The times., 1897-05-09
ALICE IN HOODOOLAND.-u.

Alice had now reached q large white
building, from which confused jumbie of
sounds proceeded. Now and then she
could hear some disconnected phrases, Ike
Beer is free, l tell yoa!' What are
you doing with my wOol2'' 'Le5 my bill
alone; you'll chop it all To pieces." Here,
don't take SO much sugar"i "Wnat are
you going to do for turkey?'' Don't COB
BILE ali the money! and 50 on Mingled
with these cries were heavy thurups aud
shouts OF Order, or-derl'r and shrieks
as If some one were being pounded with
hamm er.
Dear mel'' thought Alice, in low
tone, lit sounds very exciting 1 won
der if they'll let person in free.''
Not If you re in the biil,' said merry
looking boy wearing very gay stockings,
who now hurriedup the steps
What bil?'' said Alice, hurrying after
him.
Circus BILL" said the boy. "Just you
watch NE ride the elephant?'
And am L in the bill?'' asked Alice, W no
was now intensely Interested
Guess not,'' said the boy, over his
shoulder. There's no tax on kids that
know OF. whoepi Here we are again, Mr..
Merryman,' and the boy turned somer-
sault through a pair of green baize doors
which seemed to shut off the noise TO some
extent.
II wonder IL / dare go in continued
Alice, in great perplexity. 1T did look
like a circus tent, outside. 1 wonder il
there is any tax on me- and she care
fully looked herself over. all except the
top Of her head; and. stretch as she might,
it was inlp<Dible for her to see that. Il
wonder why they don't like tacks."
They do, unless they have Wheels"
said an irritable voice, and Alice turned
round with a jump TO find an elephant
sitting in the middle OF the hall This
wheel business is taking away my living
the elephant went on. Il want to see it
punctured, and have 'em go on foot or
ride on my back, as they used TO. Why,
if things go on in this way, l shall
actually have TO pawn my trunk to pay
for my board and lodging and then they'll
have me on their hands for good
That's all very wen," said the boy in
golf stockings, who had reappeared; "but
you don't like to step on tacks in the
dark; you know you don't, wheels or no
wheels. And if you want a job, here, III
ride you. Come on
The elephant gave such leap at this
suggestion that Alice, in terror, ran off
down the corridor As she paused for
breath she heard a mournful voice call
out, where's my bill? l want my bilIl''
and she saw very small and forlorn-look-
ing creature trotting along in a hopeless
way, as if it had no friends or home
Il wonder what you can be?'' said
Alice, quite amazed.
Il was a bird" said the creature, sor-
rowfuHy, "when had my bill, but don't
know what 1 am now
Alice tried to think of some bird that
she had read OF which had no biil but
she could not remember any, and while
she was still thinking the creature went
OH.
ut was such a pretty BILL" it said;
''ever so many miles long, with all sorts
of things i'll it-coal and corn, and beans,
and salt, and spices. and stockings, and
collars, and cuffs, and wool"
Alice thought the bill must have been
something like q pelican's.
1T was all had to keep house with"
added the creature, ''and now / suppose
they've gone and cut it up for cord wood
or something"
just at this point lamb came trotting
by, with a blue ribbon round it's neck, and
Alice, forgetting all about the lost bill,
started off after it. The lamb ran out Of
the door in a scared sort of way, and
Alice followed hard after
He will be wanting me to help mend
his BILL said the lamb, as it paused under
the shadow of chestnut tree; ''and 1
don't care about his bill All 1 want to
do is to look after my own fleece It's
the ONLY suit / have, and it's all wool and
a yard wide. 1t isn't dress suit, bntit's
worth saving"
Would he want to put it in his biil?"
asked Alice, sympathetically.
II should say he would" replied the
lamb. II say, do you suppose you can
unfasten this collar? It's the only thing
have on that belongs to somebody, and
I'm afraid he'll come after it
Alice did her best to unfasten the collar,
and might possibly have succeeded. had