New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-16

library fire Don and Jessie and six-year-old Max.
with Doc. Maxs curley haired collie, chilly
evening in lite March. AZ tattered copy Of
Through a Looking Glass was spread be-
tween them and they were reading for the hun
dredth time about the man who lived by digging
for buttered rolls" That Is Don was reading;
Jessie was Just wondering and Max supply
ing words and lines where Don found the pages
thumbed away
Il just wonder" began Jessie once more, IF the
buttered rolls TO dig for aren't the bestest
kind after all? Things you know, that you don't
hardly spect TO find, and you've wanted and want
ed till your wanter is just tired. like last Christ
mas. when mamma didn't come home, do you
member Don Min?"
Yes" Don answered, looking up from the torn
page. but my 'wanter' doesn't get tired I just
stop wanting TIL it comes Things always come
presently
Uncle Harold didn't come" broke in Max. pull
ing the patient collie's
How do you know it's presently yet?' retorted
Don; The might walk in any day. Why. shouldn't
be s'prised Uncle Harold come back
''Ss-sh!' cautioned Jessie who always think
ing of other people, a grandma passed the door.
The children had been told not to talk of Uncle
Harold where grandma could hear, for it always
made her cry. Uncle Harold had gone away in
great hurry day when he was very angry.
and every day since. for more than year, grand
ma had been hoping for his return. and the chill
dren would often her looking sadly st the ring
he had given her the Christmas before-a great
opal that looked Ike sunlight ana moonlight ana
fire and tears ali together. He had done more
things to make her sorry than all her other chill
dren but she seemed TO love him most.
Uncle Harold's a kind of 'buttered roll isn't he
grandma? Jessie had said to her one day. and
grandma had smiled through her tears and said
yes my dear, and he is well worth digging for"
The children hoped much for grandma's sake
as their that this jolly uncle, VINO loved to
tease them but always ready for romp or a
game would back them. for grandma
befta 70 VIII % we
always begging for stories. And such stories
grandma could tell. her knitting needles clicked
in the freight and the little people, stretched
the rug at her feet. watched the glowing Goals
pale and ash-stories of fairies and gnomes and
giants of things in the clouds the deep
down in the of the earth!
wish she'd tell US just fore we go to bed
said Don, grandma again passed through the
hall. But it Jessie who out to her and
smilngly towed her toward the great soft-cush-
toned chair they called her "cOscy corner"
"Ah, I know what you little rogues want" the
old lady smiled. she laid down her glasses but
It's nearly time for you TO travel off to the Land
of Nod. What you readng?'
oh just bout buttered rolls. answered Max.
could there be really, truly buttered rolls down
in the muggy ground. grandma?''
"Grandma's ring looks ike a wee, wee buttered
roll" Jessie said softly, watching the freight
dance over the beautiful stone, only il looks as
if some of the yellow butter got the outside"
Maybe" said Don lit really used to be a big
buttered roll, and being long in the earth
it into little gnome stone instead"
Gould that happen, grandma Jessie asked
looking up earnestly into her face while the tears
gathered in grandma's gentle eyes.
Maybe" she answered, presently, land any
how think we could make story of that very
thing, Donald. Let me see We might make it like
the story of the Little wee. wee woman ard her
little wee. wee pig that wouldn't go across the
bridge you know while she got her 'bonny bunch
Of blackberries.' What Jessie said about the wee
buttered roll reminded of that you see.
We could begin:
Once upon time there was a little wee. wee wee
under the hillside and in it's wee Warm MP b,tfd
heart there was a great, great great big, deep.
wide wonderful wish climb up out of the dark
rolls belong One day the wish grew so very strong
that it could not help crying out to the friendly
:, 20 Earth: Earth. won't you help me up to the
and rolls on rolling pins? I'm needed up thereII
feei it know it, but people will not dig for their
But the Earth said:
gpaSes 6o Sa Ibdve DO to have no ess
So the Little Roll called out
wo 0 Rock ok Rock help me up 70 the Sunshine
on rolling pins I'm needed up therepf feel feel if
know it, but people will not dig for their buttered
WI, What can do? have no arms nor legs. no
Here lie year after year, and age after age while
houses my backbone can do nothing ig 0f But
speak 10 the vein of metal running through my
heart; 1t Is very bright and clever and may think
OF some way to help you"
$50, SO the little wee. wee Roll called out to the
20 Metal. Metal. help up to the Sunshine
World. where butter grows in buttercups and rolls
on rolling pins. I'm needed up there-I feel it-T
know It, but people will not dig for their buttered
But the Metal said:
What l l have no arms nor legs no
spades shoves TO dig you out and helm Won nm
! must walt here myself until some man ellesses
where am hidden, takes to nv bar i'm the
smelling furna - and mouds me into something
strong and useful But ask that tiny stream OF
water that ricklcs thrO' the crevices in the rock
and thro my veins; il may be able to help YOU
SO the little Roll called out to the water:
World: where butter grows in buttercups and rolls
on rolling pins. I'm needed uD there-I feel 1T
know II. but people will not dig for their buttered
rolls"
But cne Water said
What can do? have arms nor legs no
spades nor shovcs to dig YOU out and help YOU up
l only little underground stream far away
sunlight: why don't YOU speak the next earth
worm that comes this way. Earthworms YOU
know. are great travellers, well as great
philant hropists. They spend their lives in fact.
going from place 10 place-just making IL easier
for the rest of the world TO live"
So the wee Buttered Roll kept its eyes wide open
for the next earthworm that might pass the
called
% Earthworm Earthworm. help me up the
/ Sunshine World. where butter grows buttercupS
and rolls on rolling pins. I'm needed up therel