The Brussels Post, 1908-3-26, Page 3seeee.riee,ee-a—"-w-•
Shady Dell
r' 0 WET and dreary waa it out of
"est doors that Rosalie and Roberta
L./ betook themaoivee upstairs in
hopes of finding something with
Which to pass the time, In the garret
Roberta drugged forth from a dusty
Corner the stereseope, the two curious
glassee of which you looked through
at it picture fastened on the other side,
and, lot the view seemed to be real.
Then, too, a little wooden hood covered
your eyes—a hood that emelt delightful-
ly fragrant and reminded you of the
sweet-smelling eaaicots of sandalwood
and cedar your fairy tales told me
much about. So you Were quite shut
Off from the outside worldand It
didn't take much Imagination to make
Yourself believe you were a part of
the scene you were looking at,
"Oh, wouldn't I just love to be in
front of this prettyfountalnt" sighed
Itosalle, with the hood glued to her
forehead.
"My dear," laughed Roberta, "You
Should try -that fairy rhyme our latest
story book. gives:
"Buttercup. daisy and little bluebell,
Take me, please take me to cool Shady
Dell."
And the very funny part of it all
THEY SAT BY THE FOUNTAIN
was that before they could say Jack
Robinson, or John Robinson, or any
other Robinson, the twins found
themselves before the very fountain
'o'WVhy�which
Rosalie 'hawhisperesokd Roberta,
as soon as her surprise would per-
mit her to speak,"this must, Indeed,
have been Shady Dell, so that the
rhyme came out all right"
"Since we're here, we may as well
make the best of it," echoed Roberta,
So together they tripped about the
fairy grounds. Nor can you imagine
all the delightful nooks they found.
In ono place they came upon two nice
swings, and, as they were magic
swinge, all you had to do was to sit
In them and they swayed back and
forth of their awn accord.
"But how ane we going to get home
ON THE MAGIC SWINGS
again?" asked Rosalie, when many
pleasant hours had swiftly sped,
"Oh," replied Roberta, "don't you re-
member the other rhyme, which goes
like this:
"Now, little flowers, I must env 'dood-
d'
'T1s tniyme. I were flitting away, ,0.r away,"
And before you could Say even Rob-
inson the twins were back 1n the gar-
ret. The rain had stopped, the clouds
had cleared away and the Sun was
ehining. And the birds were singing
almost as cheerily as did the little
feathered songsters In Shady Dell.
I11 Point of Politeness.
It was bedtime for Herbert and
Grace. The two ventured timidly
along the unlighted hallway. When the
bottom of the stairs was reached, Her-
bert stopped. After vainly trying to
pierce the darkness which lay before
he loudly called:
Oh, I say, mother; it isn't polite for
ben to go first, is {t?"
No clear," came the .response from
the distance.
Then go ahead, Grace," commanded
the 1000i) -relieved Herbert, courageously
pushing his sister to the fore.
ONPERF
efelf7cif
GANE
Bhmdmags Bu/f
T0 GROWN PEOPLE there was
nothing unusual about the ap-
pearance of the mirror. Father
delighted in buying from the
Antique Shop, you know; and this was
his very latest purchase.
But to Carl and Ella ono glance
Into the qualnt, old mirror Suggested
great possibilities. Somehow you
seemed to look further than the mir-
ror, Into a strange country beyond.
Perhaps this was what prompted Ella
to observe to Can one morning:
"Carl, doesn't that look like the
VERY looking -glass through which
Alice passed onher way to Wonder-
land?"
Carl believed in always making
sure he was right before making a
reply, therefore lie promptly thrust
one foot toward the glass. To his as-
tonishment, he stepped right through
the mirror, Ella, ready for any ad-
venture, closely followed him. The
next Instant they were standing on a
flight of white marble steps. Behind
them was a great wooden wall, some-
where In which was the back of their
mirror. Before them stretched a won-
derful country, with pretty winding
lanes bordered by trim hedgerows.
Choosing one of these lanes, they
went happily forward on an eager
journey of discovery. Nor had they
gone but a short mile when there
seemed to rise suddenly before them
a great walled city. Directing their
steps up a narrow gravel path, they
came to a little wleket gate, above
which appeared 111 huge letters: "EN-
TRANCE TO THE GAME FACTORY."
There was a fat, queer little man at
the gate, who aalced them for their
passport.
"We just came through the Look-
ing -Glass, and have no passports," re-
plied Carl.
The gatekeeper grinned hospitably.
"011, if you came through the Looking -
Giese It's all right," said he. "Ever
since Alice came through the Look -
Ing -Glass, and failed to pay us a visit,
we've been watching for some one
else to come from there. Walk right
over to that little house yonder, rap
at the door, and the Game Fairy
himself will be sure to greet You
kindly."
Following the direction of the keep-
er's finger, Ella end Carl saw quite
near them a tiny house somewhat re-
sembling a Chinese pagoda,
In response to their timid knock the
Game Fairy appeared almost imme-
diately. He was a wizened old man.
but he hail a very kindly face. Carl
and Ella liked him right away.
"So you've come to see the place
where.. game are invented, have you,
children?" said he. "I make them all
myself, you know," he explained
proudly; "try them myself, too, with
the aid of magmb manikins, and then
whisper then into the ears of boy and
girl mortals. This I've been doing for
centuries. But I don't invent so vary
many games noW and you will flnd
that children of 'today are playing
much the same sort of Samos as those
played by the boys and girls of thou-
sands 0f years ago."
Soon they approached a largo plot
of ground, completely fenced in.
Above two gateposts they read the in-
scription, "GAMES OF ANCIENT
ROME."
Andsure enough, they found within
fg HELLO, THERM!" cried Gray
y..l Cat to Little Bird, Who was
Jj ,d perched on the maple tree
from his jclear, warmgi length
31bough
}.9e110!" answered Little Bird,call-
Indown, with a friendly little cirp.
"Me-OW,ono-ow, ynu seem to be a
nteo little creature," confirmed Gray
Cat, "I thin. .1'11 invite yeti to come
down and play 3'1111 me, I know a great
mmrY
ha0and
rich
er 11
tt1e
birds 0 Would 0en1 honored by lee
Yualnn-but like
you -really, I've
1011011 quite a fatey to y0h1----"
' IlaVo you?" answered Little Bird,
. chlrphlg in n pleased Ivey and holding
himself it. bit straighter, the better to
Show off his fine form and the etyilsh
color of ills feathered coat.
Yes, 1 have, and I want yon very
11111011 far a playmate, The day Is 1A-,110
One end event ha0e ln0 end Of fun. Come,
lettio Bird, I'll give you the Llme of
y0nr Wel"
Thanty0, n a the k[ you," answered
P,Itt10. BIrcl "I will no a9 soon as 2
sti
eIXOthee mo
w
r Bird, It won't take but a
tOln 1t—
1' • 1Qo! noI" serenned Gray Cat, "Yell
can't tomo if you do that -001111 mother
Won't rf1111d—but it is to be a swot bee
tweet, us two, You can toll her atter
Yen :Mine home, that will be tithe
31g11F' hg 1r
llt
li'
a )
k1
Altll-veal �y l�l�'i V4 r,f4 t
• .tt tl "�L•
"But," answered Little Bird "mother
told ms I must never fly oft without
first asking leave—but maybe this once
wa11't hurt."
"Of 00urse not," cf10d Gray Cat "Pit
take caro of you. Come on and hurry
tip, you can tell her afterward,"
Little Bird hesitated a minute, his
heed cocked thoughtfully on 0110 stile.
He was listening to a tiny voice within
1111n, that kept whispering, ' Den't,
don'!," Sildelenly Little Bird cried
out,
'Go 'way,Gray Cat* don't want t
o
play with it 2 rob1d n enjoy My-
self I0 wee disobeying my mother!"
'With that, Little Bird ]lopped back to
the meet -Henle.
"Where have you been?" asked Moth-
er Bird.
"I VMS talking to Gray Cat," an-
5werecl Little Bird; silo wanted me to
Ily dp70n and play with her. She
but n t let 1130 ask leave; she �feld I
could tell you afterward,"
"Little Bird, Little Bird," sobbed
Mnther Bird "Gray Cat ie witch.
She or anri to" ]lk
you for only dinner,"
t 1 yen and eat
I'm ee glad I minded," sobbed back
Lucie Died.
oil a S a Very geed child and shalt
have the flattest Venn in the pantry,'!
answered Mother Bird, ea she held him
;tory eloso under her wing;
DL�I111 ,v
t pAitIIISI
p
Y, 1. •''. M. anti
"EXPLAINED THE PICTURES ON THE CANVASES"
a great number of manikins (or, rath-
er, boylkins and glrllkins), all dressed
In the graceful, flowing costumes of
ancient Rome, and rushing hither and
thither in their games. Of course,
these little :figures weren't exactly
real, but through the magic of the
Game Fairy they appeared so. All
the surroundings were exactly like
those to which the little Romans of
centuries ago had been accustomed.
here were a number of boys and
girls playing "tilde -and -seek" in just
the same way that Ella and Carl had
often played it. Close at hand wore
other little boys playing "Court,"
There was the "judge" and the "pris-
oner," and everything complete. Right
around the corner, in a little paved
court with a fountain, they canoe
across two girls playing "jacks." Not
far away a game of "marbles" was
In progress, where nuts were used in-
stead of marbles and a triangle was
drawn' In place of the circle with
which Carl was mostly acquainted.
Little boys dashed here and there
astride of sticks with horses' heads;
others trundled hoops hung with tiny
bells that tinkled musically the while.
One boy they saw whipping a little
boxwood top.
Then they came to a toy shop, Dolts
there were everywhere 111 the shop.
Some were lying down, some sitting
up, while others were hung up by
their hair, They were of every size
and description. Forthe comfort of
dollies there were also for sale beds,
and couches and tables. Gay -colored
balls, stuffed with feathers, there were
in boxes near by; jumping -jacks; rat-
tles and drums; wooden 00101 r0 (mostly
little Roman centurions); - whistles . in
the shape of heads of wolves, pigs and
horses and melts; swings; toy chariots.
"As y0n1 say, Mr, Fairy," remarked
Ella, "their games are really not so
VERY different from those we often
played ourselves."
' No, and you'll find that the games
oe the little Greeks of ancient times
are very similar to yours," responded
the Game Fairy, leading them out of
the nelosure and. on to another
whet the sign above the posts read:
"GAM'S OF ANCIENT GREECE."
First of allthey carob to a Greek
toyshop, Carl was much interostecl
in a wooden dove, winch, When
wound up, flew around in the air.
And in a copper vase, over the mouth
of which rested a little ivory ball.
When the water contained in the
vase was brought to the boiling
point the little ball danced merrily
up and down. Heaped about the atop.
wero toy hatchets, clay pigs and
horses and birds, pahhtee serpents
and all manner of masks, some hideous
and some ver'. comical.
"Very often," observed the Game
Fairy, "a Greek father would have
all the toys of his little girl er boy
duplicated in silver or ivory (In min-
later°, of course), and hung on a
e1101n of preotous' metal, Thle was
suspended aroundthe neck of the
child, so that, if he should be lost, ho
might be recognised by a description
of the chain of toys."
Unfortunately, time did not .permit
it longer stay, so all they, saw of the
games was a company of sturdy Gre-
cian boys in a tug-of-war. It was so
exciting that Carl was with difficulty
prevented from joining the game.
The Fairy now hastened Carl and
Ella toward what he called the Ex-
hibit Building. Here were rows and
rows of shelves, upon which were books
describing all the games that were ever
played.
The boy and girl were looking in won-
der at a series of screens at one end
of the 100m, when the Game Fairy
pressed several buttons. Immediately
all lights went out and there appeared
"moving pictures" upon each of the
white canvases. Watching alt five
sheets at Once was W0290 than trying
to see all that was going on in three
circus rings at the same time.
On the first canvas," explained the
Fairy, you see a game of blindman's
buff—played by barbarian children of
southern Germany. The cruel fathers
of these same children sometimes put
out the eyes of a man, and this man
was need to provide them sport, just as
the one who is the 'blind man' does
in the game Itself.
"On the second canvas you see little
Roman boys and girls playing at snap-
dragon. The next sheet shows a game
of football. I suppose you will turn up
Your nose, Carl, when You see that the
Spartan boys permitted their sisters to
Pussy -in -fie -Corer'
join them in this game. Right in front
'of us a company of Greek girls are
playing puss -in -the -corner, while at
the extreme right you sena wee Egyp-
tian girl surroundedby her toys. You
notice the ivory alphabet, the jumping -
jack In the form Of a fieherman, the
rattle with its head of ,apus lazuli, the
ivory rings, metal mirror, ball and a
funny wooden nut -cracker whose jaws
open and slut an they crack nuts placed
between them."
At this point suddenly all the pictures
disappeared from the canvases.
"Dear me!" exclaimed the Fairy,
"there's something the matter with
those wires. I'll have to fix them
again."
Conducting his guests toward the pa-
goda, the Game Fairy paused at the
door to say good-bye to them. He bade
Carl and Ella come and see flim again
some time, then shook hands with them
very cordially.
Passing through the wicket gate,
they waved a parting salute to the
smiling keeper, retraced their steps
along the winding lane, and shortly
came to the flight of marble steps,
"As we came through, we certainly
should be able to go back," said Carl,
placing his foot on the spot where he
Imagined the back of the mirror ought to
bo. And, as he thought, the wall yield-
ed. ile and Ella stepped right through
into the little room from which the
journeyhad begun.
Certainly their first experience in
Wonderland had been very pleasant,ln-
deed. You may be sure that Carl and
Ella promised themselves a similar
treat the next day. Perhaps you may
hear of the further adventures of Carl
and Ella as Polly Evans hears about
them.
Utilized its Tunefulness.
The daughter of the village rector had
been painstakingly rehearsing the choir
boys. On Sunday she Inquired of ono
of them:
"Jerry, I hope you haven't forgotten
the new hymn I taught you last Sun-
day,
"No'm," was the answer; "I've been
skeerin' the crows away from the field
with it all week."
Overheated.
A little boy seated himself at the
breakfast table the Other morning. Dur-
ing a slight pause in his attacks upon
the victuals, he found time to look about
him, Attracting the attention of his
mother, he asked:
blether, oughtn't the butter be taken
away? See how it's perspiring!'
"Rocky"
AROLD'S very last words to his
tester, as he Wile leaving 011 s1!
long visa to grandpa, ;were:
"Don't forget to take good care of
'RodllY,' Marian,"
You must become acquainted with
"Rocky" before We go any 0urther, Hs
was a splendid big rocking horse, of
a beautiful dappled .gray and fitted
With bridle and stirrups just like a real
horse. And gallop! Why, You could
gallop at breakneck speed with him all.
around the yard, Yea can see why
Harold took such pride 1n the posses-
sion of "Rocky," can't you, and why
he wished Marian to take good care of
horsey?
Before this time Marian was not
Much better acquainted with: Rocky"
than you were. But now etre was often
to be found upon the spirited mount,
She became quite as fond of him 00
was Harold.
after awhilenshentold it
that but
MARIAN AND "ROCKY"
never found "Rocky" in the same piece
in which she left him,
"Mother," said she, gleefully, "I just
know that 'Rooky' has a nice gallop
all by himself. whenever I leave him.
Or maybe the, fairies ride him!"
Mother laughed and said that perhaps
her little daughter was right.
Marian would have liked ever so much
to keep right on believing this, but, sad
to say she was soon forced to acknowl-
edge that she was mistaken,
One afterneen sloe came home, from
school earlier than usual. She went im-
mediately to the yard. What should
she see but Rieke, the pet monkey,
riding poor "Rocky" for dear life. The
little bundle of mischief ecampored
away as fast as ho could when he was
discovered. But Marian had to admit
ruefully that all her splendid dreams
about fairy riders had been completely
spoiled. However, she got a great deal
of fun out of the story she wrote to
Harold about Jocko as a horseman—or
rather, a, "horsemonkey,"
T.. spirits o. the boy population
of I•Iomevi le never suffered
from prolonged rainfall. In-
deed, spring showers were especially
welcomed, and the swifter the tor-
rents rushed along roadbeds and
street gutters the merrier every lad be-
came. For all this meant splendid wad-
ing and opportunities to sail newly con-
structed boats, whittled in anticipatron
of such periods of wetness.
Nor must we forget the tub races!
But evhn if we should grow absent-
minded, the Bloody Robbers" and
Bloody Pirates" eould never be accuse
ed of this kind of forgetfulness. Rarely
did it happen that the two bands met in
e. rivalry that was at all friendly. But
the tub races were friendly—that Is, al-
most so—and lees bitterness was dis-
played at this time than at any other.
And today was to be held the first race
of the season Yesterday, evening Bill
31fumlord, captain of the 'Bloody Rob-
bers," had ventured cautiously into the
land of the enemy, and, after hoisting
the flag of truce, met the rival leader
with this chauteterietic declaration:
"See here, Mike Flannigan, I dare you
SPOSE lt's nine to be outside,
Romping gay and free;
Dashing here and rushing there,
All so merrily.
Still, I'm not so very sure
But that much depends
011 the company yeti have—
And. I want my friends!
11 I Il Iii
1,1 l i p tui li Il Illi
P, i
rormiru+prtaw„rersnaswk+,tsatiirid'b'F+'Nea+tie'
Illi IUIlll1(1 Ili11illlUl rIP
Oc T11[4: LILLY
and your crowd to race us In tubs to
morrow. Sikes' field Is flooded dandy
an's just right. We'll chlp In for a
can:tut of 'mantes' au' the winner o' the
race can have the bunch."
Milts's reply tvas equally characteris-
tic. Sure," said he,"we'll be all-flred
glad to come over and lick you fellers
in the race."
So we do not express wonderment this
morning at the 'strange spectacle of a
score of boys dodging along the less
frequented byways of /lie town, each
burdened with a tub, "borrowed" for
the occasion. It is unnecessary to add
that the common destination was Sikes'
meadow,
The meadow Included two fields. All
the way round the border of the mead-
ow rose a high embankment. From tido
the ground sloped from all sides toward
the center, forming a Bort of natural
basin. Every time tills part of the coun-
try p as visited with heavy mina the
water conveniently collected here In a
large pond to contribute to the enjoy-
ment of Homevllle boys.
When each clan bad summoned its
full strength of members, the tubs were
deposited on the embankment, and, by
mutual agreement, "Rubbers" and "Pi-
rates" delved side by side In the mud
and in the marshy places for "mul-
lygrubs." Such progress was made in
the capture of these little wrigglers
that within half an hour a general
council was held. Equal shares of
mullygrubs" collected by the rival
companies were carefully counted and
placed in a large can half filled with
water. This was consigned to little
Tommy Bowes, the one member of
the "Robbers" who today was a'spec-
tator, with the injunction to let not
onomully" escape, under penalty of
having is head punched gnod'n
hard," Tommy had been rather down
in spirits heretofore, mourning the
tact that his feeble strength would
not permit his bringing a tub all the
way to the meadow—that is, suppos-
ing first 0f all he got away from home
wv1t11 it. But now he was inhis e10-
ment. And no wonder! Wasn't he
royal custodian of the prize? With
solemn pride ha crawled out upon the
fence wi,{eh divided the meadow and
took 111s past at the point where waa
to be tho finish of the race.
After a final testing of the stout
Midgets which were to Serve as
Boles," the contestants crawled down
the embankment and into then' tubs,
but not without difficulty, fur any
ono who knows wt.11 tell yell . It Is
quite a feat to safely enter a tub that
always insists upon spinning round
like a whirligig, No one minded a
ducking, however, so that within a
minute or eo the competitors were
lined up (the "clobbers" to the right
and the Pirates" to the loft), In
preparationfor the start. Fifteen
minutes were consumed in false Btarte,
during which there arose consider-
able argument of a decidedly heated
netilre.
But a general Sight was avoided,
end the next instant they were off,
A wonderful race it was, too! Such a
splasltingl Fair of the tubs were
overturned at the very outset. Ac-
cording to the established rules, these
unskilful ones were obliged to retire
from Um race. Invariably their anger
and nlortdcation was so great that
they 001115) some 0f their enemies
of upsetting then. Thereupon deadly
combat followed. Thus half of those
evil° entered the rate were, out of it
wit11111 the first five minutes.
Alt interest began to center upon
33111 Muulf0rd and Milne Flannigan. A
1 s
few others were til] :flout in their
1n30leldy Draft, it is true, but these
1W0 were far beyond reach of the
trailers behind them. The efforts of
the captains were ene0u1'aged by tre-
moncldus hurrahs from their support -
ere. Excitement grew apace as the
two tubs floundered along; side by
side. Occasionally a pole would stip
front its poSitlbn on the bottom or
one of the tuhewould strike a snag.
Then the "Robbers" 'Would hold their
breaths,. while the Plro.to5" would
Y elforoual ' Or the "Pirates"
"'
cheer u0 Y 0 P1 dt 9.
would re plunged into g10o1n and the
Robbers" Into rejoicing, ns the caro
might be, Rut always the pluelty.
captain righted his vessel without.
fallleg Overboard and continued on
his strenuous voyage. Nearer and
nearer they came to the goal at the
fencer
SOMETHING UNEXPECTED HAP-
PENED
Suddenly, amid rousing cheers from
the "Robbers," Bill made apowerful
thrustwith his pole. His tub spun
forward with great speed and plungBed
Into the fence goal. Then it was that
something unexpected happened! Poor
Tommy Bowes, who was stationed at
tits particular point onthe fence was
hurled several feet into the air by
the shook and plunged headfirst into
the water below. Nor did the fact
Boat he clung Heroically to the pre-
cious can lessen the bitterness that
his dastardly action caused—for every
"mully" had escaped!
The winning of the tub race, the
itching of different rivals tosettle
personal disputes—all was forgotten
in the general desire to punish the
unfortunate Tommy! But Tommy had
already scrambled from the water
and was fleeing for his life. Ide sped
for protection to his aunt, who lived
nearby, Horrille fear spurred 111111
onward, so that ee reached this haven
of refuge before hie pursuers could
Caine up with him,
Then — and net until then— were
personal grievamcos hetween Meth -
hers of the two bands re.neinhered.
Thereupon ensued a battle royal,
which was ended only by the appear-
ance of the constable.
What's the use of w{nnln' when
you don't get your winnln's," was the
last doleful continent of Billy, 30170
VOA commonly considered to have
been the (eller sufferer. Strange to
say,
poor Tommy ,
y wasn't spoken of at
all in tits connection. Tommy -wee
nota "sufferer"; 110 was a "Villain"!
The Pumping Trick
TMIS is another trirlt by which you
n1av pluck a coin from the bottom
of a saucer filled with water, witlh'-
out as en tv your
three /notches on the
top of a cork, placing them In an Up-
right position. Light the matches, and
float 0110 cora on the surface of the wa-
ter.
Put a glass over the cork, making
sore that the coin does not come with -
In the 19m.
As the thatches burn they create a
oyf,/,7
.0
rI
'PUT A GLASS OVER THE CORD'
vart 11within tileg y less. Ver soon ell
1 m
the water rushes inside the e(l to frit
I
tins �vacuum. Your tont 1s. eft on Lhtl'
dry surface without the glees from
m
which it ay h0 taken late 1110 flee
g;ers niter a fOwlnnmeais'exposure a
the air has thoroughly dried It.
'flits is really an exp.'rlmt'llt Illustr'at
itis the aetlon of 111e pump,A 1*