Newspaper Page Text
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(This Is a comer set aside for the Little Folks of The Constitution for their enter
tainment and development in the art of let ter-writing.) _
Riddle*.
I.
I'll give you three chances
To guess what I’ve seen.
The first was a preacher,
In brown and in green;
The second a vase to hold raindrops that
fall;
The third lives on nothing—
Now what are they all?
"Your first is so easy
I could not but guess.
*Tis Jack-in-the-pulpit
In brown and green dress.
The second’s a pitcher plant
Wet with the dew;
I’ve seen plenty of them
And that’s how I knew.
The third is the air plant.
You're wrong to declare
That it lives upon nothing;
Its food’s in the air.
11.
/‘And now come my riddles.
You’ve heard. I don’t doubt,
Os a sailor whose boat
On the sea floats about.
The second’s a builder
In wood and in clay.
The third is a spinner;
Now guess—what are they?”
The nautilus sails in his boat on the sea.
And so I am certain the sailor is he.
The beaver builds houses of mud and of
wood.
And that is your second. ’Tis well under
stood
How a spider spins traps for the poor silly
fly,
But not to be caught by your riddles am I!
—Agnes Lewis Mitchell, in May St.
Nicholas.
Children and Flowers.
It is often said we never appreciate the
blessings we have, but are always longing
for something we have not, and I believe it
is true. How many of you children who
live among the trees and flowers and have
cool well or spring water to drink ever
think of it as a great blessing or imagine
there are hundreds of children who would
give anything for a drink of cool water or
a green leaf or flower, and yet there are
hundreds and hundreds of poor children
that long for these blessings that you are
surrounded by every day and never give it
a thought. There is a place in New York
called the Five Points, I think I have
written you about it before. Years ago it
was such a. dreadful place that it was dan
gerous to walk through it, but I was anx
ious to see the miserable poor people who
lived there and I went with a friend and we
had »r> g“t a yolicerran to go with us.
S B***r saw such poverty and misery in
I l f—
m ’ll H <_ n / i
=-j n fl i
'"XL—
» &
Cj ft
mv life. but there are many good people j i
who have done much mission work there <
and the place is much changed now, ana |
vet it is there the poorest people in the | j
citv live, most of them in cellars v - ry I
down under the ground, and you will see
swarms of dirty, ragged children on me | .
pavement or hunting in the gutters tor , .
scraps of bread. You would never unag- i
Ine these poor little things would care tor i
a flower, but they do, as you will see from i
what I am going to tell you.
There is a society in New v ork tnat |
works for these poor people and the presi- : ■
dent has had fountains put up in different i
parts of the city where they can get a j
drink of ice water free—you can see trom ;
the picture how they enjoy it. You must ;
remember the only water they have comes .
from the pipes and is hot and disagreeable. I
No cool well to go to, so you can imagine |
on a hot summer day how delightful a cold j
drink would taste.
This society will now until frost comes
distribute every Saturday afternoon cut
flowers and pot plants to these poor chil
dren. The vice president, Mr. Lvon, spen is
most of his time collecting flowers from the
country places ana disiriuuting them nim
self, I let you read what he says in his
own words, for it is very interesting. He
says:
“Hast Saturday morning I found that
I had not as many flowers as I hoped to
have to give away, so I got up early in
the morning and went down to the edge of
a brook in my own garden and gathered
bunches of wild flowers, which I put in
barrels and shipped to this city. With
these and a few other cases which had
come in from friends upon whom i always
rely for flowers, we started our first dis
tribution of the year.
"The joy with which we were greeted
upon reaching the Five Points is inde
scribable. One has to go down there to
appreciate the feelings of the poor chil
dren. I have seen little girls hug a rose
just as they would hug a pet kitten, kissing
ft and Strokina; leaves every few min
utes. Last Saturday I saw beyond the
rioting crowd of boys that were struggling
to get their fingers into the baskets a
pale-faced little girl. As her eye caught
mine she stretched out her hand beseech
ingly. and, though I could not hear what
she said, I knew by the movement of her
lips that she was begging a flower.
“It was -near the end, and there were
but a few sprays of elderberry left. Near
my feet stood a little Italian hugging a
bunch of violets which hie companions
were trying to wrest from him by main
force. I asked him if he would sell them
to me, and he nodded his head, yes. I
gave him 5 cents for the bunch and made
my way through the crowd to the little
girl. The eager eyes filled with tears as
aha took them and said ’Thank you, sir; I
want them for my mother; she’s sick.’ She
left me, and for a moment I followed her
■with my eyes, and then decided to go and
Bea where she would take the lion ers.
*‘l followed her to a little alley which
runs off Baxter street, up a staircase and
to a dark and dingy room, into which she
rushed, crving, ‘Oh, mamma, see what I’ve
brought for you! They are real flowers,
just like the ones we used to see in the
country when papa was alive.’ As I
Btood in the door I watched her put them
in a cracked cup, which she placed on a
Seal table beside the sick woman's bed. ’
Mr. Lyon is trying now to interest the
BY AUNT SUSIE.
country children who live near New York
in the city children, and he is going to cl is
tribute flower seeds to the school children
in the country and get them to plant them
in the spring and raise quantities of flowers
to send in to the poor children. lam very
sure after vou have read this you will wish
vou lived " near enough to help in this
' good work. Yours, AUNT SUSIE.
NOTICE.
All sending prize stories, address them to
" “The Constitution, Jr.,” Constitution of
fice. Have the envelope weighed by the
postmaster and see you pay postage. Will
the following persons please send 2-cent
stamp each to Aunt Susie, that is due on
their letters. Nita Lenox. Isaca, Tex.; Ethel
Davis, Oklahoma City, O. T., and Dewdrop
Vaughan, Galion, La.
TOUNG FOLK’S CORRESPONDENCE.
Letters of Exchange Among The Consti
tution’s Little Fol ks.
Wilev Smith, Lone Star, Texas.—l have been a
silent reader of The Constitution a great while,
anil think it is a tine paper.
Some time ago I saw a letter from a cousin that
she had sold some stamps and confederate money
to J. F. Bowen, of l.nrr ka, Miss. 1 wrote to him
and he told me to send him what 1 had and he
would pav tne for them. I sent him a lot, hut
have never heard from him, although I have writ
ten to him twice since. 1 do not think it would be
advisable for any one to send him any if he acts
with them like lie did with me.
Hazel M. Wentworth, Lynn, Mass.—Will you
admit a Massachusetts girl into the merry circle
, of cousins? I have enioyea leading the Young
Folks’ Corner immensely.
I attend the high school in this large amt beau
tiful citv, and enjoy the studies very much.
How many of the cousins enjoy outdoor exer
cises, such as rowing, horseback riding, etc. I
prefer them to indoor p easures every time. 1 also
am very fond of books and music.
Wishing for correspondents between the ages
seventeen and twenty-one,! will bid you adieu,
with best wishes.
Nora Gann. Denton, Toxas.—l live three miles
southwest of Denton, a pretty little town of 4,090
1 inhabitants. 1 live in the country now, but we are
going to move to Denton.
This is a pretty country, and is as healthy as it
is pretty. It is a prairie country and that is tne
1 reason I like it. We can see houses fifteen or
! twenty mites from us, and can hear trains seven
or eight miles off.
Will some, of the cousins please send me the
song “Mabie Clair?’’ I will send in return “Won’t
Yon Be My Sweetheart.” or “Thou hast wounded
the Spi’it that Loved Thee.”
Would like to correspond with some of the girls
i or boys. Age fifteen.
Lucius r. Farmer, Orange Springs. Fla.—l sup
pose vou all saw the picture “An Oclawaha
steamer ” I live three miles from the famous old
river OHawaha. Ivervoiten go fishing on it. I
I ke fi’-li ng very much but am not an expert at It.
The hardest work I ever did was being still; in
fact I c.r.nol be still, and of cou se I cannot catch
many fi-h. but ad the same 1 like to try.
Tn re ire f >ur Oclawaha steamers: Astamora,
Arstafula, Opeehtnnkee aid Eureka. They are
beautiful little rugs, and carry many boxes of nr
i anges northward. O, yes, I expect I have aten
FREE ICE WATER FOUNTAIN.
about as many oranges in the last ten years as any
ol the cousins bavi*. We have been in Florida
ten vears; < aine from Georgia.
I will close, asking correspondents from Cali
fornia ami Texas. Age thirteen.
Ada B irwi. k, Grifton. N. C.~I live In the coun
try three miles from the little town of Grifton,
and about tliirP - mi’es from New Berne, our chief
shipping point for early vegetables.
We have no sc tool nearer than three miles, so I
teach my three sisters and twelve cousins here in
my home. I like to teach them but will be glad
for school to close.
Do any of the cousins know in what year The
Constitution was first published, and by whom it
was first edited. Will Aunt Susie please answer;
I am anxious to Know.
Will some one please tell me the meaning of
"He is a yankee?” I have thought it meant he
came from the north beyond Mason and Dixon’s
line. Where aid the word yankee originate?
I will nnwer W. W. Simb'angh’s question:
America was named by Waldreemuller, a Ger
man professor in France.’ He had read Amerigo
Vespucci’s accounts of his voyages and had
1 rinted a little book called an introduction to
geography in which was this sentence : "And the
fourth part of the world having been discovered
by Amerigo, or Americus, we may call it Amerige,
or America.”
Amerigo Vespucci was greatly honored in hay
ing a continent named for Him, but I think be did
not deserve more honor than John Cabot.
In answer to Win. Wilcox’s questions:
New York was called New Amsterdam.
General I’embertvn was in command at Vicks
burg.
Lively “Youngun,” Riverton, Ala.—As this Cor
ner is interded for children to try to improve in
letter writing, I believe I will send in a little of
my scratching. Wonder what will be its fate?
that big old waste basket, I reckon, that stands
(or sets which ever you want to call it) by Aunt
Susie’s desk. O, Mr. Waste Basket, I’ll call you
“Mister,” and begin your name with a capital, if
you will just shut up your mouth tor a while!
Well, how arc yon all any how? Riverton is a
pretty little village on the banks of the Tennessee
river. Being in the extreme northwestern corner
ol the state among the spurs of the mountains,
the surface is naturally hilly. Wc have some love
ly scenery around hen’.
Agriculture and stone quarrying are the chief
occupations. Cotton, corn, rye, wheat, potatoes,
oats and al! kinds of fruits’and vegetables are
raised. The poor little green apples can’t get ripe.
The boys and girls have begun throwing at them
already-; do you all?
How’many of you cousins have read one of
“Earnest Willie's” books. “Echoes from a Re
cluse?” 1 have partly read one. Cousins, it is a
splendid book. You should all read it.
By the way, are you all very fond of reading?
any how. lam very fond of good, interesting,
instructive literature. I never read novels; that
is, oid trashy, good-for-nothing novels.
Miss Louisa Alcott, is one of my favorite au
thors. All of her books are so nice.
Now, let me tell you all, Aunt Susie, I am not
one of the best scholars in t he word, so 1 am going
to ask you to correct all errors in this letter, for I
feel certain there are some. And if this letter is
so fortunate as to bo printed, why -why, I’ll just
Well, I’ll be so glad I’ll want to write again.
1 am very lively among gills but rather bashful
among boys. But any bow, I am going to give
you all my nick-name that some of the girls call
me, “Lively Youngun.”
Success to The Constitution.
F. n, Conner, Buck Creek, Ga.—l have recently
become a subscriber to The Constitution, and 1
like it very much; and oh ! how I do enjoy read
ing the Young Folks’ Corner, it is reat interest
ing to see one or more letters from every state in
the union.
It any of the cousins would like to correspond
THE WEKKI-.X OOJNSTITCJTIOJN ; X-A, MONDAY, JUJNTJ 25,
with a little country boy in Georgia, address mo
as above. I would enjoy corresponding with them.
I live ne.r the Savannah river; we have a very
nice time sometimes nt picnics. How I wish you
could be with us all down here some time.
We also live near a stream called Brier creek,
which is claimed to be the greatest fishing waters
in this part of the state.
Very often a party of sportsmen come down
from Augusta with their cluttered boat and spend
a week or more fishing and hunting.
Best wishes for all.
Frank Ewtan, Dunlap, Tenn.—lt is my impres
sion that much and lasting good has and will be
done to the young folks of the southern states by
the noble talks of Aunt Susie through The Con
stitution, and also by the privilege of writing to
this department anil discussing different ques
tions of importance among one another.
I therefore feel that we should not only realize
the privilege and appreciate the kindness, but
deem it our duty to add interest in every way wo
can. Lei. each of us rally to the support of the
grand Old Constitution.
Correspondents solicited. •
Mattie McFarlin, Bonham, Texas.—l received
your kind letter yesterday and little Edna Brower’s
picture, too. I am sorry that I wrote on both sides
of my paper last time; please excuse me for it as
I forgot. Every cousin ought to sympathize and
pray for little Edna Brower.
Well, Aunt Susie, mine and Sister Nonie’s
school closed yesterday, and we had an exhibition
at the courthouse last night which was very in
teresting. We bad a Sunday school picnic last
Saturday, and we had a nice time, and I wish you
and the cousins could have been with us.
I would like some correspondents.
Ethel Williams, Maxwell, Ala.—l am a little girl
almost fourteen ye.irs oid. 1 live in the country
near the thriving little town of Stevenson, which
is situated on tile junction of the M. C. and N. C.
railroad
My mamma, is postmaster of Maxwell. Al
though we live so far out., we have daily mail, and
in a lew days we will have mail twice each day.
I have been going to school; will start again in
a few weeks. Hurrah, boys, and don’t let us beat
you. Your letters are good enough if they were
numerous.
When w.is the first English Bible printed?
When. ami by whom, was envelopes first, used?
When, and by whom, was the, sewing machine
completed?
Correspondents solicited, either sex.
Luther A. Moore, Tokeena, S. C.—l enjoy read
ing The Constitution, and, of course, like all the
cousins, deeply interested in the young folks’ de
partment. 1 see a great improvement in many of
the letters.
Boys, 1 tell you what's the fact, the girls are in
advance of us; what is the matter?
I live in the beautiful,green country, on a clear,
cold and swift stream, known as Snow creek.
Father runs a farm ami I am helping during my
school vacation. Our school closed April 25th. Twill
resume in July. I have gone to school ever since
I was live years old. 1 enjoy going, ana like my
studies ; never was whipped at school, and scolded
only twice, which came very near frightening me
to death.
For fear of worrying the patience of Aunt Su
sie as well as the cousins, I will close, and will tell
something about our country in my next letter.
I would appreciate correspondence from all of
the cousins, especially the girls.
Bessie Davis, Martin Springs, Texas.—Will you
admit a little Texas girl into your merry band?
Papa has been taking the dear old Constitution
for a long time. The first thing 1 read is the
cousins’ letters.
We live in the country on a beautiful farm,
eighteen miles northwest of Sherman, six miles
west of Pottsboro, four miles from Martin Springs.
Wo have preaching every Sunday at Georgetown
Basin Springs and Martin Springs, also Sunday
school and prayer meeting.
Papa and mamma are Georgians; nearly all our
relatives live there. Mamie rs maiden name was
Phipps. My dear old Grandmother Phipps is liv
ing y< t. Site lives near Lithonia, Georgia.
Cousins. 1 have been to one picnic this year,
and had a real nice time.
We live near a large artesian well. The young
folks have a nice time there during tho summer
months. It is a beautiful place, for picnics, cro
quet parties and other amusements. There is also
a beautiful lake near the well. We have a nice
time fishing and boat riding.
There is going to be a three days’ picnic at
George own in .July. I wish Aunt Susie and all
The Constitution cousins cold be there.
What has become of “Boy Afraid of the Girls?”
Write again, you need not fear us girls; we are
harmless creatures ami would not “bite ’ any one.
Vnclo Mil), where are you keeping yourself? it
has been a. long, long time, since you have written
to our department.
Correspondents solicited,
T. L. Fletcher, Clcarville, Pa.—My home is in
Bedford county, not far from the far lamed Bed
ford mineral springs, of welch 1 gave a descrip
tion in a previous letter. This resort is visited by
hundreds of people every ye.<r who come to re
cruit their health and to’enjoy the environments
of a mountain home.
The resort is in a narrow valley, bordered by
small mountain ranges on two opposite sides.
From the sides ol these mount uns issue streams
of pure crystal water containing various mineral
properties! The scenery is magnitticent, and one
who has an eye for the love of nature can be
taught the beauty of the beautilul, the purity of
the pure.
I should like to give you a short history of our
country, if I were allowed spne, but 1 fear should
I attempt this, Aunt Susie would turn it over to
the waste basket, the last article that I wrote for
the Y. F. never appeared (and 1 do not won
der), lor it w. s entirely too lengthy, containing
not less than 2,00 u words and not being overly in
teresting.
I think that success in authorship does not de
pend upon how much you sav, but what you say,
how well you say it and how briefly.
A simple story of every day lite, plainly’ written
without striving for literary’effect, is appreciated
more than an unfamiliar subject containing high
sounding, flowery words that the masses do not
understand. Be brief. This is a busy’ world and
matter must be condensed.
There arc many things to talk about and wc
should wiselv select tlio.-e things which will do us
the most good, as wall as those who read them. We
should remember that patience and perseverance
are two very essential qualities lor good work,
in any sphere, and, that “Impossible is a fool’s
adjective and persever ;nce more than genius,”
1 would like to bear from some of the cousins on
some literarv subject. 1 will suggest tills : Which
does '.be most toward the formation of character,
education or environments?
Who will be the first to take up the song?
Correspondents solicited.
Emma Janson, Canton, O.—One sunshiny day,
not long ago. I sat upon the deck of a steamer just
leaving the wharf at New York city, and started
o my journey up the Hudson river.
We steamed past the large ocean steamers, the
old fort, and the stately statue of liberty, and
came upon a United States training vessel with a
large number of naval cadets on board.
They were a handsome crew in their uniforms
and white sailor caps, and, as we passed the ves
sel thev saluted us and waved their kerchiefs.
We soon left them behind, and came to a quiet
little place called Weehawken, where our own Al
exander Hamilton was killed in a duel with Aaron
Burr.
All that can be seen of this little place from the
river, is a grassy slope with the white spire of a
chinch peeping through the trees. We caught
sight of General Grant’s tomb on a high ridge in
Rivei side park, and then we saw the Stars and
Stripes floating ovei what remains of the old forts
Lee and Washington.
Near Yonkers is the point where Hendrick Hud
son anchored September 13. 1009. I wonder what
he would say now, if he could anchor there again
and see the beautiful towns and villages nestled
in among the hills and valleys, where all was once
a wilderness.
Wc steamed up the river for quite a distance,
and enjoyina the fresh air and the beauty and
majesty of the loftv palisades.
The next place was one of interest to ns all, and
we had a chance to examine it at greater length.
The point I allude t<> is the home oi Washington
Irving. “Sunnyside” Isa beautiful place, with a
quaint old house, built, of small yellow bricks and
gray stone brought from Holland. The walls are
covered with the glossy-leaved ivy brought from
Melrose Abbey in England, and planted by Irving
himself. . . „ . , . • ,
The whole region about here is full of historical
places. Near “Sleepy Hollow,” that quiet little
place immortalized bv the story ol Ichabod Crane
ami Katrina,is the spot where the handsome, Major
Andre was captured, and just across the river is
the village of Tappan, where the unfortunate was
condemned and executed.
Nino miles beyond this village Is the stony
Point, where there used to be an old fort, but the
site is now occupied by a lighthouse. It was near
this place at. the foot of “Long Clove Mountain,”
that Benedict Arnold, the traitor, met Major An
dre, ami on the opposite side of the river, ts the
place where Baron‘Steuben drilled the continen
tal soldiers in 1770. Here the Highlands begin
with Mt.. Dunderber in view. This old mountain
yon will remember, is the place where Hendrick
Hudson amt the crew of the “Hall-Moon” uS“d to
play’ at “nine pins” long ago, and where old Rip
Van Winkle slept his sleep of twenty years. I
fancied 1 hcaid the. rumble of the balls rolling
down the mountain sit e, and saw queer little
D itch figures in ferkins and kr.ee breeches, but
this was only the ranev of a dav dreamer
I wish 1 had more space to describe West Point
and some of the beautiful summer homes along
the river, such as Stewart Castle, Greystone and
Jay Gould’s residence.
The Hudson has been rightly called the “Rhine
of America,” ami any one who delights in roman
tic scenery should take a trip up this river and
visit the places made famous by the revolution.
lake it when
“awfully tired”
Brown’s Iron
Bitters.
LITTLE MR. THIMBLEFINGER
And His Queer Country—What the Children Saw and Heard
There.
By JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS, (Author of “Uncle Remus.”)
PART 11.
Mr. Thlniblefinger’s Country.
The next morning Sweetest Susan was
awake early. She wanted very much to
turn over and go to sleep again, for her
eyes were heavy and her body was tired.
But the moment she remembered the won
derful events of the night before she sat
up in bed and looked around. Drusilla was
still asleep and snoring very loudly, but
bweetest Susan jumped out of bed and shook
her by the shoulder
“Drusilla! Drusilla! wake up!” cried
Sweetest Susan. Drusilla stopped short in
her snoring and turned over with a groan.
She kept her eyes closed and in a moment
she would have been snoring again, but
Sweetest Susan continued to shake her and
called her until she squalled out:
“Who dat? What do you want? Oh,
Lordy!”
“Wake up, Drusilla,” said Sweetest Susan,
“I want to ask you something.”
“Ain't I ’wake? How kin Ibe any whker
when I'm 'wake? Oh, is dat you, honey?
I wuz skeer’d 'twas ddt lit’ bit er ol’ ’omen.
Whar she gone? Las’ time I seed her she
wuz des walkin’ ’roun’ here like she wuz
gwine ter tremple on me. I laid low, I did.”
Sweetest Susan clasped her hands to
gether ajid cried: “Oh, wasn’t it a dream,
*!SLJwif • W
awiJf \l > v ¥
MR. THIMBLEFINGER RUNNING ON BEFORE WITH WONDERFUL AGILITY.
Drusilla? Did it all happen sure enough?”
Drusilla shook her head wildly. "How
kin we bofe have de same kind er dream?
1 sefed he ’oman gwine on, en you seed ’er
gwine on. Uh, uh! don’t talk ter me ’bout
no dreams.”
The whole matter was settled when Bus
ter cried out from the next room: "What
fuss was that you were making in there last
night squealing and squeaking?”
The matter was soon explained to Buster
John, and after breakfast the children
went out and sat on the big woodpile and
talked it all over. The boy asked a hundred
questions, but still his curiosity was not
satisfied.
All this time the birds were singing in
the trees and the wood sawyers sawing
in the pine logs. Jo-reeter, jo-reeter. jo
ree! sang the birds. Craik, craik, ctaik,
went the wood sawyers. f
"There were fifty dozen of them, said
Buster John. . ... ...
"Fiftv-five thousand you’d better say,
replied Sweetest Susan. "Just listen at
Ul ’No needs ter listen,” cried Drusilla.
"You'd hear ’em es you plugged up yo
y Waurv nut his knife blade under a thick
one of the busy sawyers. The barK .
strong, but presently It seemed to come up
of its own accord and out jumped the
queerest little man they had ever seen or
even heard of except in make-believe story
books Buster John dropped his knife and
ex-
Cl "You d all better come on go see yo’ ma.
1 BiHthere was nothing to be frightened at.
B -'5 rn-m had brushed the dust and
The tiny ' clothes and then turned to
T hXn with a good-humored smile,
was not above four inches high. He
He v.as n Drusilla afterward
had on .• as a claw hammer cout -velve
♦fnn knickerbockers and silver buckles on
hi<i shoes His hat was shaped like a
Me and he had a tiny feather stuck in the
h O e
nut of that scrape, he sa
cn he i Stayed ’ out last nignt just one
plac.. - • half too lato, and when 1
,1..’««.r.hu.. »o
? b St crlwled under the bark there tor a
Ln The log must have turned in some
L<v’ S when 1 tried to crawl out 1 found
r cJdn’i manage it. I wouldn’t nave
minded that so much, but just when 1 .aw
one of those terrible flat headed creatures
niaking his way toward me. vvny, ns
held was a sawmill. He was gnawing the
cut of his way and clearing a road
to me I tried to draw my sword, but 1
couldn’t get it from und h e s. t
felt the bark rising. I pushed is aa.d as 1
C °4x“m bl” na.""- .aid Draallu .» .»
“-Ab'TtOTSOt"’ responded -he little man.
“I know you, but you don’t know me. iiy
mine is Mr. Thimblefinger, and I shall be
hnnoy to serve you. Whenever you want
me just tap three times on tne head or
y "Thank goodness! I don t sleep in no
bed ” exclaimed Drusilla.
"That makes no difference, ’ said jwt.
Thimbleflnger. “If you sleep on a pallet
just tap on the floor.”
"Please, Mr. don’t talk that way,’ plead
ed Drusilla, "kase I’ll be constant a-proj
eckln’ wid that tappin’, an' de fus’ time you
come I’ll holler fire.”
“Don’t notice her,’ said Buster ucnn.
-she talks to hear nerself talk”
"I see,” replied Mr. Thimbleflnger, tsp
ping ills’ forehead significantly and ncnctr.g
his head.
“You kin nod,” said Drus'lla defiantly,
“but my head got mo’ in it dan 1 kin coinn
° l '‘i believe you!” exclaimed Mr. Tiumnie
finer, “I believe you!" He spoke so etnn
estly that Sweetest Susan and Bust?r Jcnn
laughed, and Drusilla laugned with them.
“You dropped your knife,” said Air. T’fiim
bleilnged. "I’m sorry of it. I can't bring it
up to you, but I'll see if I can’t crawl un
der and got it out.”
With that he leaped nimbly from log to
log and disappeared under the woodpile.
The children went down to see what he
would do. They were so astonished at his
droll appearance that they forgot their cu
riosity.
“Is that a fairy, brother? ’ asked Sweet
est Susan in a low voice.
“No!” exclaimed Buster John with a
loftv air, hut not loudly. ‘Don’t you see
.tie’s not a bit like the fairies we read about
m books? Why, he was afraid of a wood
sawyer.”
"That’s so,” Sweetest Susan rejoined.
“He’s a witch, dat what he Dru
silla.
"Shucks!” whispered Buster John. fie
heard the voice of Mr. Thimbleflnger under
the woodpile.
"I’ve found it, I’ve found it!” he cried.
And presently he made his appearance.
dragging the knife after him. He tugged
at it until he got it out, and then he sat
i down on a chip, wiped the perspiration from
i his eyes, and fanned himself with a thin
• flake of pine bark no bigger than a bee’s
wing.
“Pick me up and let’s go on top of the
woodpile,” said Mr. Thimbleflnger after
i awhile. “It’s suffocating down here. Ouch!
don’t tickle me, if you do I shall have a
fit.” Buster John had picked him up by
placing a thumb and forefinger under his
arms. “And don’t squeeze me, neither,”
1 the little man went on. “I was cramped un
der that bark until I’m as sore as a boil
all over. Goodness! I wish I was at home!”
"Where do you live?” asked .Sweetest
1 Susan when they were once more seated
on the woodpile.
“Not far from here, not very far,” re
plied Mr. Thimblefinger, shaking his head
sagely, “but it is a different country—oh,
entirely different.”
, Sweetest Susan edged away from the lit
tle man at this and Drusilla stretched ber
’ eyes.
, “What is it like?” asked Buster John
boldly.
Mr. Thimblefinger reflected awhile, and
then shook his head. “I can show it to
you,” he said, "but I can’t describe it.”
“Pick ’im up an' show ’im to your ma!"
exclaimed Drusilla suddenly.
"No, no, no!” cried Mr. Thimbleflnger,
leaping to his feet. “That would spoil every
thing. No grown person living in this coun
try has ever seen me. No, no! don’t try that.
It would spoil your luck. I would’t be here
now if the Doll’s grandmother hadn't beg
ged me to come with her last night. But
I’ll come to see you”—he pointed at Drusilla
—l’ll come often.”
"I des said dat fer ter see what you'd
say,” protested Drusilla. "You wan’ gwine
ter take 'im, wuz you, honey?” This ques
tion was addressed to Buster John, who
scorned to answer it.
"Grown people woudn’t understand me,”
Mr. Thimblefinger explained. 'They know a
great deal too much to suit me.”
“How do you get to your country?” in
quired Buster John, who was Keen for an
adventure.
"The nearest way is by the spring.” re
plied Mr. Thimblefinger. "That is the only
way you could go.”
“Can I go, too?” asked Sweetest Susan.
"And Drusilla?”
"Oh, of course,” said Air. Thimblefinger,
shrugging his shoulders. "One can go or all
can go.”
"Do you go down the spring branch?”
asked Buster John.
"No, no,” replied Mr. Thimbleflnger. Be
low the spring and below the branch.”
“Do you mean under the spring?” Sweet
est Susan inquired, with some hesitation.
“That's it.” cried Mr. Thimbleflnger.
“Right down through the spring and under
it.”
"Why, we’d drown,” said Sweetest Su
san. "The spring is deep.”
“W’ell, you’ll ha’ ter 'skuze me,” exclaim
ed Drusilla. “Dat water’s too wet fer me.”
Buster John waited for an explanation,
but none was forthcoming.
“We couldn’t go through the spring, you
know,” she said presently.
"How do - ou know. Asked Mr. Thimble
finger, slyly. “Did vou ever try it?”
He asked each of the children this and
the reply was that none of them had ever
tried it.
“I put my foot in it once,” said Buster
John, "and the water was just like other
spring water. I know we can’t go through
it.”
“Come, now,” Mr. Thimbleflnger suggest
ed, "don’t say you know. Sometimes people
live to be very old and don’t know the very
things they ought to know.”
‘But I know that,” replied Buster John,
confidently.
“Very well, then,” said Air. Thimbleflnger,
pulling out a tiny watch, “did you ever feel
of the water in the spring at precisely nine
minutes and nine seconds after 12 o’clock?”
“N-o-o-o,” replied Buster John, taken by
surprise, “I don’t think I ever did.”
"Os course not,” cried Mr. Thimbleflnger,
gayly. "You had no reason. Well, at nine
minutes and nine seconds after 12 o’clock
the water in the spring is not wet. It is as
ary as the air we breathe. It is now two
minutes after 12 o’clock. We’ll go to the
spring. Walt until the time comes, and
then you will see for yourself.”
As they went toward the spring—Air.
Thimblefinger running on before with won
derful agility—Drusilla touched Sweetest Su
san on the arm. "Honey,” said she, "don't
let dat creetur pull you in de spring
Goodness knows, es he puts his han’ on me
I’m gwine ter squall.”
"Will you hush?” exclaimed Buster John,
Impatiently.
“Watch out, now,” said Drusilla, defi
antly. “Es you gits drowneded in dar I'l]
sho’ tell yo’ ma.”
Fortunately, there was no one near the
spring, so Air. Thimblefinger advanced
boldly, followed closely by the children,
though Drusilla seemed to hang back some
what doubtfully. When they arrived there
Mr. Thimbleflnger took out his tiny time
piece and held it in his hand. The children
watched him with breathless interest, es
pecially Buster John, who was thrilled
with the idea of having an adventure en
tirely different from any that he had read
of in the story books.
As the little man stood tnere holding his
watch and looking at it intently the dinner
bell rang, first in the hallway and then in
the back porch. The children remembered
it afterward.
"You all better go git yo’ dinner ’fo’ it git
col’, stldder projickin’ ’roun’ here wid you
dunner what,” remarked Drusilla.
“Now!” exclaimed Mr. Thimblefinger,
"put your hand in the spring.”
Maury did as he was bid, and, to his
amazement, he could feel no water. He
could see it, b*at he couldn’t feel it. He
turned pale with excitement and withdrew
his hand. Then he put his other hand in,
but the result was the same. He plunged
his arm in up to the elbow, but his sleeve
remained perfectly dry.
“Try it, sis,” he cried.
Sweetest Susan did so. and boldly de
clared there was no water in the spring.
She wanted Drusilla to try to wet her hand,
but Drusilla sullenly declined.
Mr. Thimbleflnger settled the matter <by
walking into the spring.
"Now, then, if you are going, come
along,” he cried. “You have Just s ®y en te®s
and a half seconds.” He waved his hand
from the bottom of the spring and stood
waiting. A spring lizard ran net ar him,
and he drew his sword and chased it into
a hole. A crawfish showed his head, and
he drove it away. Then he waved_ his
hand again. “Come on, the coast is ctear.
Buster John put his hand m w Dp
again, and this seemed to satisfy him. tie
stepped boldly into the spring, and ini a
moment he stood by Mr. Thimbleflng ,
laughing, but still excited by the novelty of
his experience. He called to his sister. >t
“Come on, sis. It’s splendid down here.
“is it wet?” she asked, plaintively. is
it “N > o < ?’’’ replied Buster John, impatiently.
“Don’t be a baby.”
“Come on, Drusilla. You’ve got to come.
Mamma said you must go wherever we
went,” cried Sweetest Susan.
“No, ma’am!” exclaimed Drusilla, with
emphasis. "She ain’t tol’ me ter toller you
in de tier an’ needer in de water!’
But Sweetest Susan didn’t wait to hear.
She jumped into the spring with a splasn
and then stood by her brother very red m
the face. . .
"Five more seconds!” cried Mr. Thimbie
finger in a business-like way.
Drusilla looked in the spring and hesi
tated. She could see the water plain
enough but then she could also see Sweetest
Susan and Buster John and they seemed
to be very comfortable. ,
“I’m cornin’,” she yelled, but es you all
make me git drownded in dry water 111
ha’nt you es it’s the *as* thing I do!”
Then she shut her eyes tight, put her fin
gers in her ears and leaped into the spring.
She floundered around with her eyes still
shut and gasped and caught her breath
just like a drowning person, until she heard
the others laughing at her, and then she
dpened her eves with astonishment.
Suddenly there was a loud, gushing sound
heard above and around them and under
their feet. _
"Watch out!” cried Mr. Thimbleflnger.
“Run this way! The water is getting wet
again!” , „
The way seemed to widen before them aa
they ran and in a moment they found
themselves below the “gum,” or “curb” of
the spring and beyond it. But as they went
forward the bottom of the spring seemed
to grow and expand, and the sun shining
through gave a soft light that was very
pleasant to the eye. The grass was gray
and the leaves of the trees ana the flowers
were pale pink and yellow.
Mr. Thimbleflnger seemed to be very
ha.ppv. He ran along before the children
as nimbly as a kildee, talking and laugh
ing all the time. Presently Drusilla, who
brought up the rear, suddenly stopped in
her tracks and looked around. Then she
uttered an exclamation of fright. Sweetest
Susan and Buster John paused to see what
was the matter.
“Wharbouts did we come in it?’ she
35’
Then, for the first time, the children saw
that ‘he bottom of the spring had seemed
to expand until it spread over their heads
and around on all sides as the sky does in
our country.
"Don’t bother aljpiit that.” said Mr. Thim
blefinger. “No matter how big it looks,
it's nothing bat the bottom of the spring
after all.”
“But how are we to get out, please'
asked Sweetest Susan.
“The same way you came in,” said Mr.
Thimblefinger.
“I tol’ vou! I tol' you!” exclaimed Dru
silla, swinging her right arm up and down
vigorously. "Es you kin fly you kin git out,
an’ you look much like Ilyin’. Dat what
you git bv not mindin’ me a T yo’ ma!"
“Tut! tut!” exclaimed Mr. Thimblelinger,
“I’ll ‘sick’ the katydids on you if you non t
stop scaring the little girl. Come! we are
not far from my house. We'll go there and
see what the neighbors have sent in tor
dinner.”
Buster John followed him as readily as
before, but Sweetest Susan and Drusilla
were not so eager. They had no device,
however, and Drusilla made the best or
it.
"I ain’t skeered ez I wus. He talk mo
and mo’ like folks.” Sc they went cn to
ward Mr. Thimbleflnger’s house.
(To be Continued.)
11 1 -'-I, .ffK.MMr’.Ji MUTIWW Illi iri.MWIKWXn—
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met with the approval of the medical
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Syrup of Figs is for sale by all drug
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