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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (July 4, 1903)
The Tale of the Destruction of the Glossary, a Bird Which Robbed the Pantries and Got Many Boys Into Serious Trouble How:, One Boy. Wfiq Was ; Not JV rongfy y' Suspected Searched for It f Found and Killed It and Then Became Very Wealthy: ' ' ' ' 1 IIIAVr jusl learned tlic fact about Arthur I.r-dir adventure .with ?hat wonderful creature colled the Glossary, and must hasten to relate ih.in to you. Arthur is a small but studious boy, who lived near me, and of whom I am very fond. Arthur was a good boy, but he had one fault, lie was often very greedy. This fault lie tried hard to conquer nud succeeded, generally, but now and then ho fell a victim to It But, after all, I Mpio.e if he had been like you or roe, and not pressed with a desire to eat U that he saw, the ndveuture would never have happened, and per haps you would have had no story to-day. ' One morning his mother cooked a big, panful of the loveliest crullers ever aern and she gave Arthur four, after which she placed them to cool in the pantry and went to the grocer's. Xow, as 8 ho had not told her son not to eat any more, although he knew very well that was what ihe intended to do, he felt lew inclined to ehoke down the feeling of intense greed that overcame him, and ' after a time he ate two more of the delicious crul lers, Then, feeling that ho night as well be pun ished for a big fault as for a amall one, which is a very foolish argument, be proceeded to eat crul - Jer after cruller, until, astonishing as it may seem to you, he had eaten every one, and as they wore not counted, nobody can more than guess at their ' number. He felt awfully full of guilt and crullers, and when he reolized what he had done he hurried to his room to reflect upon the sad feelings of his I brothers and sisters when they heard of his deed and the loss of air the crullers. When, after a long time, he heard his mother return, and, listening closely, heard a suppressed scream of amazement, . he braced himself for a shock, but nbne came. At supper time his mother related to all of the family the story of the disappearance of the crullers, and although Sadie and Bill looked very suspiciously at Arthur, she added : eea " "" "To, it waa not your brother. In the first place, no boy could hold so many crullers, and in 'the jsecond place, I was. not absent dong enough for a mere boy to get away with them. It must h.ave been several boys at once,' I am sure." J "Perhaps it waa the Glossary," aaid Mr. Leslie, "lie hasn't been heard of for some years around here." "What's the Glossary?" asked all three 6f the chil dren at once. ' "It is a strange, animal that has the wonderful power of squeezing himself through the very nar- , rowest cracks, it seems (for it is impossible that ho can open doors or windows, although he may go through small apertures like a keyhole, I believe), and eating doughnuts, cakes-and pies wherever he finds them, especially hot ones,-the hotter the bet ter apparently. He gobbles them up instantly, and many a boy has been punished for eating crullers or cookies which really were made away with by the sneaking, foxy old Glossary." "What does it look like!" asked Arthur in awe. "Kobody knows exactly, as no one has ever seen it," replied bis father. "I think that's what got your crullers, Ma,"'be added as he rose to light his pipe. Arthur went , to bed greatly tickled, to think how easily he had escaped, but when he fully realised the grief of Sadie and Bill .at their loss his heart smote him, and finally he felt so sorry that he could not sleep. Little by little in the darkness tho enor mity of his fault grew more distinct, and finally, hearing his mother cough, he rose and went to her, and after telling her what he had done, he added : "I felt so bad about it that I couldn't sleep." "I wish," said bis mother, with 4 deep sigh; "that you had waited until morning before telling me. 25ow I can't sleep." " Arthur was forgiven by bfe father and mother, but It was a long time before Sadie and Bill relented. -They made him feel like a burglar or. a sneak-thief 'every time they cast their reproachful glances at. him, and he resolved never to give way to his greed Sgain. What was more, ho resolved to search for the Glossary and destroy the creature, for he wished no more boys to be suspected. Every day he determined to start, but something delayed him until a few days before the Fourth of July he confided his plans to Archie Moorehead, his closest friend, and said: "To-day I start, right after lunch." Til go with you," said Archie. "I've wanted some fun and yet I hate to miss the Fourth' . At, first Arthur was not willing to take Archie i with him, but finally he agreed, provided that Archie should bring along all the firecrackers that he had bought for the Fourth, for he knew they were Immensely big ones, and he intended to have a Fourth all by themselves somewhere while they searched for the Glossary. To this Archie consented, saying lhat was what he had intended anyway, and when he was ready the two stole away and hurried down the street. They walked for several hours, finding themselves near eunset far out in the country on a lonely roadside and wondering where they would spend their first . Li s i i.- algal away iroin jiome. ..irenii: wan jut 9un;tims m the grass under a tree, but Arthur was somewhat airaid of the dew. While they were "discussing the question along came a cart, and the man driving it asked them to ride with him. When they had told him why they had left home he said: "It's a noble quest and I approve of it. 111 let you sleep at my house to-night." He took them home, and after suppe r they went k "I have read of strange houses where they get Eople inside and rob them," said he; "and per ps'this is one." Tm not afraid of that," returned Arthur, "for the man looked like a good man; besides I brought old 'Toadsticker along, and if anyone ventures in here 111 give it to him." L , Now "Toadsticker" was an old knife with anron handle, all covered with strange marks like bird tracks; a knife more fitted for opening clams or oyster than for anything else, which had tinee be longed to en old soldier who worked for Mri Leslie. Jie naq tound it m i-mrope, and hsd treasured it once upon a time, long ago, no place was more often on account of its queer v appearance, but nobody annoyed by, it, and no housewife could say with cer bad ever considered it of any value, so Arthur car 4ainlylha,t her children would eat the pies, cakes and ncu.it wucn on wi excursion!, una .jib? on ancient , THE HUNGRY GLOSSARY EATING THE DEADLY DOUGHNUTS knight he gave his weapon a name to distinguish it from others. He kept "Toadsticker" in his hand, but soon both boys sank into slumber and never woke until tho farmer's wife called them to breakfast. They started out ready for any adventures after breakfast and marched along merrily, meeting few people and learning nothing from them regaFdinjJ the haunts or the habits of the Glossary, and finally when night came they were far from any house, so they were compelled to sleep under a tree. In- the morning a wood-cutter passing by woko them and told them to take another roald, which would lead them to a canal where they might en gage passage on a boat. This was a pleasant pros pec!, and they followed the man's advice, coming to the canal sooner than they expected. They waited until nearly noon before a boat came Ojong, and great was the surprise of the canallers to see boys away out in that deserted place. They took them on board, but when they found that they had but thirty-seven cents between 'them they were wroth and called the boys hard names. Then they made them get out and drive the horses in turn, so that after all they might as well have walked, only, of course, one got a little rest while the other drove. When they .arrived after several days at the city of Myopia, ina distant land, they soon saw a chance to slip -away, and you may be sure, they took it. They were in a funny place, this city of Myopia, where all the people were cross-eyed, so that all the 6teet8 were made Crooked and all the houses benty and the signs all so twisted that an ordinary person could scarcely read them, but everything was "per fectly plain to the cross-eyed citizens, of course It v ,made them stagger to walk along ihe. crooked streets, one minute in the roadway, the next up against the houses on the sidewalk, and they made slow progress through the city, but finally they reached its out skirts and sat down to rest under, some strange fruit trees. Here a man and woman passing stopped to ask the boys where they came from, and finding them from a far distant land, took them home to sup per, which was composed entirely of pickles and cheese. The boys were nearly famished, for tho Canallers had not given them much to eat, you may be sure, and so they gladly ate their share Then all sat on the porch, and the man told them all that he knew about the Glossary. He said: "Many years have passed since the Glossary was seen in this region. Even when I was a small boy it was onb w , memory, and thevery eldest people could hardly remember when it had visited us. But things. that buo ceoked, for tho Glossary was TCr hovering about, and it was rare that he missed a chance. Pickles, preserves, jelly; tarts, ice cream, candy,, custard and sometimes even plain bread or biscuits were gobbled up almost 88 soon as a woman turned her back."1 1 - . Although this man knew all about the ancient his tory of tho Glossary, he couldn't tell them where Jo find the animal at present. However, he lntrbduceoT them to another man who said that it might be found somewhere on the other side of the desert of Skechtschustkivitschty (which you must ask your fathpr. how to pronounce, as I cannot tell you), and he also thought that they might get a chance to cross the desert at once, as a friend of his was tak ing a herd of camels across. The boys went with this man to tho camel driver, who consented to allow them to ride on his beasts across the desert with the gritty name, and added that- they had better pack up their things at once, for he wished to start at noon when the wind was down. , As they had nothing to pack they just sat around until be was ready, and then, each mounting a big, awkward camel, off they went. Arthur always said afterward that the feeling of riding a camel was like being swung in a hammock by another fellow while somebody bumped you from underneath. It was not pleasant, but it beat walking, and nobody could walk across the desert of what's-its-name The journey took three days, and long before they had crossed the sandy waste they were very much bored, indeed. And tired! Well, you sit on a lo? for a whole day while the other boys, roll it, and you will learn how it feels to ride a camel 1 I have tried it and so I know all about it. On tho opposite -side of the desert was an im mense forest, the depths of which had been pene-. trated by but a few adventurous men, and all man ner of wild beasts were said to inhabit it, as well as ferocious tribes of savages, but on inquiry Ar thur could find nobody who had ever really seen any of these things. In fact, the forest had had a bad reputation for many centuries, but no one had ever investigated the stories of wild men and anV mals at all. . ' L ' The boys concluded that they would endeavor to pass through the wild woods, and at any rate ven ture deep into their recesses, for if the Glossary was likely to-hide anywhere it would be in just such a dark, forbidding forest.. So they started off into the woods early in the morning, and soon were completely buried among the mossy old trees and gigantic ferns that grew ei?efvirhe.T'ThfiVM'T everywhere. 1Th were scarce in the dim forest aisles through which they went so cautiously at first, butVoon, regaining 11 their eourage, without fear or care.. V . Daytafter day they sought for the inhabitants, but never found, even a hpto show that men dwelt in the dark forest, and finally Arthur said that it was time to go home for school would open pretty soon. Archio was quite willing to let school slide and stay right there for the rest of his life, Sut Arthur knew that's noy without study is but half a boy and will never make a whole man. , ' JSo, taking a course straight to the west," they "marched, and growing tired inthe afternoon- they sat down beside a great pile of gray, moss-covered rock. Arthur proposed a game of "mumble-peg" immediately, and taking "Toadsticker" from his belt he tossed it into the air to decide who would have first throw. It fell with a loud clang against the rock and instantly the boys heard a faint outcry seeming to come from beneath their feet. Spring ing up in some alarm as the sound grew louder in another moment, they stood listening. At their feet the rock suddenly opened noiselessly, fcnd While they stared into the black hole dut came a troop of little men, headed by a graybeard clad in red leather. He made a polite bow and said : "Welcome, oh Master of the magic knife 1 What is your wish!" ' "What do you mean!" asked Arthur, much amazed. "You have summoned the gnomes," replied the old elf, "and we are here in obedience to the sum mons." ' "I I didn't summon you!" stammered Arthur. "You struck the magic knife upon the rock," re plied the gnome, "and I, the king of the gntjmes, must obey it." "Is 'Toadsticker' a magic knife?" gasped Arthur. "The name, of the knife is not 'Toadsticker or anything as common as that I" said the gnome king. "It's name is Hairsplitter, and it is the weapon of Odin," ' "Are those marks like heh'a-feet runes?" aBked Arthur. "I never knew what runes were." . .. : "They areN magic words carved by Eric Swart beard, the Norseman and a great wizard, two thou sand years since, and magic runes Compel obedience of all under the sway of the kife. Whatever you wish can be accomplished by waving the knife." "Are yo sure !" asked Arthur. "It's as certain as anything," replied the gnome "All right, then!' cried the boy, seizing "Toad sticksT," or Hairsplitter, as the gnome called jt, and briskly waving the knife ? "I wish for an automo bile at once and a good road to take us out of the woods!" -' The gnomes all looked around anxiously, for, of . course, elves several thousands of years behind the times didn't know what an automobile was, and all . waited in silence for several minutes. Then Arthur said: ' ' ' t ' - "I don't believe your old-fashioned magic., will work nowadays ! You se I get no answer at) alU? ; The gnome began to weep silently but bitterly. "Alas J" said he, ."we are undone by some adverse 'power. ' Once a shake of that knife would bringi .. thunderbolts down upon1 the head of Odin'a enyf !. miesl" ' . . , ' "What do you caret? asked Arthur. "You won't have to hustle around and obey it any longer. I'm glad it brought you all out for I've never seen a gnome and, in fact, I didn't believe there were any of you left." . . The gnome laughed as he replied : -iFew people hare ever seen us, and without ths - knife you would never have discovered us, although we have often heard you at night above us. Why are you in the forest!" f M ' . '. "We are seckinjr a beast palled the Glossary. Have you ever seen it !" . ' "The Glossary is a bird, not a beast," replied the gnome king. "Have I ever seen it!" he asked, turn ing to his companions. ' They shouted in sarcastic tones: "Have we ever seen the Glossary! Weill Weill" . ' Arthur looked at them in surprise. The gnome -.king added t;"-:. ';. "Ai WW: "My dear boy, if you had seen the bird as often as we you would know every feather on him. our persecutor, for he has roosted nisrhtlv on this very rock for years,- thus preventing us going abroad, for gnomes are the only things that he will eat. He is fonder of a young tender gnome than of mince pie." Arthur was .delighted. ?What Is he like!" he asked. "Describe him to us. How big is he ?" ; v tAs tall as yonder fir-tree I" fiaid tho gnome, pointing ' to a sapling twenty feet high. "He can flatten himself as thin as a sheet of paper and creep through a tiny crack or a keyhole, even when full of doughnuts and e-okies, and he has a beak that can twist off abutters" and Jocks, if need be. Ho can't be pierced by; arrdws or spears, so he is invul nerable. Moreover, in his tail he has three feathers, one of silver, one of gold and one of some other . metal that shines like the sun and lights his way in the darkest gloom." - "I have an Idea 1" cried Arthur. ' "I think I know how to settle blu Mr. Glossary in a minute. Do you know how to fry doughnuts !" he asked. "Well, I guess we dol' replied the gnome. "My .wife makes the finest in all Gnomeville." "Well- ask her to get. to work right off and cook . about fifty or sixty whacking big ones.' ' The gnome king sent word to his queen, and so brisk are gnomes, the sun was still above the hori eon when' she came back to say that the doughnuts were about to go into the lard. When Jt became quite dark, and the Glossary might be expected to arrive at any moment, tho steaming-hot doughnuts were bwugh; ouf in a huge pan and placed at the" foot of the rocks. Arthur then demanded pt Archie his great pack of firecrackers, which he had, carefully treasured all this time, not having an opportunity during their travels to hold the expected celebration, and taking them one by one he inserted into each smoking doughnut a cracker, just leaving the fuse sticking out . Then theyhid in a great crack of the rocks and Waited,' but not for long, for in a few' minutes they heard a rustling above them and, looking up, saw that the bird had silently flown down upon the rocks and was preening his feathers while he sniffed the air, for the scent of the' doughnuts was filling the forest "'., y ' V:.t.: ' " ' . Then, as Arthur gazed, the Glossary craned his neck down, peering into the darkness. While hq was jooKing aowp me oujcr sine oi me jock Annur quickly struck a, match and lighted several of the giant crackers and then crept far back into the crannv. The Glossary turned his tail and the shin ing feather lighted up the forest brilliantly, reveal irig, the- big- pan-ef not?.aoughmitsHBelowr- Withv snort and a grunt the bird sprang down and in twinkling had swallowed in one gulp every onopf them, aDpreciating,exceedingly the especial hotness of the sizsling fuses, which he never took time to notice at sdl. ' t V 1 , Just as he reached the top of the rocks the fire crackers began to explode inside of him ire a Series Sit muffled reports. Then" they sounded like a dis charge of cannon in) battle, and with one wild J squawk he blew up like a bomb. Pieces of the Glosi4 sa ry were scattered through the woods for a half . mile, and then a deep silence fell on the darkness. Arthur ran out, and there lay the shining feather on the ground. He picked it ;up and shouted Witb delight, for he saw that it was made of metal and knew at once that it Must be the wonderful sub stance called. Radium, that has just been discovered, that continually gives out light and heat without ever wearing out or losinn- an atom of its weieht. Tt is worth two million dollars per pound, and as the. leather surely weighed almost a pound, A: realized that his fortune was made. The arnomes all danced with iov And lanirhr-A Arthur when he showed his glee at finding a feather worth two millions,, for they said they had millions and millions of gold belowt that they had not the least use for and to which the boys were welcome. ;. They showed-the boys the Way through the for est, and Arthur hired the camel man to carry all the goldtbe gnomes gave him to the sea-shore, where they filled the ship with it. The gnomes gave .the boys lott f dianwndf , paipphires and rubies, bo" that they were perhaps the richest jbjpyss in the world. , K ' "'.' --V ., But, after all, Arthur valued the Radium feather above all the gold, for it was the only one on earth and it made him feel famous '' , They sailed for home soon, after trying hard to induce the gnome king and queen to accompany them, but they 4vere afraid to do so. Later they did come, ' all by themselves, and visited Arthur, and sometime I'll tell you what they did and aaw. When the boys reached home they found that everybody . had thought them dead and had mourned for them, even Sadie and Bill now and' then dropping a tear for their Iostbrother.""' "7 7" ; I forgot, almost, to say. that Arthur gave "I'oad-'! sticker," or "Hairsplitter, to the gnome king,' sol that if there is any more magic in it the king gets"; the benefit of it; and that's quite right, I think.1 .iWALT McDOUGAJj; : toolk fronra living