“Know, then,” he went on, “that your stomach and everybody’s stomach -is simply a storehouse in which the food is put away on shelves in -pantries and cupboards as fast as it is swallowed. Everybody who comes -into this country has a D. Tablet in his stomach to attend to this -business. He may not know it, but we are there all the same. Therefore -when you pile in fifty different things at once and drown it all with -oceans of liquid, how can we possibly get things in any kind of order? -We don’t, and then you are ill, as _you_ were yesterday.” - -Bedelia jumped, so suddenly did D. Tablet wheel around upon her. - -“And then when you don’t chew your food, what do you think happens? A -few moments ago you were gobbling exactly like a p-i-g. Do you know -what that spells?” - -“Perfectly, independent gentleman! And I don’t care a snap what -happens,” impudently retorted Bedelia. - -By this time she had decided that D. Tablet was a great bore, and being -still hungry, was itching to get at her neglected luncheon. - -At this D. Tablet turned pinker than ever with rage. His flat little -body seemed to swell up until it was nearly as round as a marble. For -a moment he stood shaking with anger, and then without another word -suddenly vanished, but whither they were not able to see. Whether or no -he had plunged down Bedelia’s throat and once more assumed the endless -task of setting her internal economy to rights, neither Sally nor the -Teddy Bear had time to observe. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -THE TALKING SIGN POST - - -“DON’T you think it was telling awful whoppers?” asked Bedelia, as she -settled down comfortably upon her haunches and proceeded to dispose of -a plump red banana with a rapidity that would certainly have called -forth a rebuke from the personage to whom she referred. - -Sally hesitated, not quite certain which side it devolved upon her to -defend. She certainly had been somewhat impressed by D. Tablet. Had -she not seen him come tumbling, frog-like, out of Bedelia’s throat? -For aught that she could prove to the contrary, he had, perhaps, gone -tumbling back again. Being thus cruelly torn between her fondness for -Bedelia and her sense of justice, she wisely held her peace, while -Bedelia, by this time well on the way with the second banana, mentally -hurled defiance at her pink advisor. - -“He was damp all over. He looked as if somebody had _licked_ him!” -she finally ejaculated, throwing away her banana skin and standing up -preparatory to suggesting that they resume their journey. - -At the same moment her face stiffened, while her eyes fairly bulged -out of her head with amazement. Hurrying straight down the road toward -them, and advancing by leaps and bounds was a long, lithe figure that -they both recognized as it came nearer as the Talking Sign Post. It now -came up at a brisk gallop, and exclaimed breathlessly as soon as within -hailing distance, - -“I was _so_ afraid you would get lost without me!” - -Thereupon it threw itself comfortably down on the greensward and -beamed amiably at Sally. She felt very much like replying that if he -had been a little more communicative in the beginning, the danger of -going astray would have been smaller. However, she refrained, being -dreadfully afraid of offending the Sign Post, who after all appeared -to be very good-hearted. Not so Bedelia, who cocked her sharp, little, -black eyes in a most inquisitive manner and hastily retorted, - -“No thanks to _you_ if we _did_ get lost, with your ‘Five miles to the -Palace’ and nothing else. How should we know which turning to take -next?” And then she added hurriedly, “Why don’t you have things painted -on you as they do in civilized countries?” - -“If by _things_ you mean directions,” replied the Sign Post gravely, -“it would be altogether superfluous in a land where everything can -talk. And as for turnings,” he added severely, “there aren’t any. All -the roads in Toyland lead to the Palace, so you are sure to get there -some time or other. To be sure, some roads are longer than others. In -the event of your taking the longest one, you might consider yourselves -lost.” - -[Illustration] - -All out of patience with what she considered an extremely round-about -explanation, Bedelia did not trouble herself to reply, but Sally -hastened to smooth things over by offering the Sign Post some luncheon -out of the paper bag, which they had managed to repair with some pins, -and which now contained the remnants of their repast. This, however, -he politely refused, having already lunched copiously on his usual -diet of shavings which curious regimen agreed best with his wooden -constitution. Sally was rather disappointed at this. She recollected -once having been taken to the Zoo and having seen the ostriches fed -with oranges. And she remembered how very queer it had appeared to -her to watch the fruit as each piece traveled down the birds’ long, -red throats, one chasing another until they finally vanished in the -feathery region below. She could not help thinking that the Sign Post -was very like the throat of an ostrich, only the resemblance continued -all the way down. She could not but wonder where the luncheon would -finally have located itself, as there were apparently no facilities for -expansion in the general make-up of the Sign Post. - -There was a short silence, during which Bedelia made ostentatious -preparations for moving on. - -Fond as she was of the little bear, at that moment it seemed to Sally -that it could not exist in any sort of comfort without making somebody -else miserable. So she said very gently, - -“Would you kindly tell me what land we are in?” - -She felt quite sure that the Sign Post was waiting for her to open the -conversation. - -An expression of surprise flitted over the mobile countenance of -the Sign Post, but he replied without further comment, “This is the -wonderful country of Toyland,” and then murmured in a reminiscent -manner, “Five miles to the Palace. Five miles to the Palace.” After a -moment he added, “Perhaps it will be just as well for us to be moving -without more delay. It is quite a long way for you to walk.” - -So all three got upon their feet and cheerfully resumed their travels. - -The country, although very fresh and green, seemed to the little girl -rather monotonous. The same cows, pigs and sheep, the same stiff little -wooden houses, fenced in by the same stiff wooden railings. People -seemed few, but as it was not far from noon, Sally concluded that they -must all be eating their dinners. And a very sensible conclusion it -was. The few folk that were encountered were of the wooden doll type, -and they all appeared to be so very busy at their work in the fields -that Sally forbore to hail them, although she would dearly have liked -to stop long enough to pass the time of day with them. - -So the three proceeded, chatting merrily, the Sign Post accommodating -his long, swinging stride to the shorter steps of his small companions. -An exchange of confidences was, of course, the natural thing, and Sally -was soon giving a complete account of herself and Bedelia and of how -they had happened to stumble into Toyland. The Sign Post listened with -attention, and in return gave much valuable information concerning -both himself and the country. He explained that there were many other -Sign Posts like himself, that they were stationed at intervals of five -miles, and that it was their duty to conduct as well as to direct -strangers, should they so desire. He also explained that there was no -night in Toyland, as it was a very difficult and expensive business to -start up the sun, which in consequence was allowed to go on shining _ad -libitum_. - -“Whenever anyone feels in need of rest or _repairs_, he takes a trip -to Sleepy Town. It lies just over there and adjoining our own country. -There it is always night, the moon shines perpetually, and everything -invites slumber.” - -Here the Sign Post yawned in so fearful a manner that Sally, gazing on -his open countenance, decided that he might very well be a candidate -for Sleepy Town. - -Following the direction in which he had pointed as he described the -location of Sleepy Town, Sally’s glance discerned what appeared to be a -faint, purplish haze hanging upon the horizon. - -“You will find a great many Sign Posts there,” said her companion so -abruptly that Sally jumped, for she had fancied that he was still -yawning, “on account of the darkness. For example, how would a stranger -find Nid-Nod Street or Blanket Avenue, were there not someone present -to inform him?” - -And Sally, comprehending the weight of his argument, nodded gravely. - -The trio had now accomplished half their journey, and about two -miles and a half lay between them and the Palace. Sally did not feel -particularly tired, as the road was very smooth and not at all dusty. -Once an automobile passed them and Sally noted the fact that it was of -exactly the same pattern as one that she owned and which now reposed in -the nursery at home in a garage constructed by Bob of building blocks. -It was of the wrought-iron variety, and was wound up with a key. - -[Illustration] - -The auto which had spun merrily by suddenly stopped a few yards -ahead of them and refused to budge an inch. Sally and her companions -hastened their steps and, coming up with the auto, found that it had -run down. As the chauffeur had forgotten to bring along the key, the -party of lady dolls that occupied the car were plunged in the deepest -despair and chagrin. Sally suddenly remembered her little golden key -and hastily produced it. It was found to fit to perfection. With many -thanks the party proceeded on its way, first having invited Sally and -Bedelia to take seats in the car. The Sign Post was, of course, quite -out of the question. However, Sally politely declined, as she really -preferred very much to continue her walk with her lanky companion, to -say nothing of Bedelia. This the Sign Post greatly appreciated, and -presently stooped down and, gently lifting the little girl, he poised -her aloft on his shoulders, and in this gallant fashion she rode for a -mile or more, while Bedelia trotted behind, grumbling and growling at -the discourtesy shown her. Although she had been very uncivil indeed to -the Sign Post, Bedelia could see no good reason why she should not ride -on his other shoulder. - -Being completely rested—indeed, she had not been a bit tired in the -beginning—Sally slid laughingly to the ground, quite in opposition to -the wishes of the Sign Post, who would gladly have carried her till the -end of the chapter. They had ascended a slight hill, and the city now -lay in plain sight in the charming valley beneath them. Sally could not -but observe that there was nothing at all imposing in its appearance. -All the houses seemed planned after about the same pattern. Even the -Palace itself seemed to be only a doll’s house on a larger scale than -the others. Sally’s mental comparison of it with her own beloved -Walking House was anything but favorable. The little girl presently -paused, however, to reflect that being now in the country of dolls and -toys, she could scarcely expect to find sky-scrapers. Bedelia turned -up her nose frankly enough, and, as was her custom, at once proceeded -to express her opinions without let or hindrance. And what might have -been the result had she been permitted to conclude as she began nobody -knows, for the Sign Post was beginning to look very much put out. - -[Illustration] - -But just at that moment their attention was attracted by a loud -noise behind them, a fearful pounding and bumping. Looking around, -they beheld advancing along the road at a high rate of speed a huge -_something_—what they were at first unable to decide. But as it came -nearer and nearer and finally swung into full view, they discovered -that it was nothing more nor less than the Walking House, hurrying -along at an astonishing pace, while from the interior issued a doleful -voice which loudly repeated at intervals the entreaty, “Wait for me! -Wait for me!” - -All its windows glistened in the sun like blinking eyes, while the -castors on which it originally stood had somehow turned into prancing -feet that now hopped and skipped along with the greatest alacrity. On -it came, bumping and bouncing, and all its terrified inhabitants bumped -and bounced too, while they hung on for dear life to any available -piece of furniture that they had happened to grasp. And nearly scared -out of their wits was every mother’s son of them, for only a colony of -rubber dolls could have been in a comfortable frame of mind under such -trying circumstances. Greatly relieved were all when the frisky house -suddenly ceased its gyrations and came to a dead stop directly in front -of Sally. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -JOYTOWN - - -IT was clearly a case of a runaway house, and before Sally had time to -finish wondering how on earth it could have walked out of its own back -door in order to step into Toyland, as she and Bedelia had been obliged -to do, she was surrounded by all the inmates of the Walking House, who -came scrambling down the stairs and out of the doors, thoroughly glad -that their rough-and-tumble ride had come to an end. - -Everybody crowded around Sally, and all sorts of experiences were -exchanged. Finally the Sign Post reminded the little girl that it was -growing late and if they wished to enter the city under his escort, it -would be well to make a move, as he had already been a long time away -from his post of duty. Accordingly the whole party set out, and soon -descended the slight hill from which Sally had taken her first look at -the city. After they were all safely at the bottom, the doll’s house -proceeded down very cautiously and _backwards_. For it was dreadfully -afraid of spilling all its contents if it went down in its normal -position. At length it was safely landed at the bottom, but Sally -immediately discovered that it never would be able to get into the city -as the gates were not particularly wide, and certainly had never been -set up with a view to admitting strange houses that came galloping -along, unceremoniously clamoring for entrance. Therefore after a brief -consultation, it was decided that the house should remain outside the -gates, which were never closed, as there was no night there; and that -the family should make it their headquarters and return for rest and -refreshment whenever they became tired out with exploring the new -country. This matter having been arranged, Sally and the faithful Sign -Post proceeded to lead the way into the city. - -Over the gates was inscribed the legend: - - THE CITY OF JOY - -neatly painted in plain characters distinct enough for all to read. -And with this most propitious name to greet them, the inhabitants of -the Walking House advanced bravely up the principal street. Everything -appeared to be extremely peaceful. People—who, of course, were all -dolls and very much like their visitors in size and appearance—were -going about the streets and in and out of the shops and offices. - -Sally rather wondered at the absence of policemen, but upon remarking -on this to the Sign Post, quickly found herself obliged to explain -what she meant. The word was unknown in Toyland, and such a word as -crime had never entered its vocabulary. The Sign Posts were the nearest -approach to anything in the nature of “the force,” and they were only -for general guidance and information. The little girl marveled greatly -at such a state of affairs, and hoped most devoutly that Bedelia would -behave herself while sojourning among such peaceful folk. That worthy, -trotting along with her paw clasped in Sally’s hand, looked the very -picture of innocence. Sally had seen her look like this before, and at -such seasons usually prepared for the worst. - -[Illustration] - -The main street upon which they now were walking led straight to -the Palace, which towered aloft above the other houses in the very -center of the city. Upon closer acquaintance, Sally quite altered her -previous opinion and found the building a very fine one indeed, even -in comparison with the Walking House. She could not help wondering if -it also possessed feet in embryo that might develop and run away with -it at any unexpected moment. She was rather afraid that the dwellings -in Joytown, having noted the example of the Walking House, might -perchance take a notion to follow the same. There was, however, nothing -whatever to cause apprehension in the dignified attitude of the staid -and stationary dwellings of the chief city of Toyland. Sally felt that -all quite depended upon their powers of observation, and whether or not -they had noticed the antics of the Walking House. For is not example -more effective than precept? Sally feared that it might be so. However, -she had no time for reflection, as all the party were anxious to make -a tour of the city, and the dinner hour was rapidly approaching. It -was too late to visit the Palace, so after a walk, during which they -covered a good deal of territory, they retired to their own dwelling. - -The soft, golden twilight which took the place of night, now commenced -to fall, and Sally observed many parties of the residents leaving the -city and starting in the direction of Sleepy Town. The Sign Post, -who, at Sally’s earnest solicitation, had obtained permission from -headquarters to remain with the child and her party during their stay -in Toyland, now informed Sally that the twilight was brought about by -draping the sun with many veils of delicately tinted gauze. - -“You see there really is no necessity for it at all, except that having -the day all the time becomes rather monotonous,” he went on. “And -besides that, there would be no sense in having such a long day. One -could not continue at work for more than six hours, the time laid down -by the trade unions.” - -This seemed a remarkably short day to Sally, and she now inquired what -the Sign Post meant by veiling the sun. But that worthy immediately -assumed an air of mystery and replied, - -“It was entirely the idea of the Polly-nosed Saphead. You must ask of -him, for he alone understands the nature of the occult rite.” - -“And who, pray, may be the Polly-nosed Saphead?” demanded Bedelia, who -was hopping along on the other side of the Sign Post, very demure and -highly interested in all that was taking place. - -At this the Sign Post shook his head solemnly. - -“He is the high priest of all Toyland,” he replied. “Few are permitted -to enter his august presence.” - -He shook his head again, and was silent. And Sally and Bedelia both -solemnly shook their heads, and were silent also for the space of at -least a full minute. - -However, there did not appear to be any use in standing still and -shaking their little craniums over the Polly-nosed Saphead. Accordingly -Sally and Bedelia cordially thanked the Sign Post, who promised to join -them early the next morning, and made their way toward the Walking -House. They would gladly have invited their companion to enter, had he -not been entirely too tall for any of the rooms, or even to get in at -the door. As the Sign Post was very well used to standing out-of-doors, -he patiently took up his stand close to the house, there to await the -coming of the morning. To be sure, it seemed very queer to him not to -be saying “Five miles to the Palace,” he had been saying it for such a -very long time. In fact, he had never before in all his existence been -called upon to quit his post, as he was a comparatively new Sign Post. -But a very pleasant business he found it, especially when acting as -escort to such a delightful little girl as Sally. - -Meantime Sally and Bedelia had entered the house, where they found the -rest of the family awaiting them. After a short consultation, it was -decided to observe the general rules that had governed them before -they had arrived in Toyland. Because other people never went to bed -was really no reason why they should not if they found it necessary. -Therefore the shades were drawn down, the lights extinguished, and the -whole household soon wrapped in refreshing slumber. - -Once Sally wakened and, peeping out between the curtains—for the window -was close to her bedside—beheld the long and lanky form of the Sign -Post standing patiently at his place. His countenance still bore its -affable smile and the child fancied she could hear him murmuring, “Five -miles to the Palace. Five miles to the Palace.” - -[Illustration: Sally felt a great longing to tip over the gorgeous -little Colonel.] - -“Only it couldn’t be five miles, because it isn’t any miles at all,” -murmured the child, as she slipped away into dreamland. “He’s right at -the very door of the Palace.” - -Sally slept late, and as soon as she awoke sprang out of bed and rushed -eagerly to the window. There was the Sign Post, nodding and smiling at -her, and waving good-morning, to which she responded in like manner, -and then made haste to dress and ran down to the kitchen, where she -found Dinah busily preparing breakfast. All the dolls had been up all -night, putting the house to rights, as it had suffered a terrible -shaking up during its journey, and there was not a piece of furniture -in the whole place that had not bumped and bounced and slidden, so that -it all presented a very much tumbled-up appearance when at last the -house came to a standstill. However, the dolls had worked busily, and -by the time Sally descended everything was in fine shape. - -After a toothsome breakfast, a short council was held as to the best -methods of procedure. It was decided to go forth in several small -parties, as their number would make one single group rather too large. -The Sign Post had managed to take part in the conference by stooping -down and poking his head in at the window, and now hastened off to -summon others of his kind. Presently returning with them, they all set -off on their explorations. - -Sally and Bedelia, with their faithful guide, formed a party by -themselves and very gaily they set forth, though it must be confessed -that Bedelia looked a bit solemn. Having eaten a huge breakfast, she -was beginning to experience certain sensations which caused her to -apprehend that D. Tablet, Esq., might once again be on the rampage. -These disagreeable feelings, however, gradually wore away, and the -little bear was presently padding along as merrily as any of the others. - -Beautiful indeed was the Imperial City, with its bustling business -section and its lovely residence portion, its symmetrical parks and -gleaming lakes. And high above all, as if keeping guard over the -peaceful city, the lofty Palace, which stood on a slight eminence and -was therefore rendered extremely prominent by its position as well as -its size and distinctive style of architecture. - -Sally did not know very much about architecture. Most of her knowledge -on the subject was included in the somewhat mixed-up style of the -Walking House. Neither she nor Miss Palmer had ever been able to decide -whether it was Grecian or Roman, ancient or modern. To be sure, Miss -Palmer had been anxious to spare John’s feelings on the subject, and -therefore had been slow in offering an opinion. And Sally was now -plunged in quite the same perplexity with regard to the Palace. She -could not help wondering if it had been designed by the Polly-nosed -Saphead, who, since he appeared to be such a great personage, might -well be a great architect also. - -The Palace stood in the midst of a beautiful park, filled with the -usual types of trees that Sally had noticed as peculiar to Toyland, and -was approached by a lofty flight of steps, guarded on either side by a -whole regiment of lead soldiers, “The Royal Guards,” as the Sign Post -explained in a rather awe-struck manner. Sally felt a great longing to -tip over the gorgeous little Colonel, as she had often done with her -lead soldiers at home, and send the whole rank and file toppling over, -one upon another. But she suddenly recollected that she was now not -the least bit bigger than the soldiers themselves. And so she meekly -followed the private who was detailed to conduct them to the presence -of Royalty. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -SALLY AND BEDELIA ARE PRESENTED AT COURT - - -PRECEDED by their guide, Sally and Bedelia passed between the great -doors of the Palace and into a mighty circular hall that was lighted -from above by a huge dome of golden colored glass, which cast a soft -and sunshiny radiance over everything. In the center of the hall rose -a wide and winding spiral staircase, heavily carpeted with deep yellow -velvet, whose bordering melted away into soft browns and russets. Sally -thought she had never seen anything more lovely than the color scheme -of this imperial hall, with its rich woodwork of carved golden oak, and -the golden light flooding everything. - -Twelve great doors opened out of the hall and they were now ushered -with great ceremony through the one directly facing the wide entrance -and were received by a splendidly dressed court page, while the private -promptly saluted and went about his business. - -When Sally, with heart thumping in a most uncomfortable manner, -ventured to lift her eyes from the pavement of tessellated marble, -she beheld a most magnificently appointed apartment of regal size, -thronged with courtiers and ladies-in-waiting, all in splendid court -dress; while at the further end rose a gorgeous throne upon which were -seated two of the handsomest dolls she had ever seen. She suddenly felt -herself very plain and insignificant in the midst of all this splendor. - -But there was no time for personal criticism, for she was being rapidly -conducted up the hall by the gorgeous page, who was at the same time -loudly announcing her name and that of her companion. The child felt -herself blushing to the roots of her hair as she dropped her prettiest -curtsy, and dreadfully aware in the midst of her embarrassment that -Bedelia was attracting attention from all directions. In fact, that -personage possessed most strikingly original ideas of court etiquette -and, having made a most extraordinary bow, proceeded to lick the hand -of royalty which had been most graciously extended to be kissed. This -performance gave birth to a ripple of laughter, which at once broke the -ice. The courtiers crowded around Sally and Bedelia, while the King and -Queen descended from their throne and proceeded to make themselves most -agreeable to the strangers. - -The Queen was a most beautiful blond, with large, blue eyes—Sally -noticed that they had real, black lashes—and a bewildering wealth of -golden curls, which she wore floating over her shoulders and whose -luster put to shame her golden crown. She wore a splendid gown of -white satin, embroidered with threads of gold, over which opened a -robe of purple velvet lined with ermine. A splendid court train swept -far behind her, and she was, furthermore, adorned with all the family -rhinestones, which made a prodigious sparkling and glittering and -appeared very magnificent indeed. - -The King was a very tall and finely-built doll, with very dark hair and -eyes. His dress was of royal purple velvet, slashed with white satin. -He, also, wore a crown of fine gold and a splendid signet ring set -with a large ruby, upon which Bedelia gazed with suspicious interest. -Noticing her interested expression and following the direction of -her glances, Sally began inwardly to quake, and resolved that the -mischievous little bear should be separated as far from the King as -possible. An unkind fate, however, willed it otherwise, for the Queen, -who felt rather afraid of Bedelia, promptly linked her arm in Sally’s -and the two walked slowly down the long hall, leaving the King to -follow with the little bear. Truth to tell, Her Majesty was extremely -curious with regard to this new kind of doll, which was neither made of -china nor stuffed with sawdust, and she pressed Sally’s hand and patted -her arm, consumed with curiosity, although disliking to ask of what -material she could possibly be made. - -Sally was destined to have her ideas concerning royalty turned -topsy-turvy. Indeed, all her previous notions, obtained from well -authenticated books, pictured kings and queens as quite the reverse of -what she was really finding them. The idea of a king promenading arm in -arm with a Teddy Bear, or with any kind of a bear, as far as that went! -She could not help smiling to herself to think how angry Bedelia would -be could she know of what she herself was thinking. For Bedelia had -always considered herself a most important little personage, and quite -good enough society for kings and queens, too. - -While these thoughts were chasing each other through Sally’s brain, the -Queen was interestedly, if furtively examining the little girl’s dress -and her beautiful, lustrous braids which reached below her waist. Much -was her secret astonishment to discover that the latter were not glued -on, as were her own golden tresses. This she could not fail to consider -a serious detriment, for she was the proud possessor of numerous wigs, -and simply exchanged one for another as soon as it became mussed up, a -proceeding which she considered vastly superior to having the tiresome -combing and curling done with one’s own head for a foundation, which -must be the case with Sally, of course. - -In fact, the Queen was rapidly coming to the conclusion that Sally was -a most delightful problem and one very worth while solving. To this end -she informed the pages that no one else would be given audience, and -insisted that Sally and Bedelia should spend the rest of the day at the -Palace. - -In the meantime Bedelia had been amusing the King, who found himself -highly entertained by this entirely new species of toy animal. He had -never before beheld anything like her, although very well acquainted -with every specimen in his kingdom. Toyland was destitute of Teddy -Bears, a fact that greatly astonished Bedelia, who did not know whether -to be mad or glad on account of it, and concerning which she later on -demanded an explanation of the Sign Post. However, he declared with a -solemn shake of his head that a question of such momentous import must -needs be referred to the Polly-nosed Saphead, a personage concerning -whom Bedelia was already burning with curiosity. - -However, the King declared Bedelia to be very good company for the -time being. And, though Sally was shaking in her shoes for fear of -what she might next consider it proper to do, she behaved herself in -such a bright and comical manner that His Majesty declared he would -immediately find out why none of her species had ever before penetrated -into Toyland. - -Bedelia privately decided that she would herself find out before he -did, or know the reason why. However, she intimated nothing of the -kind, and as the Queen just then suggested that they make a tour of the -Palace and grounds, the subject was dismissed for the time at least. - -The Queen now threw her long train over her arm and settling her golden -crown a little more firmly on her golden curls, she caught Sally’s hand -and the two moved towards the door, followed by the King and Bedelia. -The latter had, as a matter of course, taken the King’s arm, and now -marched along with her nose in the air, greatly to the astonishment -of the scandalized court ladies, very few of whom had enjoyed a like -honor. His Royal Highness was too much amused and diverted to feel any -embarrassment. Truth to tell, life in Toyland had been dull of late, -the same thing happening every day without change or variation, and the -King was beginning to be horribly bored. Bedelia had dropped from the -sky, as it seemed, in the very nick of time. - -The quartet proceeded through the crowd of respectfully bowing -courtiers to the big doors at the lower end of the room and passed -through them into the outer hall. The royal automobile was in waiting, -and after a general tour of the Palace the party stepped into it and -started for a ride through the charming country. - -As they reached the edge of the town, they beheld the Walking House -patiently awaiting developments and, both King and Queen desiring to -look it over, the party descended at once and proceeded to examine it. -The position of guide was, of course, snapped up by Bedelia, whose -fluency of speech fitted her very well for such work. - -The King inspected everything with the greatest interest, noting many -improvements unknown in Toyland, Both King and Queen insisted on being -introduced to all the dolls, and made themselves most delightfully -agreeable. - -The little bear now noticed for the first time the absence of Peter -Pan, a fact which she had hitherto passed by, owing no doubt to the -very good time she was enjoying. Squatting on her haunches in the -kitchen while she devoured a big, red apple—for she considered that the -claims of the inner man preceded even those of royalty—she revolved the -matter in her mind, finally coming to the conclusion that there could -be but one reason for Peter’s absence: that after their disappearance -from the doll’s house, he had discovered some means of returning to -his original size, and had availed himself of it, probably finding -the society of the doll’s house uncongenial minus Sally and Bedelia, -and preferring that of his cubs. Bedelia devoutly hoped that he had -preserved a portion of the “restorer,” as she mentally styled it, for -herself and Sally. Greatly as she was enjoying herself, she certainly -had no intention of remaining as she was for the term of her natural -life. Playing at being dolls was all very well for a season, but was -scarcely satisfying enough for a perpetual diet. Besides, there was her -family. She wondered how Tom and Jerry and Little Breeches were getting -along without her. It was something of a consolation to feel that Peter -Pan was with them in her absence. - -Bedelia’s brain worked quickly, if it was made of silk ravelings! And -she had firmly settled the whole matter in her own mind long before she -had finished the red apple. - -When she had taken the last bite and had carefully extracted the -seeds, of which, squirrel-like, she was extremely fond, she dropped -the core into the coal scuttle, wiped her paws and muzzle on Dinah’s -best apron which happened to be freshly done up and airing before the -fire, and betook herself upstairs to find out what had been going on -in her absence. As she passed the basement door, she saw the Little -Lamb scurrying out of it, but thought nothing of the incident and sped -upstairs to the drawing-room from which issued the sounds of lively -conversation. - -The King and Queen had explored every nook and corner of the Walking -House, and now expressed a most lively desire to see it walk, a request -with which the House stubbornly refused to comply. Firmly planted upon -its pedal extremities, which had to all intents and purposes turned -themselves back into castors again, it stoutly resisted all coaxing -and persuasion; and the project was finally abandoned, much to the -disappointment of their Royal Highnesses and the chagrin of Sally. - -The Queen declared it high time to be on the move, as they had brought -along an elaborate luncheon which was to be served wherever they felt -like stopping, and it was already along toward noon. Therefore they all -climbed into the auto and presently rolled away, waving good-bye to the -dolls, who were assembled in front of the house to see them go. - -[Illustration] - -A second auto with the servants and luncheon followed at a convenient -distance. There was no dust to take for the roads were all neatly -covered with velvet carpet whenever the King and Queen went abroad. The -automobile having been wound up just before it left the garage, there -was no fear of its running down, and even if it had, Sally felt quite -sure that her golden key would have been quite sufficient to start it -up again. - -The child could not but think that the King and Queen looked -exceedingly comical automobiling in their royal robes and jeweled -crowns. The long train of the Queen was dreadfully in the way, and was -always overflowing the sides of the auto and having to be re-arranged, -while her golden crown wabbled to such an alarming extent that she was -obliged to hold on to it with both hands, a proceeding which was not at -all comfortable. Nor was the King any better off, but rather worse, for -the Queen’s long and carefully dressed hair admitted of hat-pins and -formed a much better receptacle for a crown than did his own short and -curly locks. - -However, the little party was a very merry one in spite of wabbly -crowns and inconvenient court-trains. And great was the fun and -laughter as they sped gaily along through the charming country. -Presently they crossed a rustic bridge and turned into a beautiful -strip of woods, and here the Queen declared that their luncheon should -be served. It was, indeed, a lovely location. A silvery stream rippled -by and formed a charming cascade, the water having been turned on from -headquarters for the benefit of the royal party. A number of birds -of brilliant plumage hopped about among the green branches, most of -them warbling sweetly. That they had all been wound up for the special -occasion Sally did not for a moment doubt, but she was already so well -accustomed to this sort of thing that she did not in the least mind -it or consider it queer. As for Bedelia, she had never noticed the -difference. - -Just then the servants who had been approaching, bearing the big hamper -in which the lunch had been packed, suddenly dropped it and retreated -with every semblance of terror. Sally’s heart sank into her boots, and -she glanced nervously over her shoulders to ascertain if Bedelia were -missing. But the little bear was close behind and with the rest of the -party rushed forward to see what on earth ailed the royal servants. -The hamper lay upon the ground, while in one side yawned a great hole. -And within appeared a long, solemn face, terminated by a considerable -growth of beard. For Mary did not always find it quite convenient to -shave her Little Lamb as often as was really necessary. The goat’s -beard had sprouted, although the horns had not, and was proving a great -nuisance to everybody concerned. - -In a moment the solution of the whole thing burst upon Bedelia. She -remembered having seen the Little Lamb skipping out of the basement -door and surmised that he must have hidden himself in the automobile -until they were all under way and had then chewed a hole in the side of -the hamper, as he could not unfasten the lid, and finally managed to -squeeze himself in by dint of throwing out a number of articles utterly -valueless to goats but considered quite indispensable to royalty. Of -course all this had taken place behind the backs of the servants, who -evidently had never once looked around. - -Poor Sally, who recognized at the first glance the countenance of the -Little Lamb, felt that it would have been a huge relief had the ground -opened and made one mouthful of her. She was too much scandalized, as -well as too honest, to join in the terrified exclamations of the royal -couple, who, however, had but short space in which to express their -emotions. Not seeing any good reason why he should remain in his rather -cramped quarters, which he would have deserted much sooner had he not -feared to jump from the rapidly moving auto, the Little Lamb suddenly -wriggled out through the hole in the hamper’s side and taking nimbly to -his heels, scampered away and disappeared among the trees, leaving the -royal party to mourn over its departed feast. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE POLLY-NOSED SAPHEAD - - -NOBODY ever was awakened in Sleepy Town, but everyone slept just as -long as they chose. Consequently the morning was well advanced before -the King and Queen awoke, and sat up yawning and stretching in a very -unregal manner. In fact, it was just like the awakening of ordinary -folks. And when they had gotten through with this performance, they -stood up and arranged their robes and put on their crowns which they -had carefully hung up on a nearby poppy bush. Sally was also awake. She -and the Sign Post had already taken a walk down to the lake where the -little girl had looked eagerly for the Leap-Frog. But the queer little -animal was nowhere to be seen, so the two had retraced their steps, -after Sally had bathed her face and hands in the cool water. They were -very glad to find the King and Queen and Bedelia waiting for them and -eager to take the homeward way. - -As they walked towards the gates, Sally noticed quite a number of -Flussies perched on the bushes, their heads under their wings, fast -asleep. The Sign Post remarked that they were the carrier-doves of -Toyland. Here and there a furry bat, hooked on some convenient branch -by his little claws, slept peacefully. Sally remarked how pretty and -downy they were, just like little winged mice. She had always wondered -why people feared them, knowing how senseless and cruel are the -superstitions regarding the timid little creatures. - - “He prayeth best who loveth best - All things both great and small, - For the dear God who loveth us - He made and loveth all.” - -She repeated the lines half dreamily to herself, wondering if they -included the Little Lamb and others of his ilk, as they walked along -towards the entrance, where they could already see the motor car, which -had just been freshly wound up, waiting for them. - -The King and Queen climbed into the back seat, Sally and Bedelia sprang -up with the chauffeur, and with the Sign Post racing ahead on his long, -lath-like legs, they set out at a merry pace for Joytown. - -It was nearly noon when they reached the palace, and after luncheon, -the Queen proposed that they should pay a visit to the Polly-nosed -Saphead, the Wizard who really controlled more or less all the affairs -of state. As Sally was only too eager to go, they hurried away without -ceremony as soon as might be, in order to have a good long afternoon. -This rather offended all the other members of the court, who were -decidedly inclined to feel aggrieved and neglected since Sally and -Bedelia had come a-visiting to the palace. - -The Polly-nosed Saphead lived in a great, round tower about half a -mile from the palace. He had been advised of the advent of royalty by -means of the wireless telegraph, which has always existed in Toyland. -In fact, he claimed to be the inventor of it. But be that as it may, -he received the message from the King all right, and was on hand to -receive the royal party in his big audience room on the first floor. - -When they entered the hall he was discovered sitting in his big -chair of state, his shrunken little body wrapped in a loose robe of -crimson covered with queer black figures and lined with white fur, -while his two pet gargoyles sported about at his feet. Sally saw with -astonishment that he was not a doll, but a real little man, or, more -properly speaking, a little dwarf, with a great head as bald as a -billiard ball. This defect was partially concealed by one little tuft -of hair or scalp lock, which had a dreadful habit of lifting itself -straight up in the air whenever it did not agree with the sentiments -expressed by its wearer. As for the back of his head, it was as smooth -as the palm of your hand, a fact which had long ago firmly convinced -its owner that it was extremely impolite ever to turn his back on -anyone. He had, in consequence, acquired a reputation for great -courtesy, and was pointed out as a kind of Chesterfield to the rising -generation of Toyland. - -Great, flapping ears stuck out on either side of the Wizard’s little -weazened face, while his big, bulging eyes were shaded by brows and -lashes that, naturally white, were always carefully dyed to match the -scalp lock, which, if the truth must be told, was dyed too. After a -time the dye gradually wore off and grew lighter in color, so that when -the great man neglected to visit his barber at proper intervals, his -hair, not to mention his lashes, became gradually of a delicate green -hue, having worked successively through every known shade of brown -before it reached this undesirable tint. When in good condition, it -was of a rich and glossy brown, shading upon black. “Streaky,” Bedelia -cruelly declared it, the moment she laid eyes upon it. - -But the most astonishing feature belonging to the Polly-nosed Saphead -was his large, beak-like nose that, shining and fleshless, rose -determinedly from the surrounding level of his countenance like the -bill of a poll-parrot, and imparted to his general appearance an air of -forever wishing to peer into mysteries. Never did question mark more -continuously uprear a perpetual interrogation than did the great man’s -inquiring nasal organ. Hence his name “The Polly-Nosed” which, far -from being a term of ridicule, was on the contrary, a title of great -respect. For were not parrots the wisest birds in all Toyland? Whatever -the rest of the name meant in the general language of Toyland, we will -not now pause to explain. - -A real parrot of most brilliant plumage hung upside down on the back -of the wise man’s chair, suspended by its claws and evidently fast -asleep. While the gargoyles that Sally had at once perceived with great -astonishment upon entering the hall, frisked about their master’s chair. - -The little girl had never considered these queer creatures in any other -position than close up under the eaves of a church. And she had always -supposed that their chief occupation was to spout a great deal of water -out of their huge mouths. These specimens, however, judging from their -disorderly conduct, had never heard of such a place as a church. In -fact, they were just then engaged in trying to swarm up the sides of -their master’s chair, in order to pull down the parrot. That wise old -fellow, knowing that in spite of their clumsy wings, they would never -be able to reach him in his fastness without first wallowing all over -their master, slept peacefully on, upside down as he was, and never -paid any attention to them at all. - -They certainly were remarkably hideous looking creatures, having -apparently been left off when not more than half finished, for they -possessed only a head and shoulders, with great front paws and strong, -cruel looking claws. In addition to these, they each sported a pair of -dragon-like wings. They had great mouths that very nearly met around at -the back of their necks, and huge, bulging eyes, and altogether were -anything but pretty pets. - -However, they crouched on the floor at a gesture from the Wizard, who -now hurriedly got himself up out of his big chair, and came forward, -bowing and scraping with the most effusive courtesy. He had big eyes -that stuck out dreadfully and gave them a ridiculous resemblance to the -gargoyles, and so fearfully did they wiggle and roll about that Sally -began to fear they would hop out of their sockets altogether before he -had finished his profuse greetings. - -He seemed especially glad to see Sally, whom he at once perceived to be -of his own kind, and quite different from the inhabitants of Toyland. - -Everybody having greeted everybody else with much politeness and -warmth, the King announced that he would be greatly pleased if the -Wizard would show Sally the wonders of his tower, especially the -Department of the Sun, in which they were all greatly interested. - -At this the Wizard appeared greatly flattered and begged them to -excuse him for a moment. He hastened to the far end of the room where -the gargoyles had briskly renewed their efforts to get at the parrot, -seized that still soundly sleeping bird, and proceeded to hang him up -by his claws on a high bracket that had originally served to support -his own cage. Polly slept serenely and the Wizard, having tethered -the gargoyles to the legs of his great chair, returned to the waiting -party. This greatly displeased the gargoyles for by this time they had -discovered Bedelia, and were quite willing to lose the parrot if they -might get at her. It must be confessed, Bedelia did not like their -looks at all and hung to Sally’s protecting arm, although she had held -up her head and looked back over her shoulders with a provoking grin -as the whole company left the hall and began to ascend a narrow and -winding flight of stairs that led to the top of the tower. - -Up and up they went, finally stepping out upon a wide platform or -veranda that ran all around the tower, and Sally saw that the great -round sun—which she perceived at a glance to be nothing more nor less -than a big electric light within a dazzling globe of cut-glass—hung -directly over the tower. The child understood at once that the Wizard’s -great power lay in his knowledge of electricity. However, she made no -comment, nor even hinted at the fact that she had ever heard of such a -thing. - -She was not at all surprised that the Wizard offered very few -explanations. In fact, he was very jealous of his methods of working, -and feared continually that somebody else might discover them. As there -was no patent office in Toyland, the best thing he could do was to keep -his secrets to himself, which he accordingly did to perfection. - -[Illustration] - -The Sign Post, still in faithful attendance, whispered to Sally that -the great surface of the sun was kept clean by hundreds of tiny elves -who were known as the Sunshine Fairies and who spent all their lives -rubbing and polishing the glittering cut-glass surface. - -“Once in the beginning,” he said solemnly, “they grew weary and fell -asleep, and the face of the sun became dark and dusty for want of -rubbing, so that we had an eclipse.” - -Sally smiled, thinking it a great deal more likely that something in -connection with the electric plan had gotten out of order. However, she -offered no comment but nodded and smiled. - -“Since then,” continued the Sign Post, “the elves have been divided -into two companies, and at stated times they are sent off to Sleepy -Town for rest. Then when they return the others go. It is a plan that -works very well.” - -“Much better than having eclipses all the time,” broke in Bedelia -sharply. She was not very sure what an eclipse was, but had come to the -conclusion that it must be something unpleasant and disagreeable. - -Sally now perceived myriads of the little Sunshine Fairies slipping -down the cold and glittering sunbeams, and right jolly creatures they -seemed to be. Each one had two pair of hands and arms so that when one -pair grew tired of rubbing and polishing, the other might come into -play. - -Sally was not surprised to find the sunbeams cold, as the moonbeams in -Sleepy Town had been warm and quite springlike in their temperature. -However, she did feel curious concerning the manner in which they were -regulated, as the sunlight at noon was ever so much brighter than it -was at morning or evening. Accordingly she inquired of the ever ready -Sign Post, as she had a vague idea that the Wizard rather disliked -being questioned. - -It was immediately explained to her that the light was regulated by -means of many folds of soft gauze, which were operated by means of -ropes and pulleys and in as many thicknesses as were required. They -were also in various shades of yellow, pink and violet and soft gray, -so that a most beautiful twilight could at any time be had for the -asking by simply arranging the gauze in appropriate color and thickness. - -It all seemed so simple that Sally was beginning to think the Wizard -had won his fame very easily. That personage, who had of course felt -obliged to give the most of his attention to the King and Queen, now -led the way down the narrow and winding stairs, a journey which the -Sign Post made in about half as many steps with his long legs. - -Very shortly they were back again in the big audience hall. Everything -was just as they had left it, the parrot still asleep and hanging up -like a bat by his claws, and the gargoyles both dozing, one under the -Wizard’s great chair and the other upon it, each with one eye open. - -Sally, who had noticed Bedelia’s somewhat hostile attitude, was -relieved to find all the creatures asleep. But they were not long to -remain so, for the noise made by the party in returning speedily woke -them. The parrot, with a shrill cry, flew straight to her favorite -perch on the back of her master’s chair. Being still half asleep, she -did not perceive the dear little pet that occupied it until a lusty tug -at her tail and the dreadful consciousness that she had parted company -with several of her best tail feathers caused her to fly to the floor, -squawking and chattering. - -Immediately both the gargoyles gave chase, but Polly, far from -retreating, turned boldly to face her tormentors. In a moment Bedelia -had thrown herself into the thick of the fray and there ensued a very -bad quarter of an hour for everybody all around. Fur and feathers flew -and Polly, reinforced by Bedelia, would have scored a signal victory -owing to the fact that the gargoyles were tied up, while the parrot, -after delivering a series of blows with beak and claws, could always -get out of the range of their jaws. Finally the Wizard, whom none of -them seemed to mind the least bit, succeeded in restoring order. The -gargoyles were driven off to a far corner where they were tied up in -disgrace, and Polly, minus her tail feathers, was shut up in her cage, -squawking and protesting every step of the way. - -[Illustration] - -Meantime, Bedelia quickly secured the bone of contention, namely the -brilliant tail feathers, and stuck them into her fur behind her ears, -where they stood up impudently, giving her rather the aspect of an -Indian squaw. - -Peace having been restored, afternoon tea was brought in and served by -a number of jumping-jacks, who were in fine livery and powdered wigs. -The jumping-jacks were exclusively in the service of the Wizard and -very fine servants they proved to be. To be sure, one of them would -occasionally collapse and fall in a limp heap on the floor, scattering -tea and cakes all over the place. But as jumping-jacks usually do -collapse and sprawl on the ground unless properly held up by the string -that always grows out of the tops of their heads, nobody seemed to -think anything of it, or to mind it in the least. - -It seemed rather a shame to Sally that they should be compelled to wear -powdered wigs, thus covering up forever that most important string. -The poor creatures could never be quite sure when they were going to -collapse. Besides, what a quantity of tea and cakes was always being -wasted! She could not exactly figure it all out and confided her -dilemma to the Sign Post. He remarked that even were the powdered wigs -dispensed with, there would be nobody to hold up the strings. - -While this was very true, it did not help Sally in the least, and she -was rather glad when the Queen declared that it was time to leave, and -the whole party, having bade good-bye to the Wizard, with thanks for -the pleasant if somewhat strenuous visit, returned to the palace. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE WEATHER PROPHET - - -ALTHOUGH there was no night in Toyland, a species of twilight prevailed -after a certain hour, not dark enough to require lights, but it still -proved deliciously restful after a day of perfect and brilliant -sunshine. - -These twilights were, of course, engineered by the Wizard from his -tower, and by means of the gauze arrangements that the Sign Post -had explained to Sally, were blue, pink, yellow, green, and so on, -according to the fancy of the magician. - -It was quite the fad to give afternoon teas that matched the twilight -in color, and as a bulletin was posted each morning at the Wizard’s -front door announcing the shade of the twilight to come, the rest was -an easy matter. As soon as the diminishing sunlight proclaimed the -approach of evening, myriads of fireflies were let loose in all the -rooms of the palace, furnishing all the light that was necessary. -Indeed, Toyland knew nothing of lamps or candles, gas or electric -light. The cooking was all done with fuel, the secret of whose -preparation was known to the Wizard alone. It was non-explosive and -burned without consuming away, so that one good-sized chunk would -last forever. In fact, when a person went to invest in fuel, he first -had his cook stove measured and then ordered to be sent home a block -of exactly the right dimensions. When he wanted it lit all he had to -do was to use the bellows that hung by the side of every stove. This -started the fire at once, and an occasional application kept it going. -When the bellows was hung up for good, the fuel went out. In every -kitchen was employed a boy who did nothing but blow the fire with the -bellows. With such a state of affairs, conflagrations were unknown -and, in fact, unheard of. To be sure, there were plenty of iron fire -companies who appeared at intervals with other toys from the world of -human beings, but their occupation was gone forever, and they were -obliged to seek other pursuits, usually being given a place in the -standing army, a position for which their brilliant uniforms easily -fitted them. - -On this particular evening after returning from the Wizard’s palace,—it -was a pink evening, by the way—it was announced much to Sally’s delight -that the Weather Prophet had declared snow for the following morning. -If Sally was pleased, she was just as much astonished, for the weather -was warm and the month she was quite sure was June. However, as the -Wizard managed the Weather Prophet, who was only his mouth-piece, -nobody ever knew, it appeared, what sort of weather might be expected -within the next few hours. The Queen suspected that snow had been -ordered for Sally’s benefit, and said so with a smile; while the King -suggested that they should all go over to visit the Weather Prophet, -as there was nothing especially amusing laid out for the evening. This -was readily agreed to by everyone, and as soon as dinner was over they -all started forth to walk to the house of the personage who ruled the -weather. - -The evening was beautiful. A rosy flush rested upon everything, while -every wayside tree was filled with fireflies. To be sure, Bedelia -declared that the pinkish glow made them all look as if they had -scarletina. But as nobody in Toyland had ever heard of such a thing as -scarletina, her joke fell very flat indeed. - -A short walk brought them to the house of the Weather Prophet. At one -period of her life Sally would have called it a glass box, set up -on end. And that was certainly what it did look like. They caught a -glimpse of a mass of fluffy drapery within and then Bedelia exclaimed -in a tone of disappointment and chagrin, “Why, it’s nothing but a paper -doll!” - -Sure enough, a paper doll it was, and a lady doll at that. Sally had -seen just such dolls hung upon her Christmas trees year after year. In -fact, she had often helped to make the fluffy skirts of plaited crépe -paper. - -The Sign Post here whispered that the skirts were really the most -wonderful thing about the Weather Prophet, as they changed color with -the changes of the weather. - -Sally now observed hanging over the door a glass sign on which was -printed in large, golden letters - - WHEN I WEAR PINK, A STORM IS DUE, - WHEN SKIES ARE CLEAR, MY SKIRTS ARE BLUE. - -[Illustration] - -In fact, the glass sign began to repeat the stanza in a very loud voice -as soon as the party was within hailing distance, and kept repeating it -over and over until the Weather Prophet angrily ordered it to be quiet, -whereupon it became so sulky that it clouded itself all over and became -quite dim. - -As soon as the Weather Prophet could make herself heard, she greeted -her guests with the greatest affability, and when questioned concerning -the impending storm replied by pointing with a smile to her draperies, -which certainly were as pink as could be. - -“As there never is any rain here,” she explained, “a storm usually—in -fact, as a rule—means a snow storm.” Then with a friendly nod at Sally, -she added, “In your country, where I once lived, you have many kinds of -storms.” - -To this Bedelia promptly responded before Sally had time to answer, -“Snow storms, hail storms, rain storms, thunder storms and brain -storms!” - -“We have thunder storms here, too, but never any rain,” replied the -Weather Prophet. - -She was very pretty, and confided to Sally that she was the Wizard’s -wife, but that as she had to remain where her draperies could be -influenced by the weather, she seldom went to the tower. - -“Besides which, I cannot abide his horrid gargoyles,” she added, with a -contemptuous sniff. - -Sally remembered how stuffy the big hall in the tower had been and did -not at all blame the pretty doll for preferring her own bright and airy -glass house with its many ventilators and the gay, striped awnings that -could be spread out when the sun was too glaring. - -As the neat, gold paper watch that the Weather Prophet wore at her belt -now pointed to the hour of nine and Sally was beginning to look tired, -they all took leave of their charming hostess and wended their way back -to the palace, where the Queen with an affectionate kiss dismissed -Sally that she might seek the rest that she so greatly needed. - -“What on earth would nurse think if she could see us going to bed at -ten o’clock?” exclaimed the child, as she cuddled close up to Bedelia, -already half asleep on the dainty linen pillow. - -“What would she think if she could see any of it, especially the -gargoyles?” returned the little bear sleepily. - -Sally burst out laughing, remembering nurse’s dismay at sight of one -small mouse. But before her merry laugh had ceased to echo through the -room, her eyelids fell drowsily. She was fast asleep. - -They slept long and soundly, and were at last awakened by the scraping -of shovels and the sound of carts and horses in the street below. -Quickly Sally sprang out of bed, followed by Bedelia, who fell all over -herself and very nearly upset Sally in her anxiety to get to the window. - -A strange sight met their eyes. In the street below were moving back -and forth a myriad of little carts, each drawn by one horse, and -presided over by a jumping-jack. But wonderful to relate, instead of -shoveling up the snow and carrying it away, the drivers were unloading -it as fast as they could and spreading it over everything. Down the -road and as far as she could see, the child beheld a company of -Sign Posts that were mounted on huge ladders and busily engaged in -sprinkling the snow over the tops and branches of the stiff little -trees. They also hung numbers of glittering icicles on the boughs and -twigs. - -Without waiting to see any more, Sally dressed with the greatest -possible haste and flew to find her own especial Sign Post. Him she -found waiting patiently in the hall below, and in response to her eager -queries, he explained that, as Sally already knew, the temperature in -Toyland never varied. Therefore there was neither rain nor real snow. -The snow that now lay thickly spread over everything was manufactured -by the Wizard, who alone knew how to make it. - -“So you see,” concluded the Sign Post, “we can have winter whenever -Their Majesties wish for a sleigh ride.” - -They were walking along the garden path by this time, the crisp snow -crunching under their feet. Sally thought that Toyland had never looked -so beautiful as now, with every tree and roof sparkling with the -glittering snow crystals. The child picked up a few icicles and put -them carefully into her pocketbook for future reference. She felt very -much puzzled to see such a topsy-turvy state of affairs as existed in -Toyland. The idea of snow being shoveled out of carts instead of being -shoveled into them! She could but reflect, however, that a snow storm -in the nursery must have been planned and executed under very nearly -the same circumstances. - -“To be sure, they are only a lot of dolls,” she said to herself. “No -wonder that the Wizard is able to deceive them in so many ways.” - -“What becomes of all this stuff?” just then demanded Bedelia. She -had been digging down into the snow with much vigor and had promptly -discovered that it was neither cold nor wet. - -“The snow,” replied the Sign Post with dignity, “is the property of the -Wizard. When it has lain here for what he considers a proper length of -time, his servants gather it up and cart it away and it is stored up -for future use.” - -Just then a great jingling of bells was heard and a huge sleigh came -swinging up the driveway. In it was seated no less a personage than the -Polly-nosed Saphead himself, wrapped in furs and evidently in a great -state of pleasurable excitement. - -The poll parrot was perched on the back of the seat, while much to -Sally’s dismay the ugly heads of the two gargoyles appeared poking up -from among the fur robes. - -“Come for a sleigh ride,” cried the parrot before the Wizard had time -to move or speak. “Come for a sleigh ride, a sleigh ride, a sleigh -ride!” and she would no doubt have kept on repeating the invitation -indefinitely had not one of the gargoyles suddenly reared up on the -back seat and made a grab for her brilliant tail. Whereupon the Wizard -felt obliged to interfere and it was some time before peace was -restored and the great man descended with as much pomp and ceremony as -the circumstances permitted. - -He was such a bundle of furs that had it not been for his big head, -which was crowned with a large fur cap, it would have been almost -impossible to find his little shrunken body at all. He greeted Sally -with great warmth and announced that he had come to take her and the -royal party for a sleigh ride. Here Bedelia remarked in a stage whisper -that had the “royal party” been present, he would not have put Sally -first in his invitation. Nobody heeding her, however, she proceeded -to devote her attention to the parrot, the gargoyles having been left -outside in the sleigh. - -While feeling rather doubtful about riding in the same vehicle with -the ugly beasts as well as Polly and Bedelia—for she knew very well -that they would all have to go along—Sally felt obliged to accept -so pressing an invitation, especially when offered by such a mighty -personage. And word was accordingly sent upstairs to the King and Queen -who presently came hurrying down, all ready for the ride. - -In the excitement everyone had forgotten about breakfast, that is, -everyone but Bedelia. She now dived below stairs and made a swift raid -on the dining-room, whence she shortly returned with every evidence -of having restored exhausted nature with a great number of cookies, -judging from the crumbs that adorned her fur. - -As there was no further reason for delay, the whole party climbed -into the big sleigh. The Queen and Sally were on the back seat with -Bedelia between them, the King and the Wizard on the front seat with -Polly perched on the back of it directly behind her master. The -gargoyles were perched up in front with the driver, much to the dismay -of that dignified personage, who disliked them heartily. Besides, he -considered, and with some reason, that their presence detracted in no -small degree from his own liveried dignity. However, he was too much -afraid of them to vent his displeasure as he might have done had they -not been such ugly looking customers. The footman, too, felt very much -aggrieved at having his quarters curtailed by the admission of such -passengers. However, there was no help for it, and each one being -finally settled in his place, the sleigh started off with a great -jingling of bells and waving of plumes that stood up stiffly on the -heads of the mettlesome steeds and also reared themselves aloft on the -pillars of the high dashboard. - -The Wizard remarked that he had invited his wife to come along but -that as she objected to so much live stock, she had preferred to -remain where she was. Sally wondered where the Weather Prophet would -have roosted had she accepted the Wizard’s invitation, as there did -not appear to be a square inch of unoccupied room. However, she said -nothing and the sleigh sped merrily along, finally leaving the city and -swinging out into the open country. - -Here also winter fair and sparkling prevailed in all its dazzling -splendor. The King remarked that there would be fine skating to which -the Wizard replied that he had caused several pair of skates to be -brought along and that they would try the skating pond when the ladies -had had enough of the sleigh. - -This proposition was hailed with delight by all concerned. Sally could -not help wondering where they were going to find any ice. Her curiosity -was presently satisfied when the sleigh drew up beside a large sheet -of clear glass, which had been lightly sprinkled with the snow powder, -so that it was not too slippery for roller skating. Roller skating it -was to which the Wizard now invited his guests. And in a few moments -they were all speeding merrily along, each one trying to outstrip the -others. Even the gargoyles each buckled a pair of skates on his front -and only paws, and joined the merry company. And by dint of balancing -themselves with their wings, they managed very well indeed. - -The Queen was highly delighted as the skating pond was something -entirely new, and the whole party remained circling round and round -until the Wizard, looking at his watch, suddenly declared that it was -high time for twilight and that although it greatly grieved him to stop -so delightful a diversion, he really must hasten back to his tower in -order to attend to the same. He added that his wife desired the party -to take tea with her and that it would be a lavender tea. - -Everybody now took off the roller skates and piled into the sleigh, the -homeward way being taken by a different route in order that they might -lose none of the beauties of the scenery. - -As they approached the spot on which the pretty little glass house of -the Weather Prophet had stood, a cry of dismay broke from the lips of -all,—at least all but those of the Wizard. The house was gone, and -not the smallest trace of either house or Prophet remained to tell -the tale. Neither did the most systematic search reveal anything. -The baffled Wizard retired to his tower to consult the stars, as he -declared, while the rest of the party hurried to the palace to get -their own lavender tea. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE - - -GREAT was the hue and cry raised over the disappearance of the Weather -Prophet, and dire the dismay of the general public, that had daily -flocked to the pretty little glass house to learn the very latest -advice from the weather bureau. They greatly feared there could now -be no further predictions concerning sun and storm, for there never -had been but one Weather Prophet within the memory of anyone, even the -oldest of all. Even the Wizard knew nothing concerning the material -of which his wife’s magic skirts were made. A weather prophet she had -been, although badly in need of repair, upon her arrival in Toyland, -and her like had never been seen, would never be seen again. - -Queerer even than her disappearance seemed to Sally the vanishing of -her glass house. Perhaps, like the Walking House, it had found feet -and eloped, carrying off its owner, whether willing or not. Even the -loquacious glass sign was gone, which proved conclusively to the -logical mind of the Wizard, or at least he so expressed himself, that -the house had run away with the lady, and that at that very moment she -was no doubt placidly following her profession of prophesying in some -far distant region. - -Bedelia, as usual, had her own opinion concerning the matter, and went -about looking mysterious. Sally, who greatly feared that the little -bear was planning mischief, was much relieved when she finally spoke -her mind. - -“I believe that bald-headed old terror knows where his wife is,” she -declared one morning while the two were wandering through the palace -greenhouses. “She had two pet Flussies and they are gone, too. Now, -even if she was carried off by her glass house against her will, she -could have sent them back with a message. Anyway, it isn’t likely that -she went of her own accord, for she is so well known all over Toyland -that wherever she went, the Wizard would be sure to find it out and -bring her back. Besides that, she had no reason for running off. -Everybody liked her and made a fuss over her.” - -“Well, then, whatever do you suppose has become of her?” inquired Sally -breathlessly. The child had had her own misgivings, remembering the -pretty doll’s dislike for her husband’s pets. “You don’t suppose the -gargoyles could have _eaten_ her?” she added hurriedly. - -“No, and I don’t believe the Polly flew away with her,” retorted -Bedelia scornfully. “I believe she is hidden somewhere within a very -short distance from here. The Wizard has some motive for getting her -out of the way. You know he said she had refused to go sleighing with -the rest of us. He probably said that just for effect.” - -“But what could he have done with the house?” demanded Sally. - -“Oh, that could easily have been taken to pieces and moved away. He had -those imps of gargoyles to help him,” replied the little bear. Then -after a moment’s thought, she added reflectively, “As you know, the -King and Queen have gone away on business for a couple of days. Suppose -we try to unravel this mystery all by ourselves. I am sure the Sign -Post will help us. He can run very fast, besides being so tall he can -get at almost anything. Of course we won’t mention what we are doing to -anyone. It may be that I am on quite the wrong scent. But there’s no -harm in trying.” - -And Sally having given her delighted consent, Bedelia trotted off to -find the Sign Post, singing at the top of her voice - - “The owl, and the eel, and the warming pan - They went to call on the soap-fat man; - The soap-fat man he was not within - For he’d gone for a ride on his rolling-pin; - So they all came back by way of the town, - And turned the meeting-house upside down.” - -This ancient classic somehow, it seemed to Sally, applied to the -situation in hand, only it was Sally and the Sign Post and Bedelia -instead of the owl and the eel and the warming-pan. - -A bright idea suddenly struck the little girl, and she could scarcely -wait until Bedelia returned with the Sign Post to announce it to them. - -“Bedelia, dear,” she exclaimed, “if we are going to be real detectives, -we shouldn’t use our own names, because real detectives never do. Let -us call ourselves the Owl and the Eel and the Warming-Pan. It will be -so lovely and mysterious!” - -Bedelia clapped her paws with delight at this proposition, while the -Sign Post beamed approval from his lofty height. - -“With capitals, of course,” continued Sally. “And now which of us shall -be which?” - -After some discussion, it was decided that Sally should be the Owl -(with a capital), Bedelia the Eel, while the long and lean Sign Post -should be the Warming-Pan. - -This mighty problem having been settled, they proceeded to hold a -council of war and finally decided to set forth at once upon their -mission. They concluded to go on foot and, if it were not possible to -return each night to the palace, to remain wherever they could find -lodging. The Sign Post, while he had no opinion of his own at all -concerning the disappearance of the Weather Prophet, was glad to fall -in with the plans of anyone who had, and Sally perceived with delight -that he was going to be a most valuable addition to their detective -force. - -By noon their simple preparations were completed and they set forth -merrily enough, having concluded to go over the nearby ground first, -then if they discovered nothing to proceed to regions more remote. -Bedelia’s idea that the subject of their search was hidden close by -seemed sensible enough. She might be in the Wizard’s tower for that -matter. The disappearance of the house was what bothered all of them. -What use could anyone have for a vanishing glass house? It was really -most mysterious. - -They walked on, discussing the subject that was so troubling them -when suddenly the sound of heavy paws padding along behind them made -them turn quickly. And they beheld hurrying along after them a big, -white figure that Sally recognized at once as the large Polar Bear -rug that lay at the side of the Queen’s bed. He had come to life most -beautifully and only flopped in a very small degree, considering his -boneless condition. He came up panting a little and wagging his huge -head amiably as is the fashion with Polar Bears. - -“I was _so_ afraid you would get away!” he said in a panting voice, as -he linked arms with Sally and quickly fell into step with her. Then -he added, “Aren’t you surprised to see me? I never did such a thing -before. Ever since I can remember, I have lain beside the Queen’s bed. -But this morning I felt that I had reached the limit. Do let me go -along with you! I am thirsting for adventure.” - -“Do you think you could walk so far?” said Sally, eyeing his somewhat -wabbly legs rather doubtfully. “Besides, what will the Queen say when -she returns?” - -“I shall not be there to hear,” replied the Polar Bear solemnly. “And -as for walking, I can go along with the best of you. Besides, you will -find me very useful, for when you are tired, I will spread myself out -and you can rest comfortably on my long, soft hair.” He smiled so -amiably as he said this that the others at once consented to take him -along, and also informed him of the object of their journey. - -This confidence ended, they proceeded more briskly than before, and -soon the palace was left behind and they found themselves in the open -country. At the edge of the town Sally saw a most peculiar looking tree -whose queer leaves, some square, some oblong, no two of them alike, -were white instead of green, and rustled with a sound like sweetest -music as the wind whispered softly through them. - -“Oh, what a queer tree!” she exclaimed, hurrying toward it. - -“That, my dear, is a letter tree,” said the Sign Post. - -“A letter tree?” replied the child blankly. “Then you have no -post-office in Toyland?” - -“I do not know what a post-office may be,” replied the other. “But here -all our letters grow on trees. The loving thoughts of our friends to -us, why should they not bloom and bear fruit, the fruit of the heart -and brain?” - -Much impressed by the eloquence of her companion, Sally was silent, -but Bedelia remarked that she had heard of a brain-storm, but that -brain-fruit was one too many for her. - -The Sign Post, without condescending to notice the little bear’s -impertinence, lifted Sally in his long arms so that she might more -closely examine the wonderful tree, which she did with the greatest -curiosity. But although she sought all over it, there was no fruit -bearing her name. She had not expected anything, yet she somehow felt -disappointed. However, Bedelia was in the highest spirits, having been -lifted up by the Polar Bear, with whom she had struck up the greatest -friendship, and she could scarcely be restrained from appropriating a -number of letters, albeit they were all addressed to other people. - -Just as the Polar Bear was resolutely setting her down on her feet, she -made a sudden grab and descended to the ground with a letter tightly -clasped in her mischievous paw. - -“Oh, Bedelia, how could you!” cried Sally in distress. - -“Well, it’s for you, stupid!” retorted Bedelia saucily, as she thrust -the envelope under Sally’s nose. Sure enough it was, and Sally had -somehow overlooked it. It was addressed in a manner not to be mistaken: - - To Sally, - - Care of Her Royal Highness, - - The Palace, - - Toyland. - - -“How curious!” cried Sally as she eagerly tore it open. - -It read thus: - - Dear Sally:— - - Here I am shut up in the tower by that horrid old - Polly-nosed Saphead. He sent for me yesterday on the - pretense that he wanted me to go sleigh-riding, and - when he got me up here in the very top of the tower, he - locked me in and went away. He has left the gargoyles - outside the door and I can hear them scratching and - fussing around. I don’t know what he is doing this for, - but anyway he has gone off on business with the King - and Queen and I want you to bring help at once and let - me out. I know how to get even with him. Do hurry, dear - Sally. - - Yours in prison, - The Weather Prophet. - -“Didn’t I tell you so?” exclaimed Bedelia after a moment of stupefied -silence. And then she added briskly, “There’s no use standing here -staring like a lot of gawks. The thing to do is to hurry back home and -get the Weather Prophet out of prison.” - -To this all eagerly assented, and Sally fancied that she heard the -Sign Post murmur faintly, “Five miles to the palace.” Whether or not -this was true, they had come a goodly distance and were all more -or less tired, so that rest and refreshment were really necessary -before starting back on their homeward journey. Therefore they seated -themselves under the beautiful letter tree and ate the dainty food that -had been put up for them by the obliging cook before they left the -palace. There were chicken sandwiches, deviled eggs, thin slices of -cold ham and tongue, and a beautiful salad of lettuce and celery in a -bowl. And for dessert was a fine strawberry tart covered with whipped -cream and a number of most tempting little cakes. There was also a jug -of lemonade. - -The Sign Post, who had obligingly carried all these dainties dangling -from one of his long arms, helped to spread the feast and then sat down -contentedly to his own meal of shavings, which, as he now explained, -constituted his regular fare. The only variety consisted in the fact -that they were obtained from different woods, each of which possessed -its own peculiar flavor. - -The meal at last being ended, Sally and Bedelia cleared the remains of -it away, and as all felt thoroughly rested, they concluded to start -back at once to the palace. As all roads in Toyland lead to the palace, -they simply proceeded on their way instead of retracing their steps. -Sally and the Sign Post led the way, while Bedelia trotted contentedly -along with the Polar Bear. - -Presently through a break in the trees they caught a gleam of something -that glistened like ice in the cold sunshine. - -“The lake!” cried Sally. “If we only had our skates and plenty of time, -what fun we might have.” - -To which the Polar Bear responded rather severely, “Whoever heard of a -rescue party stopping to go skating?” - -And as this was very true, Sally remained silent, although feeling -rather hurt that the Polar Bear should have taken her up so suddenly. - -[Illustration] - -They were now directly on the edge of the lake, and as she gazed -down upon its glistening glass surface that gleamed with a hundred -rainbow tints, Sally suddenly uttered a loud exclamation, “The Weather -Prophet’s glass house!” she cried excitedly. “The Wizard used it to -make this lake. He carried her off and shut her up because he knew she -would object to having it pulled to pieces and made into a lake!” - -And indeed the truth of her assertion proved itself at once to the -minds of all present, for the lake had been laid in sections and one -could discern plainly enough where the top and sides of the house were -joined so as to make one flat surface. Even the pretty striped awnings -of red and white had been utilized in the construction of a tent, under -which the skaters had rested when weary with their exertions. - -Indignation at the meanness of the crafty old Wizard and sympathy for -his pretty little wife was expressed by all, and they at once hastened -forward, more resolved than ever to rescue her from the clutches of the -Wizard, or to perish in the attempt. - -They made very good time, the Sign Post carrying Sally and Bedelia turn -and turn about when either felt tired. But it was near the hour for -twilight before the towers and gables of the royal palace came into -view. Sally suddenly remembered that in the absence of the Wizard there -would probably be no twilight, a fact that she had not before thought -of. They would have to do their work in broad daylight. However, they -hurried along and were soon in the grounds of the Wizards palace. - -High up in the tip-top window of the lofty tower they saw fluttering -a tiny white object that was evidently the handkerchief of the poor -little prisoner, for having seen them she was waving it frantically. - -All was silent and deserted. The Wizard had locked up everything -securely and had given a holiday to his servants, fearing that they -might notice the effort of his prisoner to make herself heard, which -effort she was pretty certain to make. Consequently the little party -had nothing to fear in the way of encountering guards. How to effect an -entrance was, however, quite another matter, for everything was bolted, -barred and padlocked. The problem was finally solved by the Sign Post, -who stood on his very tiptoes and triumphantly boosted Bedelia in at -the third story window, which had been left open as being too high up -to offer a means of egress for the prisoner. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -THE ECLIPSE - - -ONCE inside, Bedelia quickly gave a hand to Sally and in a moment -the little girl, lifted up by the Sign Post, stood beside the small -bear. The Sign Post now swiftly swung himself up to the balcony, -being assisted in no small degree by the Polar Bear, who for various -reasons remained below. He was to keep watch and give notice if anyone -approached. - -It was now arranged that as the Sign Post was far too tall to navigate -around inside of the house, he should climb from one balcony to another -until he reached the top and if possible effect the rescue of the -Wizardess from the outside. This seemed very satisfactory to Sally and -Bedelia, neither of whom exactly liked the idea of encountering the -gargoyles which they knew were wandering about, unfettered, in the dark -halls. - -[Illustration] - -Anxiously they waited, watching the long legs of the Sign Post as they -trailed over the edge of the upper railing. Then they disappeared and -all was painful suspense for what seemed at least a century. Then at -a shout from the Polar Bear they both rushed out on the balcony. They -beheld the Sign Post swinging himself swiftly down from balcony to -balcony, which he appeared to do with the utmost ease and looking more -like a big spider than anything else—all legs and arms. Clinging to -his neck was the Weather Prophet, her fluffy skirts flying every which -way in the fine breeze. Presently he had reached the ground and having -gently set his fair burden down, he quickly scrambled back again and -hastened to bring down Sally and Bedelia, who were beginning to feel a -wee bit nervous as they had tried the door of the room in which they -were and had found it locked on the outside. And right thankful they -were to find themselves on the green grass below, comforting the little -Weather Prophet, who was overjoyed to find herself at liberty. - -Where she should go was the next question. The Wizard might return -at any moment, and her own house was a house no longer. Suddenly an -expression of delight flashed over Sally’s face. - -“Let us go to the Walking House!” she exclaimed. “You will be quite -safe there and if anyone comes in pursuit, the house can easily escape -with you.” - -To this the Weather Prophet gave a joyful assent. - -“Let us go quickly, quickly!” she cried. “I feel it in my bones, in my -skirts, I mean, that we are going to have something very unusual. In -fact, according to the calculations, we are going to have an eclipse of -the sun in about a quarter of an hour.” - -Here she winked at Bedelia with a gesture so comical that the little -bear rolled over laughing. - -“Come, don’t let us delay,” exclaimed the rescued one, and hand in hand -they hurried away from the Wizard’s tower, which was soon completely -obscured from view by the thick trees that surrounded it. - -At the edge of the park they paused and as the distance to the Walking -House was several miles, The Sign Post suggested that he should procure -a conveyance and also some wraps for the Weather Prophet in order that -none might recognize her. Accordingly he disappeared swiftly and soon -returned with one of the autos from the royal garage. As for Sally, -Bedelia and the Weather Prophet, you could never have told one from the -other in their coats and goggles, while the Polar Bear cuddled around -their feet, thus keeping them nice and warm. - -Away they flew, the Sign Post for once in his life perched next the -chauffeur with his long legs doubled up as much as possible and the -rest of them hanging over the dashboard. The chauffeur was an old -oyster, who had been chosen for this capacity because he was _dumb_, -and could not voice his suspicions provided he felt any. - -As the Walking House stood on the very edge of the town, it took at -least fifteen minutes to reach it, and although the chauffeur made good -speed, just as they were drawing up in front of it, darkness, sudden, -swift and ominous, fell upon Toyland. - -It was altogether a hopeless darkness, for which the inhabitants of -Toyland were totally unprepared. Lamps and candles were unknown and the -people crouched in their gay little houses panic-stricken. - -Only in the Walking House did lights appear, for in accordance with -custom, candles and candelabra adorned mantels and tables, and it was -the work of only a moment to light them all. Gaily Sally and her party -hurried into the house, Sally racing downstairs to find Dinah, for they -were all as hungry as wolves, while Bedelia escorted the guest of honor -upstairs to remove her wraps. - -The Polar Bear stretched himself before the front door, making a very -effectual guard in case of danger. - -[Illustration: The dolls had come down into the parlor to be introduced -to the new arrivals.] - -At Sally’s suggestion, all the shades were drawn down so that no -ray of light might pierce the outer darkness—darkness that covered -everything like a muffling cloak, in which the inhabitants of Toyland -were helplessly floundering about, and which was sure to last until the -Wizard came back to set things straight. - -“And a fine time he’ll have doing it,” remarked the Weather Prophet -with a toss of her pretty little head. “He won’t be able to see his -hand before his face, and I took care to leave his old electric -machines in such a muddle that he’ll have his hands full—fuller than -they’ve ever been with all the cares of state included.” - -Sally, who had suspected as much, tried to reprove her, but ended by -laughing outright. The Weather Prophet was so very like Bedelia when in -her impish moods. - -As for Bedelia herself, the idea tickled her so that she laughed until -she rolled off the sofa on which she had been sitting and proceeded to -bounce up and down on the floor like a fat rubber ball. Then as soon -as she was able to get her breath, she sat up, panting and rubbing the -tears out of her eyes with both paws. - -“My face is leaking! I must be turning into a gargoyle,” she exclaimed, -which of course started everybody laughing all over again. - -By this time all the dolls had come crowding down into the parlor to -be introduced to the new arrival. Sally did not consider it wise to -introduce the Weather Prophet by her real name, feeling that if a -strict investigation should be made, it would be safer if none of the -dolls were aware of her identity. So it was that she was known to the -inhabitants as Nellie, a name that had suggested itself to Bedelia. - -Sally feared that her own disappearance and that of Bedelia would be -connected with that of the Wizard’s wife, and therefore resolved to -take every precaution. The eclipse of course would retard any search -that the Wizard might see fit to make. But what to do with the fugitive -lady for the rest of her life was a question. She flatly declared -she would never return to the Wizard and was wild with rage when she -learned the use to which her pretty little glass house had been put. - -While all the pleasant acquaintance-making was going on in the Walking -House, an automobile containing a badly rattled Wizard was slowly -picking its way along through the inky blackness. The old gentleman -was shrewd enough to guess the cause of the eclipse, although he had -been quite sure in the beginning that his wife was locked up too -securely to be able to get at anything. He had started forth at once, -greatly against the wishes of the King and Queen who, of course, -could not understand the cause of his anxiety, and who much preferred -to stay behind until the sun shone again. But the Wizard had taken -immediate flight, and was now hurrying back to his tower as rapidly as -circumstances and the eclipse would permit. On the principle that all -roads led to the palace, the chauffeur kept straight on through the -pitch darkness, tooting his horn occasionally to prevent a collision -with any other eclipse-belated wayfarer who might be floundering about -on the same road. - -The snow made it somewhat difficult and altogether the trip was -anything but a pleasant one, and the Polly-nosed Saphead was glad -indeed when he at last found himself in front of his gloomy tower. -Instead of stopping there, however, he ordered the chauffeur to go on -to the palace, much to the dismay of that personage, who considered -that he had already traveled far enough. Nevertheless he put on speed -and soon arrived at the royal residence. - -Here the Wizard quickly alighted and hastened into the palace. He was -gone some time and the chauffeur was growing very impatient when he -at last reappeared, triumphantly bearing in his hands a large wicker -cage in which were gleaming and glowing all the fireflies that were -accustomed always to be liberated at twilight. He chuckled to himself -as he was whirled back to his tower, and in a few moments was inside -and hastening toward the room that contained his electric plant. - -The gargoyles came hurrying down to meet him, and it was a very good -thing that he carried a light, for had they caught him alone in the -darkness, they would no doubt have made a meal of him. As it was, they -recognized him at once and came flapping joyously along with hoarse -growls of welcome. But the Wizard now had no time to waste on his pets. -Pushing them roughly aside, he dove into his laboratory and after one -look around, sank upon a chair with a groan that the gargoyles heard as -they crouched against the door in the darkness outside, and to which -they replied with sharp growls. - -Everywhere reigned confusion worse confounded. Wires were cut, -batteries disconnected, wreck and ruin faced him on every side. The -Wizard smote his breast and fairly wept with rage. - -“Call me the Wizard of Was,” he ejaculated, “for nobody but a -good-for-nothing old back number would have gone off and left that minx -to get in her fine work here.” - -“The Wizard of Was! The Wizard of Was!” a mocking voice cried out of -the darkness. And the terrified Wizard jumped to his feet, while a peal -of unearthly laughter rang through the room. The next moment he sat -down again, much relieved. The parrot had fluttered in after him quite -unobserved, and, perched on the high mantel-shelf, was imitating her -master at pleasure. Hearing the familiar voice, the gargoyles began to -scratch and snarl at the door. They considered it very unfair that the -parrot should be allowed inside while _they_ were banished to outer -darkness. - -“Shut up!” he commanded, fiercely throwing his words at the parrot -like shots from a gun. And then, “Lie down there, will you?” this -accompanied with a vigorous slap applied to the top of his head, for -his scalp-lock had suddenly lifted itself erect and was standing -straight up in the air. - -[Illustration] - -“You don’t like the looks of things, hey? Well, I don’t either. But -just mind your own affairs. I’ll attend to the rest.” Then pulling -himself vigorously together, he set to work to repair the damage as -best he could, although he foresaw plenty of hard work ahead of him -before the sun could shine out again. Right well he knew that his -reputation as a wizard would be gone forever did the present state -of affairs continue for any length of time, and while he worked, he -concocted a story which he intended to give out to the public on the -morrow. - -As far as his wife was concerned, he had no doubt that she was -wandering about in the upper darkness at the very top of the tower, -for it never occurred to him that she could have escaped. He supposed -that she had merely climbed out of one window and into another, and -so effected an entrance to his rooms where was kept all the electric -machinery with which he manipulated the sun. - -While he was fussing and fuming, raging at the parrot and scolding the -gargoyles, his pretty little wife was in close confab with Sally and -Bedelia. - -“I don’t exactly understand about that letter tree,” Sally remarked, as -she softly scratched the little bear’s fuzzy ears and at the same time -gently patted Nellie’s little hand that lay upon her knee. - -The three were stretched cosily on the Polar Bear rug in front of the -glowing grate, having put on kimonos and let down their back hair—at -least, all but Bedelia who wore her usual fur costume. - -“Well, my dear,” replied the Weather Prophet, “you see we have no -postal system such as yours, and indeed it is quite unnecessary. -Whenever we want to communicate with anyone, we simply think our -message just as hard as we can, and very shortly our thoughts burst -forth into buds and blossoms on one of our letter trees. There are -quite a good many of them in Toyland.” - -“And how does your friend know?” inquired Sally. - -“Oh, one’s friend always has an impression that a letter is waiting. -You had one, although you didn’t know it, or you would not have taken -the road to the letter tree,” replied the Weather Prophet. - -“How very wonderful!” exclaimed the child, while Bedelia, who had been -rubbing her head gently against Sally, remarked that it certainly made -a wonderful saving in stamps and stationery. - -“And there is one thing I have to confess,” went on the Weather -Prophet, suddenly holding up a small, glittering object which Sally at -once recognized as her little golden key. “Had it not been for this, I -never could have gained access to all the private rooms and closets of -the Wizard’s tower, although I climbed out of my own window and in at -his. The gargoyles, whom you know I fear and despise, were loose in the -hall outside my door so I had to choose the other way.” - -“But how did you get the key?” demanded the little girl, as she -smilingly hung it on her gold chain and replaced the two around her -neck. “I never missed it,” she added. - -“You dropped it the day you were in my house, and I fancied, as soon as -I saw it, that it was a magic key. Of course, I meant to return it the -very next time I saw you, but no opportunity offered. Take good care of -it, my dear. It is a wonderful little talisman.” - -Sally nodded assent to this and presently all three, being tired out -with the day’s adventures, tumbled into bed, Sally feeling delighted to -be back once more in her own cosy little room. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -SALLY FINDS THE ENCHANTED WOOD - - -IT took nearly two days for the Wizard to get things in the tower -once more into proper shape and during all that time the eclipse hung -heavily over Toyland. The Wizard had worked feverishly with no light -save that obtained from the fireflies that he had stolen from the -palace. He was shaking in his shoes for fear the King and Queen should -return and find that the only source of illumination had been cut off. -As not even the wireless telegraph was working, he had been unable to -communicate with Their Majesties, but feared that they must be very -impatient by this time and that they might make their appearance at any -moment. - -It was difficult to get on with only the light afforded by the -fireflies, and he chuckled grimly as he pictured the Weather Prophet, -who had so reveled in the sunshine of her glass house, pining in the -darkness in which he supposed she was locked up. - -The room in which he had left her was on the opposite side of the -tower, and he had only to cross the hall to reach it, but he savagely -vowed to himself that he would not go near her, and that he didn’t care -if she starved to death. After a while, however, the extreme quiet got -on his nerves, and he began to wonder how it was that no sound at all -came to him from the room across the hall. Presently he tiptoed very -softly to the door and listened. But all was still as could be—nothing -moved or breathed. - -He went back to his work, but a feeling of uneasiness possessed him. -The Queen was very fond of his pretty wife, and he knew that he would -be called to strict account should he be the cause of any ill befalling -her. After a little while he went back again and listened, but still he -could hear nothing. After a moment of hesitation, he opened the door -and went in. - -By the radiance afforded by the fireflies, he saw at once that the -room was empty. Even the food that he had left there was untouched. A -hurried visit to all the other rooms on the floor failed to discover -the object of his search. Really terrified, he sat down to consider. -Suppose she had thrown herself down from the balcony, and was at that -moment laying on the ground below, dashed to pieces! He had not the -courage to go and investigate. For like most people who brag a great -deal about themselves, the Wizard was an arrant coward. He fled back -to his work, stopping not for food or rest, with the result that on -the morning of the third day the sun shone brilliantly once more over -Toyland. - -A great notice was posted at the gate of the tower, announcing that the -sun had been swallowed up by an enormous dragon known to science as the -Ictotherium; that the Wizard had engaged him, single-handed, and by his -magic arts had compelled him to disgorge his brilliant meal and flee -the country. - -The bulletin went on to state that the Weather Prophet had been carried -away by the dragon. Prompted by curiosity, she had exposed herself on -the high balcony at the top of the tower, contrary to the advice of her -husband. The notice concluded with the announcement that there would be -a purple twilight that afternoon, beginning promptly at five-thirty and -advising that violets would be a suitable adornment for the afternoon -tea tables. - -Great was the grief expressed by everyone when the fate of the Wizard’s -pretty little wife became generally known, for she had been a general -favorite. Indeed, public sorrow almost outweighed public joy, delighted -as everyone was that the sun shone once more. The Wizard shut himself -up in his tower and refused to see anyone, and the general supposition -was that he was prostrated with grief. To tell the truth, his -jumping-jacks were scouring the country to see if they could discover -any trace whatsoever of his wife, while he himself was nearly wild with -anxiety lest she should suddenly pop up at some unlucky moment and give -the whole thing away. - -Early that morning Sally had started for the tower, as she knew that -a bulletin of some sort would be posted. The little girl was glad to -see daylight once more and also to be able to take a good long walk, -and she skipped along in the bright sunshine, occasionally giving a -little jump for sheer joy. The period of the eclipse had been a tedious -one for her, as she despised being shut in the house. So now she made -very good time along the highway, and so thoroughly did she manage to -interest herself in everything and everybody that before very long she -found that she had lost her way. - -Now, of course in Toyland it is not such a very serious thing to lose -one’s way, for as everybody knows, all roads lead to the palace. -However, Sally was greatly surprised to suddenly find herself in a -little strip of woods, with no road at all visible in any direction, -and without even a path to show the way that others had taken. She -recollected having left the highway to run after a queer looking figure -that had attracted her attention and which had kept just beyond her, -dodging along behind trees and bushes. And then, just as she had come -up to it, had vanished as completely as though the ground had swallowed -it. And then she had awakened to the fact that she was lost. - -“How provoking!” she said crossly to herself. “If I ever get hold of -the animal that coaxed me in here, I’ll show him what’s what.” - -She had spoken out loud, and at the same time shook her little fist in -a decidedly threatening manner. - -“I’m no animal, I’ll have you know,” exclaimed a shrill, squeaky voice -so close to her that she jumped at least a foot in the air. - -And whirling around, she beheld just at her elbow the queerest little -man that she had ever laid eyes on. He was white all over, with floppy -arms and legs, and a squatty, flabby body and a head that wabbled. And -he had a general appearance of being all tied up in knots. It was the -creature that she had been following to her own undoing, and for a -moment she glared at it as if she would fall upon it tooth and nail. -The very next she fell to laughing as if she would burst. - -[Illustration: “Oh, I know you! You are just tied out of a -handkerchief.”] - -“Oh, I know you!” she exclaimed breathlessly. “You are just tied out of -a handkerchief. I have often made a lot of you at home to hang over the -chandelier with long strings. And when I pulled the strings you danced.” - -“I do not know where home may be,” returned the Handkerchief Man -crossly, “but I do know that you never pulled any strings as far as -I am concerned.” Then he added, peering anxiously about, “Have you -happened to see my brother, the Doughnut Man? He came here yesterday to -pick buttons which he sells to the people in town who are too lazy to -come out and pick them for themselves.” - -“To pick buttons?” ejaculated Sally, and then she added severely, “I -don’t believe he ever found this place while the eclipse was going on. -Nobody could have found anything, not even himself.” - -“That’s just it; he lost himself. Nobody ever finds this place unless -he loses himself. That makes it even, you know. You’re lost, I’m lost, -my brother is lost, and the Peppermint Stick is lost. Everybody is -lost.” - -Sally felt unable to contradict him, although she wanted to badly -enough. Therefore she demanded with some asperity: - -“What is the Peppermint Stick? It sounds good to me.” - -“You mean _who_ is the Peppermint Stick. Well, he was a candy cane in -his youth and hung on a Christmas tree. Oh, you’ll be sure to like him, -he’s so sweet.” - -“If I happen to see a doughnut and a candy cane anywhere between here -and next Christmas, I shall eat them,” declared Sally firmly. - -She drew up her pink lips in a hungry grin, showing all her sharp -little white teeth. - -The effect of her words on the Handkerchief Man was entirely -unexpected, for after gazing at her for a moment as if fascinated, he -exclaimed feebly, “Alas, my brother!” then threw up his wabbly arms and -fell over in a dead faint. - -“Now, what would anybody do with a thing like that?” exclaimed Sally. - -Picking up the Handkerchief Man, she shook him vigorously, but as he -refused to revive, while every bit of him flopped unpleasantly, she -presently propped him up against a tree and started off by herself, -resolved to investigate the queer bit of woods which nobody ever found -without first losing himself. - -“The very idea of a handkerchief behaving like that!” she said to -herself as she trotted along, keeping an eye open for the button bush -concerning which she had already heard. But no sign of it appeared, -neither did she find herself any nearer to the road. On the contrary, -she seemed to be getting deeper and deeper into the woods. The trees -grew closer and closer together, while the bushes seemed thicker and -thicker. At last it seemed that there was no longer even a little path -between the dense growths and that if she wished to proceed further, -she must push her way through. As she paused for a moment to consider, -something small and very hard struck her smartly on the nose. This blow -was followed up by another and another. Thoroughly astonished, she -stopped and picked up one of the missiles that lay shining directly at -her feet. Then she uttered a little exclamation of joy: - -“The Button Bush!” she cried excitedly. - -“Yes, the Button Bush,” retorted a voice above her head, and the Bush -shook itself again indignantly, sending a shower of the buttons of all -sizes and descriptions pelting over the little girl. - -“If you please,” began Sally rather timidly, “if you please, have you -seen the Doughnut Man anywhere about?” - -Just as she spoke a queer looking figure came swiftly around from the -other side of the bush. Sally saw that its body was composed of large, -puffy doughnuts, while his head and limbs were formed of the same -edibles in smaller sizes. It was almost staggering under the weight of -a great basket of buttons that it was lugging along, while its round -eyes, which consisted of two plump raisins, seemed popping out of its -head with the exertion. - -“He looks good to me. I wonder how he tastes,” said Sally to herself, -involuntarily taking a step forward. But the Doughnut Man, holding his -basket of buttons firmly in front of himself as if it were a shield, -advanced smiling and not at all as if he had any idea of being devoured. - -“I beg your pardon, but did you happen to see the Peppermint Stick -anywhere hereabouts?” he inquired politely. - -“No, but I found the Handkerchief Man. He fainted,” returned Sally -promptly. “I couldn’t bring him to and I was afraid to shake him any -more for fear he would come untied, and then he would have been nothing -but a plain handkerchief. So I propped him up against a tree and left -him. No doubt he is all right by this time. Would you like to go back -and see?” - -“Oh, no,” returned the other quickly. “You see, we are both lost, you -and I, or we shouldn’t be here at all. So what is the use of looking -for that peevish chap? He has very little backbone anyway. Very little -backbone,” he repeated sadly, while a tear rolled down his crisp, fried -cheek. - -“I don’t see what that has to do with it,” began Sally. But her -companion interrupted her with a great want of manners. - -“Oh, nothing has anything to do with anything else here, because -everything is lost, more or less. As soon as anything finds itself, it -gets away. So will you and so will I and so will the Peppermint Stick.” - -“Bless my soul, how very curious! Are you quite sure that you are not -all crazy instead of being all lost?” exclaimed Sally saucily. - -“Maybe _you_ are crazy, although I don’t know what that means,” replied -the other sadly. - -“Well, I can’t stop to explain now. It would take too long,” returned -the child smartly, “but if you ever come across it, you’ll know. -Anyway, if you had your brother here now, you could mop up your tears -with him,” and as she spoke, she dexterously flipped away a large, -round one that hung trembling on the very end of the Doughnut Man’s -stubby nose. - -“There you go again! Really, it’s very upsetting when one doesn’t -understand a thing you mean. Then there’s the Button Bush. She’s mad -again because I came for more buttons. What good are buttons on a bush, -anyway? They’ve got to be picked while they’re ripe or else they all go -to seed. Really, it’s very unreasonable.” - -“I suppose you have a good trade in buttons,” suggested the little girl -politely. “But who, pray, is the Peppermint Stick? Is he good to e—” -She caught herself hastily, somehow feeling that the Doughnut Man would -be displeased by what she had been on the verge of saying. Something -under her apron warned her that it must be near lunch time, for her -breakfast had been but a light one, and then she was _very_ fond of -peppermint. - -“Yes, indeed, I have a very good trade,” replied the Doughnut Man. -“Only it would be more congenial if the Button Bush would quit giving -herself such ridiculous airs. As for the Peppermint Stick, he isn’t -good for anything in particular as far as I know. Long ago he was a -cane and was hooked on the bough of a Christmas tree. Nobody ate him -and he had a bad fracture, the result of being dropped. So in the -course of time, he drifted here and the Gloo-Gloos fixed him up. The -only thing I don’t like about him is that he is striped. Now I simply -abominate stripes, although I adore polka dots. But tastes differ. -Perhaps you like stripes?” - -“I don’t mind them at all in peppermint,” replied Sally. “And I would -show him that I didn’t if I only could get my teeth into him,” she -added to herself. - -“Well, I suppose we had better try to find our way out of this,” said -the other after a short silence. He was evidently anxious to get back -to town with his stock in trade and Sally was growing extremely hungry. -Accordingly, the two started forth and after wandering along for -some time at length discovered a little beaten track which gradually -broadened until it finally became a footpath. - -This, they felt quite sure, would conduct them to their desired -destination. As they were hurrying along, they suddenly came upon -a little cottage so completely hidden among the trees that it was -scarcely discernible. - -“Ah, now I know where we are! This cottage belongs to an old Codfish. -He makes his living by weighing people at so much apiece.” - -“By weighing people?” cried Sally in amazement. “Does anybody ever come -here?” - -“Nobody,” replied the other promptly. “But then he has the _scales_, -and of course feels as if he should use them.” - -“Very scrupulous, I’m sure,” said Sally gravely. She strained her eyes, -hoping to catch a glimpse of the conscientious Codfish. But everything -about the tiny cottage was tightly closed, and an air of desertion hung -about the place. Over the door hung a small sign on which was inscribed -in tall letters: - - PEOPLE WEIGHED HERE. - C. FISH. - -and below this was the picture of a Codfish standing by a pair of -scales, while a crowd of people were advancing in the foreground, all -apparently anxious to avail themselves of the opportunity. - -[Illustraion: Sally and Doughnut man looking at Codfish] - -As Sally and the Doughnut Man came abreast of the sign, the child was -almost paralyzed with amazement to see the Codfish nimbly hop off, -followed by the scales and all the people, and come running briskly -towards them. - -“I’ve stood up there vegetating long enough,” cried the Codfish. “And -I’m actually perishing for want of a swim. No one wants to be weighed -anyhow. Why should they?” - -He shot out the question with so impressive, not to say ferocious a -manner that nobody cared to answer. Only one member of the crowd that -had hopped off the sign protested feebly that he had been waiting for -a long time. However, as nobody paid any attention to him, he soon -relapsed into silence. - -“If you know the way out of these woods, for goodness’ sake show us,” -exclaimed the Doughnut Man. - -To which the Codfish responded by beginning to sing in a very loud -voice: - - “The elephant sat on the railroad track, - By the light, by the light, by the light of the moon, - Picking his teeth with a baseball bat, - By the light, by the light of the moon.” - -“I don’t see what that has to do with it,” exclaimed Sally impatiently. -Then turning to the Doughnut Man, she added severely, “You said just -now that you knew where we were, and you don’t at all.” - -“Oh, to be sure I do, and so do you. We are right opposite the -Codfish’s house,” retorted the other. Then he added thoughtfully, “What -seems so very queer to me is that we haven’t come across the Peppermint -Stick.” - -As nobody cared a snap about the Peppermint Stick and as Sally felt -that there was no use in arguing with any of them, she suggested that -they should make a move, and herself taking the lead, they started -forth in Indian file. - -“Idiots!” muttered the little girl to herself. “To think that they’ve -lived here all their lives and don’t know anything about the place!” - -She hurried along at such a brisk pace that the others found some -difficulty to keep up, especially the Doughnut Man, burdened as he was -by his huge basket of buttons. After they had gone a mile or so, the -little girl suddenly uttered a cry of joy, for she beheld an opening -in the trees and saw that a few steps would bring them to the edge -of the wood. Upon emerging from the dense shadows of the trees, they -found that it was already twilight and Sally no longer wondered at her -ravenous appetite. - -Once on the highroad, it was easy enough to find the way home, and -hither she hastened, feeling glad enough when she beheld the lights of -the Walking House through the shadows. - -The Weather Prophet ran to meet her, her face sparkling with excitement. - -“The King and Queen have been here,” she cried, “and they were so -delighted to find that I was not devoured by a horrid dragon that they -are going to take me to live with them at the palace, and build a -beautiful crystal tower for my use exclusively.” - -She then told Sally of the Wizard’s bulletin and added that, as he -had humbly begged her pardon and promised never to interfere with her -again, she had not betrayed him to the King and Queen. - -“I guess that was the best thing to do,” said Sally, as she sat down -to a substantial supper. “Nobody else understood about the sun and a -perpetual eclipse would have been perfectly awful.” - -“Quite so,” returned the Weather Prophet, and after a little, Sally -having related the day’s adventures, they all went to bed. - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber’s note: - -Obvious punctuation errors were corrected. - -Page 139, “principal” changed to “principle” (principle that all roads) - -Page 149, “hankerchief” changed to “handkerchief” (out of a -handkerchief) - -Page 159, “arguin” changed to “arguing” (in arguing with any of) - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A LITTLE MAID IN TOYLAND*** - - -******* This file should be named 52047-0.txt or 52047-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/2/0/4/52047 - - -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. 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Russell</h1> -<p>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="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you are not -located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this ebook.</p> -<p>Title: A Little Maid in Toyland</p> -<p>Author: Adah Louise Sutton</p> -<p>Release Date: May 11, 2016 [eBook #52047]</p> -<p>Language: English</p> -<p>Character set encoding: UTF-8</p> -<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A LITTLE MAID IN TOYLAND***</p> -<p> </p> -<h3>E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Emmy,<br /> - and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> - (http://www.pgdp.net)</h3> -<p> </p> -<hr class="pg" /> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<h1 class="faux">A LITTLE MAID -IN TOYLAND</h1> -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 626px;"> -<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="626" height="800" alt="cover" /> -</div> -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> - - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 569px;"> -<img src="images/illus001.jpg" width="569" height="674" alt="Santa Claus with enormous head skating with girl" /> -<div class="caption">THE SLEIGH DREW UP BESIDE A LARGE SHEET OF CLEAR GLASS, LIGHTLY -SPRINKLED WITH SNOW POWDER SO THAT IT WAS NOT -TOO SLIPPERY FOR ROLLER SKATING</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> -<div class="bbox"> -<div class="maintitle">A LITTLE MAID<br /> -IN TOYLAND</div> - -</div> -<div class="bbox"> -<div class="center"><br /><br /><br />BY<br /> -<span class="author">ADAH LOUISE SUTTON</span><br /> -<span class="authorof">AUTHOR OF<br /> -“MR. BUNNY, HIS BOOK,” “THE TEDDY BEARS,” ETC.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /> -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 78px;"> -<img src="images/illus002.jpg" width="78" height="20" alt="leaves" /> -</div> - -<div class="center"><br /><br /><br /> -PICTURED BY A. RUSSELL<br /> -<br /><br /><br /> -<br /></div></div> -<div class="bbox"><div class="center"> -THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY<br /> -CHICAGO AKRON, OHIO NEW YORK<br /> -<br /></div></div><div class="copyright"> -MADE IN U. S. A.<br /> -</div> -<hr class="chap" /> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> - - - - -<div class="copyright"> -COPYRIGHT, 1908<br /> -<br /> -By<br /> -<br /> -<span class="smcap">The Saalfield Publishing Company</span><br /> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER I<br /> - -<small>THE WALKING HOUSE</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-t.jpg" width="90" height="82" alt="T" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">THE doll’s house stood in the most convenient corner of -the nursery, having, like Noah’s dove, found rest only -after a somewhat varied and tempestuous experience. -Sally had not been at all able to make up her mind just -what location suited her best, and the house had patiently traveled, -or, in other words, had been propelled by the united efforts of Bob -and Sally—“The corporal pushed and the sergeant pulled”—the -one dragging, the other pushing, from corner to corner and from -side to side of the spacious room. Not a piece of furniture but -had been moved out of the way that the doll’s house might stand -in its place, and was as methodically moved back again when the -building resumed its travels. Never did it remain in one place for -longer than twenty-four hours, much to the disgust and terror of its -inmates, who were frequently joggled from their chairs and tilted -out of bed as their domicile renewed its pilgrimage. They concluded -by naming it the Walking House, which certainly seemed -appropriate enough under existing circumstances.</p> - -<p>Finally, when the Walking House had traveled around the -nursery, Sally decided that the very best position was the one it had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> -at first occupied, a sunny spot between two windows, and at night -lighted from above by a bracket from which depended four electric -bulbs. To be sure, the dresser, to which this post of vantage had -originally belonged, became very sulky at being deprived of her -rights, and purposely twisted off one of her castors while in transit -to the other side of the room. But as nothing in the world was -easier than for John, the man of all work, to screw another castor -in its place, nobody really minded it the least little bit.</p> - -<p>A great man by the name of Ruskin once said that “Architecture -is frozen music.” Now the architecture of the Walking -House was no description of music at all, and I have no doubt that -the gentleman who admired Grecian architecture would have held -up both hands in dismay at mentioning architecture and the Walking -House in the same breath. Truth to tell, the building had been -designed by Sally herself, and had been elaborated by John’s handy -fingers from a number of good-sized boxes procured from the grocery -man. The boxes diminished in size as the house soared upward, -the whole terminating in a peaked roof under whose roomy gable -Sally had planned and consummated an attic for her beloved dollies -that would have put to shame the garret of many a grown-up housekeeper.</p> - -<p>All the rest of the rooms had been papered by the children’s -deft fingers in neat little designs procured from Mr. Brouse, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> -gentleman with a wooden leg who lived three blocks away and then -around the corner and up one flight, as he himself was wont to describe -it. And although he really did live up one flight as far -as eating and drinking and sleeping were concerned, the shop was in -reality only up one step—that most fascinating shop, from whose -mysterious recesses might be procured rolls of the most delightful -wall paper, which was surely invented and designed simply and -solely for the decoration of doll houses.</p> - -<p>Mr. Brouse was an old soldier, according to his own account, -and indeed was familiarly addressed as “Captain” by his intimate -cronies. He had lost a limb in a mysterious battle, the name of -which, as spoken by himself, Sally had never been able to discover -in any one of several histories of the United States through -which the little girl had patiently toiled in search of it. However, -Sally had unbounded faith in her hero, for such she considered -him to be; and her admiration was returned with interest by -the retired “Captain” who, with his own hands—that, as Bob seriously -remarked, had once wielded a sword—carried to the nursery a -large pail of paste and assisted in hanging the wall paper, and many -a difficult corner he had arranged with neatness and despatch. He -had even tacked up tiny mouldings made from the slender strips of -which wee gilt frames are fashioned. In fact, his work was a -masterpiece of art, and Sally appreciated it hugely, making a shy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> -return in the way of fat pin-cushions and sprawling penwipers, and -even a gorgeous silk needlebook, mysterious of design and most difficult -of access as regarding certain wabbly strings and buttons, -which, when once fastened, could never be persuaded to open themselves -again, and behind whose secret fastnesses the needles comfortably -and aimlessly rusted.</p> - -<p>So much for the papering of the rooms. When it came to -finishing the attic, why, that was quite another thing. Sally calmly -but firmly declared that it <i>must be plastered</i>, and plastered it was, -but altogether without the assistance of Mr. Brouse, who declared -that matters were growing altogether too complicated for him. -And he politely retired, forgetting his pail of paste, however, into -which nurse presently fell, much to the detriment of her best gloves -which she had put on in order to appear unusually fine on her afternoon -out. Nothing daunted, Sally flew to the cellar and routed out -John, who was taking a bit of a nap in a cosy little den he had fixed -for himself in the furnace room. John was surely an exception to -most people, who are usually cranky at being wakened. He bobbed -up smiling, and readily agreed to attend to plastering the attic of the -Walking House. And in a much shorter time than Sally had really -expected, the whole job was finished and the little room with its -peaked ceiling looked exactly like a really truly attic.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 455px;"> -<img src="images/illus008.jpg" width="455" height="595" alt="Children watching man with peg-leg cut paper" /> -<div class="caption">The “Captain” assisted in hanging the wall paper.</div> -</div> - -<p>The house, as before described, was built of good-sized boxes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a><br /><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a><br /><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> -neatly put together with narrow cleats to hide the joinings, and -the whole was painted a delicate gray, only the sloping roof being -moss green. John had covered this roof with tiny shingles, and the -effect of the whole was extremely attractive. It was divided in -the middle by a broad hall, at the back of which was a wide stairway. -John had rather demurred at the stairway, foreseeing that -the making of it would be a troublesome piece of business. But -Sally had stoutly insisted thereon, for how on earth could a doll -descend from upper stories to lower without stairs? She would be -forced to hurl herself out of the front windows,—called so by compliment -since the whole front of the house stood open in one generous -space—a proceeding extremely detrimental to china limbs. -Sally was a matter-of-fact little soul, albeit she possessed a brilliant -imagination. But she certainly builded better than she knew when -she insisted on that staircase. John, as usual, gave in and the stairs -became an accomplished fact.</p> - -<p>The lower floor of the Walking House consisted of a spacious -dining-room on one side of the hall and a kitchen and laundry on -the other. On the next floor were the drawing-room, library and -music-room. On the third floor were three bed-rooms and a bath-room, -and above all, the attic.</p> - -<p>On one side of the house and running across the front on the -lower floor, John had built a veranda, on which a doll might enjoy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -coolness and comfort on the hottest of days, while all the way up -the other side ran a tiny fire-escape, which finally disappeared in a -scuttle in the sloping roof.</p> - -<p>Bob, just then much interested in electricity, wired the whole -house and connected it with the electric light chandelier which hung -above it, so that every room was brilliantly lighted with electricity, -and an electric bell at the front door gave notice whenever a -friendly doll dropped in for afternoon tea.</p> - -<p>Sally’s one regret was that there was no cellar. The child had -dreamed of a wee furnace and a fruit closet filled with jars of jam -and jelly put up over a tiny electric stove. But the stove had been -utterly impracticable, John had declared that it would be impossible -to dig down through the floor of the room for the cellar, and practical -nurse had pointed out the fact that nowhere could one find -preserve jars tiny enough for the purpose. So Sally had given up -the project, not without a sigh however. She had very, very realistic -ideas, had Sally.</p> - -<p>One of her pet projects, confided to her governess, Miss Palmer, -not without misgivings, had been to build a revolving house, -one that could be “swung around” as the child, knowing nothing of -pivots, had expressed it. This idea she had conceived to be applied -not only to doll houses, but to real dwellings.</p> - -<p>“You could always have the sunshine wherever you wanted it,”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -she had explained. “And wouldn’t it be fine to have it always right -here in the nursery?”</p> - -<p>Miss Palmer had hesitated a little before replying. Indeed -Sally’s theories often caused her to hesitate. However, she finally -explained that the idea would be quite impossible, as all buildings -of any size require a firm foundation. And she thereupon proceeded -to explain the nature of the pivot, considering the opportunity a -very fitting one.</p> - -<p>“Besides,” she concluded, “wouldn’t it be very selfish for us to -keep all the sunshine on our side of the house all the time? What -would become of Grandma and Bob?”</p> - -<p>Sally was quiet for a moment, thinking.</p> - -<p>“I didn’t mean to be selfish,” she whispered, snuggling her -peachy cheek against her teacher’s shoulder.</p> - -<p>“I’m sure you didn’t, my dear,” returned Miss Palmer.</p> - -<p>And so it fell out that no architect, not even John, was ever requested -to draw plans for a house that might revolve on a pivot.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER II<br /> - -<small>THE HOUSE IS FURNISHED</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-t.jpg" width="90" height="82" alt="T" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">THE furnishing of the doll’s house proved a keen delight -to Sally, and the infection spread from the little girl -to the other members of the household, even Papa Doctor -often emerging from his carriage with his arms full -of mysterious, knobby parcels.</p> - -<p>Mamma Wee, as Sally lovingly nicknamed Mrs. North, renounced -pink teas and bridge parties and spent hours every day sitting -bow-legged like a Turk or a tailor, while she arranged the fascinating -little rooms, laid small carpets and tacked up tiny, ruffled -curtains. For all the windows were real ones, with panes of glass -let into the small sashes and with the cunningest little white blinds -that opened in the middle and could be securely fastened with bolts -at night. Sally, who, as Bob said, was “always thinking up something -else,” was already revolving in her own mind the propriety -of demanding screens to head off imaginary flies and mosquitoes.</p> - -<p>“Just fancy how perfectly <i>huge</i> a <i>real</i> fly would look to one of -the dollies!” she said to herself as she thoughtfully pondered on the -momentous question.</p> - -<p>She scarcely liked to ask John if he would undertake such a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -particular job, he had done so much already. “Pernickety” he was -sure to call it. So, after much mature deliberation, she concluded to -drop the matter for the present, at least.</p> - -<p>“What is the use of screening up the back and sides when the -front is all open anyway?” Bob had exclaimed when Sally finally -broached the subject to him.</p> - -<p>“Oh, but we are imagining the front is just like that in any -other house!” retorted Sally with some spirit.</p> - -<p>“Well, then imagine that the flies can’t come in,” responded -Bob. And that settled it.</p> - -<p>Odd as it may seem, the attic was the very first room that Sally -started to put in order. And a most delicious little place it was, -with its raftered ceiling and neatly plastered walls. With the vision -of their own immaculate attic in her mind’s eye, the child proceeded -to neatly range around the walls several doll’s trunks, a tiny spinning -wheel and two or three odd wooden chairs; also one of the -many cradles that had been presented as offerings at the shrine of the -doll’s house. A spinning wheel and a cradle comprised, for the most -part, what Sally denominated a “proper” attic.</p> - -<p>From the rafters the child hung tiny bunches of good-smelling -herbs, for which cook had been levied upon. To be sure, no such -thing existed in city attics as a rule, but they did down at the farm. -Sally suddenly recollected that they also had spiders and cobwebs<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -in the attic at the farm. The very thought of a spider made her -shiver, but she wondered if it would not be well to affect a few cobwebs, -and privately concluded to request Miss Palmer, her beloved -governess, to paint in a few with water-colors,—a scheme into which -Miss Palmer heartily entered, adding on her own responsibility a -fat, yellow spider, whose appearance was so realistic that Sally -shrieked when she first discovered it. Bob promptly suggested that -a few rats should be added. But rats, Miss Palmer declared, were -beyond her powers of creation. They would require to be real, -solid little beasts, and not simply painted flat on the wall. To this -Bob readily assented, gravely adding that if they were only painted -on the wall, of course they never could come down at night to bite -the dolls. Bob concluded his remarks by making a grimace so fearfully -suggestive of a prowling rat that Sally fled in anguish, and -Miss Palmer, while she could not refrain from smiling, felt forced -to request that he would cease from tormenting his sister.</p> - -<p>From the attic to the kitchen is quite a long jump, at least it -would have been without the staircase. But the kitchen was the next -on the program, and thither were the forces of the furnishing party -now directed. Never had a new kitchen been so liberally supplied -with stoves, kettles, pans and pots, especially <i>stoves</i>. It really -seemed as if everyone who had not sent a cradle had sent a stove. -Every kind except an electric one, as Sally sadly reflected. But<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> -Miss Palmer consoled her by saying that she doubted very much if -electric stoves came in so small a size. So Sally was presently very -well content to see a most fascinating little cast-iron affair set up, -on top of which was ranged an array of pots and kettles sufficient to -prepare a dinner for the most particular of dolls, albeit of diminutive -size.</p> - -<p>Opposite the stove stood a neat dresser, filled with a most wonderful -array of china and glass. To be sure, Sally had reserved the -very best for the china closet in the dining-room, but the display in -the kitchen was a goodly one. So also was the wooden and tinware -that hung upon hooks and displayed itself on shelves all around the -walls. But the article dearest to Sally’s heart, and over which the -child lingered longest in a perfect passion of delight was a miniature -refrigerator, an almost exact reproduction of the big one downstairs. -Lined with opal glass, its well-filled shelves were weighted down -with all sorts of delectable edibles that dolls are presumed to delight -in. Its upper compartment was filled with chunks of ground glass -to represent ice. Sally lingered long in rapture over this delightful -bit of furniture, and having at last located it entirely to her satisfaction, -placed over against it a cute little three-cornered closet containing -a collection of brooms and mops, and a wee carpet sweeper, -whose tiny, revolving brushes really picked up any small bits of -fluff and lint that happened to be about.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span></p> - -<p>Surely never was a kitchen so perfectly and generously supplied -with all things needful, from the shining yellow oil-cloth on the -floor to the beautiful blue table and chairs, the gift of nurse, who -declared them to be exactly like those used in the “auld counthry.” -The whole shining region was presided over by a stiff, colored cook -in turban and apron, who, alas! could never sit down on the beautiful -blue chairs, as she belonged to the variety of dolls that does not -bend in the middle.</p> - -<p>Out of the kitchen opened the laundry, which was furnished -quite as perfectly in its way, with a ravishing little laundry set which -Mamma Wee had discovered in one of the big department stores. -Everything was most complete and the whole family lingered in admiration -over the shiny copper boiler that adorned the neat stove, the -glittering flatirons and very tiny clothes-pins. The arrangement -for heating the irons, a black, pointed kind of stove against the sides -of which the irons stood up flatly, filled everybody with ecstasy. -Sarah, the laundress, begged for a loan of it, declaring that she had -never seen anything that could compare with it for heating real -irons.</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 372px;"> -<img src="images/illus018.jpg" width="372" height="470" alt="Girl showing dollhouse to maid" /> -</div> - -<p>This joking pleased Sally immensely, and she invited Sarah to -use the laundry for the family washing whenever she felt so inclined. -Whereupon Sarah departed laughing and declaring that -she had “never seen anything to come up to it, before nor since.”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> -“Before nor since” was a favorite expression of Sarah’s, the meaning -of which neither Sally nor indeed anybody else had ever been able -to fathom. “Forevermore” was another expression -over which the little girl pondered deeply. -She was afraid to ask for information, lest she -should give offense, for Mamma Wee -had carefully -trained her little -daughter to be -especially considerate -of the feelings -of all who -were dependents -in the household. -Therefore Sally -wondered in secret, -and the mystery -was never -solved, as far as I -know, to the end of the -chapter.</p> - -<p>The dining-room came next in the natural sequence of things, -and an extremely imposing and spacious room it was, with floor and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -paneling polished to represent hard wood, while above the panels -was displayed a gorgeous paper of a lively red pattern. The ceiling -was raftered and studded with tiny electric light bulbs. A fine bow -window occupied one whole end. In truth, ’twas a love of a room -and no mistake.</p> - -<p>A lofty china closet contained all the fine glass and china, while -a sideboard of newest pattern groaned under its weight of rich German -silver. Everything was of the most novel and up-to-date pattern. -The round table, the finely carved chairs, and the beautiful -Persian rug that Grandma had knitted from ravelings of carpet, -worked in with heavy crochet cotton, all went to make up a picture -not easily to be rivaled in the annals of doll’s houses.</p> - -<p>The bow window was a delight in itself. All around it ran a -wide seat which Sally piled high with tiny silk cushions, while crisp -muslin curtains finished with wee ruffles shaded the panes. A couple -of canaries hung aloft in their gilded cages. The whole effect was -stunning, and the assembled family silently gloated over it and -unitedly envied the dolls who were to enjoy such an ideal dining-room.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER III<br /> - -<small>THE TEDDY BEARS TAKE A HAND</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-t.jpg" width="90" height="82" alt="T" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">THE Teddy Bears, as one may well suppose, were no less -interested in the furnishing and arrangement of the -doll’s house than the members of the family themselves. -They had scarcely been able to sleep a wink for thinking -and talking over the subject in hand, and Peter Pan himself had -proudly brought gifts, not exactly gold, frankincense and myrrh, -but something much more acceptable in the shape of a wee mail-box, -the very counterpart of those that hang upon the telephone posts. -It had been captured during one of his predatory night raids, during -which he and Bedelia had ransacked a neighboring toy store, -carrying off the mail-box as Peter Pan’s share of the loot, while -Bedelia joyfully abstracted a most delightful little workstand that -could be shut up like a camp chair and stood against the wall if so -desired, with a gorgeous yellow silk lining.</p> - -<p>In justice to the bears, it must be said of them that they did not, -in this case, break through and steal, for Peter Pan left upon the -counter a piece of money, shaken down from his own little bank—a -most beautiful bank in the shape of a mottled, earthenware pig, -which Sally had presented to him without the smallest idea in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -world that he would ever use it for legitimate purposes. But the -very fact of ownership turned the Teddy Bear at once into an inveterate -miser, and he hoarded like a magpie, levying on every pocketbook -that his mischievous paws fell upon. He was, however, too -cute to appropriate any but small coins, so that thus far nothing had -been missed. Teddy Bears can scarcely be supposed to have any -adequate idea of values, so when Peter Pan proudly deposited a -nickel on the counter, he considered that he was paying very well -for the articles chosen by himself and his wife. The piece of money -was afterwards found by the shopkeeper, and as he never missed -the small articles that had taken the fancy of the Teddy Bears, he -considered himself a nickel in, and “As a man thinketh, so is he.”</p> - -<p>To extract the bit of money from the bowels of the pig had been -a fearful piece of work, and had it not been for the end in view, the -Teddy Bear would have given up in despair. To drop a nickel into -the little slot in the creature’s back, and then to listen to the delicious -rattling it made in the cavernous interior was one thing, but -to fish it out through that narrow aperture was quite another. Anyone -who has ever tried the experiment will appreciate the dreadful -quarter of an hour that ensued as the Teddy Bears, perspiring in -every pore, struggled with that most niggardly of china pigs.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 331px;"> -<img src="images/illus022.jpg" width="331" height="509" alt="Girl on bed looking at three bears" /> -</div> - -<p>First they essayed to fish out the coin, using successively a hair-pin -bent out straight and one end fashioned into a hook, a buttonhook,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -a pair of manicure scissors, ruining the curved points, a -crochet needle, and nurse’s best hat-pin. Nothing, however, availed. -The pig, like his predecessor in the story that would not jump over -the stile, would not give up the coveted -coin. Finally Bedelia seized it -by its head and shook it frantically, -literally as the oft quoted -terrier shakes the rat. But no -nickel! To be sure, they could -have smashed the pig, but in -spite of his obstinacy he -was the Teddy Bear’s -chief treasure, and -Peter Pan loved his -mottled exterior and -gloried in his impossible -snout and extremely -unpiglike ears. He could -not bring himself to sacrifice -a thing so cherished, -even on the altar of his -love for Sally.</p> - -<p>After a while the bears desisted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> -from their efforts and held a council of war. Peter Pan had about -come to the end of his tether when suddenly his eyes, roaming miserably -about in search of some new weapon of offense, fell upon -something that caused him to utter a little shriek of delight. And -the article was nothing more nor less than a stick of chewing gum. -Now the Teddy Bear knew all about gum. He had tried to chew -some once and had been obliged to beg help from Sally, so closely -were his jaws welded together. She had laughingly pried them -open, and had advised him not to bite off more than he could chew -in the future.</p> - -<p>Peter Pan did not intend to bite off anything in this case. He -put one end of the gum in his mouth and chewed on it till his jaws -ached, and then passed it on to Bedelia, who repeated the performance. -And in two shakes of a lamb’s tail the end of the stick of -gum was reduced to a mass of stickiness that rivaled fly-paper. -Peter Pan now turned the bank, that is, the pig on its back so that -the coins within it came rattling down over the opening. He next -carefully inserted the chewed end of the gum, using the unchewed -portion as a handle by which to propel it into the aperture, and presently -drew it triumphantly forth with two dimes and a nickel sticking -to the mass. Great were the rejoicings at the success of the trick, -and Peter Pan, supposing that the nickel was much the more valuable -as it was greater in size than the dimes, laid it aside while<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> -he returned the other coins to the bank. Afterward he explained -the whole performance to Sally, who was very glad indeed to hear -it, for at first she had been somewhat doubtful as to the origin of -her delightful mail-box.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile the furnishing and arranging went merrily on, and -Sally sighed in delighted rapture as she contemplated the work of -her hands and found that it was very good.</p> - -<p>Her drawing-room she thought was her especial delight, all -done in red velvet, with a splendid red carpet and lace curtains at -the windows, over which hung draperies of red silk. A tall pier -glass stood between the windows, and on the mantel-shelf were a gilt -clock under a glass case, and two gilt candlesticks holding real wax -candles. Underneath, in the grate, a glowing flame of crimson tinfoil -shone comfortably, tinfoil being the fuel universally accepted -for grates in doll houses.</p> - -<p>A fine center table, marble-topped, occupied the middle of the -room. The chairs were luxurious, and Sally only wished that her -size were compatible with nestling down on one of them.</p> - -<p>Across the hall from the drawing-room was the music-room, all -furnished in blue upholstered satin, and containing two pianos, a -grand and an upright. Potted plants of the paper variety bloomed -in the windows and a wee violin in a polished case lay atop of the -music cabinet.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> - -<p>Sally had destined this apartment to be a living-room and music-room -in one, and finally added a porch swing that hung in a frame -and teetered delightfully when a doll sat in it; a couple of parrots -in a gilt cage; and Bedelia’s workstand. The effect was somewhat -incongruous, especially in connection with blue satin chairs and -sofas, while Bob remarked, quite gratuitously, that when once the -parrots got started nobody could ever hear either the violin or pianos. -However, as Sally was the only one to be pleased, no one took any -notice of this remark.</p> - -<p>With regret Sally turned from the bright little music-room, but -was presently just as deeply engrossed with the library. Here was -a peach of a room, to use her own expression—a room all furnished -and upholstered in green, with sleepy hollow chairs and a roll-top -desk in one corner. Around the walls ran shelves filled with tiny -books, and a wee telephone hung in one angle of the wall, near the -desk. At one end of the room was a big fireplace, over which rose a -high mantel-shelf, and a grandfather’s clock ticked, metaphorically -speaking, in the corner.</p> - -<p>Sally had desired that her library should be “restful” and to -that end had worked out the scheme of furnishings on a somewhat -subdued scale. However, she succeeded admirably in carrying out -her design, an end which few grown-ups ever attain. Never was -there a more charming haven of rest to which a doll might fly for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> -refuge from the turmoil without than this dim, shadowy room, with -its deep lounging chairs and bewitching tea-table drawn up at one -side of the fire.</p> - -<p>There was a tiny smoker’s set, too, ranged on an oriental looking -tabouret, a collection of tiny brass articles that would have delighted -the soul of any lover of the weed. Want of space had compelled -Sally to unite library and den, but the union of the two made -a much more charming room than either one could ever have hoped -to attain to by itself.</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 320px;"> -<img src="images/illus027.jpg" width="320" height="454" alt="Boy working at worktable" /> -</div> -<p>Bob had contributed to the library a distracting pipe rack, -fashioned from the bits of a cigarbox and cunningly cut out with his -jig-saw, an article whose usefulness promised to be unlimited as -far as a doll’s house was concerned. The rack was hung with tiny -pipes picked up at one of the ten-cent stores at ten cents per dozen. -Bob was proud of his handiwork and Sally considered it one of her -chief treasures because Bob had made it.</p> - -<p>On the third floor were the bed-rooms and bath-room. The -bed-rooms, fascinatingly furnished with dainty patterns of cretonne, -with fine brass beds, and ruffled curtains at the windows, were places -of rest and delight. One of them was arranged for a nursery and -contained two cunning little white enameled cribs. There was also, -in this room, a most intricate folding bed for the nurse.</p> - - -<p>The bath-room was most elaborately appointed with shower<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -and needle baths, as well as a fine, white enameled tub and a complicated -system of plumbing. By means of this real water ran from a -tank over the tub and furnished -forth a liberal supply for the -ablutions of all the dollies. -To be sure, one was obliged -to be very careful not to allow -the tub to run over, for an -overflow meant ruin and rout -to ceilings below stairs.</p> - -<p>Teddy Bears have no -sense of ratio and no -amount of explanation -could ever convince Bedelia -that she was of a -size entirely out of proportion -for the Walking House. Finally -she made one valiant effort to -establish herself therein, but was -driven to retire, growling, as she could -not force more than her big head and shoulders into any of the -ordinary-sized rooms. There would not have been room even for -Little Breeches, let alone for Bedelia’s generous proportions.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER IV<br /> - -<small>BEDELIA GROWS A TAIL</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-b.jpg" width="82" height="80" alt="B" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">BEDELIA was an extremely handsome bear, as Teddy -Bears go, but for some time she had been plunged in -inexpressible gloom because she possessed no tail. In -vain her family expostulated with her, pointing out the -fact that a bear with a tail would indeed be a freak and a monstrosity. -Bedelia persisted in her notion, unreasonable as it was, and very -nearly succeeded in driving Peter Pan to the verge of insanity. For -although she led him a merry dance as a rule, he was extremely fond -of her, and being of a chivalrous nature, made all sorts of excuses -for her queer notions. Therefore he had very nearly arrived at his -wits’ end when Bedelia suddenly ceased her lamentations and became -quite cheerful—a change which, had Peter Pan only read her -aright, would have appeared ominous. However, the poor fellow -was so delighted at seeing his wife once more like her former self -that he suspected nothing, not even when Bedelia began to absent -herself at intervals from the family circle.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 319px;"> -<img src="images/illus029.jpg" width="319" height="407" alt="Bear and dog" /> -</div> - -<p>Truth to tell, Bedelia had a great deal more sense than most -humans and realized after a little that scolding and fretting would -never attain the end in view. She wanted a tail, and a tail she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> -meant to have, and immediately began to cast around in her fertile -mind as to the means that she should use to accomplish her end. -She was far too cute to ask advice from those who had so discouraged -her, but waited with trembling anxiety for -the inevitable something which is sure -to turn up sooner or later. It is a -long lane, indeed, that has no -turning, but the further one -progresses, the nearer it is to the -end; and Bedelia helped along -the somewhat tedious waiting -by a series of experiments that -would have filled the -breast of the gloomiest -with hysterical mirth.</p> - -<p>The beautiful, feathery -appendage of Rough -House had at first attracted -her attention as he held it -aloft and waved it plume-like in the air. But somehow Rough -House had been very rude and had nipped her smartly when she -laid hold and began a series of heroic tugs. And she had retreated -in disorder with a rip in her coat, made by the dog’s gleaming teeth.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -Afterward she reflected that the tail was far too large and would -not have matched her own fur anyway. This thought brought consolation -and she proceeded to turn her attention and her energies -in other directions. But try as she might, she could find nothing -in the line of a tail that became her. She tried them all from -every animal in the nursery, and nurse, finding them one by one -lying on the floor, had shaken her head as she attached them successively -to their original owners. She had her own ideas on the -subject and they chiefly included rats, or perhaps little Rags who -was getting his second teeth and might incline toward chewing things -up. Sally alone suspected Bedelia, but was unable to catch her at -her evil-doing, as she carried on her marauding chiefly in the silent -night.</p> - -<p>Having weighed in the balance and found wanting all the ready-made -tails she could find, she looked about for something out of which -to manufacture the right thing. Nothing, however, presented itself, -and Bedelia realized that she could scarcely have formed so important -an article with her own clumsy paws, even if it had. So -for the time her occupation seemed gone, and she began to mope -again, filled with chagrin that all her efforts should thus be foiled.</p> - -<p>Meantime the summer waned and crisp nights began to suggest -fall weather. One bright afternoon Bedelia had been sitting curled -up on the broad window-seat on which she and her family kept<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -house, pouting as usual and longing for something in the shape of -mischief with which to occupy her rapacious paws. Sally and nurse -were busy making doll clothes, as several occupants of the Walking -House were still without suitable outfits. Suddenly nurse exclaimed,</p> - -<p>“I believe it is soon going to be time for furs. Do you mind, -darlin’, the nice set your aunt, Miss Edith, gave me Christmas, with -all thim little tails on the muff?”</p> - -<p>Tails! Bedelia’s ears were pricked up in a moment. Tails, -and fur tails, too! Well she remembered the day in early spring -when all the furs of the household had been aired and beaten and -hung out in the sun before being laid away in boxes, liberally -sprinkled with camphor and finally the covers all pasted up with -strips of paper. They had been put away in the big store-room at -the top of the house, and Bedelia knew exactly where they were. -But she knew, also, that the store-room was always kept locked and -she did not feel very sure where the key was kept.</p> - -<p>She determined, however, to lose no time in looking for the -bunch, and although it took nearly a week of investigation, they were -found at last, and Bedelia lugged them off and hid them in a place -whereof she knew, and which already contained a motley array of -articles which at one time or other her fancy had prompted her to -filch.</p> - -<p>Several more days elapsed before a suitable opportunity to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -visit the store-room occurred. But at last Bedelia found herself -standing in front of it with the bunch of keys in her eager paws. -Behind the locked door lay the darling wish of her heart, a tail, -and in a moment she had, as if by magic, selected the right key and -swung open the heavy door.</p> - -<p>Now a new difficulty confronted her, one of which she had not -even dreamed. There were at least a dozen boxes standing on the -shelves, all neatly labelled, of course. But Bedelia could not read, -and no good fairy appeared to tell her which box contained nurse’s -furs and the particular tail. So she stood gloomily gazing into the -closet and at last concluded that much as she hated to take the trouble, -there was but one thing to do and that was to open every box -until she discovered the right one. This she at once set at work to -do, tearing and ripping with a pair of scissors that she had brought -along, emptying out furs and camphor in a promiscuous heap, dumping -the contents of one box on top of another until the erstwhile -orderly store-room presented the appearance of a rummage sale.</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 362px;"> -<img src="images/illus033.jpg" width="362" height="462" alt="bear climbing along shelf" /> -</div> - -<p>Now, had Sally been conducting the investigation, she would -have known that the sets of furs were kept in the smaller boxes, while -fur robes and so on were pinned in big bundles. But Bedelia, of -course, never stopped to think of that so it fell out that nearly everything -else in the closet was ripped open and flung out on the floor before -she came across the box in which the coveted furs reposed. They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -were very respectable furs of a shade of brown that seemed to Bedelia -just the proper one to harmonize with her own skin. And there -were tails in plenty, more tails than Bedelia’s wildest dreams had -ever conjured. She felt -that she could wallow -in tails now if she -chose, and it did -not take her long -to get possession of -what she wanted. -She nipped off half -a dozen, taking -them from the -neckpiece to -which they were -attached by little, -pointed heads, each -one with its ferocious -mouth wide -open displaying a number -of tiny, white teeth.</p> - -<p>Gathering up her treasures, she hurried downstairs, having -taken care to lock the door and replace the key where it had originally<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -hung. Then holding fast to the bunch of stolen fur, she hurriedly -sought a quiet corner in the attic, whither she often fled when -for any reason she wanted to be by herself.</p> - -<p>A big, old mirror in a tarnished frame stood on the floor and -after something of a struggle, for the thing was heavy, Bedelia arranged -it so that she could see herself to full advantage.</p> -<div class="figright" style="width: 335px;"> -<img src="images/illus035.jpg" width="335" height="452" alt="bear holding tail up to self looking in mirror" /> -</div> -<p>Everybody knows that Teddy Bears have great facilities for -looking over their shoulders. In fact, when built as a Teddy Bear -should be, they can turn their heads all the way around. Consequently -Bedelia found no difficulty in getting a full view of herself -in the rear as she stood with her back to the glass, the tail in one paw -and a couple of pins in the other. She had decided to leave the little -head as it made an admirable finish for the tail, and really gave a -very jaunty appearance to the whole. So she concluded after having -clapped the whole into place and fastened it firmly with two -large shawl pins. So delighted was she with the result that she stood -before the mirror for a long time, craning her neck and twisting -her head around while she admired her new ornament. To be sure, -the head was in a place where no head ought to be, but it grinned -jubilantly while the tail flopped joyfully as its owner walked. -Finally, like Narcissus, satiated with the view of her own loveliness, -she concluded to descend to the lower regions and show off the latest -addition to her charms.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span></p> - -<p>Down the stairs she trotted, trying to get used to the rather -queer sensation of the tail flapping against her hind legs. Luckily -she met nobody till she reached -the nursery. Here her courage -suddenly deserted her -and she made a wild -break for the window-seat, -in the corner of -which she at once threw -herself and was making -believe to be fast -asleep when a most unforeseen -event occurred. -The head, which -we have already recorded -as being in a -place where no head -should be, objected to the -full weight of Bedelia’s plump -body upon it, and proceeded to nip her so -vigorously that she sprang up, shrieking.</p> - -<p>Peter Pan, who had at first thought that to let her alone was -perhaps the better policy, now flew to the rescue, but when he discovered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -the cause of the trouble, he rolled on the floor in convulsions -of laughter. The head kept on nipping for pure viciousness, and -poor Bedelia, half crazed with pain and mortification, raised a -dreadful wail that brought all the members of her family to the -rescue. Quite willing to be relieved of the source of her discomfort, -she melted completely under her husband’s affectionate caresses, and -finally acknowledged that Teddy Bears really had no pressing need -of caudal appendages.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER V<br /> - -<small>MARY AND HER LITTLE LAMB AND SOME OTHERS</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-a.jpg" width="81" height="79" alt="A" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">AMONG her most treasured dollies was one that Sally’s -Auntie Edith had dressed as Mary to be accompanied -by her little lamb, the latter to be purchased from some -toy store when Mary’s wardrobe was completed.</p> - -<p>Now, the Walking House had been built on generous lines so -that the rooms were more airy and the dolls, in consequence, larger -than those that inhabit most doll’s houses. Mary, then, was a blond -beauty, with the fluffiest of yellow locks, crowned by the most bewitching -of shepherdess’ hats, and the most delightful costume of -pale pink and white, perfect in every detail from the fluffy paniers -of the overdress to the long, slim crook which Bob had carved with -his jig-saw and which Mary, unfortunately, could not carry owing -to the fact that her china fingers, like those of most dollies, were -straight and inflexible. A bit of very fine wire, neatly manipulated, -however, produced the desired effect, and indeed Mary felt very -little doubt in her own mind as to the fact that all the rest of the -dolls were cunningly deceived by it.</p> - -<p>So much for Mary. When it came to the lamb, that was quite -another thing, for it seemed impossible to find anywhere a lamb of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -the correct proportions to fit in with those of the charming little -Mary. Store after store was ransacked in vain, when suddenly Sally -recollected that somewhere in the attic reposed the remains of a -Noah’s Ark which she had grown tired of and had put away some -time before. To the attic, then, they flew and presently unearthed -the Noah’s Ark carefully tied up in brown paper and still in a very -fair state of preservation. Out upon the floor pell-mell they emptied -the animals, but no bleating or baahing lambkin rewarded their -quest. It seemed as if there had been a general demand for mutton -and that everything of the sheep variety had been swept from off the -face of the earth. Thoroughly disappointed, Auntie Edith sat dropping -the animals back into the Ark when suddenly she stopped with -a little scream of delight and snapped up a small object that had -fallen on the floor and been hidden under her skirt.</p> - -<p>Not a lamb, however, as Sally at first supposed, but a goat that -might have passed anywhere for a sheep except for its horns. It is -very odd what a striking resemblance often exists between the animals -of a Noah’s Ark when really there is no relationship between them -at all. So it was with this goat. The little curls of wool with which -he was covered, his legs and hoofs, his long, meek face, everything -except the sharp, curved horns resembled most intimately Mary’s -little lamb. And it took about five minutes to transform him into -that very animal. Off came his horns, as quick as a wink their little<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -stumps were covered with bits of cotton wool neatly glued in place. -A blue ribbon was tied around his neck and finished with a graceful -bow, and, lo and behold, the Lamb!</p> - -<p>To say that Mary was hugely delighted at this outcome is to -put it very mildly indeed. For she had been greatly troubled in -mind, fearing that after all she would not be Mary but somebody -else that did not require the continued attendance of a lamb. Somebody -else, or perhaps nobody in particular! At this mournful conclusion -a tear rolled silently down Mary’s china cheek. But now it -was all right, and she stood up right bravely on her little, high-heeled -shoes, grasping her crook with one hand, while the other -rested proudly on the Lamb’s woolly back. A very delightful picture -she made, and a very welcome addition to the family of the -Walking House she proved to be. But of Mary and her Little -Lamb we are destined to hear more hereafter.</p> - -<p>Sally was very fond of arranging and re-arranging her doll’s -house, and on one particular morning was busily at work, this time -at the kitchen that already shone with cleanliness. Sally was squatting -on her heels, cleaning out the ice-box, which contained many -plates holding delicious looking foods of all descriptions. To be -sure, they were only make-believe, but they certainly looked good to -Sally, who had not eaten much breakfast and consequently felt hungry. -One in particular appealed to her fancy, a delicious looking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -cake, frosted and ornamented as if for a birthday. Really all it -needed was an array of glittering candles to make it perfectly realistic.</p> - -<p>Sally mechanically broke off a bit of the frosting and put it -between her lips. To her astonishment, it tasted crisp and sweet, -with rather a flavor of pineapple, and altogether like the real thing. -She broke off another scrap and swallowed it. Another bit and -another followed the first and then suddenly Sally began to experience -a very queer sensation. She felt as if she were being screwed -down and shrinking together like a pair of opera glasses. So quickly -did the whole thing happen that before she knew it, she was standing -in the kitchen of the Walking House with the black, wooden -Dinah gravely regarding her.</p> - -<p>“Oh dear! Oh dear! What would have happened if I had -eaten the whole cake? And it’s a wonder I didn’t, it was such a -little one!” exclaimed Sally.</p> - -<p>Just then she happened to look up, and beheld Peter Pan and -Bedelia regarding her with terrified glances. A great wave of loneliness -swept over the child and she burst into tears. In a moment -Peter Pan and Bedelia had each seized a fragment of cake and in -less time than it takes me to tell it were rapidly following Sally’s -example. In about two minutes they were enjoying the distinction -of being the smallest Teddy Bears on record.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span></p> - -<p>Into the kitchen they scrambled after Sally, much to the bewilderment -of black Dinah, who had never anywhere seen such creatures -as Teddy Bears of that size, and was not at all sure that she -liked them, especially when they walked into the house and took -possession of her kitchen.</p> - -<p>The first few days of Sally’s sojourn in the doll’s house were -full of events and also full of interest, and the little girl experienced -all the new sensations that always come with a change of scene and -place. Sally’s intimate and somewhat unique experience of nursery -life had really taught her nothing relating to existence in the doll’s -house, and the mode of living employed by the little people to whose -number she now apparently belonged.</p> - -<p>She was, indeed, very much surprised to discover that in all -respects they resembled very closely the human species, with all -their little fads and fancies, jealousies and ambitions; and it was -both amusing and astonishing to encounter among the dolls that -she herself had bought for a few cents and dressed with her own -hands in scraps obtained from the rag-bag, personalities as striking -and characteristic, as distinguishing as those belonging to some of -the famous people whose lives she had studied with Miss Palmer -during her history lessons. At least so one would think from their -own opinions of themselves.</p> - -<p>The little girl was amazed to learn that all the dolls could read<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -and write and that those who were imported spoke French and German -fluently. In fact, one small Japanese doll who was rigged -out in a paper kimono and wide obi of the same material, jabbered -away in Japanese, with the result that none of the others could -understand a word she said. She always presided at afternoon tea, -however, which function they understood very well, as also the tiny -cups of the fragrant drink which she brewed for their benefit. Sally -secretly resolved to teach her English, which she later accomplished, -much to the gratitude of the lonely little foreigner.</p> - -<p>The dolls’ handwriting was not at all like her own, as it did not -take Sally long to discover. It consisted of a number of queer little -hieroglyphics of infinitesimal size, which, as Sally afterward -learned, were known only to dolls and were so small, to wit, that -nobody would ever imagine that they were anything but foolish -scrawling.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER VI<br /> - -<small>THE LITTLE BACK DOOR</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-s.jpg" width="78" height="80" alt="S" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">SALLY was busily bustling around the kitchen, clad in -one of Dinah’s clean gingham aprons and with a stiff -and clean bandanna ’kerchief perched on her shining -hair. For Dinah was ill, the result of an unfortunate -accident, for which the little girl felt herself more or less responsible.</p> - -<p>For some time the Little Lamb had been growing “grimy, -grimier and grimier,” as Sally said to herself, and the child had -finally resolved, although not without some misgivings, that a bath -would be the next best thing in the order of events. Having several -old scores to settle, Mary joyfully offered to assist, and with such a -backing Sally proceeded with her preparations in a resolute and -hopeful frame of mind.</p> - -<p>As the Little Lamb was indeed very dirty, Sally prepared a kind -of shampoo, such as she had often seen nurse concoct for her own -use. This was composed of tar soap, melted over the fire to a kind -of jelly, and then beaten up with a couple of eggs and a dash of -borax. When it was finished, it made a yellow, frothy compound, -altogether nice and delectable looking. Sally had made a liberal<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -quantity, owing to the area that had to be covered in the personality -of the Little Lamb. She left it on the kitchen table, and hurried -off to find that worthy who, scenting an impending conflict, had betaken -himself to the attic. Entrenched behind Bedelia’s screen, he -firmly awaited the onslaught of the enemy.</p> - -<p>Dinah had all this time been busy in the upper part of the -house and now returning below stairs beheld the foamy, creamy -mixture frothing over the pan on the kitchen table. It never entered -into her wooden head to suppose that it was anything except -some nice omelet or something of the kind that one of the dolls or -perhaps Sally had knocked together for luncheon. Stirring it up -with a spoon, she found it rather thin, and proceeded to thicken it -with flour and finally decided that it would serve best as batter for -griddle cakes. As she herself was extremely fond of lemon flavoring, -she added a large dose of that, and then proceeded to bake the -mess on the well-greased and sputtering griddle.</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 345px;"> -<img src="images/illus045.jpg" width="345" height="458" alt="Dinah and Bedelia eatting cakes" /> -</div> - -<p>Now it must be confessed that Dinah was greedy, and the brown -cakes certainly looked tempting. Besides, had she not planned -something quite different for the dolls’ luncheon? Just one nibble -she took, and then, like other people who have hesitated, she proceeded -to get lost. Her wooden palate certainly failed to detect -the flavor of tar soap, and one brown and smoking cake speedily -disappeared after another. Goodness knows when she would have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> -stopped had not Bedelia, attracted by the odor of the baking cakes, -suddenly appeared in the kitchen.</p> - - - -<p>That worthy had been decidedly -out of favor with Sally -for several days, and -consequently was in no -enviable frame of -mind. Without so -much as a “by your -leave,” she now advanced -on the greedy -Dinah, snatched the -plate of cakes from -under her very nose, -and proceeded to dispose -of them with -neatness and despatch. -Her taste for eatables -had been well cultivated, -however, and she -now discovered something decidedly peculiar in the flavor of the -cakes. But she swallowed them all to the last crumb, more in order -to spite Dinah than because she wanted them, pausing now and then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -between bites to utter a threatening little growl that served very effectually -to keep Dinah at a distance, for the cook was dreadfully -afraid of the Teddy Bears. It did not -take very long for the soap and borax to -get in some very fine work, and soon Dinah -and Bedelia found themselves companions -in misery.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 350px;"> -<img src="images/illus046.jpg" width="350" height="459" alt="Bedelia getting a lecture on gluttony" /> -</div> - -<p>When Sally had -hunted all over the -house without being -able to find the Little -Lamb—and no -wonder, for he was -safely entrenched -under Bedelia’s bed -in the attic—and -came hurrying into -the kitchen to look -after her shampoo, she found two unutterably -wretched individuals tied up -in knots and rolling around on the kitchen -floor. Had it been Bedelia alone, Sally would have suspected a -trick, but Dinah’s sufferings were too genuine to admit of suspicion.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> - -<p>Sally flew for help without waiting for explanations, and in a -short time the sufferers were tucked up in their beds, feeling decidedly -more comfortable and listening to a lecture on gluttony -which they did not soon forget. Not but that this same lecture had -to be administered in two sections, one to Dinah in her room and -one to Bedelia in the attic, for Dinah would have died sooner than -lie down in the same room with the Teddy Bear that she now regarded -with more fear and dislike than ever.</p> - -<p>Thus it happened that Sally was flying around the shining little -kitchen, putting things to rights and making ready to get together -something for the dolls’ luncheon. She smiled as she scoured and -dried the tin pan in which the shampoo, whose ending had been so -unusual, had been mixed. She wondered what had become of the -Little Lamb, and could not help wishing that he, instead of Dinah -and Bedelia, had been the one to gobble up the sickening cakes, for -the stuff certainly had been intended for him in the beginning.</p> - -<p>Sally was a born housekeeper, and as she had formerly played -with her doll house, perpetually cleaning and straightening it, so -she now worked in the bright little rooms until at last all was in -order, the table laid for luncheon and a savory meal made ready. -She was too much delighted with her work to ask for assistance -from any of the dolls, and puttered around briskly, singing little -snatches of a song half under her breath. “Puttering around” was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -one of Dinah’s pet expressions, and while Sally had never been sure -what it really meant, she felt quite certain that she could not be -doing anything else while working in Dinah’s kitchen. Vigorously, -then, did she flutter Dinah’s duster, seeking for dust where none -existed, and merrily polishing the already shining window sills, on -which stood stiff little pots of glowing scarlet paper geraniums. -And then she suddenly became aware that she was standing in front -of a little door, whose existence she had heretofore failed to observe.</p> - -<p>The door was directly in the center of the back wall, and Sally -could not but wonder that John should have built it in such a place, -for the doll’s house stood flat against the nursery wall, as any orderly -doll’s house always stands. Hence there was absolutely no use for -a door in such a location. Sally meditated for a moment or two -and then suddenly concluded that the best thing to do would be to -open the door and do a little investigating. She seized the knob -and pulled vigorously, but to no purpose. The door was locked -sure enough, and her best efforts resulted in nothing. It seemed -very odd that the door should be locked and no key anywhere about. -Suddenly she remembered that hanging up in her room was a tiny -golden key belonging to a chain bracelet that Papa Doctor had once -locked upon Mamma Wee’s pretty white wrist. For some inexplicable -reason Mamma Wee had never unlocked the bracelet, but -Papa Doctor always wore the key on one end of his watch chain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -until one day the slender golden ring from which it hung broke, -and Sally had found the key lying on the floor. Papa Doctor had -been called out of town for an important consultation just then, and -had not yet returned. Therefore the key was hanging up in Sally’s -room, and thither the little girl hastened. Having possessed herself -of the article in question, she hurried back to the kitchen, all on tip-toe -with curiosity.</p> -<div class="figleft" style="width: 291px;"> -<img src="images/illus050.jpg" width="291" height="459" alt="Sally leaving room" /> -</div> -<p>She did not hear the padding of velvet paws behind her, nor -see the furry brown figure that came trotting stealthily in her wake. -Having taken a good nap, Bedelia awoke feeling as good as new. -After a few preliminary yawns, she bounced out of bed, much to -the detriment of the Little Lamb who, too much scared by all the -rumpus to run away, had finally fallen asleep under the bed with his -head sticking out at the inner side where he had considered it quite -safe, as the bed stood comparatively close to the wall. But with -her usual perversity, Bedelia jumped out of that side of the bed, -landing plump in the Little Lamb’s face. Bedelia was no light -weight, and the unhappy Little Lamb uttered a piercing shriek, at -the same time hastily wriggling back into his place of concealment. -Bedelia had been considerably shaken by her sickness and now, -scared out of all her impudence by the queer thing that she felt -moving under her feet, she uttered a shrill squawk and fled precipitately -from the attic. She paused at the top of the stairs and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> -peered down between the railings just in time to see Sally emerge -from her room with the key in her hand.</p> - - - -<p>In a moment the Teddy Bear was on the -alert, trotting silently down the -stairs, dreadfully tempted to -take a slide down the polished -rail of the banister, but -equally afraid of being sent -back if discovered. In the -meantime, Sally hastened to -the kitchen, clutching the -golden key which was, of -course, very much larger in -proportion than in the time -when she had found it lying -on the nursery floor.</p> - -<p>“How I do hope it will -open the door!” the little girl -said to herself as she thrust it into the -lock and pressed against it very gently, -for she was rather afraid of breaking off the golden handle. To -her surprise and delight, however, it yielded at once, and with a -turn of the door knob Sally flung open the door and stepped outside, -closely followed by the still unseen Bedelia.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER VII<br /> - -<small>D. TABLET, ESQ.</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-i.jpg" width="82" height="81" alt="I" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">IT was surprising enough to find that there was any outside, -for Sally had fully expected to step down between -the doll’s house and the wall. But to find herself on a -beautiful country road, flanked on either side by fields -of emerald green that stretched away as far as the eye could reach, -was far more astonishing still.</p> - -<p>On either side of this road stood a row of tall, very stiff, very -green trees. They literally <i>stood</i>, for they did not grow out of the -ground, but rose out of flat, wooden stands that did not appear more -wooden, however, than their shiny, brown trunks. Green and stiff -also were the leaves that looked more like curled and painted shavings -than anything else. Sally examined them curiously, remembering -she had once possessed a toy farm that had contained just -such trees as these. She laid her hand against the smooth, glistening -trunk, wondering if a brisk breeze would not upset the whole -business, and remembering how easily her own farmyard trees had -been overturned. These, however, seemed steady enough, and Sally -started off at a good pace, determined to investigate the queer -country into which she had made so unceremonious an entrance.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span></p> - -<p>As far as she could see, the road stretched ahead of her, glaring -white in the noon sunlight, which seemed almost blinding after the -subdued light of the doll’s house. Only a moment did she pause to -hang the precious golden key upon the string of gold beads that she -wore around her neck. Somehow she felt that that dear talisman, -the pledge of love between her parents, would be to her a safeguard -in time of danger. A sudden fear of losing it assailed her, and she -quickly tucked beads and all inside her dress.</p> - -<p>Turning for a farewell look at the Walking House, she beheld -Bedelia sitting demurely on the doorstep. The door she had closed -behind her as she stepped out. Now she jumped up and ran to -Sally, who was very much relieved to find the little bear was quite -herself again, and slipped her hand affectionately inside Bedelia’s -arm. And the two proceeded joyously along the gleaming road.</p> - -<p>It was quite warm, for the stiff up-and-down foliage cast little -or no shadow, and there was no breeze stirring. Sally was grateful -for this as she still felt rather doubtful concerning the stability of -the trees. Bedelia, however, expressed it as her opinion that even -if one of them did blow over, she and Sally would be well able to -stand it up again. But then Bedelia had always been very self-confident.</p> - -<p>The two companions trotted along together, stopping occasionally -to examine some queer flower or a tree that looked a little different<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -from the common run. Sally noticed that the flowers were -all like those that ornamented the windows of Dinah’s kitchen—of -crimped and fluted paper, while the little blades of grass appeared -to be fashioned from the same -material. The -whole thing seemed -as if it might prove -very monotonous, -at least if it were -going to exist for -good and all.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 364px;"> -<img src="images/illus053.jpg" width="364" height="403" alt="Sally and Bedelia walking" /> -</div> - -<p>Presently they -came to a fine, -large field that -was fenced in all -around, and Sally -could not but notice -that the fences were -all wonderfully like those that -had belonged to her own farmyard. In the field were grazing a -number of beautiful, placid looking cows and also a good many -sheep and goats. They were all wonderfully familiar in appearance. -Sally could not understand, although she did later on, why everything<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -she had seen so far suggested either the Noah’s Ark or the -farmyard. Both of them had long since been relegated to the dust-bin, -defaced and broken beyond any kind of usefulness.</p> - -<p>And then Sally spied not very far ahead of them a sign post, -which, when they came up to it, exclaimed in a most affable manner, -“Five miles to the Palace!” and gently waved one of its arms toward -the cross road, on the edge of which it stood.</p> - -<p>Sally was so much amazed at hearing a sign post speak that -for the moment she failed to notice the absence of any painted directions -upon its arms. However, Bedelia, who was as usual ready -for anything, retorted somewhat pertly, “And where might the road -that we are traveling on lead to?”</p> - -<p>To which the Sign Post responded with the same cordial, -although somewhat wooden tone and a most reassuring smile, “Five -miles to the Palace,” whereupon it subsided and stood quite stiff -and straight, as if, perchance, waiting for another question, to which -Sally felt quite certain it would have responded, “Five miles to the -Palace!”</p> - -<p>As there was nothing to be gained by asking questions that -would obviously receive only the one answer, with a word of thanks -the children proceeded on their journey, wishing it were not quite -so far to the Palace, for they were both beginning to feel tired and -as she had taken no luncheon, Sally was decidedly hungry. Once<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -she looked back and saw that the Sign Post was gazing after them, -still wearing its affable smile. And the child fancied that she could -hear a faint murmur, “Five miles to the Palace,” while she was -quite certain that the Sign Post waved its -arms in a friendly adieu.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 342px;"> -<img src="images/illus055.jpg" width="342" height="459" alt="looking at sign post" /> -</div> - -<p>Sally now noticed for the first -time that Bedelia was carrying a -large paper bag which -bulged out to such an -extent that it seemed -every moment as if it -would burst. That it -was weighty was -vouched for by the fact -that Bedelia frequently -shifted it from one paw -to the other. Truth to -tell, the Teddy Bear, -ever mindful of the inner -man, had made a swift raid on -the kitchen as she passed out of -the house, and had swept into the paper bag every eatable that -she could quickly lay her paws on. Sally was just on the eve of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> -asking what the bag contained when suddenly its bottom gave way -and there issued forth a perfect rain of fruit, sandwiches and cakes, -besides a bottle of milk and a jar of pickles. Since the mystery had -seen fit to unravel itself, Sally was only too glad to commend Bedelia’s -forethought. Having gathered up the scattered feast, the -two sat gratefully down under the shadiest tree they could find and -proceeded to feed in a most luxurious manner.</p> - -<p>Unfortunately for Bedelia, her hunger overcame any remote -idea she might have possessed concerning good manners, and she -proceeded to gobble in so outrageous a fashion that Sally was about -to remonstrate when suddenly the culprit was arrested by the sound -of a small, querulous voice that seemed to come from her innermost -being, and which exclaimed in jerky tones,</p> - -<p>“Don’t shovel things down so fast, for goodness’ sake! How -do you expect me to get any work done properly when you work me -so fast? Oh, dear! Oh, dear! I shall never have anything in -order!”</p> - -<p>Bedelia distinctly felt a queer sensation as if something were -hopping up and down at the very center of her little, round stomach. -To say that she was terrified is putting it very mildly, while Sally -was too astonished to move, even though she had by this time become -used to queer happenings.</p> - -<p>“Don’t drink any more milk,” continued the voice in a kind of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> -exasperated squeak. “Everything down here is in a flood. I can -hear your food splash as it drops in. There isn’t a dry place for the -sole of my foot.”</p> - -<p>Although she was scared, Bedelia resolved to preserve a bold -front, and now replied with assumed calmness, “Whoever you are, -come out here and let us see what you are like.” And then she -added saucily, “You needn’t think you can prevent me from eating -what I want!”</p> - -<p>“What’s that you say? What’s that you say?” squeaked the -voice, as if its owner were in a terrible rage. And the very next -moment Bedelia felt a dreadfully choking sensation, and out of her -mouth popped the queerest little figure that Sally had ever laid -eyes upon.</p> - -<p>He was not more than half an inch tall and he was pink all -over, even his eyes and his hair and his long, flowing beard—bright -pink like Bedelia’s tongue. And there he stood, glaring at Bedelia -as well as he could, for the bright sunshine made him blink dreadfully, -and at the same time he bowed politely to Sally, whom he -evidently regarded with approval. And Sally bowed gravely in -return, although she could hardly keep from laughing outright at -the queer little creature with his round, flat body, his thin, crooked -arms and spindling legs, and above all his extremely pompous manner.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span></p> - -<p>“In me you behold Tablet—D. Tablet,” he remarked without -further preliminaries.</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 331px;"> -<img src="images/illus058.jpg" width="331" height="464" alt="Sitting by the side of the road talking to D. Tablet" /> -</div> - -<p>He paused a moment, and Sally exclaimed -impetuously, “I have heard of dyspep—” -Here she stopped abruptly, afraid she -had already given offense. “Dyspepsia -tablet” she had been -going to say.</p> - -<p>But much to her -relief, the little creature -nodded affably -and quickly continued, -“Children like you, -who eat in moderation -and show some breeding -while they eat, have no -need of my good offices. -Only creatures who stuff like -pigs have to be reproved by me.”</p> - -<p>There was a slight pause and D. Tablet -presently continued, evidently flattered by the attention of his audience, -although he still glared at Bedelia out of his pink eyes which -had now become accustomed to the sunlight.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> - -<p>“Know, then,” he went on, “that your stomach and everybody’s -stomach is simply a storehouse in which the food is put away on -shelves in pantries and cupboards as fast as it is swallowed. Everybody -who comes into this country has a D. Tablet in his stomach to -attend to this business. He may not know it, but we are there all the -same. Therefore when you pile in fifty different things at once and -drown it all with oceans of liquid, how can we possibly get things in -any kind of order? We don’t, and then you are ill, as <i>you</i> were yesterday.”</p> - -<p>Bedelia jumped, so suddenly did D. Tablet wheel around upon -her.</p> - -<p>“And then when you don’t chew your food, what do you think -happens? A few moments ago you were gobbling exactly like a -p-i-g. Do you know what that spells?”</p> - -<p>“Perfectly, independent gentleman! And I don’t care a snap -what happens,” impudently retorted Bedelia.</p> - -<p>By this time she had decided that D. Tablet was a great bore, -and being still hungry, was itching to get at her neglected luncheon.</p> - -<p>At this D. Tablet turned pinker than ever with rage. His flat -little body seemed to swell up until it was nearly as round as a -marble. For a moment he stood shaking with anger, and then -without another word suddenly vanished, but whither they were not -able to see. Whether or no he had plunged down Bedelia’s throat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> -and once more assumed the endless task of setting her internal -economy to rights, neither Sally nor the Teddy Bear had time to -observe.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER VIII<br /> - -<small>THE TALKING SIGN POST</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-d.jpg" width="77" height="77" alt="D" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">“DON’T you think it was telling awful whoppers?” asked -Bedelia, as she settled down comfortably upon her -haunches and proceeded to dispose of a plump red -banana with a rapidity that would certainly have called -forth a rebuke from the personage to whom she referred.</p> - -<p>Sally hesitated, not quite certain which side it devolved upon -her to defend. She certainly had been somewhat impressed by D. -Tablet. Had she not seen him come tumbling, frog-like, out of Bedelia’s -throat? For aught that she could prove to the contrary, he -had, perhaps, gone tumbling back again. Being thus cruelly torn -between her fondness for Bedelia and her sense of justice, she wisely -held her peace, while Bedelia, by this time well on the way with the -second banana, mentally hurled defiance at her pink advisor.</p> - -<p>“He was damp all over. He looked as if somebody had <i>licked</i> -him!” she finally ejaculated, throwing away her banana skin and -standing up preparatory to suggesting that they resume their -journey.</p> - -<p>At the same moment her face stiffened, while her eyes fairly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -bulged out of her head with amazement. Hurrying straight down -the road toward them, and advancing by leaps and bounds was a -long, lithe figure that they both recognized as it came nearer as the -Talking Sign Post. It now came up at a brisk gallop, and exclaimed -breathlessly as soon as within hailing distance,</p> - -<p>“I was <i>so</i> afraid you would get lost without me!”</p> - -<p>Thereupon it threw itself comfortably down on the greensward -and beamed amiably at Sally. She felt very much like replying -that if he had been a little more communicative in the beginning, the -danger of going astray would have been smaller. However, she -refrained, being dreadfully afraid of offending the Sign Post, who -after all appeared to be very good-hearted. Not so Bedelia, who -cocked her sharp, little, black eyes in a most inquisitive manner and -hastily retorted,</p> - -<p>“No thanks to <i>you</i> if we <i>did</i> get lost, with your ‘Five miles to -the Palace’ and nothing else. How should we know which turning -to take next?” And then she added hurriedly, “Why don’t you have -things painted on you as they do in civilized countries?”</p> - -<p>“If by <i>things</i> you mean directions,” replied the Sign Post -gravely, “it would be altogether superfluous in a land where everything -can talk. And as for turnings,” he added severely, “there -aren’t any. All the roads in Toyland lead to the Palace, so you are -sure to get there some time or other. To be sure, some roads are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -longer than others. In the event of your taking the longest one, you -might consider yourselves lost.”</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 357px;"> -<img src="images/illus063.jpg" width="357" height="458" alt="Sitting at side of road with Sign Post" /> -</div> - -<p>All out of patience with what she considered -an extremely round-about explanation, -Bedelia did not trouble herself to -reply, but Sally -hastened to smooth -things over by offering -the Sign Post some -luncheon out of the -paper bag, which -they had managed -to repair with -some pins, and -which now contained -the remnants of their -repast. This, however, -he politely refused, having -already lunched copiously -on his usual diet of shavings which curious -regimen agreed best with his wooden constitution. Sally was -rather disappointed at this. She recollected once having been taken -to the Zoo and having seen the ostriches fed with oranges. And she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -remembered how very queer it had appeared to her to watch the -fruit as each piece traveled down the birds’ long, red throats, one -chasing another until they finally vanished in the feathery region -below. She could not help thinking that the Sign Post was very like -the throat of an ostrich, only the resemblance continued all the way -down. She could not but wonder where the luncheon would finally -have located itself, as there were apparently no facilities for expansion -in the general make-up of the Sign Post.</p> - -<p>There was a short silence, during which Bedelia made ostentatious -preparations for moving on.</p> - -<p>Fond as she was of the little bear, at that moment it seemed -to Sally that it could not exist in any sort of comfort without making -somebody else miserable. So she said very gently,</p> - -<p>“Would you kindly tell me what land we are in?”</p> - -<p>She felt quite sure that the Sign Post was waiting for her to -open the conversation.</p> - -<p>An expression of surprise flitted over the mobile countenance -of the Sign Post, but he replied without further comment, “This is -the wonderful country of Toyland,” and then murmured in a reminiscent -manner, “Five miles to the Palace. Five miles to the Palace.” -After a moment he added, “Perhaps it will be just as well -for us to be moving without more delay. It is quite a long way for -you to walk.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span></p> - -<p>So all three got upon their feet and cheerfully resumed their -travels.</p> - -<p>The country, although very fresh and green, seemed to the little -girl rather monotonous. The same cows, pigs and sheep, the same -stiff little wooden houses, fenced in by the same stiff wooden railings. -People seemed few, but as it was not far from noon, Sally concluded -that they must all be eating their dinners. And a very sensible conclusion -it was. The few folk that were encountered were of the -wooden doll type, and they all appeared to be so very busy at their -work in the fields that Sally forbore to hail them, although she would -dearly have liked to stop long enough to pass the time of day with -them.</p> - -<p>So the three proceeded, chatting merrily, the Sign Post accommodating -his long, swinging stride to the shorter steps of his small -companions. An exchange of confidences was, of course, the natural -thing, and Sally was soon giving a complete account of herself and -Bedelia and of how they had happened to stumble into Toyland. -The Sign Post listened with attention, and in return gave much -valuable information concerning both himself and the country. He -explained that there were many other Sign Posts like himself, that -they were stationed at intervals of five miles, and that it was their -duty to conduct as well as to direct strangers, should they so desire. -He also explained that there was no night in Toyland, as it was a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -very difficult and expensive business to start up the sun, which in -consequence was allowed to go on shining <i>ad libitum</i>.</p> - -<p>“Whenever anyone feels in need of rest or <i>repairs</i>, he takes a -trip to Sleepy Town. It lies just over there and adjoining our own -country. There it is always night, the moon shines perpetually, and -everything invites slumber.”</p> - -<p>Here the Sign Post yawned in so fearful a manner that Sally, -gazing on his open countenance, decided that he might very well be -a candidate for Sleepy Town.</p> - -<p>Following the direction in which he had pointed as he described -the location of Sleepy Town, Sally’s glance discerned what -appeared to be a faint, purplish haze hanging upon the horizon.</p> - -<p>“You will find a great many Sign Posts there,” said her companion -so abruptly that Sally jumped, for she had fancied that he -was still yawning, “on account of the darkness. For example, how -would a stranger find Nid-Nod Street or Blanket Avenue, were -there not someone present to inform him?”</p> - -<p>And Sally, comprehending the weight of his argument, nodded -gravely.</p> - -<p>The trio had now accomplished half their journey, and about -two miles and a half lay between them and the Palace. Sally did not -feel particularly tired, as the road was very smooth and not at all -dusty. Once an automobile passed them and Sally noted the fact<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -that it was of exactly the same pattern as one that she owned and -which now reposed in the nursery at home in a garage constructed -by Bob of building blocks. It was of the wrought-iron variety, and -was wound up with a key.</p> -<div class="figleft" style="width: 273px;"> -<img src="images/illus068.jpg" width="273" height="370" alt="being carried by Sign Post" /> -</div> -<p>The auto which had spun merrily by suddenly stopped a few -yards ahead of them and refused to budge an inch. Sally and her -companions hastened their steps and, coming up with the auto, found -that it had run down. As the chauffeur had forgotten to bring along -the key, the party of lady dolls that occupied the car were plunged -in the deepest despair and chagrin. Sally suddenly remembered -her little golden key and hastily produced it. It was found to fit -to perfection. With many thanks the party proceeded on its way, -first having invited Sally and Bedelia to take seats in the car. The -Sign Post was, of course, quite out of the question. However, Sally -politely declined, as she really preferred very much to continue her -walk with her lanky companion, to say nothing of Bedelia. This -the Sign Post greatly appreciated, and presently stooped down and, -gently lifting the little girl, he poised her aloft on his shoulders, and -in this gallant fashion she rode for a mile or more, while Bedelia -trotted behind, grumbling and growling at the discourtesy shown -her. Although she had been very uncivil indeed to the Sign Post, -Bedelia could see no good reason why she should not ride on his -other shoulder.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> - - - -<p>Being completely rested—indeed, she had not been a bit tired -in the beginning—Sally slid laughingly to the ground, quite in -opposition to the wishes of the Sign Post, who would gladly have -carried her till the end of the chapter. -They had ascended a slight hill, and -the city now lay in plain sight in -the charming valley beneath -them. Sally could not but observe -that there was nothing at -all imposing in its appearance. -All the houses seemed planned -after about the same pattern. -Even the Palace itself seemed -to be only a doll’s house on a -larger scale than the others. -Sally’s mental comparison of it -with her own beloved Walking -House was anything but favorable. The -little girl presently paused, however, to reflect that being now in -the country of dolls and toys, she could scarcely expect to find -sky-scrapers. Bedelia turned up her nose frankly enough, and, as -was her custom, at once proceeded to express her opinions without -let or hindrance. And what might have been the result had she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> -been permitted to conclude as she began nobody knows, for the -Sign Post was beginning to look very much put out.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 368px;"> -<img src="images/illus069.jpg" width="368" height="456" alt="Watching doll house walk down road" /> -</div> - -<p>But just at that moment their attention was attracted by a loud -noise behind them, a fearful pounding and bumping. Looking -around, they beheld advancing along the road at a high rate of speed -a huge <i>something</i>—what -they were -at first unable to -decide. But as it -came nearer and -nearer and finally -swung into full view, -they discovered that -it was nothing more -nor less than the -Walking House, hurrying along at -an astonishing pace, while from -the interior issued a doleful voice -which loudly repeated at intervals -the entreaty, “Wait for me! Wait -for me!”</p> - - - -<p>All its windows glistened in -the sun like blinking eyes, while the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> -castors on which it originally stood had somehow turned into -prancing feet that now hopped and skipped along with the greatest -alacrity. On it came, bumping and bouncing, and all its terrified -inhabitants bumped and bounced too, while they hung on for dear -life to any available piece of furniture that they had happened to -grasp. And nearly scared out of their wits was every mother’s son -of them, for only a colony of rubber dolls could have been in a comfortable -frame of mind under such trying circumstances. Greatly -relieved were all when the frisky house suddenly ceased its gyrations -and came to a dead stop directly in front of Sally.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER IX<br /> - -<small>JOYTOWN</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-i.jpg" width="82" height="81" alt="I" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">IT was clearly a case of a runaway house, and before -Sally had time to finish wondering how on earth it -could have walked out of its own back door in order to -step into Toyland, as she and Bedelia had been obliged -to do, she was surrounded by all the inmates of the Walking -House, who came scrambling down the stairs and out of the -doors, thoroughly glad that their rough-and-tumble ride had come -to an end.</p> - -<p>Everybody crowded around Sally, and all sorts of experiences -were exchanged. Finally the Sign Post reminded the little girl that -it was growing late and if they wished to enter the city under his -escort, it would be well to make a move, as he had already been a -long time away from his post of duty. Accordingly the whole party -set out, and soon descended the slight hill from which Sally had -taken her first look at the city. After they were all safely at the -bottom, the doll’s house proceeded down very cautiously and <i>backwards</i>. -For it was dreadfully afraid of spilling all its contents if it -went down in its normal position. At length it was safely landed at -the bottom, but Sally immediately discovered that it never would be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> -able to get into the city as the gates were not particularly wide, and -certainly had never been set up with a view to admitting strange -houses that came galloping along, unceremoniously clamoring for -entrance. Therefore after a brief consultation, it was decided that -the house should remain outside the gates, which were never closed, as -there was no night there; and that the family should make it their -headquarters and return for rest and refreshment whenever they -became tired out with exploring the new country. This matter -having been arranged, Sally and the faithful Sign Post proceeded to -lead the way into the city.</p> - -<p>Over the gates was inscribed the legend:</p> - -<p class="center"> -THE CITY OF JOY<br /> -</p> - -<p class="unindent">neatly painted in plain characters distinct enough for all to read. -And with this most propitious name to greet them, the inhabitants -of the Walking House advanced bravely up the principal street. -Everything appeared to be extremely peaceful. People—who, of -course, were all dolls and very much like their visitors in size and -appearance—were going about the streets and in and out of the -shops and offices.</p> - -<p>Sally rather wondered at the absence of policemen, but upon -remarking on this to the Sign Post, quickly found herself obliged to -explain what she meant. The word was unknown in Toyland, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -such a word as crime had never entered its vocabulary. The Sign -Posts were the nearest approach to anything in the nature of “the -force,” and they were only for -general guidance -and information. -The little girl -marveled greatly -at such a state of -affairs, and hoped -most devoutly that -Bedelia would behave -herself while -sojourning among -such peaceful -folk. That -worthy, trotting -along with her paw -clasped in Sally’s -hand, looked the very -picture of innocence. -Sally had seen her look like this before, and at such seasons usually -prepared for the worst.</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 364px;"> -<img src="images/illus073.jpg" width="364" height="462" alt="Sign post leading group " /> -</div> - -<p>The main street upon which they now were walking led straight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -to the Palace, which towered aloft above the other houses in the very -center of the city. Upon closer acquaintance, Sally quite altered -her previous opinion and found the building a very fine one indeed, -even in comparison with the Walking House. She could not help -wondering if it also possessed feet in embryo that might develop and -run away with it at any unexpected moment. She was rather afraid -that the dwellings in Joytown, having noted the example of the -Walking House, might perchance take a notion to follow the same. -There was, however, nothing whatever to cause apprehension in the -dignified attitude of the staid and stationary dwellings of the chief -city of Toyland. Sally felt that all quite depended upon their -powers of observation, and whether or not they had noticed the -antics of the Walking House. For is not example more effective -than precept? Sally feared that it might be so. However, she had -no time for reflection, as all the party were anxious to make a tour -of the city, and the dinner hour was rapidly approaching. It was -too late to visit the Palace, so after a walk, during which they covered -a good deal of territory, they retired to their own dwelling.</p> - -<p>The soft, golden twilight which took the place of night, now -commenced to fall, and Sally observed many parties of the residents -leaving the city and starting in the direction of Sleepy Town. The -Sign Post, who, at Sally’s earnest solicitation, had obtained permission -from headquarters to remain with the child and her party<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> -during their stay in Toyland, now informed Sally that the twilight -was brought about by draping the sun with many veils of delicately -tinted gauze.</p> - -<p>“You see there really is no necessity for it at all, except that -having the day all the time becomes rather monotonous,” he went -on. “And besides that, there would be no sense in having such a -long day. One could not continue at work for more than six hours, -the time laid down by the trade unions.”</p> - -<p>This seemed a remarkably short day to Sally, and she now inquired -what the Sign Post meant by veiling the sun. But that -worthy immediately assumed an air of mystery and replied,</p> - -<p>“It was entirely the idea of the Polly-nosed Saphead. You -must ask of him, for he alone understands the nature of the occult -rite.”</p> - -<p>“And who, pray, may be the Polly-nosed Saphead?” demanded -Bedelia, who was hopping along on the other side of the Sign Post, -very demure and highly interested in all that was taking place.</p> - -<p>At this the Sign Post shook his head solemnly.</p> - -<p>“He is the high priest of all Toyland,” he replied. “Few are -permitted to enter his august presence.”</p> - -<p>He shook his head again, and was silent. And Sally and Bedelia -both solemnly shook their heads, and were silent also for the -space of at least a full minute.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span></p> - -<p>However, there did not appear to be any use in standing still -and shaking their little craniums over the Polly-nosed Saphead. -Accordingly Sally and Bedelia cordially thanked the Sign Post, who -promised to join them early the next morning, and made their way -toward the Walking House. They would gladly have invited their -companion to enter, had he not been entirely too tall for any of the -rooms, or even to get in at the door. As the Sign Post was very well -used to standing out-of-doors, he patiently took up his stand close to -the house, there to await the coming of the morning. To be sure, it -seemed very queer to him not to be saying “Five miles to the -Palace,” he had been saying it for such a very long time. In fact, -he had never before in all his existence been called upon to quit his -post, as he was a comparatively new Sign Post. But a very pleasant -business he found it, especially when acting as escort to such a delightful -little girl as Sally.</p> - -<p>Meantime Sally and Bedelia had entered the house, where they -found the rest of the family awaiting them. After a short consultation, -it was decided to observe the general rules that had governed -them before they had arrived in Toyland. Because other people -never went to bed was really no reason why they should not if they -found it necessary. Therefore the shades were drawn down, the -lights extinguished, and the whole household soon wrapped in refreshing -slumber.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span></p> - -<p>Once Sally wakened and, peeping out between the curtains—for -the window was close to her bedside—beheld the long and lanky -form of the Sign Post standing patiently at his place. His countenance -still bore its affable smile and the child fancied she could hear -him murmuring, “Five miles to the Palace. Five miles to the -Palace.”</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 463px;"> -<img src="images/illus078.jpg" width="463" height="593" alt="Sally in front of Colonel" /> -<div class="caption">Sally felt a great longing to tip over the gorgeous little Colonel.</div> -</div> - -<p>“Only it couldn’t be five miles, because it isn’t any miles at all,” -murmured the child, as she slipped away into dreamland. “He’s -right at the very door of the Palace.”</p> - -<p>Sally slept late, and as soon as she awoke sprang out of bed and -rushed eagerly to the window. There was the Sign Post, nodding -and smiling at her, and waving good-morning, to which she responded -in like manner, and then made haste to dress and ran down -to the kitchen, where she found Dinah busily preparing breakfast. -All the dolls had been up all night, putting the house to rights, as it -had suffered a terrible shaking up during its journey, and there was -not a piece of furniture in the whole place that had not bumped and -bounced and slidden, so that it all presented a very much tumbled-up -appearance when at last the house came to a standstill. However, -the dolls had worked busily, and by the time Sally descended -everything was in fine shape.</p> - -<p>After a toothsome breakfast, a short council was held as to the -best methods of procedure. It was decided to go forth in several<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a><br /><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a><br /><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -small parties, as their number would make one single group rather -too large. The Sign Post had managed to take part in the conference -by stooping down and poking his head in at the window, and -now hastened off to summon others of his kind. Presently returning -with them, they all set off on their explorations.</p> - -<p>Sally and Bedelia, with their faithful guide, formed a party by -themselves and very gaily they set forth, though it must be confessed -that Bedelia looked a bit solemn. Having eaten a huge breakfast, -she was beginning to experience certain sensations which caused her -to apprehend that D. Tablet, Esq., might once again be on the rampage. -These disagreeable feelings, however, gradually wore away, -and the little bear was presently padding along as merrily as any of -the others.</p> - -<p>Beautiful indeed was the Imperial City, with its bustling business -section and its lovely residence portion, its symmetrical parks -and gleaming lakes. And high above all, as if keeping guard over -the peaceful city, the lofty Palace, which stood on a slight eminence -and was therefore rendered extremely prominent by its position as -well as its size and distinctive style of architecture.</p> - -<p>Sally did not know very much about architecture. Most of her -knowledge on the subject was included in the somewhat mixed-up -style of the Walking House. Neither she nor Miss Palmer had -ever been able to decide whether it was Grecian or Roman, ancient<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> -or modern. To be sure, Miss Palmer had been anxious to spare -John’s feelings on the subject, and therefore had been slow in offering -an opinion. And Sally was now plunged in quite the same perplexity -with regard to the Palace. She could not help wondering if -it had been designed by the Polly-nosed Saphead, who, since he appeared -to be such a great personage, might well be a great architect -also.</p> - -<p>The Palace stood in the midst of a beautiful park, filled with -the usual types of trees that Sally had noticed as peculiar to Toyland, -and was approached by a lofty flight of steps, guarded on -either side by a whole regiment of lead soldiers, “The Royal -Guards,” as the Sign Post explained in a rather awe-struck manner. -Sally felt a great longing to tip over the gorgeous little Colonel, as -she had often done with her lead soldiers at home, and send the -whole rank and file toppling over, one upon another. But she suddenly -recollected that she was now not the least bit bigger than the -soldiers themselves. And so she meekly followed the private who -was detailed to conduct them to the presence of Royalty.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER X<br /> - -<small>SALLY AND BEDELIA ARE PRESENTED AT COURT</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-p.jpg" width="69" height="72" alt="P" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">PRECEDED by their guide, Sally and Bedelia passed -between the great doors of the Palace and into a mighty -circular hall that was lighted from above by a huge -dome of golden colored glass, which cast a soft and sunshiny -radiance over everything. In the center of the hall rose a -wide and winding spiral staircase, heavily carpeted with deep yellow -velvet, whose bordering melted away into soft browns and russets. -Sally thought she had never seen anything more lovely than -the color scheme of this imperial hall, with its rich woodwork of -carved golden oak, and the golden light flooding everything.</p> - -<p>Twelve great doors opened out of the hall and they were now -ushered with great ceremony through the one directly facing the -wide entrance and were received by a splendidly dressed court page, -while the private promptly saluted and went about his business.</p> - -<p>When Sally, with heart thumping in a most uncomfortable -manner, ventured to lift her eyes from the pavement of tessellated -marble, she beheld a most magnificently appointed apartment of -regal size, thronged with courtiers and ladies-in-waiting, all in -splendid court dress; while at the further end rose a gorgeous throne<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -upon which were seated two of the handsomest dolls she had ever -seen. She suddenly felt herself very plain and insignificant in the -midst of all this splendor.</p> - -<p>But there was no time for personal criticism, for she was being -rapidly conducted up the hall by the gorgeous page, who was at the -same time loudly announcing her name and that of her companion. -The child felt herself blushing to the roots of her hair as she dropped -her prettiest curtsy, and dreadfully aware in the midst of her -embarrassment that Bedelia was attracting attention from all directions. -In fact, that personage possessed most strikingly original -ideas of court etiquette and, having made a most extraordinary bow, -proceeded to lick the hand of royalty which had been most graciously -extended to be kissed. This performance gave birth to a -ripple of laughter, which at once broke the ice. The courtiers -crowded around Sally and Bedelia, while the King and Queen descended -from their throne and proceeded to make themselves most -agreeable to the strangers.</p> - -<p>The Queen was a most beautiful blond, with large, blue eyes—Sally -noticed that they had real, black lashes—and a bewildering -wealth of golden curls, which she wore floating over her shoulders -and whose luster put to shame her golden crown. She wore a splendid -gown of white satin, embroidered with threads of gold, over -which opened a robe of purple velvet lined with ermine. A splendid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -court train swept far behind her, and she was, furthermore, -adorned with all the family rhinestones, which made a prodigious -sparkling and glittering and appeared very magnificent indeed.</p> - -<p>The King was a very tall and finely-built doll, with very dark -hair and eyes. His dress was of royal purple velvet, slashed with -white satin. He, also, wore a crown of fine gold and a splendid -signet ring set with a large ruby, upon which Bedelia gazed with -suspicious interest. Noticing her interested expression and following -the direction of her glances, Sally began inwardly to quake, and -resolved that the mischievous little bear should be separated as far -from the King as possible. An unkind fate, however, willed it -otherwise, for the Queen, who felt rather afraid of Bedelia, -promptly linked her arm in Sally’s and the two walked slowly down -the long hall, leaving the King to follow with the little bear. Truth -to tell, Her Majesty was extremely curious with regard to this new -kind of doll, which was neither made of china nor stuffed with sawdust, -and she pressed Sally’s hand and patted her arm, consumed -with curiosity, although disliking to ask of what material she could -possibly be made.</p> - -<p>Sally was destined to have her ideas concerning royalty turned -topsy-turvy. Indeed, all her previous notions, obtained from well -authenticated books, pictured kings and queens as quite the reverse -of what she was really finding them. The idea of a king promenading<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -arm in arm with a Teddy Bear, or with any kind of a bear, as -far as that went! She could not help smiling to herself to think -how angry Bedelia would be could she know of what she herself was -thinking. For Bedelia had always considered herself a most important -little personage, and quite good enough society for kings and -queens, too.</p> - -<p>While these thoughts were chasing each other through Sally’s -brain, the Queen was interestedly, if furtively examining the little -girl’s dress and her beautiful, lustrous braids which reached below -her waist. Much was her secret astonishment to discover that the -latter were not glued on, as were her own golden tresses. This she -could not fail to consider a serious detriment, for she was the proud -possessor of numerous wigs, and simply exchanged one for another -as soon as it became mussed up, a proceeding which she considered -vastly superior to having the tiresome combing and curling done -with one’s own head for a foundation, which must be the case with -Sally, of course.</p> - -<p>In fact, the Queen was rapidly coming to the conclusion that -Sally was a most delightful problem and one very worth while solving. -To this end she informed the pages that no one else would be -given audience, and insisted that Sally and Bedelia should spend the -rest of the day at the Palace.</p> - -<p>In the meantime Bedelia had been amusing the King, who<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -found himself highly entertained by this entirely new species of toy -animal. He had never before beheld anything like her, although -very well acquainted with every specimen in his kingdom. Toyland -was destitute of Teddy Bears, a fact that greatly astonished Bedelia, -who did not know whether to be mad or glad on account of -it, and concerning which she later on demanded an explanation of -the Sign Post. However, he declared with a solemn shake of his -head that a question of such momentous import must needs be referred -to the Polly-nosed Saphead, a personage concerning whom -Bedelia was already burning with curiosity.</p> - -<p>However, the King declared Bedelia to be very good company -for the time being. And, though Sally was shaking in her shoes -for fear of what she might next consider it proper to do, she behaved -herself in such a bright and comical manner that His Majesty declared -he would immediately find out why none of her species had -ever before penetrated into Toyland.</p> - -<p>Bedelia privately decided that she would herself find out before -he did, or know the reason why. However, she intimated nothing -of the kind, and as the Queen just then suggested that they make a -tour of the Palace and grounds, the subject was dismissed for the -time at least.</p> - -<p>The Queen now threw her long train over her arm and settling -her golden crown a little more firmly on her golden curls, she caught<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -Sally’s hand and the two moved towards the door, followed by the -King and Bedelia. The latter had, as a matter of course, taken the -King’s arm, and now marched along with her nose in the air, greatly -to the astonishment of the scandalized court ladies, very few of -whom had enjoyed a like honor. His Royal Highness was too -much amused and diverted to feel any embarrassment. Truth to -tell, life in Toyland had been dull of late, the same thing happening -every day without change or variation, and the King was beginning -to be horribly bored. Bedelia had dropped from the sky, as it -seemed, in the very nick of time.</p> - -<p>The quartet proceeded through the crowd of respectfully bowing -courtiers to the big doors at the lower end of the room and passed -through them into the outer hall. The royal automobile was in -waiting, and after a general tour of the Palace the party stepped -into it and started for a ride through the charming country.</p> - -<p>As they reached the edge of the town, they beheld the Walking -House patiently awaiting developments and, both King and Queen -desiring to look it over, the party descended at once and proceeded -to examine it. The position of guide was, of course, snapped up -by Bedelia, whose fluency of speech fitted her very well for such -work.</p> - -<p>The King inspected everything with the greatest interest, noting -many improvements unknown in Toyland, Both King and Queen<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -insisted on being introduced to all the dolls, and made themselves -most delightfully agreeable.</p> - -<p>The little bear now noticed for the first time the absence of Peter -Pan, a fact which she had hitherto passed by, owing no doubt to the -very good time she was enjoying. Squatting on her haunches in -the kitchen while she devoured a big, red apple—for she considered -that the claims of the inner man preceded even those of royalty—she -revolved the matter in her mind, finally coming to the conclusion -that there could be but one reason for Peter’s absence: that after -their disappearance from the doll’s house, he had discovered some -means of returning to his original size, and had availed himself of -it, probably finding the society of the doll’s house uncongenial minus -Sally and Bedelia, and preferring that of his cubs. Bedelia devoutly -hoped that he had preserved a portion of the “restorer,” as she -mentally styled it, for herself and Sally. Greatly as she was enjoying -herself, she certainly had no intention of remaining as she -was for the term of her natural life. Playing at being dolls was all -very well for a season, but was scarcely satisfying enough for a perpetual -diet. Besides, there was her family. She wondered how -Tom and Jerry and Little Breeches were getting along without her. -It was something of a consolation to feel that Peter Pan was with -them in her absence.</p> - -<p>Bedelia’s brain worked quickly, if it was made of silk ravelings!<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> -And she had firmly settled the whole matter in her own mind long -before she had finished the red apple.</p> - -<p>When she had taken the last bite and had carefully extracted -the seeds, of which, squirrel-like, she was extremely fond, she dropped -the core into the coal scuttle, wiped her paws and muzzle on -Dinah’s best apron which happened to be freshly done up and airing -before the fire, and betook herself upstairs to find out what had -been going on in her absence. As she passed the basement door, she -saw the Little Lamb scurrying out of it, but thought nothing of the -incident and sped upstairs to the drawing-room from which issued -the sounds of lively conversation.</p> - -<p>The King and Queen had explored every nook and corner of -the Walking House, and now expressed a most lively desire to see -it walk, a request with which the House stubbornly refused to comply. -Firmly planted upon its pedal extremities, which had to all -intents and purposes turned themselves back into castors again, it -stoutly resisted all coaxing and persuasion; and the project was -finally abandoned, much to the disappointment of their Royal Highnesses -and the chagrin of Sally.</p> - -<p>The Queen declared it high time to be on the move, as they had -brought along an elaborate luncheon which was to be served wherever -they felt like stopping, and it was already along toward noon. -Therefore they all climbed into the auto and presently rolled away,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -waving good-bye to the dolls, who were assembled in front of the -house to see them go.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 367px;"> -<img src="images/illus090.jpg" width="367" height="488" alt="Everyone in a motor car" /> -</div> - -<p>A second auto with the servants and -luncheon followed at a convenient -distance. There was no dust to -take for the roads -were all neatly -covered with velvet -carpet whenever -the King -and Queen went -abroad. The automobile -having -been wound up -just before it left the -garage, there was no -fear of its running -down, and even if it -had, Sally felt quite sure -that her golden key would have -been quite sufficient to start it up again.</p> - -<p>The child could not but think that the King and Queen looked -exceedingly comical automobiling in their royal robes and jeweled<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> -crowns. The long train of the Queen was dreadfully in the way, -and was always overflowing the sides of the auto and having to be -re-arranged, while her golden crown wabbled to such an alarming -extent that she was obliged to hold on to it with both hands, a proceeding -which was not at all comfortable. Nor was the King any -better off, but rather worse, for the Queen’s long and carefully -dressed hair admitted of hat-pins and formed a much better receptacle -for a crown than did his own short and curly locks.</p> - -<p>However, the little party was a very merry one in spite of wabbly -crowns and inconvenient court-trains. And great was the fun and -laughter as they sped gaily along through the charming country. -Presently they crossed a rustic bridge and turned into a beautiful -strip of woods, and here the Queen declared that their luncheon -should be served. It was, indeed, a lovely location. A silvery -stream rippled by and formed a charming cascade, the water having -been turned on from headquarters for the benefit of the royal party. -A number of birds of brilliant plumage hopped about among the -green branches, most of them warbling sweetly. That they had all -been wound up for the special occasion Sally did not for a moment -doubt, but she was already so well accustomed to this sort of -thing that she did not in the least mind it or consider it queer. As -for Bedelia, she had never noticed the difference.</p> - -<p>Just then the servants who had been approaching, bearing the big<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -hamper in which the lunch had been packed, suddenly dropped it -and retreated with every semblance of terror. Sally’s heart sank -into her boots, and she glanced nervously over her shoulders to ascertain -if Bedelia were missing. But the little bear was close behind -and with the rest of the party rushed forward to see what on -earth ailed the royal servants. The hamper lay upon the ground, -while in one side yawned a great hole. And within appeared a -long, solemn face, terminated by a considerable growth of beard. -For Mary did not always find it quite convenient to shave her Little -Lamb as often as was really necessary. The goat’s beard had -sprouted, although the horns had not, and was proving a great nuisance -to everybody concerned.</p> - -<p>In a moment the solution of the whole thing burst upon Bedelia. -She remembered having seen the Little Lamb skipping out of the -basement door and surmised that he must have hidden himself in the -automobile until they were all under way and had then chewed a -hole in the side of the hamper, as he could not unfasten the lid, and -finally managed to squeeze himself in by dint of throwing out a -number of articles utterly valueless to goats but considered quite -indispensable to royalty. Of course all this had taken place behind -the backs of the servants, who evidently had never once looked -around.</p> - -<p>Poor Sally, who recognized at the first glance the countenance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -of the Little Lamb, felt that it would have been a huge relief had -the ground opened and made one mouthful of her. She was too -much scandalized, as well as too honest, to join in the terrified exclamations -of the royal couple, who, however, had but short space in -which to express their emotions. Not seeing any good reason why -he should remain in his rather cramped quarters, which he would -have deserted much sooner had he not feared to jump from the -rapidly moving auto, the Little Lamb suddenly wriggled out -through the hole in the hamper’s side and taking nimbly to his heels, -scampered away and disappeared among the trees, leaving the royal -party to mourn over its departed feast.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XI<br /> - -<small>THE POLLY-NOSED SAPHEAD</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-n.jpg" width="78" height="78" alt="N" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">NOBODY ever was awakened in Sleepy Town, but everyone -slept just as long as they chose. Consequently the -morning was well advanced before the King and Queen -awoke, and sat up yawning and stretching in a very -unregal manner. In fact, it was just like the awakening of ordinary -folks. And when they had gotten through with this performance, -they stood up and arranged their robes and put on their crowns -which they had carefully hung up on a nearby poppy bush. Sally -was also awake. She and the Sign Post had already taken a walk -down to the lake where the little girl had looked eagerly for the -Leap-Frog. But the queer little animal was nowhere to be seen, -so the two had retraced their steps, after Sally had bathed her face -and hands in the cool water. They were very glad to find the King -and Queen and Bedelia waiting for them and eager to take the homeward -way.</p> - -<p>As they walked towards the gates, Sally noticed quite a number -of Flussies perched on the bushes, their heads under their wings, -fast asleep. The Sign Post remarked that they were the carrier-doves -of Toyland. Here and there a furry bat, hooked on some convenient<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> -branch by his little claws, slept peacefully. Sally remarked -how pretty and downy they were, just like little winged mice. She -had always wondered why people feared them, knowing how senseless -and cruel are the superstitions regarding the timid little creatures.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“He prayeth best who loveth best</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">All things both great and small,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">For the dear God who loveth us</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">He made and loveth all.”</span></div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>She repeated the lines half dreamily to herself, wondering if -they included the Little Lamb and others of his ilk, as they walked -along towards the entrance, where they could already see the motor -car, which had just been freshly wound up, waiting for them.</p> - -<p>The King and Queen climbed into the back seat, Sally and -Bedelia sprang up with the chauffeur, and with the Sign Post racing -ahead on his long, lath-like legs, they set out at a merry pace for -Joytown.</p> - -<p>It was nearly noon when they reached the palace, and after -luncheon, the Queen proposed that they should pay a visit to the -Polly-nosed Saphead, the Wizard who really controlled more or less -all the affairs of state. As Sally was only too eager to go, they -hurried away without ceremony as soon as might be, in order to have<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -a good long afternoon. This rather offended all the other members -of the court, who were decidedly inclined to feel aggrieved and -neglected since Sally and Bedelia had come a-visiting to the palace.</p> - -<p>The Polly-nosed Saphead lived in a great, round tower about -half a mile from the palace. He had been advised of the advent of -royalty by means of the wireless telegraph, which has always existed -in Toyland. In fact, he claimed to be the inventor of it. But -be that as it may, he received the message from the King all right, -and was on hand to receive the royal party in his big audience -room on the first floor.</p> - -<p>When they entered the hall he was discovered sitting in his -big chair of state, his shrunken little body wrapped in a loose robe of -crimson covered with queer black figures and lined with white fur, -while his two pet gargoyles sported about at his feet. Sally saw -with astonishment that he was not a doll, but a real little man, or, -more properly speaking, a little dwarf, with a great head as bald -as a billiard ball. This defect was partially concealed by one little -tuft of hair or scalp lock, which had a dreadful habit of lifting -itself straight up in the air whenever it did not agree with the sentiments -expressed by its wearer. As for the back of his head, it was -as smooth as the palm of your hand, a fact which had long ago -firmly convinced its owner that it was extremely impolite ever to -turn his back on anyone. He had, in consequence, acquired a reputation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -for great courtesy, and was pointed out as a kind of Chesterfield -to the rising generation of Toyland.</p> - -<p>Great, flapping ears stuck out on either side of the Wizard’s -little weazened face, while his big, bulging eyes were shaded by -brows and lashes that, naturally white, were always carefully dyed -to match the scalp lock, which, if the truth must be told, was dyed -too. After a time the dye gradually wore off and grew lighter in -color, so that when the great man neglected to visit his barber at -proper intervals, his hair, not to mention his lashes, became gradually -of a delicate green hue, having worked successively through -every known shade of brown before it reached this undesirable tint. -When in good condition, it was of a rich and glossy brown, shading -upon black. “Streaky,” Bedelia cruelly declared it, the moment -she laid eyes upon it.</p> - -<p>But the most astonishing feature belonging to the Polly-nosed -Saphead was his large, beak-like nose that, shining and fleshless, -rose determinedly from the surrounding level of his countenance -like the bill of a poll-parrot, and imparted to his general appearance -an air of forever wishing to peer into mysteries. Never did -question mark more continuously uprear a perpetual interrogation -than did the great man’s inquiring nasal organ. Hence his name -“The Polly-Nosed” which, far from being a term of ridicule, was -on the contrary, a title of great respect. For were not parrots the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -wisest birds in all Toyland? Whatever the rest of the name meant -in the general language of Toyland, we will not now pause to explain.</p> - -<p>A real parrot of most brilliant plumage hung upside down on -the back of the wise man’s chair, suspended by its claws and evidently -fast asleep. While the gargoyles that Sally had at once perceived -with great astonishment upon entering the hall, frisked about -their master’s chair.</p> - -<p>The little girl had never considered these queer creatures in -any other position than close up under the eaves of a church. And -she had always supposed that their chief occupation was to spout -a great deal of water out of their huge mouths. These specimens, -however, judging from their disorderly conduct, had never heard of -such a place as a church. In fact, they were just then engaged in -trying to swarm up the sides of their master’s chair, in order to pull -down the parrot. That wise old fellow, knowing that in spite of -their clumsy wings, they would never be able to reach him in his -fastness without first wallowing all over their master, slept peacefully -on, upside down as he was, and never paid any attention to them -at all.</p> - -<p>They certainly were remarkably hideous looking creatures, having -apparently been left off when not more than half finished, for -they possessed only a head and shoulders, with great front paws<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> -and strong, cruel looking claws. In addition to these, they each -sported a pair of dragon-like wings. They had great mouths that -very nearly met around at the back of their necks, and huge, bulging -eyes, and altogether were anything but pretty pets.</p> - -<p>However, they crouched on the floor at a gesture from the -Wizard, who now hurriedly got himself up out of his big chair, and -came forward, bowing and scraping with the most effusive courtesy. -He had big eyes that stuck out dreadfully and gave them a ridiculous -resemblance to the gargoyles, and so fearfully did they wiggle -and roll about that Sally began to fear they would hop out of their -sockets altogether before he had finished his profuse greetings.</p> - -<p>He seemed especially glad to see Sally, whom he at once perceived -to be of his own kind, and quite different from the inhabitants -of Toyland.</p> - -<p>Everybody having greeted everybody else with much politeness -and warmth, the King announced that he would be greatly pleased -if the Wizard would show Sally the wonders of his tower, especially -the Department of the Sun, in which they were all greatly -interested.</p> - -<p>At this the Wizard appeared greatly flattered and begged them -to excuse him for a moment. He hastened to the far end of the -room where the gargoyles had briskly renewed their efforts to get at -the parrot, seized that still soundly sleeping bird, and proceeded<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -to hang him up by his claws on a high bracket that had originally -served to support his own cage. Polly slept serenely and the Wizard, -having tethered the gargoyles to the legs of his great chair, returned -to the waiting party. This greatly displeased the gargoyles -for by this time they had discovered Bedelia, and were quite willing -to lose the parrot if they might get at her. It must be confessed, -Bedelia did not like their looks at all and hung to Sally’s protecting -arm, although she had held up her head and looked back -over her shoulders with a provoking grin as the whole company -left the hall and began to ascend a narrow and winding flight of -stairs that led to the top of the tower.</p> - -<p>Up and up they went, finally stepping out upon a wide platform -or veranda that ran all around the tower, and Sally saw that the -great round sun—which she perceived at a glance to be nothing -more nor less than a big electric light within a dazzling globe of -cut-glass—hung directly over the tower. The child understood at -once that the Wizard’s great power lay in his knowledge of electricity. -However, she made no comment, nor even hinted at the -fact that she had ever heard of such a thing.</p> - -<p>She was not at all surprised that the Wizard offered very few -explanations. In fact, he was very jealous of his methods of working, -and feared continually that somebody else might discover them. -As there was no patent office in Toyland, the best thing he could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> -do was to keep his secrets to himself, which he accordingly -did to perfection.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 292px;"> -<img src="images/illus101.jpg" width="292" height="512" alt="on a balcony on a tower with the wizard" /> -</div> - -<p>The Sign Post, still in faithful attendance, -whispered to Sally that the great surface of the -sun was kept clean by hundreds of tiny elves -who were known as the Sunshine -Fairies and who spent all their lives rubbing -and polishing the glittering -cut-glass surface.</p> - - - -<p>“Once in the beginning,” -he said solemnly, “they grew -weary and fell asleep, and -the face of the sun became -dark and dusty for want of -rubbing, so that we had an -eclipse.”</p> - -<p>Sally smiled, thinking it -a great deal more likely that -something in connection with the electric plan -had gotten out of order. However, she offered no comment -but nodded and smiled.</p> - -<p>“Since then,” continued the Sign Post, “the elves have been -divided into two companies, and at stated times they are sent off to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -Sleepy Town for rest. Then when they return the others go. It is -a plan that works very well.”</p> - -<p>“Much better than having eclipses all the time,” broke in Bedelia -sharply. She was not very sure what an eclipse was, but had -come to the conclusion that it must be something unpleasant and -disagreeable.</p> - -<p>Sally now perceived myriads of the little Sunshine Fairies slipping -down the cold and glittering sunbeams, and right jolly creatures -they seemed to be. Each one had two pair of hands and arms -so that when one pair grew tired of rubbing and polishing, the -other might come into play.</p> - -<p>Sally was not surprised to find the sunbeams cold, as the moonbeams -in Sleepy Town had been warm and quite springlike in their -temperature. However, she did feel curious concerning the manner -in which they were regulated, as the sunlight at noon was ever so -much brighter than it was at morning or evening. Accordingly she -inquired of the ever ready Sign Post, as she had a vague idea that -the Wizard rather disliked being questioned.</p> - -<p>It was immediately explained to her that the light was regulated -by means of many folds of soft gauze, which were operated -by means of ropes and pulleys and in as many thicknesses as were -required. They were also in various shades of yellow, pink and -violet and soft gray, so that a most beautiful twilight could at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -any time be had for the asking by simply arranging the gauze in -appropriate color and thickness.</p> - -<p>It all seemed so simple that Sally was beginning to think the -Wizard had won his fame very easily. That personage, who had of -course felt obliged to give the most of his attention to the King -and Queen, now led the way down the narrow and winding stairs, -a journey which the Sign Post made in about half as many steps -with his long legs.</p> - -<p>Very shortly they were back again in the big audience hall. -Everything was just as they had left it, the parrot still asleep and -hanging up like a bat by his claws, and the gargoyles both dozing, -one under the Wizard’s great chair and the other upon it, each -with one eye open.</p> - -<p>Sally, who had noticed Bedelia’s somewhat hostile attitude, was -relieved to find all the creatures asleep. But they were not long -to remain so, for the noise made by the party in returning speedily -woke them. The parrot, with a shrill cry, flew straight to her -favorite perch on the back of her master’s chair. Being still half -asleep, she did not perceive the dear little pet that occupied it -until a lusty tug at her tail and the dreadful consciousness that she -had parted company with several of her best tail feathers caused her -to fly to the floor, squawking and chattering.</p> - -<p>Immediately both the gargoyles gave chase, but Polly, far from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> -retreating, turned boldly to face her tormentors. In a moment Bedelia -had thrown herself into the thick of the fray and there ensued -a very bad quarter of an hour for everybody all around. Fur and -feathers flew and Polly, reinforced by Bedelia, would have scored -a signal victory owing to the fact that the gargoyles were tied up, -while the parrot, after delivering a series of blows with beak and -claws, could always get out of the range of their jaws. Finally the -Wizard, whom none of them seemed to mind the least bit, succeeded -in restoring order. The gargoyles were driven off to a far corner -where they were tied up in disgrace, and Polly, minus her tail -feathers, was shut up in her cage, squawking and protesting every -step of the way.</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 339px;"> -<img src="images/illus105.jpg" width="339" height="461" alt="being served at table" /> -</div> - -<p>Meantime, Bedelia quickly secured the bone of contention, -namely the brilliant tail feathers, and stuck them into her fur behind -her ears, where they stood up impudently, giving her rather -the aspect of an Indian squaw.</p> - -<p>Peace having been restored, afternoon tea was brought in and -served by a number of jumping-jacks, who were in fine livery and -powdered wigs. The jumping-jacks were exclusively in the service -of the Wizard and very fine servants they proved to be. To be sure, -one of them would occasionally collapse and fall in a limp heap on -the floor, scattering tea and cakes all over the place. But as jumping-jacks -usually do collapse and sprawl on the ground unless properly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> -held up by the string that always grows out of the tops of -their heads, nobody seemed to think anything of it, or to mind it -in the least.</p> - -<p>It seemed rather a shame to Sally -that they should be compelled to wear -powdered wigs, thus covering -up forever that most -important string. The -poor creatures could -never be quite sure when -they were going to collapse. -Besides, what -a quantity of tea and -cakes was always being -wasted! She -could not exactly figure -it all out and confided her dilemma to the Sign Post. -He remarked that even were the powdered -wigs dispensed with, there would be -nobody to hold up the strings.</p> - -<p>While this was very true, it did not help Sally in the least, -and she was rather glad when the Queen declared that it was time<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> -to leave, and the whole party, having bade good-bye to the Wizard, -with thanks for the pleasant if somewhat strenuous visit, returned -to the palace.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XII<br /> - -<small>THE WEATHER PROPHET</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-a.jpg" width="81" height="79" alt="A" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">ALTHOUGH there was no night in Toyland, a species of -twilight prevailed after a certain hour, not dark enough -to require lights, but it still proved deliciously restful -after a day of perfect and brilliant sunshine.</p> - -<p>These twilights were, of course, engineered by the Wizard -from his tower, and by means of the gauze arrangements that the -Sign Post had explained to Sally, were blue, pink, yellow, green, -and so on, according to the fancy of the magician.</p> - -<p>It was quite the fad to give afternoon teas that matched the twilight -in color, and as a bulletin was posted each morning at the -Wizard’s front door announcing the shade of the twilight to come, -the rest was an easy matter. As soon as the diminishing sunlight -proclaimed the approach of evening, myriads of fireflies were let -loose in all the rooms of the palace, furnishing all the light that was -necessary. Indeed, Toyland knew nothing of lamps or candles, -gas or electric light. The cooking was all done with fuel, the secret -of whose preparation was known to the Wizard alone. It -was non-explosive and burned without consuming away, so that one -good-sized chunk would last forever. In fact, when a person went<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> -to invest in fuel, he first had his cook stove measured and then -ordered to be sent home a block of exactly the right dimensions. -When he wanted it lit all he had to do was to use the bellows that -hung by the side of every stove. This started the fire at once, and an -occasional application kept it going. When the bellows was hung -up for good, the fuel went out. In every kitchen was employed -a boy who did nothing but blow the fire with the bellows. With -such a state of affairs, conflagrations were unknown and, in fact, unheard -of. To be sure, there were plenty of iron fire companies who -appeared at intervals with other toys from the world of human beings, -but their occupation was gone forever, and they were obliged -to seek other pursuits, usually being given a place in the standing -army, a position for which their brilliant uniforms easily fitted them.</p> - -<p>On this particular evening after returning from the Wizard’s -palace,—it was a pink evening, by the way—it was announced much -to Sally’s delight that the Weather Prophet had declared snow for -the following morning. If Sally was pleased, she was just as much -astonished, for the weather was warm and the month she was quite -sure was June. However, as the Wizard managed the Weather -Prophet, who was only his mouth-piece, nobody ever knew, it appeared, -what sort of weather might be expected within the next few -hours. The Queen suspected that snow had been ordered for -Sally’s benefit, and said so with a smile; while the King suggested<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> -that they should all go over to visit the Weather Prophet, as there -was nothing especially amusing laid out for the evening. This was -readily agreed to by everyone, and as soon as dinner was over they -all started forth to walk to the house of the personage who ruled -the weather.</p> - -<p>The evening was beautiful. A rosy flush rested upon everything, -while every wayside tree was filled with fireflies. To be sure, -Bedelia declared that the pinkish glow made them all look as if they -had scarletina. But as nobody in Toyland had ever heard of such a -thing as scarletina, her joke fell very flat indeed.</p> - -<p>A short walk brought them to the house of the Weather Prophet. -At one period of her life Sally would have called it a glass box, set -up on end. And that was certainly what it did look like. They -caught a glimpse of a mass of fluffy drapery within and then Bedelia -exclaimed in a tone of disappointment and chagrin, “Why, it’s nothing -but a paper doll!”</p> - -<p>Sure enough, a paper doll it was, and a lady doll at that. Sally -had seen just such dolls hung upon her Christmas trees year after -year. In fact, she had often helped to make the fluffy skirts of -plaited crépe paper.</p> - -<p>The Sign Post here whispered that the skirts were really the -most wonderful thing about the Weather Prophet, as they changed -color with the changes of the weather.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></p> - -<p>Sally now observed hanging over the door a glass sign on which -was printed in large, golden letters</p> - -<p class="center"> -WHEN I WEAR PINK, A STORM IS DUE,<br /> -WHEN SKIES ARE CLEAR, MY SKIRTS ARE BLUE.<br /> -</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 354px;"> -<img src="images/illus110.jpg" width="354" height="441" alt="Woman in window with sign above" /> -</div> - -<p>In fact, the glass sign began to repeat the stanza in a very loud -voice as soon as the party -was within hailing -distance, and kept repeating -it over and -over until the -Weather Prophet -angrily ordered it to -be quiet, whereupon -it became so -sulky that it -clouded itself all -over and became -quite dim.</p> - -<p>As soon as the -Weather Prophet could -make herself heard, she -greeted her guests<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> -with the greatest affability, and when questioned concerning the impending -storm replied by pointing with a smile to her draperies, -which certainly were as pink as could be.</p> - -<p>“As there never is any rain here,” she explained, “a storm -usually—in fact, as a rule—means a snow storm.” Then with a -friendly nod at Sally, she added, “In your country, where I once -lived, you have many kinds of storms.”</p> - -<p>To this Bedelia promptly responded before Sally had time to -answer, “Snow storms, hail storms, rain storms, thunder storms and -brain storms!”</p> - -<p>“We have thunder storms here, too, but never any rain,” replied -the Weather Prophet.</p> - -<p>She was very pretty, and confided to Sally that she was the -Wizard’s wife, but that as she had to remain where her draperies -could be influenced by the weather, she seldom went to the tower.</p> - -<p>“Besides which, I cannot abide his horrid gargoyles,” she added, -with a contemptuous sniff.</p> - -<p>Sally remembered how stuffy the big hall in the tower had been -and did not at all blame the pretty doll for preferring her own -bright and airy glass house with its many ventilators and the gay, -striped awnings that could be spread out when the sun was too -glaring.</p> - -<p>As the neat, gold paper watch that the Weather Prophet wore<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -at her belt now pointed to the hour of nine and Sally was beginning -to look tired, they all took leave of their charming hostess and -wended their way back to the palace, where the Queen with an affectionate -kiss dismissed Sally that she might seek the rest that she so -greatly needed.</p> - -<p>“What on earth would nurse think if she could see us going -to bed at ten o’clock?” exclaimed the child, as she cuddled close -up to Bedelia, already half asleep on the dainty linen pillow.</p> - -<p>“What would she think if she could see any of it, especially -the gargoyles?” returned the little bear sleepily.</p> - -<p>Sally burst out laughing, remembering nurse’s dismay at sight -of one small mouse. But before her merry laugh had ceased to echo -through the room, her eyelids fell drowsily. She was fast asleep.</p> - -<p>They slept long and soundly, and were at last awakened by the -scraping of shovels and the sound of carts and horses in the street -below. Quickly Sally sprang out of bed, followed by Bedelia, who -fell all over herself and very nearly upset Sally in her anxiety to get -to the window.</p> - -<p>A strange sight met their eyes. In the street below were moving -back and forth a myriad of little carts, each drawn by one horse, -and presided over by a jumping-jack. But wonderful to relate, -instead of shoveling up the snow and carrying it away, the drivers -were unloading it as fast as they could and spreading it over everything.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> -Down the road and as far as she could see, the child beheld -a company of Sign Posts that were mounted on huge ladders and -busily engaged in sprinkling the snow over the tops and branches of -the stiff little trees. They also hung numbers of glittering icicles on -the boughs and twigs.</p> - -<p>Without waiting to see any more, Sally dressed with the greatest -possible haste and flew to find her own especial Sign Post. Him -she found waiting patiently in the hall below, and in response to -her eager queries, he explained that, as Sally already knew, the -temperature in Toyland never varied. Therefore there was neither -rain nor real snow. The snow that now lay thickly spread over -everything was manufactured by the Wizard, who alone knew how -to make it.</p> - -<p>“So you see,” concluded the Sign Post, “we can have winter -whenever Their Majesties wish for a sleigh ride.”</p> - -<p>They were walking along the garden path by this time, the crisp -snow crunching under their feet. Sally thought that Toyland had -never looked so beautiful as now, with every tree and roof sparkling -with the glittering snow crystals. The child picked up a few icicles -and put them carefully into her pocketbook for future reference. -She felt very much puzzled to see such a topsy-turvy state of affairs -as existed in Toyland. The idea of snow being shoveled out of carts -instead of being shoveled into them! She could but reflect, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -that a snow storm in the nursery must have been planned and executed -under very nearly the same circumstances.</p> - -<p>“To be sure, they are only a lot of dolls,” she said to herself. -“No wonder that the Wizard is able to deceive them in so many -ways.”</p> - -<p>“What becomes of all this stuff?” just then demanded Bedelia. -She had been digging down into the snow with much vigor and had -promptly discovered that it was neither cold nor wet.</p> - -<p>“The snow,” replied the Sign Post with dignity, “is the property -of the Wizard. When it has lain here for what he considers -a proper length of time, his servants gather it up and cart it away -and it is stored up for future use.”</p> - -<p>Just then a great jingling of bells was heard and a huge sleigh -came swinging up the driveway. In it was seated no less a personage -than the Polly-nosed Saphead himself, wrapped in furs and evidently -in a great state of pleasurable excitement.</p> - -<p>The poll parrot was perched on the back of the seat, while much -to Sally’s dismay the ugly heads of the two gargoyles appeared poking -up from among the fur robes.</p> - -<p>“Come for a sleigh ride,” cried the parrot before the Wizard -had time to move or speak. “Come for a sleigh ride, a sleigh ride, -a sleigh ride!” and she would no doubt have kept on repeating the -invitation indefinitely had not one of the gargoyles suddenly reared<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> -up on the back seat and made a grab for her brilliant tail. Whereupon -the Wizard felt obliged to interfere and it was some time before -peace was restored and the great man descended with as much -pomp and ceremony as the circumstances permitted.</p> - -<p>He was such a bundle of furs that had it not been for his big -head, which was crowned with a large fur cap, it would have been -almost impossible to find his little shrunken body at all. He greeted -Sally with great warmth and announced that he had come to take -her and the royal party for a sleigh ride. Here Bedelia remarked -in a stage whisper that had the “royal party” been present, he would -not have put Sally first in his invitation. Nobody heeding her, however, -she proceeded to devote her attention to the parrot, the gargoyles -having been left outside in the sleigh.</p> - -<p>While feeling rather doubtful about riding in the same vehicle -with the ugly beasts as well as Polly and Bedelia—for she knew -very well that they would all have to go along—Sally felt obliged -to accept so pressing an invitation, especially when offered by such -a mighty personage. And word was accordingly sent upstairs to -the King and Queen who presently came hurrying down, all ready -for the ride.</p> - -<p>In the excitement everyone had forgotten about breakfast, that -is, everyone but Bedelia. She now dived below stairs and made a -swift raid on the dining-room, whence she shortly returned with every<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> -evidence of having restored exhausted nature with a great number of -cookies, judging from the crumbs that adorned her fur.</p> - -<p>As there was no further reason for delay, the whole party -climbed into the big sleigh. The Queen and Sally were on the back -seat with Bedelia between them, the King and the Wizard on the -front seat with Polly perched on the back of it directly behind her -master. The gargoyles were perched up in front with the driver, -much to the dismay of that dignified personage, who disliked them -heartily. Besides, he considered, and with some reason, that their -presence detracted in no small degree from his own liveried dignity. -However, he was too much afraid of them to vent his displeasure as -he might have done had they not been such ugly looking customers. -The footman, too, felt very much aggrieved at having his quarters -curtailed by the admission of such passengers. However, there was -no help for it, and each one being finally settled in his place, the -sleigh started off with a great jingling of bells and waving of plumes -that stood up stiffly on the heads of the mettlesome steeds and also -reared themselves aloft on the pillars of the high dashboard.</p> - -<p>The Wizard remarked that he had invited his wife to come -along but that as she objected to so much live stock, she had preferred -to remain where she was. Sally wondered where the Weather -Prophet would have roosted had she accepted the Wizard’s invitation, -as there did not appear to be a square inch of unoccupied<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> -room. However, she said nothing and the sleigh sped merrily along, -finally leaving the city and swinging out into the open country.</p> - -<p>Here also winter fair and sparkling prevailed in all its dazzling -splendor. The King remarked that there would be fine skating to -which the Wizard replied that he had caused several pair of skates to -be brought along and that they would try the skating pond when the -ladies had had enough of the sleigh.</p> - -<p>This proposition was hailed with delight by all concerned. -Sally could not help wondering where they were going to find any -ice. Her curiosity was presently satisfied when the sleigh drew up -beside a large sheet of clear glass, which had been lightly sprinkled -with the snow powder, so that it was not too slippery for roller skating. -Roller skating it was to which the Wizard now invited his -guests. And in a few moments they were all speeding merrily along, -each one trying to outstrip the others. Even the gargoyles each -buckled a pair of skates on his front and only paws, and joined the -merry company. And by dint of balancing themselves with their -wings, they managed very well indeed.</p> - -<p>The Queen was highly delighted as the skating pond was something -entirely new, and the whole party remained circling round -and round until the Wizard, looking at his watch, suddenly declared -that it was high time for twilight and that although it greatly -grieved him to stop so delightful a diversion, he really must hasten<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -back to his tower in order to attend to the same. He added that -his wife desired the party to take tea with her and that it would be -a lavender tea.</p> - -<p>Everybody now took off the roller skates and piled into the -sleigh, the homeward way being taken by a different route in order -that they might lose none of the beauties of the scenery.</p> - -<p>As they approached the spot on which the pretty little glass -house of the Weather Prophet had stood, a cry of dismay broke from -the lips of all,—at least all but those of the Wizard. The house -was gone, and not the smallest trace of either house or Prophet -remained to tell the tale. Neither did the most systematic search -reveal anything. The baffled Wizard retired to his tower to consult -the stars, as he declared, while the rest of the party hurried to the -palace to get their own lavender tea.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XIII<br /> - -<small>A MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-g.jpg" width="96" height="85" alt="G" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">GREAT was the hue and cry raised over the disappearance -of the Weather Prophet, and dire the dismay of -the general public, that had daily flocked to the pretty -little glass house to learn the very latest advice from -the weather bureau. They greatly feared there could now be no -further predictions concerning sun and storm, for there never had -been but one Weather Prophet within the memory of anyone, even -the oldest of all. Even the Wizard knew nothing concerning the -material of which his wife’s magic skirts were made. A weather -prophet she had been, although badly in need of repair, upon her -arrival in Toyland, and her like had never been seen, would never -be seen again.</p> - -<p>Queerer even than her disappearance seemed to Sally the vanishing -of her glass house. Perhaps, like the Walking House, it had -found feet and eloped, carrying off its owner, whether willing or -not. Even the loquacious glass sign was gone, which proved conclusively -to the logical mind of the Wizard, or at least he so expressed -himself, that the house had run away with the lady, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -that at that very moment she was no doubt placidly following her -profession of prophesying in some far distant region.</p> - -<p>Bedelia, as usual, had her own opinion concerning the matter, -and went about looking mysterious. Sally, who greatly feared that -the little bear was planning mischief, was much relieved when she -finally spoke her mind.</p> - -<p>“I believe that bald-headed old terror knows where his wife -is,” she declared one morning while the two were wandering through -the palace greenhouses. “She had two pet Flussies and they are -gone, too. Now, even if she was carried off by her glass house -against her will, she could have sent them back with a message. -Anyway, it isn’t likely that she went of her own accord, for she is -so well known all over Toyland that wherever she went, the Wizard -would be sure to find it out and bring her back. Besides that, she -had no reason for running off. Everybody liked her and made a -fuss over her.”</p> - -<p>“Well, then, whatever do you suppose has become of her?” -inquired Sally breathlessly. The child had had her own misgivings, -remembering the pretty doll’s dislike for her husband’s pets. “You -don’t suppose the gargoyles could have <i>eaten</i> her?” she added hurriedly.</p> - -<p>“No, and I don’t believe the Polly flew away with her,” retorted -Bedelia scornfully. “I believe she is hidden somewhere<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -within a very short distance from here. The Wizard has some -motive for getting her out of the way. You know he said she had -refused to go sleighing with the rest of us. He probably said that -just for effect.”</p> - -<p>“But what could he have done with the house?” demanded -Sally.</p> - -<p>“Oh, that could easily have been taken to pieces and moved -away. He had those imps of gargoyles to help him,” replied the -little bear. Then after a moment’s thought, she added reflectively, -“As you know, the King and Queen have gone away on business -for a couple of days. Suppose we try to unravel this mystery all -by ourselves. I am sure the Sign Post will help us. He can run -very fast, besides being so tall he can get at almost anything. Of -course we won’t mention what we are doing to anyone. It may be -that I am on quite the wrong scent. But there’s no harm in trying.”</p> - -<p>And Sally having given her delighted consent, Bedelia trotted -off to find the Sign Post, singing at the top of her voice</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“The owl, and the eel, and the warming pan</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">They went to call on the soap-fat man;</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">The soap-fat man he was not within</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">For he’d gone for a ride on his rolling-pin;</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">So they all came back by way of the town,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">And turned the meeting-house upside down.”</span></div> -</div> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span></p> - -<p>This ancient classic somehow, it seemed to Sally, applied to -the situation in hand, only it was Sally and the Sign Post and Bedelia -instead of the owl and the eel and the warming-pan.</p> - -<p>A bright idea suddenly struck the little girl, and she could -scarcely wait until Bedelia returned with the Sign Post to announce -it to them.</p> - -<p>“Bedelia, dear,” she exclaimed, “if we are going to be real detectives, -we shouldn’t use our own names, because real detectives -never do. Let us call ourselves the Owl and the Eel and the Warming-Pan. -It will be so lovely and mysterious!”</p> - -<p>Bedelia clapped her paws with delight at this proposition, while -the Sign Post beamed approval from his lofty height.</p> - -<p>“With capitals, of course,” continued Sally. “And now which -of us shall be which?”</p> - -<p>After some discussion, it was decided that Sally should be the -Owl (with a capital), Bedelia the Eel, while the long and lean -Sign Post should be the Warming-Pan.</p> - -<p>This mighty problem having been settled, they proceeded to -hold a council of war and finally decided to set forth at once upon -their mission. They concluded to go on foot and, if it were not -possible to return each night to the palace, to remain wherever they -could find lodging. The Sign Post, while he had no opinion of -his own at all concerning the disappearance of the Weather Prophet,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> -was glad to fall in with the plans of anyone who had, and Sally -perceived with delight that he was going to be a most valuable addition -to their detective force.</p> - -<p>By noon their simple preparations were completed and they -set forth merrily enough, having concluded to go over the nearby -ground first, then if they discovered nothing to proceed to regions -more remote. Bedelia’s idea that the subject of their search was -hidden close by seemed sensible enough. She might be in the Wizard’s -tower for that matter. The disappearance of the house was -what bothered all of them. What use could anyone have for a -vanishing glass house? It was really most mysterious.</p> - -<p>They walked on, discussing the subject that was so troubling -them when suddenly the sound of heavy paws padding along behind -them made them turn quickly. And they beheld hurrying along -after them a big, white figure that Sally recognized at once as the -large Polar Bear rug that lay at the side of the Queen’s bed. He -had come to life most beautifully and only flopped in a very small -degree, considering his boneless condition. He came up panting -a little and wagging his huge head amiably as is the fashion with -Polar Bears.</p> - -<p>“I was <i>so</i> afraid you would get away!” he said in a panting -voice, as he linked arms with Sally and quickly fell into step with -her. Then he added, “Aren’t you surprised to see me? I never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -did such a thing before. Ever since I can remember, I have lain -beside the Queen’s bed. But this morning I felt that I had reached -the limit. Do let me go along with you! I am thirsting for adventure.”</p> - -<p>“Do you think you could walk so far?” said Sally, eyeing his -somewhat wabbly legs rather doubtfully. “Besides, what will the -Queen say when she returns?”</p> - -<p>“I shall not be there to hear,” replied the Polar Bear solemnly. -“And as for walking, I can go along with the best of you. Besides, -you will find me very useful, for when you are tired, I will spread -myself out and you can rest comfortably on my long, soft hair.” -He smiled so amiably as he said this that the others at once consented -to take him along, and also informed him of the object of their -journey.</p> - -<p>This confidence ended, they proceeded more briskly than before, -and soon the palace was left behind and they found themselves -in the open country. At the edge of the town Sally saw a most -peculiar looking tree whose queer leaves, some square, some oblong, -no two of them alike, were white instead of green, and rustled with -a sound like sweetest music as the wind whispered softly through -them.</p> - -<p>“Oh, what a queer tree!” she exclaimed, hurrying toward it.</p> - -<p>“That, my dear, is a letter tree,” said the Sign Post.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span></p> - -<p>“A letter tree?” replied the child blankly. “Then you have -no post-office in Toyland?”</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 374px;"> -<img src="images/illus125.jpg" width="374" height="475" alt="Sign Post pointing to tree of letters" /> -</div> - -<p>“I do not know what a post-office may be,” -replied the other. -“But here all our letters -grow on trees. -The loving thoughts -of our friends to -us, why should -they not bloom -and bear fruit, -the fruit of the -heart and brain?”</p> - -<p>Much impressed -by the eloquence of her -companion, Sally was -silent, but Bedelia remarked -that she had -heard of a brain-storm, -but that brain-fruit was -one too many for her.</p> - -<p>The Sign Post, without condescending to notice the little bear’s -impertinence, lifted Sally in his long arms so that she might more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -closely examine the wonderful tree, which she did with the greatest -curiosity. But although she sought all over it, there was no fruit -bearing her name. She had not expected anything, yet she somehow -felt disappointed. However, Bedelia was in the highest spirits, -having been lifted up by the Polar Bear, with whom she had struck -up the greatest friendship, and she could scarcely be restrained from -appropriating a number of letters, albeit they were all addressed -to other people.</p> - -<p>Just as the Polar Bear was resolutely setting her down on her -feet, she made a sudden grab and descended to the ground with a -letter tightly clasped in her mischievous paw.</p> - -<p>“Oh, Bedelia, how could you!” cried Sally in distress.</p> - -<p>“Well, it’s for you, stupid!” retorted Bedelia saucily, as she -thrust the envelope under Sally’s nose. Sure enough it was, and -Sally had somehow overlooked it. It was addressed in a manner -not to be mistaken:</p> - -<p class="center"> -To Sally,<br /> -<br /> -Care of Her Royal Highness,<br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 12em;">The Palace,</span><br /> -<br /> -<span style="margin-left: 16em;">Toyland.</span><br /> -</p> - -<p>“How curious!” cried Sally as she eagerly tore it open.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span></p> - -<p>It read thus:</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<span class="smcap">Dear Sally</span>:— - -<p>Here I am shut up in the tower by that horrid old Polly-nosed Saphead. He -sent for me yesterday on the pretense that he wanted me to go sleigh-riding, and -when he got me up here in the very top of the tower, he locked me in and went away. -He has left the gargoyles outside the door and I can hear them scratching and fussing -around. I don’t know what he is doing this for, but anyway he has gone off on -business with the King and Queen and I want you to bring help at once and let me -out. I know how to get even with him. Do hurry, dear Sally.</p> - -<div class="sig"> -<span style="margin-right: 2em;">Yours in prison,</span><br /> -<span class="smcap">The Weather Prophet</span>.<br /> -</div></div> - -<p>“Didn’t I tell you so?” exclaimed Bedelia after a moment of -stupefied silence. And then she added briskly, “There’s no use -standing here staring like a lot of gawks. The thing to do is to -hurry back home and get the Weather Prophet out of prison.”</p> - -<p>To this all eagerly assented, and Sally fancied that she heard -the Sign Post murmur faintly, “Five miles to the palace.” Whether -or not this was true, they had come a goodly distance and were all -more or less tired, so that rest and refreshment were really necessary -before starting back on their homeward journey. Therefore they -seated themselves under the beautiful letter tree and ate the dainty -food that had been put up for them by the obliging cook before -they left the palace. There were chicken sandwiches, deviled eggs, -thin slices of cold ham and tongue, and a beautiful salad of lettuce -and celery in a bowl. And for dessert was a fine strawberry tart<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -covered with whipped cream and a number of most tempting little -cakes. There was also a jug of lemonade.</p> - -<p>The Sign Post, who had obligingly carried all these dainties -dangling from one of his long arms, helped to spread the feast and -then sat down contentedly to his own meal of shavings, which, as -he now explained, constituted his regular fare. The only variety -consisted in the fact that they were obtained from different woods, -each of which possessed its own peculiar flavor.</p> - -<p>The meal at last being ended, Sally and Bedelia cleared the -remains of it away, and as all felt thoroughly rested, they concluded -to start back at once to the palace. As all roads in Toyland lead to -the palace, they simply proceeded on their way instead of retracing -their steps. Sally and the Sign Post led the way, while Bedelia -trotted contentedly along with the Polar Bear.</p> - -<p>Presently through a break in the trees they caught a gleam of -something that glistened like ice in the cold sunshine.</p> - -<p>“The lake!” cried Sally. “If we only had our skates and plenty -of time, what fun we might have.”</p> - -<p>To which the Polar Bear responded rather severely, “Whoever -heard of a rescue party stopping to go skating?”</p> - -<p>And as this was very true, Sally remained silent, although feeling -rather hurt that the Polar Bear should have taken her up so -suddenly.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 253px;"> -<img src="images/illus129.jpg" width="253" height="504" alt="Sign Post holding bear up to tower window" /> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> - -<p>They were now directly on the edge of the lake, and as she -gazed down upon its glistening glass surface that gleamed with a -hundred rainbow tints, Sally suddenly uttered a loud exclamation, -“The Weather Prophet’s glass house!” she cried -excitedly. “The Wizard used it to make this lake. -He carried her off and shut her up because he -knew she would object to having it pulled to -pieces and made into a lake!”</p> - - - -<p>And indeed the truth of her assertion -proved itself at once to the minds -of all present, for the lake had been -laid in sections and one could discern -plainly enough where the top -and sides of the house were -joined so as to make one flat surface. -Even the pretty striped -awnings of red and white had -been utilized in the construction -of a tent, under which the skaters -had rested when weary with their -exertions.</p> - -<p>Indignation at the meanness of the -crafty old Wizard and sympathy for his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> -pretty little wife was expressed by all, and they at once hastened -forward, more resolved than ever to rescue her from the clutches of -the Wizard, or to perish in the attempt.</p> - -<p>They made very good time, the Sign Post carrying Sally and -Bedelia turn and turn about when either felt tired. But it was -near the hour for twilight before the towers and gables of the royal -palace came into view. Sally suddenly remembered that in the -absence of the Wizard there would probably be no twilight, a fact -that she had not before thought of. They would have to do their -work in broad daylight. However, they hurried along and were -soon in the grounds of the Wizards palace.</p> - -<p>High up in the tip-top window of the lofty tower they saw -fluttering a tiny white object that was evidently the handkerchief -of the poor little prisoner, for having seen them she was waving it -frantically.</p> - -<p>All was silent and deserted. The Wizard had locked up everything -securely and had given a holiday to his servants, fearing that -they might notice the effort of his prisoner to make herself heard, -which effort she was pretty certain to make. Consequently the little -party had nothing to fear in the way of encountering guards. How -to effect an entrance was, however, quite another matter, for everything -was bolted, barred and padlocked. The problem was finally -solved by the Sign Post, who stood on his very tiptoes and triumphantly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> -boosted Bedelia in at the third story window, which had -been left open as being too high up to offer a means of egress for the -prisoner.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XIV<br /> - -<small>THE ECLIPSE</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-o.jpg" width="83" height="81" alt="O" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">ONCE inside, Bedelia quickly gave a hand to Sally and -in a moment the little girl, lifted up by the Sign Post, -stood beside the small bear. The Sign Post now swiftly -swung himself up to the balcony, being assisted in no -small degree by the Polar Bear, who for various reasons remained -below. He was to keep watch and give notice if anyone approached.</p> - -<p>It was now arranged that as the Sign Post was far too tall to -navigate around inside of the house, he should climb from one balcony -to another until he reached the top and if possible effect the -rescue of the Wizardess from the outside. This seemed very satisfactory -to Sally and Bedelia, neither of whom exactly liked the idea -of encountering the gargoyles which they knew were wandering -about, unfettered, in the dark halls.</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 263px;"> -<img src="images/illus133.jpg" width="263" height="452" alt="Sally hanging on Sign Post as he climbs tower" /> -</div> - -<p>Anxiously they waited, watching the long legs of the Sign Post -as they trailed over the edge of the upper railing. Then they disappeared -and all was painful suspense for what seemed at least a -century. Then at a shout from the Polar Bear they both rushed -out on the balcony. They beheld the Sign Post swinging himself -swiftly down from balcony to balcony, which he appeared to do with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> -the utmost ease and looking more like a big spider than anything -else—all legs and arms. Clinging to his neck was the Weather -Prophet, her fluffy skirts flying every which way in -the fine breeze. Presently he had reached the -ground and having gently set his fair burden -down, he quickly scrambled back -again and hastened to bring down -Sally and Bedelia, who were beginning -to feel a wee bit nervous -as they had tried the door of the -room in which they were and -had found it locked on the outside. -And right thankful they -were to find themselves on the -green grass below, comforting the -little Weather Prophet, who was -overjoyed to find herself at liberty.</p> - -<p>Where she should go was the next -question. The Wizard might return at -any moment, and her own house was a house -no longer. Suddenly an expression of delight flashed over Sally’s -face.</p> - -<p>“Let us go to the Walking House!” she exclaimed. “You will<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> -be quite safe there and if anyone comes in pursuit, the house can -easily escape with you.”</p> - -<p>To this the Weather Prophet gave a joyful assent.</p> - -<p>“Let us go quickly, quickly!” she cried. “I feel it in my bones, -in my skirts, I mean, that we are going to have something very unusual. -In fact, according to the calculations, we are going to have -an eclipse of the sun in about a quarter of an hour.”</p> - -<p>Here she winked at Bedelia with a gesture so comical that the -little bear rolled over laughing.</p> - -<p>“Come, don’t let us delay,” exclaimed the rescued one, and -hand in hand they hurried away from the Wizard’s tower, which -was soon completely obscured from view by the thick trees that -surrounded it.</p> - -<p>At the edge of the park they paused and as the distance to the -Walking House was several miles, The Sign Post suggested that he -should procure a conveyance and also some wraps for the Weather -Prophet in order that none might recognize her. Accordingly he -disappeared swiftly and soon returned with one of the autos from -the royal garage. As for Sally, Bedelia and the Weather Prophet, -you could never have told one from the other in their coats and -goggles, while the Polar Bear cuddled around their feet, thus keeping -them nice and warm.</p> - -<p>Away they flew, the Sign Post for once in his life perched next<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> -the chauffeur with his long legs doubled up as much as possible and -the rest of them hanging over the dashboard. The chauffeur was -an old oyster, who had been chosen for this capacity because he was -<i>dumb</i>, and could not voice his suspicions provided he felt any.</p> - -<p>As the Walking House stood on the very edge of the town, it -took at least fifteen minutes to reach it, and although the chauffeur -made good speed, just as they were drawing up in front of it, darkness, -sudden, swift and ominous, fell upon Toyland.</p> - -<p>It was altogether a hopeless darkness, for which the inhabitants -of Toyland were totally unprepared. Lamps and candles were unknown -and the people crouched in their gay little houses panic-stricken.</p> - -<p>Only in the Walking House did lights appear, for in accordance -with custom, candles and candelabra adorned mantels and tables, -and it was the work of only a moment to light them all. Gaily -Sally and her party hurried into the house, Sally racing downstairs -to find Dinah, for they were all as hungry as wolves, while Bedelia -escorted the guest of honor upstairs to remove her wraps.</p> - -<p>The Polar Bear stretched himself before the front door, making -a very effectual guard in case of danger.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 497px;"> -<img src="images/illus136.jpg" width="497" height="584" alt="Three dolls including a Shepherdess and China maiden" /> -<div class="caption">The dolls had come down into the parlor to be introduced to the -new arrivals.</div> -</div> - -<p>At Sally’s suggestion, all the shades were drawn down so that -no ray of light might pierce the outer darkness—darkness that covered -everything like a muffling cloak, in which the inhabitants of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a><br /><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a><br /><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -Toyland were helplessly floundering about, and which was sure to -last until the Wizard came back to set things straight.</p> - -<p>“And a fine time he’ll have doing it,” remarked the Weather -Prophet with a toss of her pretty little head. “He won’t be able -to see his hand before his face, and I took care to leave his old electric -machines in such a muddle that he’ll have his hands full—fuller -than they’ve ever been with all the cares of state included.”</p> - -<p>Sally, who had suspected as much, tried to reprove her, but -ended by laughing outright. The Weather Prophet was so very -like Bedelia when in her impish moods.</p> - -<p>As for Bedelia herself, the idea tickled her so that she laughed -until she rolled off the sofa on which she had been sitting and proceeded -to bounce up and down on the floor like a fat rubber ball. -Then as soon as she was able to get her breath, she sat up, panting -and rubbing the tears out of her eyes with both paws.</p> - -<p>“My face is leaking! I must be turning into a gargoyle,” she -exclaimed, which of course started everybody laughing all over -again.</p> - -<p>By this time all the dolls had come crowding down into the -parlor to be introduced to the new arrival. Sally did not consider -it wise to introduce the Weather Prophet by her real name, feeling -that if a strict investigation should be made, it would be safer if -none of the dolls were aware of her identity. So it was that she<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> -was known to the inhabitants as Nellie, a name that had suggested -itself to Bedelia.</p> - -<p>Sally feared that her own disappearance and that of Bedelia -would be connected with that of the Wizard’s wife, and therefore -resolved to take every precaution. The eclipse of course would retard -any search that the Wizard might see fit to make. But what -to do with the fugitive lady for the rest of her life was a question. -She flatly declared she would never return to the Wizard and was -wild with rage when she learned the use to which her pretty little -glass house had been put.</p> - -<p>While all the pleasant acquaintance-making was going on in -the Walking House, an automobile containing a badly rattled -Wizard was slowly picking its way along through the inky blackness. -The old gentleman was shrewd enough to guess the cause -of the eclipse, although he had been quite sure in the beginning that -his wife was locked up too securely to be able to get at anything. -He had started forth at once, greatly against the wishes of the King -and Queen who, of course, could not understand the cause of his -anxiety, and who much preferred to stay behind until the sun shone -again. But the Wizard had taken immediate flight, and was now -hurrying back to his tower as rapidly as circumstances and the -eclipse would permit. On the principle that all roads led to the -palace, the chauffeur kept straight on through the pitch darkness,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -tooting his horn occasionally to prevent a collision with any other -eclipse-belated wayfarer who might be floundering about on the -same road.</p> - -<p>The snow made it somewhat difficult and altogether the trip -was anything but a pleasant one, and the Polly-nosed Saphead was -glad indeed when he at last found himself in front of his gloomy -tower. Instead of stopping there, however, he ordered the chauffeur -to go on to the palace, much to the dismay of that personage, who -considered that he had already traveled far enough. Nevertheless -he put on speed and soon arrived at the royal residence.</p> - -<p>Here the Wizard quickly alighted and hastened into the palace. -He was gone some time and the chauffeur was growing very impatient -when he at last reappeared, triumphantly bearing in his hands -a large wicker cage in which were gleaming and glowing all the -fireflies that were accustomed always to be liberated at twilight. -He chuckled to himself as he was whirled back to his tower, and -in a few moments was inside and hastening toward the room that -contained his electric plant.</p> - -<p>The gargoyles came hurrying down to meet him, and it was a -very good thing that he carried a light, for had they caught him -alone in the darkness, they would no doubt have made a meal of -him. As it was, they recognized him at once and came flapping -joyously along with hoarse growls of welcome. But the Wizard<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> -now had no time to waste on his pets. Pushing them roughly aside, -he dove into his laboratory and after one look around, sank upon a -chair with a groan that the gargoyles heard as they crouched against -the door in the darkness outside, and to which they replied with -sharp growls.</p> - -<p>Everywhere reigned confusion worse confounded. Wires were -cut, batteries disconnected, wreck and ruin faced him on every side. -The Wizard smote his breast and fairly wept with rage.</p> - -<p>“Call me the Wizard of Was,” he ejaculated, “for nobody but -a good-for-nothing old back number would have gone off and left -that minx to get in her fine work here.”</p> - -<p>“The Wizard of Was! The Wizard of Was!” a mocking -voice cried out of the darkness. And the terrified Wizard jumped -to his feet, while a peal of unearthly laughter rang through the room. -The next moment he sat down again, much relieved. The parrot -had fluttered in after him quite unobserved, and, perched on the -high mantel-shelf, was imitating her master at pleasure. Hearing -the familiar voice, the gargoyles began to scratch and snarl at the -door. They considered it very unfair that the parrot should be -allowed inside while <i>they</i> were banished to outer darkness.</p> - -<p>“Shut up!” he commanded, fiercely throwing his words at the -parrot like shots from a gun. And then, “Lie down there, will -you?” this accompanied with a vigorous slap applied to the top of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> -his head, for his scalp-lock had suddenly lifted itself erect and was -standing straight up in the air.</p> - -<div class="figright" style="width: 345px;"> -<img src="images/illus142.jpg" width="345" height="412" alt="Wizard looking grumpy" /> -</div> - -<p>“You don’t like the looks of things, hey? Well, I don’t either. -But just mind your own affairs. I’ll attend to -the rest.” Then -pulling himself vigorously -together, he -set to work to repair -the damage as best he -could, although he -foresaw plenty of -hard work ahead of -him before the sun -could shine out again. -Right well he knew that -his reputation as a wizard -would be gone forever did the -present state of affairs continue for any -length of time, and while he worked, he -concocted a story which he intended to give out to the public on the -morrow.</p> - -<p>As far as his wife was concerned, he had no doubt that she -was wandering about in the upper darkness at the very top of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> -tower, for it never occurred to him that she could have escaped. -He supposed that she had merely climbed out of one window and -into another, and so effected an entrance to his rooms where was -kept all the electric machinery with which he manipulated the sun.</p> - -<p>While he was fussing and fuming, raging at the parrot and -scolding the gargoyles, his pretty little wife was in close confab with -Sally and Bedelia.</p> - -<p>“I don’t exactly understand about that letter tree,” Sally remarked, -as she softly scratched the little bear’s fuzzy ears and at -the same time gently patted Nellie’s little hand that lay upon her -knee.</p> - -<p>The three were stretched cosily on the Polar Bear rug in front -of the glowing grate, having put on kimonos and let down their -back hair—at least, all but Bedelia who wore her usual fur costume.</p> - -<p>“Well, my dear,” replied the Weather Prophet, “you see we -have no postal system such as yours, and indeed it is quite unnecessary. -Whenever we want to communicate with anyone, we simply -think our message just as hard as we can, and very shortly our -thoughts burst forth into buds and blossoms on one of our letter -trees. There are quite a good many of them in Toyland.”</p> - -<p>“And how does your friend know?” inquired Sally.</p> - -<p>“Oh, one’s friend always has an impression that a letter is -waiting. You had one, although you didn’t know it, or you would<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> -not have taken the road to the letter tree,” replied the Weather -Prophet.</p> - -<p>“How very wonderful!” exclaimed the child, while Bedelia, who -had been rubbing her head gently against Sally, remarked that it -certainly made a wonderful saving in stamps and stationery.</p> - -<p>“And there is one thing I have to confess,” went on the Weather -Prophet, suddenly holding up a small, glittering object which Sally -at once recognized as her little golden key. “Had it not been for -this, I never could have gained access to all the private rooms and -closets of the Wizard’s tower, although I climbed out of my own -window and in at his. The gargoyles, whom you know I fear and -despise, were loose in the hall outside my door so I had to choose -the other way.”</p> - -<p>“But how did you get the key?” demanded the little girl, as -she smilingly hung it on her gold chain and replaced the two around -her neck. “I never missed it,” she added.</p> - -<p>“You dropped it the day you were in my house, and I fancied, -as soon as I saw it, that it was a magic key. Of course, I meant to -return it the very next time I saw you, but no opportunity offered. -Take good care of it, my dear. It is a wonderful little talisman.”</p> - -<p>Sally nodded assent to this and presently all three, being tired -out with the day’s adventures, tumbled into bed, Sally feeling delighted -to be back once more in her own cosy little room.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span></p> - - - - -<h2>CHAPTER XV<br /> - -<small>SALLY FINDS THE ENCHANTED WOOD</small></h2> - - -<div> - <img class="drop-cap" src="images/capital-i.jpg" width="82" height="81" alt="I" /> -</div> - -<p class="drop-capi">IT took nearly two days for the Wizard to get things in -the tower once more into proper shape and during all -that time the eclipse hung heavily over Toyland. The -Wizard had worked feverishly with no light save that -obtained from the fireflies that he had stolen from the palace. He -was shaking in his shoes for fear the King and Queen should return -and find that the only source of illumination had been cut off. As -not even the wireless telegraph was working, he had been unable to -communicate with Their Majesties, but feared that they must be -very impatient by this time and that they might make their appearance -at any moment.</p> - -<p>It was difficult to get on with only the light afforded by the -fireflies, and he chuckled grimly as he pictured the Weather Prophet, -who had so reveled in the sunshine of her glass house, pining in -the darkness in which he supposed she was locked up.</p> - -<p>The room in which he had left her was on the opposite side of -the tower, and he had only to cross the hall to reach it, but he -savagely vowed to himself that he would not go near her, and that -he didn’t care if she starved to death. After a while, however, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> -extreme quiet got on his nerves, and he began to wonder how it -was that no sound at all came to him from the room across the hall. -Presently he tiptoed very softly to the door and listened. But all -was still as could be—nothing moved or breathed.</p> - -<p>He went back to his work, but a feeling of uneasiness possessed -him. The Queen was very fond of his pretty wife, and he knew -that he would be called to strict account should he be the cause of -any ill befalling her. After a little while he went back again and -listened, but still he could hear nothing. After a moment of hesitation, -he opened the door and went in.</p> - -<p>By the radiance afforded by the fireflies, he saw at once that -the room was empty. Even the food that he had left there was -untouched. A hurried visit to all the other rooms on the floor failed -to discover the object of his search. Really terrified, he sat down -to consider. Suppose she had thrown herself down from the balcony, -and was at that moment laying on the ground below, dashed -to pieces! He had not the courage to go and investigate. For -like most people who brag a great deal about themselves, the Wizard -was an arrant coward. He fled back to his work, stopping not for -food or rest, with the result that on the morning of the third day -the sun shone brilliantly once more over Toyland.</p> - -<p>A great notice was posted at the gate of the tower, announcing -that the sun had been swallowed up by an enormous dragon known<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> -to science as the Ictotherium; that the Wizard had engaged him, -single-handed, and by his magic arts had compelled him to disgorge -his brilliant meal and flee the country.</p> - -<p>The bulletin went on to state that the Weather Prophet had -been carried away by the dragon. Prompted by curiosity, she had -exposed herself on the high balcony at the top of the tower, contrary -to the advice of her husband. The notice concluded with the -announcement that there would be a purple twilight that afternoon, -beginning promptly at five-thirty and advising that violets would be -a suitable adornment for the afternoon tea tables.</p> - -<p>Great was the grief expressed by everyone when the fate of the -Wizard’s pretty little wife became generally known, for she had -been a general favorite. Indeed, public sorrow almost outweighed -public joy, delighted as everyone was that the sun shone once more. -The Wizard shut himself up in his tower and refused to see anyone, -and the general supposition was that he was prostrated with grief. -To tell the truth, his jumping-jacks were scouring the country to -see if they could discover any trace whatsoever of his wife, while -he himself was nearly wild with anxiety lest she should suddenly -pop up at some unlucky moment and give the whole thing away.</p> - -<p>Early that morning Sally had started for the tower, as she knew -that a bulletin of some sort would be posted. The little girl was -glad to see daylight once more and also to be able to take a good<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> -long walk, and she skipped along in the bright sunshine, occasionally -giving a little jump for sheer joy. The period of the eclipse had -been a tedious one for her, as she despised being shut in the house. -So now she made very good time along the highway, and so thoroughly -did she manage to interest herself in everything and everybody -that before very long she found that she had lost her way.</p> - -<p>Now, of course in Toyland it is not such a very serious thing -to lose one’s way, for as everybody knows, all roads lead to the palace. -However, Sally was greatly surprised to suddenly find herself in a -little strip of woods, with no road at all visible in any direction, -and without even a path to show the way that others had taken. -She recollected having left the highway to run after a queer looking -figure that had attracted her attention and which had kept just -beyond her, dodging along behind trees and bushes. And then, -just as she had come up to it, had vanished as completely as though -the ground had swallowed it. And then she had awakened to the -fact that she was lost.</p> - -<p>“How provoking!” she said crossly to herself. “If I ever get -hold of the animal that coaxed me in here, I’ll show him what’s -what.”</p> - -<p>She had spoken out loud, and at the same time shook her little -fist in a decidedly threatening manner.</p> - -<p>“I’m no animal, I’ll have you know,” exclaimed a shrill,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> -squeaky voice so close to her that she jumped at least a foot in the -air.</p> - -<p>And whirling around, she beheld just at her elbow the queerest -little man that she had ever laid eyes on. He was white all over, -with floppy arms and legs, and a squatty, flabby body and a head -that wabbled. And he had a general appearance of being all tied -up in knots. It was the creature that she had been following to her -own undoing, and for a moment she glared at it as if she would fall -upon it tooth and nail. The very next she fell to laughing as if -she would burst.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 471px;"> -<img src="images/illus150.jpg" width="471" height="601" alt="Sally talking to Handkerchief man" /> -<div class="caption">“Oh, I know you! You are just tied out of a handkerchief.”</div> -</div> - -<p>“Oh, I know you!” she exclaimed breathlessly. “You are just -tied out of a handkerchief. I have often made a lot of you at home -to hang over the chandelier with long strings. And when I pulled -the strings you danced.”</p> - -<p>“I do not know where home may be,” returned the Handkerchief -Man crossly, “but I do know that you never pulled any strings -as far as I am concerned.” Then he added, peering anxiously about, -“Have you happened to see my brother, the Doughnut Man? He -came here yesterday to pick buttons which he sells to the people in -town who are too lazy to come out and pick them for themselves.”</p> - -<p>“To pick buttons?” ejaculated Sally, and then she added severely, -“I don’t believe he ever found this place while the eclipse<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a><br /><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a><br /><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> -was going on. Nobody could have found anything, not even himself.”</p> - -<p>“That’s just it; he lost himself. Nobody ever finds this place -unless he loses himself. That makes it even, you know. You’re -lost, I’m lost, my brother is lost, and the Peppermint Stick is lost. -Everybody is lost.”</p> - -<p>Sally felt unable to contradict him, although she wanted to -badly enough. Therefore she demanded with some asperity:</p> - -<p>“What is the Peppermint Stick? It sounds good to me.”</p> - -<p>“You mean <i>who</i> is the Peppermint Stick. Well, he was a -candy cane in his youth and hung on a Christmas tree. Oh, you’ll -be sure to like him, he’s so sweet.”</p> - -<p>“If I happen to see a doughnut and a candy cane anywhere between -here and next Christmas, I shall eat them,” declared Sally -firmly.</p> - -<p>She drew up her pink lips in a hungry grin, showing all her -sharp little white teeth.</p> - -<p>The effect of her words on the Handkerchief Man was entirely -unexpected, for after gazing at her for a moment as if fascinated, -he exclaimed feebly, “Alas, my brother!” then threw up -his wabbly arms and fell over in a dead faint.</p> - -<p>“Now, what would anybody do with a thing like that?” exclaimed -Sally.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p> - -<p>Picking up the Handkerchief Man, she shook him vigorously, -but as he refused to revive, while every bit of him flopped unpleasantly, -she presently propped him up against a tree and started off -by herself, resolved to investigate the queer bit of woods which -nobody ever found without first losing himself.</p> - -<p>“The very idea of a handkerchief behaving like that!” she said -to herself as she trotted along, keeping an eye open for the button -bush concerning which she had already heard. But no sign of it -appeared, neither did she find herself any nearer to the road. On -the contrary, she seemed to be getting deeper and deeper into the -woods. The trees grew closer and closer together, while the bushes -seemed thicker and thicker. At last it seemed that there was no -longer even a little path between the dense growths and that if she -wished to proceed further, she must push her way through. As she -paused for a moment to consider, something small and very hard -struck her smartly on the nose. This blow was followed up by another -and another. Thoroughly astonished, she stopped and picked -up one of the missiles that lay shining directly at her feet. Then -she uttered a little exclamation of joy:</p> - -<p>“The Button Bush!” she cried excitedly.</p> - -<p>“Yes, the Button Bush,” retorted a voice above her head, and -the Bush shook itself again indignantly, sending a shower of the -buttons of all sizes and descriptions pelting over the little girl.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span></p> - -<p>“If you please,” began Sally rather timidly, “if you please, -have you seen the Doughnut Man anywhere about?”</p> - -<p>Just as she spoke a queer looking figure came swiftly around -from the other side of the bush. Sally saw that its body was composed -of large, puffy doughnuts, while his head and limbs were -formed of the same edibles in smaller sizes. It was almost staggering -under the weight of a great basket of buttons that it was lugging -along, while its round eyes, which consisted of two plump -raisins, seemed popping out of its head with the exertion.</p> - -<p>“He looks good to me. I wonder how he tastes,” said Sally -to herself, involuntarily taking a step forward. But the Doughnut -Man, holding his basket of buttons firmly in front of himself as if -it were a shield, advanced smiling and not at all as if he had any -idea of being devoured.</p> - -<p>“I beg your pardon, but did you happen to see the Peppermint -Stick anywhere hereabouts?” he inquired politely.</p> - -<p>“No, but I found the Handkerchief Man. He fainted,” returned -Sally promptly. “I couldn’t bring him to and I was afraid -to shake him any more for fear he would come untied, and then he -would have been nothing but a plain handkerchief. So I propped -him up against a tree and left him. No doubt he is all right by -this time. Would you like to go back and see?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no,” returned the other quickly. “You see, we are both<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> -lost, you and I, or we shouldn’t be here at all. So what is the use of -looking for that peevish chap? He has very little backbone anyway. -Very little backbone,” he repeated sadly, while a tear rolled -down his crisp, fried cheek.</p> - -<p>“I don’t see what that has to do with it,” began Sally. But -her companion interrupted her with a great want of manners.</p> - -<p>“Oh, nothing has anything to do with anything else here, because -everything is lost, more or less. As soon as anything finds -itself, it gets away. So will you and so will I and so will the Peppermint -Stick.”</p> - -<p>“Bless my soul, how very curious! Are you quite sure that you -are not all crazy instead of being all lost?” exclaimed Sally saucily.</p> - -<p>“Maybe <i>you</i> are crazy, although I don’t know what that means,” -replied the other sadly.</p> - -<p>“Well, I can’t stop to explain now. It would take too long,” -returned the child smartly, “but if you ever come across it, you’ll -know. Anyway, if you had your brother here now, you could mop -up your tears with him,” and as she spoke, she dexterously flipped -away a large, round one that hung trembling on the very end of the -Doughnut Man’s stubby nose.</p> - -<p>“There you go again! Really, it’s very upsetting when one -doesn’t understand a thing you mean. Then there’s the Button Bush. -She’s mad again because I came for more buttons. What good are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -buttons on a bush, anyway? They’ve got to be picked while they’re -ripe or else they all go to seed. Really, it’s very unreasonable.”</p> - -<p>“I suppose you have a good trade in buttons,” suggested the little -girl politely. “But who, pray, is the Peppermint Stick? Is he good -to e—” She caught herself hastily, somehow feeling that the Doughnut -Man would be displeased by what she had been on the verge -of saying. Something under her apron warned her that it must be -near lunch time, for her breakfast had been but a light one, and then -she was <i>very</i> fond of peppermint.</p> - -<p>“Yes, indeed, I have a very good trade,” replied the Doughnut -Man. “Only it would be more congenial if the Button Bush would -quit giving herself such ridiculous airs. As for the Peppermint -Stick, he isn’t good for anything in particular as far as I know. Long -ago he was a cane and was hooked on the bough of a Christmas -tree. Nobody ate him and he had a bad fracture, the result of being -dropped. So in the course of time, he drifted here and the Gloo-Gloos -fixed him up. The only thing I don’t like about him is that -he is striped. Now I simply abominate stripes, although I adore -polka dots. But tastes differ. Perhaps you like stripes?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t mind them at all in peppermint,” replied Sally. “And -I would show him that I didn’t if I only could get my teeth into -him,” she added to herself.</p> - -<p>“Well, I suppose we had better try to find our way out of this,”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> -said the other after a short silence. He was evidently anxious to get -back to town with his stock in trade and Sally was growing extremely -hungry. Accordingly, the two started forth and after wandering -along for some time at length discovered a little beaten track -which gradually broadened until it finally became a footpath.</p> - -<p>This, they felt quite sure, would conduct them to their desired -destination. As they were hurrying along, they suddenly came upon -a little cottage so completely hidden among the trees that it was -scarcely discernible.</p> - -<p>“Ah, now I know where we are! This cottage belongs to an -old Codfish. He makes his living by weighing people at so much -apiece.”</p> - -<p>“By weighing people?” cried Sally in amazement. “Does anybody -ever come here?”</p> - -<p>“Nobody,” replied the other promptly. “But then he has the -<i>scales</i>, and of course feels as if he should use them.”</p> - -<p>“Very scrupulous, I’m sure,” said Sally gravely. She strained -her eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of the conscientious Codfish. But -everything about the tiny cottage was tightly closed, and an air of -desertion hung about the place. Over the door hung a small sign on -which was inscribed in tall letters:</p> - -<p class="center"> -PEOPLE WEIGHED HERE.<br /> -C. FISH.<br /> -</p> - -<p class="unindent"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span>and below this was the picture of a Codfish standing by a pair of -scales, while a crowd of people were advancing in the foreground, -all apparently anxious to avail -themselves of the opportunity.</p> - -<div class="figleft" style="width: 324px;"> -<img src="images/illus158.jpg" width="324" height="503" alt="Sally and Doughnut man looking at Codfish" /> -</div> - -<p>As Sally and the Doughnut Man -came abreast of the sign, the -child was almost paralyzed -with amazement to see the -Codfish nimbly hop off, followed -by the scales and all -the people, and come running -briskly towards -them.</p> - -<p>“I’ve stood up there -vegetating long enough,” -cried the Codfish. -“And I’m actually perishing -for want of a swim. -No one wants to be -weighed anyhow. Why should -they?”</p> - -<p>He shot out the question with so impressive, not to say ferocious -a manner that nobody cared to answer. Only one member of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> -crowd that had hopped off the sign protested feebly that he had been -waiting for a long time. However, as nobody paid any attention to -him, he soon relapsed into silence.</p> - -<p>“If you know the way out of these woods, for goodness’ sake -show us,” exclaimed the Doughnut Man.</p> - -<p>To which the Codfish responded by beginning to sing in a very -loud voice:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> - <div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">“The elephant sat on the railroad track,</div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">By the light, by the light, by the light of the moon,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 0.5em;">Picking his teeth with a baseball bat,</span></div> -<div class="verse"><span style="margin-left: 1.5em;">By the light, by the light of the moon.”</span></div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“I don’t see what that has to do with it,” exclaimed Sally impatiently. -Then turning to the Doughnut Man, she added severely, -“You said just now that you knew where we were, and you don’t at -all.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, to be sure I do, and so do you. We are right opposite the -Codfish’s house,” retorted the other. Then he added thoughtfully, -“What seems so very queer to me is that we haven’t come across the -Peppermint Stick.”</p> - -<p>As nobody cared a snap about the Peppermint Stick and as Sally -felt that there was no use in arguing with any of them, she suggested<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> -that they should make a move, and herself taking the lead, -they started forth in Indian file.</p> - -<p>“Idiots!” muttered the little girl to herself. “To think that -they’ve lived here all their lives and don’t know anything about the -place!”</p> - -<p>She hurried along at such a brisk pace that the others found -some difficulty to keep up, especially the Doughnut Man, burdened -as he was by his huge basket of buttons. After they had gone a mile -or so, the little girl suddenly uttered a cry of joy, for she beheld an -opening in the trees and saw that a few steps would bring them to -the edge of the wood. Upon emerging from the dense shadows of -the trees, they found that it was already twilight and Sally no longer -wondered at her ravenous appetite.</p> - -<p>Once on the highroad, it was easy enough to find the way home, -and hither she hastened, feeling glad enough when she beheld the -lights of the Walking House through the shadows.</p> - -<p>The Weather Prophet ran to meet her, her face sparkling with -excitement.</p> - -<p>“The King and Queen have been here,” she cried, “and they -were so delighted to find that I was not devoured by a horrid dragon -that they are going to take me to live with them at the palace, and -build a beautiful crystal tower for my use exclusively.”</p> - -<p>She then told Sally of the Wizard’s bulletin and added that, as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -he had humbly begged her pardon and promised never to interfere -with her again, she had not betrayed him to the King and Queen.</p> - -<p>“I guess that was the best thing to do,” said Sally, as she sat -down to a substantial supper. “Nobody else understood about the -sun and a perpetual eclipse would have been perfectly awful.”</p> - -<p>“Quite so,” returned the Weather Prophet, and after a little, -Sally having related the day’s adventures, they all went to bed.</p> - - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<hr class="full" /> -<p> </p> -<p> </p> - -<div class="tnote"><div class="center"><b>Transcriber’s Note:</b></div> - -<p>Obvious punctuation errors were corrected.</p> - -<p>Page 139, “principal” changed to “principle” (principle that all roads)</p> - -<p>Page 149, “hankerchief” changed to “handkerchief” (out of a handkerchief)</p> - -<p>Page 159, “arguin” changed to “arguing” (in arguing with any of)</p></div> - -<p> </p> -<p> </p> -<hr class="pg" /> -<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A LITTLE MAID IN TOYLAND***</p> -<p>******* This file should be named 52047-h.htm or 52047-h.zip *******</p> -<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> -<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/2/0/4/52047">http://www.gutenberg.org/5/2/0/4/52047</a></p> -<p> -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed.</p> - -<p>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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