Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-18
Hans Visit to the G1omes.

Once upon time there was a little boy
called Hans. who became angry one day
because his mother asked him to bring her
some wood for her kitchen fire.
He obeyed her, but grumbled all the
Time and then wandered dkscontentedly off
in the woods, wishing there were no such
things as wood piles or kitchen fires.
He never once thought how thankful he
should be that there was plenty Of wood
to be brought, nor how many good things
that same kitchen fire had cooked for him.
for he was angry, you know, and little
folks, like grown people, do not like to
think of pleasant things when their hearts
are full Of anger and discomfort At last
he threw himself down under tree and
fell to idly imagining all sorts Of queer
shapes IN the old dry sticks and stumps
that lay scattered all over the woods.
All at once his attention was taken by
what he had thought was a gray knotty
stick lying on the ground near him.
Surely ne saw 1t move. Going cautiously
up to It he found to his great establishment
that It was a little old man dressed in
gray, who was lying fiat on the ground,
with his ear pressed close to earth.
He looked up as the boy approached and
nodded with a friendly grim Hans was
little frightened at first but seeing the
manikin in so friendly mood ventured to
ask him to what he was listening SO pro-
foundry The creature grinned again and
replied: IT am the king of the gnomes,
and am listening to know If all goes well
with my subjects" Then he added: 'Lie
down here beside me and see If you can
also hear them"
So Hans laid down beside the gnome anc
put his ear to the ground. He listened In
tently, but heard nothing. Suddenly he
felt q gentle touch on his arm, and 10, he
at once could distinguish q confused muir
muir Of many voices; still he could not
make out what was said
Then the little man rose from the ground,
and with the inevitable grin, which seemed
to be a part of himself asked Hans II he
would like to go down with him and pay a
visit to the gnomes, who lived under the
ground, and whose voices he had neard.
Hans. whose curiosity was aroused,
quickly said yes, and in moment after
ward was sorry he had consented, but u
was too late, the gnome tapped the ground
with a rod he held in his hand and the
ground opened, and they both sank down
to the regions below
They alighted softly In a large room that
looked like a cave hewn out OF rock, with
a floor of tiny pebbles of brilliant colors, all
placed so nicely together that the whole
made a beautiful pattern like a carpet.
The room was roomy and dim, but Hans
felt again the soft touch on his arm. and
he at once saw plainly. and found himself
surrounded by hundreds OF tiny gnomes,
the counterpart Of his companion, except
that while he was clad In gray the others
wore suits OF sober Drown. IheT races
had sullen disconnected expression, much
the same as Hans had worn when his
mother had asked him to bring the wood.
The king of the gnomes then turned to
the wondering boy and made this explana-
ton: 'These are my subjects, and they
are never allowed to leave this place. I
alone go up to your world at times and
stay q while and / always bring some one
back with me-" Here he grinned In most
sardonfc manner.
Hans felt uncomfortable and wished he
was once again above ground, where he
could see the blue skies and green trees
bending their friendly boughs about him.
But there he was in the gnomeS domin.
ions, and he saw no way just at present OF
getting out OF them.
The little people that thronged the vast
room at the kings coming did not remain
long A bell rang loudly and they all van
ished in the twinkl1ng of an eye, except the
king. who, turning to Hans, asked him If
he would like to be shown through the
whole establishment.
Hans did not care to investigate any fur
ther. his curiosity being thoroughly salts
fed, but he thought best to acquiesce, not
caring to offend the gnome; SO he agreed,
and the two passed through an opening
which served for door. and found them
selves in another large room. but the floor
was merely Of earth. packed hard. ana in