Evening star., 1902-08-09
THE ENCHANTED FIREPLACE.
By CAPT. THOMAS WILSON, U. S. A.
Copyright, 1e02.)
CHAPTER w.

CHAPTER w.
81 can't get them up, can't get them up.
! can't get them up to guard mount;
l can't get them up, can't get them up,
l can't get them up at all.
The Private's worse than the Corporal
And the Corporals worse than the Sergeant,
And the Sergeant's worse than the Lieutenant
But the Captains the worst of them all -
Merriy sang the trumpets at reveille the
next morning; the sun up gun doomed
and crashed; the storm flag crept slowly up
the halliards, and it was Christmas at Fort
Blinker.
1t was still showing and storming when
the children came trooping to the play room,
an hour later, for much to nurses mystifi-
cation, they had insisted upon hanging their
stockings in the chimney of the enchanted
fire place"
But you always hang them in your own
rooms, dearies," said Nurse Eliza, when first
told of their intentions.
Jack who had a room of his own he
called the den,'' smiled in a superior man
ner as he replied: You don't understand,
nurse" and calmly proceeded to carry out
his program.
Now, any one who has ever spent Christ
mas in an army fort, and particularly In
one away out on the western plains, Will tell
you that Santa Claus Is there seen at his
best From the colonel to the smallest
drummer boy in the command, everybody
is remembered. There is a huge Christmas
tree in the post hall, filled with all sorts of
toys and gifts, and strange to say, even the
bad boys are not entirely forgotten.
The soldiers barracks are decorated with
evergreens and cedar; the tables groan with
turkeys, wild deer and all sorts of good
things, and in the stables below there is an
extra allowance Of grain for Uncle Sam S
horses and mules.
l could never begin to tell you what Jack
and Dorothy received, so l shall not try,
but one thing l had almost forgotten; in
the bottom of Dorothy's stocking they found
the following note:
Don't forget tonight. XXX
Which puzzled them greatly until Jack sud
denly realized that K. K. must mean King
Cole"
Just as the retreat gun thundered forth
its goodnight to the setting sun Dorothy
and Jack crept into the play room; noise
lessly closed the door securely behind them
and then, standing directly in front Of the
cheerful fire in the hearth, counted:
'One, two, three"
Suddenly, as if by magic (and for all l
know it may have been) the entire fire dis
appeared from view and they saw beauti-
full field of green grass stretching away in
front of them dotted with trees, ~ whose
branches myriads of birds were singing,
while overhead the sky was shimmering
and glowing with a thousand stars. Off to
the right there stood an old-fashioned cas-
tie with towers and battlements reaching
up and up, as If they would touch the very
sky above them.
isn't it beautiful whispered Dorothy.
ooh, Jack, isn't it beautiful?"
do you suppose it belongs to his maj
esty?' asked the ever practical boy. 1t
must be his summer place, Dorothy.
Just then one of the birds began to sing:
Cuckoo, cuckoo;
Who are you? Who are your
'Im Jack Marston," said the boy, boldly,
''and this is my sister Dorothy
And 1 know King Cole" added Dorothy,
gaining courage from Jack.
At this speech one of the windows in the
castle opened and big, gigantic head, COW
cred with huge steel helmet, glared at
them savagely and shouted:
Call the kingl Call the kingi
Let the loud alarm bells ring
Mortals two in land,
Call the kingl Call the King!
Let the loud alarm bell ringi'
Il think we had better leave" said Dor
othy. Come, brother
But Jack, wisely surmiSng that the king
would see no harm done Them only smiled
Don't worry, sister," he said, reassuring-
while"
Even as he spoke the alarm bells began
to ring, the door In the castle flew open
and "Old King Cole" stood before them
This time they noticed that he was clad in
a long white flowing robe, white knee
breeches, red silk stockings and white can
vas shoes. In his hand he carried his long
stemmed pipe, while his beautiful golden
crown was balanced jauntily on one side of
his head.
fock,' he shouted, its the kids" and then
correcting himself, said, with a bright nod
toward Dorothy. q mean the children"
Good evening, Sir King replied Dorothy.
Il 0rnn r,,t
bowed in the usual awkward way boys gen
orally do. o.
Bon jourI Bon jour-" said his majesty
and then hastily added, Excuse my
DO you speak French. Sir Kingr' asked
Dorothy.
''Oui. QUIZ answered the monarch.
Comment vous porter vous," this from
JACK, who wished to impress the king
"Ires-bien. tres-bien, replied his maies-
", but as he pronounced it "tress beans
both children laughed heartily.
Ha! ~ha! ha! roared the king did I
answer him most unsuspected thing oc-
CURED. ; W.
The big head in the castle again popped
out OF the window and began to roar.
BLOW the water lay the dust,
Room for his majesty, RajuInrust."
Excuse me just a moment" said King
Cole to the children, hurrying into the
castle. "a friend of mine"
He ietuiheu bringing with him
one OF the most graceful looking figures
mortal eyes had ever beheld. He was a
trifie shorter than King Cole, but his figure
was so symmetrical, or, as Jack would
nave said. so well put together" that he
seemed to overtop him number Of inches
He had long white flowing beard deem
blue eyes, and was garbed in a most at
tractive robe of all the colors of the rain
bow. He wore a crown made of some duh
Whlte metal in the center of which was a
stone or setting that shone more brilliantly
than all the diamonds of the world put to-
sether. and which the children afterward
learned was the Great North STAR
our majesty said King Cole with a
dignity of manner the children had NOT ono
moment imagined he possessed, these are
my little friends l spoke of, Dorothy and
Jack" ~
ana, children and here King Cole
turned toward them this is his naiestv
the Great Rajumrust, otherwise known as
THE KING OF THE or OJTnS -