The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-06-30

"My names Charlie Hall" He
wanted to add, "And who are you ?"
but there wasn't chance, for she spoke
up very quick.
"You want to know who am, sup
pose? Well I'm King Winters wife.
Perhaps you don't believe it, but Kings
and Queens aren't always tall, or large
either. / like your face. Won't you
come home with me this morning and
make little visit? I'm pretty busy
just now, but if you'll use your eyes in
stead of your tongue, maybe you'll en-
Joy yourself rs much as il you were out
sliding" What happened next Charlie
couldn't quite tell, but he suddenly
found himself in the strangest place i'm
aginable. 1t was like an underground
street with walls of clay on either side,
and other streets crossing it here and
Their.
"You see," said the talkative old lady,
who seemed unable to walk like other
people, but danced constantly, going
little way, then stopping, then dancing
ON again. "you see, from November to
the first of April-sometimes as late as
that-my husband, King Winter, with
Ming TOSU, Ills bW1u DIOtucI, haNc tuch
factory in full blast, and all their time
is occupied. They make millions and
millions OF snowhakes. and pounds and
pounds OF icicles, great quantities OF
sheet ice for ponds and lakes, and ice-
bergs, and great blockades of ice for
coves and sluggish streams, beside
statuary for public gardens and old
ruins, and delicate work for parks and
private residences. It all requires per-
sonal supervision the most skillful de-
signers are employed and the most ar
tistic sculptors earth and sky can fur
nish. Every fresh order requires
fresh set of designs, so the work goes on
by night as well as by day; indeed the
best of it is done at night. But, you
see, I'm lonely, when my husbands
away, so I've undertaken this work to
divert my mind-don't you see, child ?
said she, noticing Charles look OF won
derment. "Why, look after the little
creatures who live above ground in sum-
mer, and would die if somebody didn't
keep them from freezing to death. See
here what I'll show you"
She danced aside few steps to what
seemed to be knoll of earth, and pulled
up some soft blanket cobwebs, and there
lay more than million grasshoppers,
fast asleep. All their little legs were
stifily doubled up, and pillows of dry
moss were under their heads. Charlie
was going TO speak, but the old lady put
her finger to her lips and shook her
head, while she tucked the cobweb
blankets over them and fastened away.
The old dame suddenly assumed
comical expression, and touched q door
in another clay bank which revealed
about thousand million black and
brown beetles, who seemed to have fin
ished their winter maps, and were at
work on little anvils, sharpening their
antenu@, and making hooks to their
claws, while glow worms and fire flies
furnished heat in the FORCES. Just be-
yond an archway was seen an equally IN
teresting sight, crickets making little
shrill pipes to wear under their waist
coats; and footing now and then to test
the sounds, while an old patriarch in
wig and spectacles kept striking tun-
ing fork across one of his long legs, hold
ing it high in air, that all might get
the pitch" In another department
beautiful green locusts were manufacture
ing buzzes, and katydids and didn'ts
were having rehearsals, in view of tour
OF summer concerts.
How strange it ell seemed! ChGrlis
thought this quite equal to Alice's Won
derland. The old lady was evidently
satisfied with his interest. and hurried
him out.
CT like you, my boy" said she, when
{Ia door 4 ,N1a,r.,
my husband; he says nobody is SUCCESS
full in any great enterprise who hes q
glib tongue. Now look this way"
Charlie did look, and heard and saw
what pa noise like the roar of Niagara,
and a dense black cloud What was it?
He turned just trihe pale for min
ute. till the old lady suddenly caught
hold of his hand, and. little as she was,
pulled him In twinkling outside and
shut the door.
whats that tremendous noise ?"
said Charlie, as soon as he could get his
breath.
Mosquitoes blowing their horns"
said the old dame. Don't be afraid,
they can't follow us. They make an
awful lot of trouble, though, they're so
fierce and crafty. L don't see how Noah
ever managed to have 'em in the ark;
the dragon flies and darning needles ard
June bugs and gnats aren't any trouble
at all compared to mosquitoes. But
would you like to see the millers and
butterflics?'
Charlie looked his delight for an an
swer, but when they reached the arch
way the old lady swung back thick
velvet curtain and Charlie saw only
great heap of gold dust-something that
looked like n culver standing by itself
full of gossamer- thread brushes, and an
immense palette on the floor he aped
with the most brilliant colors. He
turned to see where the butterflies were
when the old lady pointed to what
looked very much like stack of bayo-
nets. A second glance revealed bushes,
tree branches, old stumps and bits Of
fence rail, each one holding its brown
cocoon containing the little light-winged
insect, whose wings were being slowly
painted in the splendid colors Of the
palette. 1t was so still there, it seemed
like place of death, and Charlie didn't
care to stay long, so they went away to
q new spot where he was shown through
a. r Al