Genre Fairy Tale. Page - 24
e end of her nose, while she counted "One, two, three" in a solemn voice. At once the cap changed to a slate, on which was written in big, white chalk marks:
"LET DOROTHY GO TO THE CITY OF EMERALDS"
The little old woman took the slate from her nose, and having read the words on it, asked, "Is your name Dorothy, my dear?"
"Yes," answered the child, looking up and drying her tears.
"Then you must go to the City of Emeralds. Perhaps Oz will help you."
"Where is this city?" asked Dorothy.
"It is exactly in the center of the country, and is ruled by Oz, the Great Wizard I told you of."
"Is he a good man?" inquired the girl anxiously.
"He is a good Wizard. Whether he is a man or not I cannot tell, for I have never seen him."
"How can I get there?" asked Dorothy.
"You must walk. It is a long journey, through a country that is sometimes pleasant and sometimes dark and terrible. However, I will use all the magic arts I know of to keep you from harm.
often. Mrs. Rachel, ponder as she might,could make nothing of it and her afternoon's enjoyment was spoiled.
"I'll just step over to Green Gables after tea and findout from Marilla where he's gone and why," the worthy womanfinally concluded. "He doesn't generally go to town thistime of year and he NEVER visits; if he'd run out of turnipseed he wouldn't dress up and take the buggy to go for more;he wasn't driving fast enough to be going for a doctor. Yetsomething must have happened since last night to start himoff. I'm clean puzzled, that's what, and I won't know aminute's peace of mind or conscience until I know what hastaken Matthew Cuthbert out of Avonlea today."
Accordingly after tea Mrs. Rachel set out; she had notfar to go; the big, rambling, orchard-embowered house wherethe Cuthberts lived was a scant quarter of a mile up theroad from Lynde's Hollow. To be sure, the long lane made ita good deal further. Matthew Cuthbert's father, as shy andsilent as his son after him, had got a
ll times. A year seems very long to wait before I see them, but remind them that while we wait we may all work, so that these hard days need not be wasted. I know they will remember all I said to them, that they will be loving children to you, will do their duty faithfully, fight their bosom enemies bravely, and conquer themselves so beautifully that when I come back to them I may be fonder and prouder than ever of my little women." Everybody sniffed when they came to that part. Jo wasn't ashamed of the great tear that dropped off the end of her nose, and Amy never minded the rumpling of her curls as she hid her face on her mother's shoulder and sobbed out, "I am a selfish girl! But I'll truly try to be better, so he mayn't be disappointed in me by-and-by."
"We all will," cried Meg. "I think too much of my looks and hate to work, but won't any more, if I can help it."
"I'll try and be what he loves to call me, 'a little woman' and not be rough and wild, but do my duty here instead of wanting to
specially those of the Middle and Lower Thirds, seemed to enjoy the importance of owning something which it was in their power to withhold.
"I'm waiting till I've heard what you all six have to say for yourselves," said Kitty Palgrave condescendingly. "I shan't make up my mind until the very last minute."
"It's so difficult to choose between you," added Ellie Simpson, a pert little person of twelve.
Their tone verged on the offensive, and in any other circumstances Dorothy would have administered a snub. As it was, she pocketed her pride, and merely said she hoped they would remember her. She heard them snigger as she turned away, and longed to go back and shake them; but discretion prevailed.
"One has to put up with this sort of thing if one wants to get returned Warden," she reflected. "All the same, it's sickening to be obliged to truckle to young idiots like that."
She had not by any means found all the possible voters, so she decided to return to the Juniors' Common Roo
as stumped, and set still. I was most ready to cry; but all at once I thought of a way, and so I offered them Miss Watson--they could kill her. Everybody said:
"Oh, she'll do. That's all right. Huck can come in."
Then they all stuck a pin in their fingers to get blood to sign with, and I made my mark on the paper.
"Now," says Ben Rogers, "what's the line of business of this Gang?"
"Nothing only robbery and murder," Tom said.
"But who are we going to rob?--houses, or cattle, or--"
"Stuff! stealing cattle and such things ain't robbery; it's burglary," says Tom Sawyer. "We ain't burglars. That ain't no sort of style. We are highwaymen. We stop stages and carriages on the road, with masks on, and kill the people and take their watches and money."
"Must we always kill the people?"
"Oh, certainly. It's best. Some authorities think different, but mostly it's considered best to kill them--except some that you bring to the cave here, and keep them till they're ra
quite right to refuse. If you mean as responsible agent when you ask me the question, I believe there is nothing to say against him, and that you will be content with the way in which he has performed his duty."
"But tell me, Dantes, if you had command of the Pharaon should you be glad to see Danglars remain?"
"Captain or mate, M. Morrel, I shall always have the greatest respect for those who possess the owners' confidence."
"That's right, that's right, Dantes! I see you are a thoroughly good fellow, and will detain you no longer. Go, for I see how impatient you are."
"Then I have leave?"
"Go, I tell you."
"May I have the use of your skiff?"
"Certainly."
"Then, for the present, M. Morrel, farewell, and a thousand thanks!"
"I hope soon to see you again, my dear Edmond. Good luck to you."
The young sailor jumped into the skiff, and sat down in the stern sheets, with the order that he be put ashore at La Canebiere. The two oarsmen bent to the
t talk of cats or dogs if you don't like them!" When the Mouse heard this it turned round and swam back to her; its face was quite pale (with rage, Al-ice thought), and it said in a low, weak voice, "Let us get to the shore, and then I'll tell you why it is I hate cats and dogs."
It was high time to go, for the pool was by this time quite crowded with the birds and beasts that had slipped in-to it. Al-ice led the way and they all swam to the shore.
CHAPTER III.
A RACE.
They were a queer look-ing crowd as they stood or sat on the bank--the wings and tails of the birds drooped to the earth; the fur of the beasts clung close to them, and all were as wet and cross as could be.
[Illustration]
The first thought, of course, was how to get dry. They had a long talk a-bout this, and Al-ice joined with, them as if she had known them all her life. But it was hard to tell what was best.
"What I want to say," at last spoke up t
ay from it--generally to England and toschool. She had seen other children go away, and had heard theirfathers and mothers talk about the letters they received fromthem. She had known that she would be obliged to go also, andthough sometimes her father's stories of the voyage and the newcountry had attracted her, she had been troubled by the thoughtthat he could not stay with her.
"Couldn't you go to that place with me, papa?" she had asked whenshe was five years old. "Couldn't you go to school, too? Iwould help you with your lessons."
"But you will not have to stay for a very long time, littleSara," he had always said. "You will go to a nice house wherethere will be a lot of little girls, and you will play together,and I will send you plenty of books, and you will grow so fastthat it will seem scarcely a year before you are big enough andclever enough to come back and take care of papa."
She had liked to think of that. To keep the house for herfather; to ride with him, and sit at th
In a city of squirrels there is a mean ruler who bullies other citizens. When all hope seems lost, a hero comes out of the shadow. The hero and ruler undergo 3 trials to decide the fate of the city.
The end the end.,.,........ ,...........,......,...,................................,,...........,