The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-28

slept In the church. and he liked IL. Ter no
one could see whether he was asleep or
| When 0ustaf fell asleep In the Sag bot
toned chair the baker told the grocer. that
he had visitor from the capital OF the
country. where the King lives. and the
grocer told the butcher and the butcher
told the keeper OF the big rcd seal, and In
short while every one In town knew n,
and the chimney sweep. who was Mayor
Of Muggendorf. knew II, too.
Now, no stranger had come to Muggen-
dorf for over q hundred years, and though
tbs Muggendorfers had tried every way
they knew TO unbeNitch the sun no stranger
had ever tried, ~ the chimney sws ~ said
Gustaf might BE- the very one, and theS
arranged for q grand delegation to call
on him and ask his advice.
The delegation was heated by the Mayor,
and with him were the keeper OF the big
red seal. and the keeper Of the town clock {,
and the custodian OF the hospital for the
cure Of the incurably lazy, and the phrso1,
all the men and women Of Muggendotf
| and three dogs.
When they entered tie bakers sho p
| Gustaf awakened and rubbed his eyes. for
he could scarcely se any OF them, and r.
heard his voice.
The Mayor told him what they had come
for as wen as he could, which was not very
WELL for the whole dele Cation talked al
once o; and the people soP p, stepping On
pardon very politely. hut Gustat man
! aged to hear word here and word there,
| and lie slowly learned that they wanted
him TO take the spell Cd the sun.
| two years ago, said the Mayor. the
sun bestn to move too fast, and it moved
a little faster each day. untilht got SO fai
| ahead that now it shines at night instS ad
Of by day az it should, and at noon 1t is
| m Midnight. and at m dnight il il noon. ]
| don't mind At myself, for II IL always black
town scribe, Tor he can never tell whether
| he is putting his muciln e. brush into the
, mucilage bottle OF the Ink. and he Las
written so many pages OF tie town records
with mucilagc hat they are all stuck
| together"
| Gustaf heard the town scribe eigh and
| he was very ,orry for him, 40 he said he
would zee what he could do about IL, and
the delegation and all tho MuggendOrfers
| went about their business
| And how asked Gustaf OF the baker,
do you know the sun Is bewitched? II is
not 80 in the capital Of the country. where
| the King lives.
That may be-" said the baker. hut
| il is here, tor We can tell that by the greet
clock In the town hall tower. The King
| gave us this clock 100 years ago. and it IL 20
| fine that there is no clock in the whole
world like 1t. 30 fine lie it that We have
never needed watch or clock in Muesen-
.well. two years ago, when the almanac
said the sun should rse at 7:i0 10 the morn
ing. 1t rose a bit before 7, and while the
great clock has kept going quite an usual
the sun has been gaining ever Since. until
And I hope you can unbewitch IT.. for
| my wife's brother IL the editor Of the Mug
| oendorf Herald and In the dark be canhot
tell = from 2 and HE paper looks like
Chinese puzzle. But that doesn't matter
much, for no one can read II In the dark
But his subscription list has gone to nothing.
and have to feed him and his wife AND
four children. as well a. give them house
Il have that in my pockets, said dqa!At,
until the big round sun rises and then we
| shall see." And he curled up In the sag.
botton,ed chair and went to sleep
When dustaf awoke 1t - Muitendorf's
side Of the public square, but the n3ts
had gone abroad that the boy from the
capital Of the country, where the Khf
lives, would unbew Itch the sun. anq ereat
crowd stood outside the bakers shop, afd
Mayor, for he had washed his facs. :.
bed, Tor il Was New Years eve and al
intended to wait for the beginning al the
New Year; 20 1t Was yery great osov ~
keeper OF the big red seal to the little drees-
! MAKER with her thumb tied IN white band
age All were blinking like owls. a. they
were not used to the sunlight. -.
the band began to play, and the people
cheered. but Gustaf pushed through ths
| crowd and walked TO the town hall. All
| following him and closely a. thy could.
When he had mounted the steps Of the town
hall be turned and told them that ct the
a. RHO ~ midnight no would tfhbAVttph
AZ midnight approached the small boys
gathered with their tin horns, and crackefv,
and watchmens rattles. and the brase band
tried his muscle and the grocet's uncle
| loaded the brass cannon TO the ntusxle and
got q coal to light the fuse Every one
was ready to begin some sort OF noiae %
soon as the hands Of the great clock in
and. every sye, gaaed on the bands. ~
AZ for Oustaf, he climbed the ladder
In the tower Of the town hall. and : minute
before IL ne erasped the crank that moved
the hands OF the great clock. -.
sounded the terrible racket began. The
boys blew their horns. and hred their
crackers. and whirled their rattlee and the
band began to play. and the grocers uqcle
Ared his cannon and every, one chseted;
Gust AZ turned the crank and i was o'clock
and before they could sAy Happy II Nas
. O'clock, and before they could say New
Year" Ouetaf turned the crank twelve
times. and u vas u O'Clock Of the nett DAY,
Year. .
And that Ia how Il happened that qustaf
was made Keeper Of the great clock In the
tower Of the town hall, aud how he took
the spell on the. sun, for he Regulated the
great clock, and after that II vas always
day In daytime and everybody whs very
glad, except the small boys who had been
cheated out OF the beginning Of the New
Year.
Appoint nert the Mayor Issued prpslA:
nation that there should he two fouths6f
July that year. And that 10 Why. II you
ask any one In MuEecndorf when thSre
was fourth Of July on the lat OF February.
began.