The times., 1897-05-16
ALICE IN HOODOOLAND.-III.

Alice now espied in the distance loug
table, and, thinking that this might be
the famous pie-counter. she hurried to-
ward it, and found seated there her old
friend, the grounding, the Hoodoo, and
several other people, all discussing very
loudly soTlse question OF general interest.
Pie grounding was saying as he came up,
''But / tell you I was the original fair
weather prophet, and 1 deserve some
credit
II don't see that you do" said the
Hood0o, glancing at the sky, which had
now become heavily clouded, and Alice
found, to her surprise, that she was
drenched to the skin by pouring rain
But the Hoodoo wenton, quite uHdlsturbed,
You said it was going TO be good weather
after March 4 and here it Is like this
That's your doing" said the ground
hog, pettishly:' you brought the rain along
in your Pocket and used it TO pay your
beard bills. believe"
1T ought To be dry weather by now,"
said the Hood0o sadly, for my board bill
is like the Dingley bill. Why"
Alice was very much interestedin conun-
drums, and Extraordinarily for the answer
Because it's mile long, 1 suppose, -
sneered the grounding.
''Wrong,'' said the Hoodoo.
Because it would break anybody who
doesn't do business On trust?' suggested
a goat, who sat at the foot of the table
Talk about the horns of q dileinma!
They're nowhere compared to a bill"
"WrongI'' said the Hoodoo- I'll tell
you, ladies and gentlemen. There are
three answers TO this conundrum. Ny
board bill is like the Dingley bill because
your board while you watt
Put him outi" siIrieked the company,
and in the confusion that ensued, Alice
heardsmothered phrases about both dry"
and nothing free but appetite" In the
midst OF il all pacific voice was heard
to say, "T'lI take this seat, please"
THAT seat is reserved for the Presi-
dent" said a Rabbit, who happened TO be
sitting next to the head OF the table.
THAT doesn't matter" said the soft
voice. Its my seat. because I say SO;
and you wouldn't be sotmpoiite as to contra
dict me, would your
''Oh, nol'' said the Rabbit pray, sit
down." and he added aside to Alice, II
haven't been laying low all these years
for nothing"
cry, and then, although Alice could not
quite see what happened, there were In
dications that the owner of the voice had
sat down In a large tub of coldwater, which
the Rabbit had substituted for the chair, at
the head of the table THAT is the way
said the Rabbit, that sometimes liquidate
my debts"
Alice was very glad to know the mean
ing of this phrase, which she had often
heard used In regard to banks and things.
The rest OF the company were making
such a noise that Alice, having become
convinced that no pie was in sight, went
off in another direction. Presently she
came upon d small man, with a worried
expression of eountenance, converdng with
a fox. There was a barbed-wire sence
around them, but Alice managed to crawl
through, and became much interested in
the conversation, because 1t reminded her
somehow OF something she had learned at
school.
II tell you,'' said the fox, ''there Is no
way bat 10 send me over with the goose
to take care Of it,
NO. said the small man. 81 really
don't think that would do Besides, want
to get this corn over there as soon as
can, or the chickens will starve to DEATH
That's all right said the fox 4 have
had experience with poultry. I can take
care OF them. But it won't do to send that
corn over there all alone
IT wish / could think of the way to do
that problem said Alice, TO herself. I'm
sure L learned it a long, long time ago.
It's funny grown-up man should be 50
bothered
The fox did not seem to be at all In
a hurry, and was very pleas ant and
smiling, but there was q disagreeable
suggestiveness in his smile that Alice
did not like at ALL "You see." he went
on to say, ''I don't care to bring the
chickens back just now, for the other
foxes might object, but III do what I
can"
1.-THE Chickens" said voice close to
Alice's ear, will never come back"
1t was the Rabbit, who was pricking Up
his ears to their full height, and looked
very wise.
''Why not?" asked Alice.
Because they're in the SOUP" said
the Rabbit, land the foxes are all sit-