Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-01-28
DICKS WONDERFUL JOURNEY.
What a Little Boy Saw on Visit to the
Castle in the Air.

very bad cold. He was a good little
boy, and sat on the sofa all the after
noon reading fairy tales until his little
brother Frank came home from school.
The latter was accosted by a torrent Of
questions from Dick, and Frank an
swered as many as he could. until he
grew impatient, and thought the only
way to shut Dicks mouth was to go
out and leave him. Just as he was GO
ing out of the door Dick called after
him, saying: oh Frank; where is G
castle in the air?" and Frank did ,
long enough to say: ooh, well, Dick,
you'll never get there so what's the
use Of thinlSin' about it?"
After the door was closed Dick sat
very till, bordering over what Frank
had said He thought he would like 10
see the castle in the air very much in
deed His eyes were almost shut now,
but he opened them again in a minute,
and there right before him was little
old woman astride of a broomsticlc.
Dick thought he surely must be asleep,
and pinched himself and thought he
felt it very plainly. When Dick looked
would like TO see the castle in the air,
would he? Well, come along, just get
on my broom before me, 50 that / can
hold you on, and wen GO"
Dick did not feel the least bit afraid
now, so in a minute more they were
speeding along at great rate through
the air.
1t was not long until they drew up
before a splendid large building Its
walls were snow and mist, and the pill
lars under the walls were sunbeams.
After dismounting from their queer
steed, Dick and Mother Goose
flor she it was) entered a great
door, and after passing through
several halls and passages they entered
a large room The room was lighted
by stars, and on each pillar of sunbeam
hung different-colored jewels, red, yell
low, green and blue. There was no one
in the room except large man, with
white beard and a gold crown, who
came forward to meet the newcomers.
Mother Goose introduced him to Dick
as the Air King. who was to give a
grand party for his intimate friends.
The guests now began to arrive thick
and fast pouring in at the door, while
the Man from the Moon" jumped in at
the window.
He had with him huge cake of green
cheese, of which he gave Dick large
slice. Although Dick did not like it,
he was afraid of offending the jolly old
gentleman, so he ate with as good grace
as he could.
Then came Little Jack Horner, 3"
who, as soon as he came in, ran to che
farthest corner of the room, where he
stayed all the evening
The next arrival was the ''Old Won
an who Lived in the Shoe" She was
followed by her large family, who near.
" distracted the poor old lady by run
ming all through the castle, and eating
the green cheese which the "Man in the
Moon" had given them. Finally she
gathered them all together, and having
whipped them all soundly" she put
them TO bed in the bottom Of her enor-
nous shoe Little Boy Blue" was
there with his horn in his hand, which
he blew at stated intervals. Once he
a
queer sensation that he refused it the
next time Boy Blue" offered it to him.
The next arrival was the best of all,
Dick thought. IL was little fat man,
with long white, curly hair and rosy
cheeks and a white beard. He wore a
fur-lined deerskin coat, and his fur
trimmed boots reached nearly to his
knees. He had fur cap and fur nit
tens too. He came in a sleigh drawn
by four reindeer, with long antlers
This, as | suppose you know, was
santa Claus. His sleigh was fun of
toys, candies and nuts, which he distrib-
uted among all the children, Dick in
Guided.
St Nick's clothes were covered with
.snowfakes, and icicles hung from his
beard
There were ever so many more.
have not time to tell you all who We're
there, but these are few: Simple
Simon" came without the whale which
he tried to catch in his mothers pail.
Tom, the Piper's Son" was there with
the stolen pig under his arm, and be-
hind him were Jack and Jill, with
the pail of water between them. Cross
Patch came carrying her spinning
wheel and drinking-cup; Little Bo-
Peep looked very sweet in her shep-
herd dress and crook, and Jack
Spratt, who could eat no fat, and
his wife, who could eat no,lean, /" We're
"a fne-loo<ing couple.
Then came supper.
At the feast they had baked apples
and cranberry pies. The king sent
his pie of ''four-and-twenty black
birds, and the queen sent excellent
bread and honey The maid whose
nose was picked off while hanging out
clothes brought these delctcies.
They also had turkies from Turkey,
and sandwiches from he Sandwich
isles. After having eaten all they could
their host escorted them through the
entire castle, showing them the snow
rain, hail, mist and dew rooms, all very
beautiful One noted person was thev'