7 B
ipedal Page far. The Omalhia B9 '-Busy -Little' HiniafMaIkir
THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: JANUARY 6, 1918.
" . JSs.
tend yOz
His Majesty
By L. Frank Baura.
I suppose every reader of this story
knows what a scarecrow is; but Jack
Pumpkinhead, never having seen
such a creation, was more surprised
at meeting the remarkable King of
the ,hmerald City than by any other
one experience of his brief life.
His Majesty the Scarecrow was
dressed in a suit of faded blue clothes,
and his head was merely a small sack
stuffed with straw, upon which eyes,
ears, a nose and a mouth had been
rudely painted t represent a face.
The clothes were also stuffed with
straw, and that so unevenly or care
lessly that his Majesty's legs and
arms seemed more bumpy than was
necessary. Upon his hands were
gltfves with long fingers, and these
were padded with cotton. Wisps of
straw stuck out from the monarch's
coat and also from his neck and boot
tops. Upon his head he wore a heavy
golden crown set thick with sparkling
jewels, and the weight of this crown
caused his brow to sag in wrinkles,
giving a thoughtful expression to the
painted face. Indeed, the crown
alone betokened majesty; in all else
the Scarecrow King was but a simple
scarecrow flimsy, awkward, and un
substantial. But is the strange appearance of
his Majesty the Scarecrow seemed
startling to Jack, no less wonderful
was ' the form of the Pumpkinhead
to the Scarecrow. The purple trousers
and pink waistcoat and red shirt
hung loosely over the wooden joints
Tip had manufactured, and the
carved face on the pumpkin grinned
perpetually, as if its wearer considered
life the jolliest thing imaginable.
At first, indeed, his Majesty
thought his queer visitor was laugh
ing at him, and was inclined to re
sent such liberty; but it waw not
without reason that the Scarecrow had
attained the reputation of being the
wisest personage in the Land of Oz.
He made a more careful examination
of his visitor, and soon discovered
that Jack's features were carved into
a smile and that he could not look
grave if he wished to. '
The King was the first - to speak.
After regarding Jack for some
minutes he said, in a tone of wonder:
"Where on earth did you come
from, and how do you happen to be
alive?" " .
"I bear your Majesty's pardon," re
turned the Pumpkinhead; "but I do
not understand you."
"What don't you understand?"
asked the Scarecrow.
"Why, , I don't understand your
language. You see, I came from the
Country of the Gillikins, so that I am
a foreigner."
"Ah, to be suret" exclaimed the
Scarecrow. "I myself speak the lan
guage of the Munchkins, which is also
the language of the Emerald City. But
you, I suppose, speak the language
of the Pumpkinbeads?"
"Exactly so, your Majesty," replied
the other, bowing; "so it will be im
possible for us to understand one an
other." "That is unfortunate, certainly,"
said the Scarecrow, thoughtfully. "We
must have an interpreter."
"What is an interpreter?" asked
Jack.
"A person who understands both
my language and your own. When
I say anything, the interpreter can
tell you what I mean; and when you
say anything the interpreter can tell
me what you mean. For the inter
preter can speak both languages as
well as understand them."
"That is certainly clever," said
Jack, greatly pleased at finding so
simple a way out of the difficulty.
So the Scarecrow commanded the
Soldier with the Green Whiskers to
search among his people until he
found one who understood the lan
guage of the Gillikins as well as the
language of the Emerald City, and
to bring that person to him at once.
When the Soldier had departed the
Scarecrow said:
"Won't you take a chair while we
are waiting?"
"Youi- Majesty forgets that I can
not understand you," replied the
Pumpkinhead. "If you wish me to
sit down you must make a sign for
me to do so."
The Scarecrow came down from his
'throne and rolled an armchair to a
position behind the Pumpkinhead.
frhen he gave Jack a sudden push
(that sent him sprawling upon the
cushions in so awkward a fashion that
he doubled up like a jackVnife, and
bad hard work to untangle himself.
"Did you understand that sign?"
asked his Majesty, politely.
"Perfectly," declared Jack, reach
ing up his arms to turn his head to
the front, the pumpkin having twisted
around upon the stick that supported
"You seem hastily made," remarked
the Scarecrow, watching Jack's ef
forts to straighten himself
"Not more so than your Majesty,"
was the frank reply.
There it this difference between
us." said the Scarecrow, "that whereas
I will bend, but not break, you will
break, but rot bend."
At thla moment the soldier re
turned leading a young girl by the
hand. She- seemed very sweet and
modest, having a pretty face and beau
tiful green eyes and hair. A dainty
green silk skirt reached to her knees,
the Scarecrow
showing silk stockings embroidered
with pea pods, and green satin
slippers with bunches of lettuce for
decorations instead of bows or
buckles. Upon her silken waist clover
leaves were embroidered, and she
wore a jaunty little jacket trimmed
with sparkling emeralds of a uniform
size.
"Why, It's tittle Jellia Jamb!" ex
claimed the Scarecrow, as the green
maiden bowed her pretty head before
htm. "Do you understand the lan
guage of the Gillikins, my dear?"
"Yes,.your Majesty," she answered,
"for I was born in the North Coun
try." "Then you shall be our interpreter,"
said the Scarecrow, "and explain to
this Pumpkinhead all that I say, and
also explain to me all that he says.
Is this arrangement satisfactory?" he
asked, turning toward his guest
"Very satisfactory indeed," was the
reply.
"Then ask him, to begin with,," re
sumed the Scarecrow, turning to
Jellia, "what brcught him to the Eme
rald City."
But instead of this the girl, who
had been staring at Jack, said to him:
"You are certainly a wonderful
creature. Who made you?"
"A boy named Tip " answered Tack.
"What does he say?" inquired the
Scarecrow. "My ears must have de
ceived me. What did he say?"
"He says that your Majesty's
brains seem to have come loose," re
plied the girl, demurely.
The Scarecrow moved uneasily up
on his throne, and felt of his head
with his ieft hand.
"What a fine thing it is to under
stand two ' different languages," he
said, with a perplexed sigh. "Ask
him, my dear, if he hrs any objection
to being put in jail for insulting the
ruler of the Emerald City.
"I didn't insult you!" protested
Jack, indignantly.
"Tut tut!" cautioned the Scare
crow; "wait until Jellia translates my
speech. What have we got an inter
preter for, if you break out in this
rash way?"
"All right, I'll wait," replied the
lllt Jac fr some minutes
B'ffe Wherc on earth did
Ji J 1 beg your MajestyV
gsC 1 I Paron" returned the
ISP J Pumpkinhead "but I
I do not understand you."
Little Stories By Littl Folks
(Hnnoral Mention.) 0.
By Mary Jane Green, Aged 8 Years,
Ewing, Holt County, Neb.
Helen was a kind girl. She had
earned the money to spend for a
large French doll. It was very pretty.
It had brown-eyes, yellow curls. A
few days before Christmas Helen was
coming down the walk with the doll
in her arms. She saw little Dora
coming down the walk crying. "What
is the matter Dora," said Helen.
"Mothei said that Santa Clans
wouldn't remember us." Helen
thought a minute. "Here," she said,
"You can have my doll," "Oh. thank
you," said Dora. Helen then told
her mother what she did. Her mother
said that it was nice of her to give
her doll to Dora. Her mother, father
and Helen planned to have a Christ
mas box. They took it and went in
and laid the box on the floor and
then went home. In the morning
Dora went to where her stocking
hung. It was full and there stood
a Christmas tree. One by one the
things were taken out or the box.
First came the goose and mince pies,
apples and cookies, candy and nuts,
cans of corn, plums and so forth; and
Pumpkinhead, in a surly tone al
though his face smiled as genially
as ever. "Translate the speech, young
woman."
"His Majesty inquires if you are
hungry, said Jellia.
"Oh, not at allt" answered Jack,
more pleasantly, tor it is impossible
for me to eat.
"It'f the same way with me," re
marked the Scarecrow. "What did
he say, Jellia, my dear?"
"He asked if you were aware that
one of your eyes is painted larger
than the other," said the girl, mis
chievously.
"Don't you believe her, your ma
jesty," cried Tack.
"Oh, I don t," answered the Scare
crow, calmly. Then,' casting a tharp
look at the girl, he asked:
"Are you quite certain you under
stand the languages of both the
Gillikins and the Munchkins?"
"Quite certain, your majesty," said
Jellia Jamb, trying hard not to laugh
in the face of royalty.
"Then how is it that I seem to un
derstand them myself? inquired the
Scarecrow.
"Because they are one and the
samel" declared the Kirl. now laugh
ing merrily. "Does not your Majesty
know that in all the land ot Uz but
one language is spoken?"
"Is it indeed so?" cried the Scare
crow, much relieved to hear , this;
"then I might easily have been my
own interpreter!"
"It was all my fault, your Majeaty,"
said Jack, looking rather foolish, "l
thought we must surely speak dif
ferent languages, since we came from
different countries."
"This should be a warning to you
never to think," returned the Scare
crow, severely. "For unless one can
think wisely it is better to remain a
dummy which you most certainly
are."
"I am! I surely am!" agreed the
Pumpkinhead.
"It seems to me," continued the
Scarecrow, more mildly, "that your
manufacturer spoiled some good pies
to create an indifferent man."
"I assure your Majesty that I did
not ask to be created, answered
Jack.
"Ah I It was the same in my case,"
said the king, pleasantly. "And so, ai
we differ from all ordinary people,
let us become friends."
"With all my heart!" exclaimed
Jack.
"What! Have you a heart?" asked
the Scarecrow, surprised.
"No; that was only imaginative I
might say, a figure of speech," said
the other.
"Well, your most prominent figure
seems to be a figure of wood; so I
must beg you to restrain an imagina
tion which, having no brains, you
have no right to exercise," suggested
the Scarecrow warningly.
"To be sure I" said Jack, without in
the least comprehending.
His Majesty then dismissed Jellia
Jamb and the Soldier with the Green
Whiskers, and when they were gone
he took his new friend by the arm
and led him into the courtyard to
play a game of quoits.
Continued Next Bandar)
Rules Jar Young
Writers
1. Write plainly an one tide of the
paper only and number the pate
2. Cm pen and Ink, not pencil.
3. Short and pointed article will be
elf en preference. Do not use over tSO
word.
4. Original stories or letter only wiU
bo need.
5. Write year name, if and address
at tb top of the first pat.
. A prize book will be tsn each week
for lb best contribution.
Address all eommanlcattom to Chil
dren's Department, Omaha Baa, Omaha,
Mob.
at last came warm clothing. Then
they lived happy and cozy ever after
I hope to see my letter in print and
win a prize.
My First Utter.
By Norman Hart, Aged 10 Year. Bos
48. Lebanon, Kan., Bluw Side.
Dear Busy Bees: This is my first
letter. I read the Busy Bee page
every Sunday. I have two brothers.
one of which is only 2 years old.
Wanted-Pets
SEND us a cake or two if you want
to, but, for heaven's sake, if you
want to please the boys from
home, just send us a dog."
That's just a sample of the mes
sages the boys of the new national
army are sending back home. Pets
are what they want and pets they
must have.
Down on the border when the reg
ulars and National Guardsmen were
preparing for a brush with the Mexi
cans the soldiers collected many vari
eties of pets, ranging from prairie
dogs to burros. Most popular of all,
however, were dogs. Many of these
dogs were brought north by the sol
diers when they returned. These
animals still remained as mascots for
the companies and when the war call
came they were among the first to
answer with their barks when the
bugle called for service in establish
ing the rights of democracy.
Only a week or so ago an incident
occurred which showed how much the
boys in khaki are attached to their
pets.
A troop train was moving south
ward through Tennessee to Camp
Sheridan in Montgomery, Ala., where
the Ohio National Guardsmen are sta
tioned. The train stopped at a tank
fqr water and the pet of a crack cav
alry troop, a little fox terrier, whose
pedigree dated back to border serv
ice days, leaped from the train to
stretch his legs. Two toots of the
whistle sounded and the train rolled
on its journey southward. Suddenly
one of the soldiers noticed a white
speck racing madly after the train.
"It's 'Rookie,'" he cried, and imme
diately there was a clamor for the
conductor to stop the train. In vain
the troopers pleaded and threatened.
The conductor was obdurate. Finally
one of the boys said, "Well, we can't
go on without 'Rookie.' Who'll vol
unteer to get off and bring him into
camp?"
Almost every man in the company
offered his services. One of the boys
was chosen and without hesitancy he
leaped from the train, which was mov
ing at a 30-mile-an-hour rate. Down
the embankment he rolled and when
Games for
Of course you have ordered the re
freshments and decided upon the dec
orations and favors, but have you
given a thought to the games that you
wilt play? No matter how informal
and unstudied you wish your party to
be, you must make secret plans for it.
In case your , guests are tired of all
their games and can suggest no new
ones you must be ready with some
thing to propose.
Did you ever play quicksilver? It's
just as simple as can be. You make a
circle of chairs, and every chair but
one is occupied by a girl or boy.
There is another player who stands in
the center and tries to sit in the va
cant chair, but as the players are con
stantly moving trom one cnatr to an
other, trying to prevent him. he has a
hard time getting seated. If he suc
ceeds, another is chosen in his place.
You stand in a circle to play the
animal game. Each player is named
after an animal, long and hard names
being chosen. One player stands in
the center of the circle ami calls the
name of an animal three times. If the
player does not say his own name
once by the time It has finished say
ing it three times, he is it, and must
stand in the center of the circle.
A game with lots of life and yet
suitable for a party is one. in which
one player is blindfolded and turned
round three times to lose his sense of
direction, says the Pittsburgh Press.
Then the other" players are given
numbers and sit in chairs in various
corners of the room.
My other brother is 6 years old. I go
to school every day. My teacher's
name is Miss Farrell. This town is
having a large union meeting held in a
tabernacle. The evangelist is Mr.
uraoui. ine singer is mx. naipn
Carr. He sure is a jolly fellow. He
leads the Booster choir, of which my
brother and I are members. Ihe
Booster choir sings for - the men's
meeting every Sunday. I would be
pleased to hear from any of the Busy
Bees. I hope to see my letter in print.
Holdrege, Neb. Dec. 30, 1917
Dear Busy Bees: This is my first
letter to you. I read the page nearly
every Sunday and would like to join
the Blue Side.
I live in Lincoln, Neb., and go to
Prescott school. I am spending the
holiday at Holdrege, but will go
home in a week. Hoping to see my
letter in print,
RUTH CAROLINA PALMER.
1736 South Twenty-third Street. Lin
coln, Neb. Agell.
Our Blue Side accepts you as a
new member.
A Letter.
By Elma May Crane, Aged 8 Years,
310 West Sixth Street, North
Platte, Neb.
Dear Busy Bees:.
This is the first time I have writ
ten a letter to you.
I am going to tell you a story
about Woodrow Wilson D-aper. He
is a nice boy. I think he is 4 or 5
years old. His mother tied him to
tree, so he wouldn't run away.
When we ate, his mother gave him
a crust of bread.
One day, we went out riding and
went over a bump and he nearly
fell out. t
He lives in Loup City and I live
in North Platte.
I hope to see my letter in print.
Kindness Repays Kindness.
By Philip Mansell.' Aged 1J Years,
2928 Vinton Street. Omaha,
Neb. Blue Side.
Jerry and his poor mother lived in
a tenement house, his father, who
worked for the railroad, was killed
when Jerry was- yet a baby. His
mother got a small sum of money
for the Army
'S
TV N
"Biddie," pure-bred malimute,
whom Jack London considered typic
ally ideal. She has been drafted into
service for the allies.
his comrades saw him rise they no
ticed a decided limp. He waved to
them and started back after the dog.
Two days later the members of the
company were thinking of reporting
the absence of the soldier from camp.
They assembled just before "taps" and
decided to report on it in the morn
ing. Shortly after midnight joyful
yelps resounded down the, silent com
pany street They awakened the
sleeping cavalrymen. Leaping from
their beds, they ran into the street.
"It's 'Rookie,'" they cried, and
crowded around to pet their mascot,
who responded with low barks of af
fection. Then their attention was
turned to the sorry-looking figure
leaning against a tent pole. . Grimy
and covered with soot, it was the
soldier, once a debonair clubman, who
had leaped from the train to bring
back "Rookie." He had traveled 200
miles on foot and on freight train,
stopping at back doors to ask a bite
for himself and his dog.
That's just an illustration of the
attachment that grows up between a
pet and the boy in khaki. Almost
every picture that the boys send home
has the pet included in the group.
By Mart Manley, in Our Dumb Ani
mals. Your Party.
The blindfolded one must call out
two or more numbers, when the per
sons with those numbers rise and ex
change places. It tries to catch them
as they pass him, and if he succeeds
he can guess the name of the person
caught, If he succeeds in guessing,
that-person is made it. As soon as
the players are off guard he may shout
"All aboard," when all the players
must change places. It may run for a
seat. Whoever is left standing when
all the others are seated is it for the
next time. .
- Gossip is an easy game to play and
the results are funny. Players sit close
together to a long line. The first
player whispers some stpry.or bit of
news in the second one's ear, who
then repeats it to his neighbor. So it
goes down, the line until it reaches
the end person. He calls out exactly
what he has understood, and the first
person calls out the message as he
gave it. Ten to one they are not a bit
like each other.
Blowing the feather is easy and
amusing. Players divide into two
camps with a line stretched between
them over a table or a short distance
above the floor, where the player
kneels. A little feather is tossed into
the air. The players on each side
blow to prevent the feather from fall
ing to the ground on their side of the
line. Should it do so the opposite side
scores a point. Points are added up
at the end of a certain time and the
side with the higher score wins.
from the railroad, but this did not
pay for food, clothing and rent.
So Mrs. Law had to sew for a
living.
Jerry was always kind to dumb ani
mals. One day he was coming home
from school when his attention was
attracted to a group of boys who
had a little pup, abusing it. Tears
came into his eyes as he said: "How
would you like to be abused like that
poor innocent creature."
The bays all felt ashamed of them
selves as Jerry took the pup in his
arms. He took it home and fed it and
gave it a good warm bed behind the
stove.
Not long after this a rich man
bought the dog from him and just a
week later the dog saved the man's
life by arousing him when his house
was afire.
He not only gave the dog a new
collar, but gave Jerry and his mother
a new home; Thus kindness repays
kindness.
A New Member.
By Ottilia Gaeth, Aged 7 Years, Gres
ham, Neb.
Dear Juniors: I take the junior
(Prize Story.)
The Haunted House.
Mabel Johnson, Aged 1 1 Years. Waterloo, Neb.
Once upon a time in a small village there lived a family who had a
little boy 5 years old. His name was Jack. Jack was a very brave little
boy (or tried to be). The next house to them was a house that almost all
the people of the village believed to be haunted. Some, though, did not.
Little Jack felt very doubtful about the house. He did not know whether
to believe the house haunted or not haunted Some people (when they
walked by the house) seemed to hear strange noises and squeaks, and
see white ghosts creeping about the house.
One day Jack thought he would find out about it. He made up his
mind he was going to go into the house and see what really was in there.
So he walked proudly onto the porch towards the door. He turned the
doorknob. His eyes flashed as his foot stepped inside the door. He
thought at first he heard a sad voice. He listened again. This time he
really heard some one talking. The voice said, "Oh, dear! I don't see
why I can't get anyone to rent this home Oh, dear, oh, dearl" Jack,
jetting somewhat frightened at the mournful voice, thought "what can that
be?" He finally got enough courage to step into the other room, where
he saw the person. She repeated the same thing again. Jack then went
up to her and said, "What is the trouble, Mrs. Black Ghost?" as she
was dressed in black. Then she told him the whole story and he told
her to come over to his house with him. There she told Jack's mother
about how bad she felt because she could not get anyone to rent the
house. Afterwards Jack and his parents and "Mrs. Black Ghost," as Jack
called her, lived there many years.
Well, Busy Bees, I will close as my letter is getting long. I hope
this escapes the waste basket. t
Sweet Content and
Folk Knit for
By EDITH HIXON.
Sweet Content, our rosebud fairy,
wondered what made the children so
busy. They were knitting wool
sweaters, four-inch squares of every
conceivable color. Every little boy
and every little girl knitted as they
walked back and forth from school.
Golden Jacket, the big bumblebee,
told her the reason. He said that
there was a terrible war waging over
across the sea, and that the children
were helping the grownups knit for
the soldiers, to keep them warm.
These four-inch squares, he told , her,
are sewed together and are made into
warm, soft blankets for the soldiet.
Of course, our fairy wanted to
help right away, so she hurried back
to her rose house, knocking on the
Flowerland homes, telling them what
the children were doing. The fairies,
in all sorts of tumbled frocks, ap
peared, for it was growing cold and
thy were packing up to go to their
winter homes.
They gathered about our fairy. "Is
there anything we can do?" they
asked.
"I think it would be fine," said
Sweet Content, "if we all started
knitting ourselves, and used our magic
to help all the children's work.",
"Where can we get some needles?"
inquired Betty Buttercup.
''Dawn Glory has wcol in her
shop," said our fairy, "and the big
pine tree will give us some needles.
We can stick on a bit of gum to keen
the wool from slipping off the end.
The fairy folk waltzed down to
Dawn Glory's shop. My, but the
darling shop was heaped high with
wondrous silks and satins I She found
box after box full of the loveliest
worsted which she gladly donated for
the fairies, saying that as long as she
couldn't knit herself she would be
glad to give the wool, Down in the
deep dark woods .they found needles
Oh, so sleepy! .Time
to go to bed! But little
Billy cannot find his
way because he has no
candle and it is dark.
Can you finish the can
dlestick in Billy's hand?
HI 1 1 lltlt Ml I It
NOTICE.
We are very sorry not to be able
to print all letters received from
our little friends this week, but
lack of space forces us to acknowl
edge them through this column.
We invite you all to write again
and we shall try to find space for
your letters. , i
This week's contributors whose
letters we were obliged to omit
were:
Maxine Simms, York, Neb.
Ruth Rudd, Dow City, la.
Juanita Potter, Phillips, Neb.
Helen Heald, Creston.a'Ia.
Justine Genho, Omaha, Neb.
Evelyn Reimers, Fullerton, Neb
Kathryn Ellis Reeves, On
awa, la.
Ruth Van Nostrand, Tekamah.
Neb.
page and read it nearly every Sunday
and like it very much. And I would
like very much to join your page. I
have a bird and some chickens.
There are 22 children in our room at
school. I will be 8 years old May 8,
1918. . Hope to see my letter in print
next Sunday.
We accept you as one of us and as
sign you to the Blue Side.
A Letter.
Omaha Dear Editor: I received
the prize book, "Our Backdoor Neigh
bors," and it is very interesting.
I have a little backdoor neighbor
called Bunny. Bunny is a little squir
rel that comes around to our back door
every morning about the same time
for his breakfast. In the summer he
climbs up on the screen if no one is in
the kitchen.
One morninar he climbed up in an
apple tree at the side of our house
and after a few minutes of hard pull
ing he managed to. pick an apple,
nearly twice as large as his head, and
Lost in the Dark f
Flowerland
the Soldiers
and then fixed them with gum until';!!
they were the best in all the land.""
Then the faiTies started knitting with
their magic. As Sweet Content knitted ,
she' said:, ;" . "'. . "",'''."?
"Wand, made ef moonbeam ray, .''-,, ;
tat mo have this wish, I pray: .. .
Hay thla wool of wondrous rose ' --"
Make socks for th soldier to warm kla
toes."
Immediately there - were piles . ikVSi
warm, rose-colored socks which
smelted of roses. -
Betty Buttercup sang -as she A
knitted:
"With my needle llne and trom -
I will make a scarf so lont.
It-will warm, the sailor's nose-- : '
When tho biting north wind blowa." ' -
Immediately there, were neat piles
of scarfs on the ground. . .
The other fairies sang as their busy
fingers flew:
"Wool so fine anC warm and an us .
Ot you we'll knit a splendid nil
To keep tb- soldier warm In bsd .
From hta toea up to his head." -
Immediately there were piles end
piles of blankets on the ground.
Before the Sunbeams . came the
Flower folk had made many . fine
things for soldiers and sailors.
- Our . fairy carried them and put
them into neat piles in the big room,
which was only half full of things,-,
saying: ' - ,
"Wand, made of moonbeam ray,
Let me havi this wish, I pray: -May
these garments be mortal alia -Before
the Sunbeams open their eyee." '
In " the morning the children of
Cuddly town were amazed to see the
wonderful sweaters, scarfs and blink- '
ets. They thought the grownups had
made them, while the grownups didn't ,
know where they came from except'
Rose, the newest bride in the village;
who insisted that they were made by '
the fairies because they smelted of
flowers. f l
And some of the grownups called,,
her queer because she believed in
fairies, .which shows how , queer"
grownups are, anyway. ,
when it fell ' to the ground he was
frightened and ran home. He is eer
tainly a cute little fellow. 1 .;:-n
Thanking you for ' the book anitl
wishing you a happy New Year, yours '
sincerely. ELIZABETH PAFFEN -'
RATH.
His New Year's Resolution. '
By Irma Nuquist, Aged 10 Years,
Osceola, Neb., Red Side. "
On New Year's morning David ; '
made a resolution. It was that he
would do whatever his. mother told
him to do. , ,-4 .
He told his mother what he had ri
solved to do, She gave him a big
piece of cake to encourage him ia his ":"
effort. " '
That day when he was out playing
his mother called him. "David, I want .
you to do an errand for me."
- "I don't want to do any errand and '
I won't," David replied. He then went 3;
right on playing and didn't pay any
more attention to his mother.
After he had gone to bed that night
a man appeared to him. "So you are
the boy who broke his New Year's
resolution at first opportunity you
had?" the man said sternly, looking at
David. "Something must be done to -you
for you are going to jail." At this
the man took hold of David.
Just then David awoke. He thought
it had been real instead of a dream.
In the morning David went to his
mother. "Mother," he said, "I'm
sorry I disobeyed you. 1 won't do 'it
again."
David kept his resolution through
out the year. His mother often
wondered why he kept his resolu
tion so well, but he never told her the
reason. .' "1
Dale's Bravery. :
By Martha Hartz, West Point. Neb.
Dale worked in Baker & Johnson's
packing house. He ran the elevator
which took al: the employes up to.,
their places of work.
Dale's mother was an invalid, de j
pending on Dale's earnings and her-.i
widow's pension.
The elevator was on the first floor
and Dale was sitting on a chair in it ,
thinking business was slow when a '''
boy who worked in the basement ran "
past crying, "Fire I Fire I" "
Dale felt sick with fear and started
to obey, the impulse to run when he
remembered the many employes and
their helpless condition without the
elevator and him to run it He turned
and dashed into the elevator and
pulled the lever. The car shot up to l
the sixth story, whtre Dale checked
it. The alarm had spread and terrified.;
girls all tried to crowd in at once.-'"
Dale crowded back the older girls, as.'
suring them that he would come back
for them. .v ;, 'Z
He went up and down, five timesV"'
All the girls were safe;' . Dale felt
faint and choky, for the elevator was
filled with smoke. At last he reaehei
the door and safety.
The next day a laree nurse ffltat ..'
fwkh gold pieces was given to him by "
ine nrra ana m goia wares iron
girls he had sayed, , . rrf-w
1