The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-28

little attention to. the gingerbread man, 50
gradually his spirits arose and his confidence
In his future returned.
BY rpd by he heard a strange popping
and Kissing coming from the direction OF
the square In the centre Of the town, and
then he saw red INC green ligh's illumi-
mating the Houses and fiery comets go sail
ing into the sky to break into dozens OF
beautiful colored stars.
The people were having their ourth
OF July fireworks and job Dough became
curious to witness the display from near by.
So forgetting his fears ne ran through the
streets until he came 10 a big crowd OF
people, who were too busy Watching the
fireworks to notice that a gingerbread
man stood beside them
John Dough pressed forward until he
was quite in the front row and just behind
the men who were firing the rockets. '
For a time he watched the rush OF the
| colored fires with much pleasure and thor
| oughly enjoyed the suffering Of a big
wheel that refused to 60 around, merely
sending out weak and lstless spurts OF
green and red sparks, as is the manner OF
such wheels.
But now the event Of the evening was
TO occur Two men brought out an enor-
nous rocket, fully fifteen feet tall and filed
with a tremendous charge OF powder. This
they leaned against q wooden trough that
stood upright; but the rocket was too tall
to stay In place and 'swayed from side to
side a~wGwardly.
Here! Hold that stick" cried Gne Of
the men, AMI John Dough stepped forward
and graspei the stick OF the big rocket
firmly, not knowing there was any CANCER
in doing so.
Then the man ran to get a piece OF rope
TO tie the rocket in place, but the other man.
being excited and thinking the rocket was
ready to fire, touched of the fuse without
noticing that John Dough was clinging
fast to the stick.
There was a sudden shrek, a u Of nre.
and the~n-slowly at first, but with ever
increasing speed-the huge rocket mounted
far into the sky, carrying with it the form
Of the gingerbread man.
CHICK. THE cHERUB.
The rocket continued to send out fiery
sparks Of burning powder as it plunged
higher and higher into the black vault Of
the heavens; but few Of these came in con-
tact with John Dough, who chung to the far
side Of the stick and so escaped being seri-
ously damaged.
Also the rocket curved, and presently
sped miles away over land and sea, impelled
BY the terrible force OF the powder it con-
tanned. John fully expected that it would
burst presently and blow him to bits amid
a cloud OF colored stars. E
But the giant rocket was not made in the
same way as the other and smaller ones
that had been fired, the intention being
merely to make il go as high and as far a.
possible. So it finally burned itself out;
but so great was the speed it had attained
that il continued to fly for many minutes
after the last spark had died away.
Then the rocket began to take a down
ward course; but II was so high up by that
time that the stick and the empty shell flew
onward hour after hour, gradually nearing
the ground, until finally, just as a new day
began TO break, the huge stick, with John
Dough still holding fast 10 its end, fell
lightly upon an island, washed on all sides
by the waves of a mighty sea.
John fell on a soft bush, and hence
bounded to the ground, where for a time
he lay quite still and tried to recover his
thoughts.
He had not done much thinking, il seems,
while he was in the air. The rush OF wind
past his ears had dazed him, and he only
realized he must cling fast to the stick and
await what might happen. Indeed, that
: was the only thing to be lone in such an
emergency.
, The shock Of the fall had for a moment
dazed the gingerbread man, Inc as he
lay on the ground he heard a voice cry:
Get OF from me! Will you? Get Oh
f, 1 say
, John rolled over and sat up, and Their
! another person, a little man with a larg,
head. also sat up and faced him.
what do you mean by it7" asked the littl'
! man, glaring upon John Dough angrily
Cant you see where you're falling?'
) II was growing lighter every minute
, and the gray mists Of morning were fading
away before the rising sun John lookec
around him and saw he was upon a broad
sandy beach, which the wave Of a grea
sea tapped peacefully. Behind wa a greer
, meadow and then mountains that rose higl
. into the air.
How did you happen TO be where felll
3 he asked, turning TO the little mar again.
Il always sleep on the sands, replied tn,
I other, wagging his head solemnly. 1T
my fad. ] suppose you're a new inhabi
tant. You seem rather queer"
I I'm made Of gingerbread, said John.
Y wen, tnaL certainty 10 unusu1l, 50 1 VI
no doubt you will be warmly welcomes
Il in our island" replied the man.
But where am II" asked John, lookinI
around again with a puzzled expression.
4 This is the Isle Of Phreex," answers
4 the other, and II is inhabited by unusua
people. I'm one and you're another
He made such a droll face AZ he said thi
Is that the gingerbread'man could not RESTS
h smiling, but it startled him to hear anothe
t laugh at his back, a sound merry and sweet
such as a bird trills. He swung aroun
e quickly and saw a child standing upon th
n sands, where the rays Of the sun fell bright
% upon it's little form. And then the glas
"a eyes Of the gingerbread man grew big an
ve stood out from his cake face in a way tina
fully expressed his astonishment.
l. ITS a vision" he exclaimed.
mo, it's the Cherub, whom We call Chick,
j. answered the big hesded nan carelessly.
The child had fair hair falling in feec
waves to its shoulders, but more or les
tangled and neglected; delicate features
!, rosy cheeks and round blu eyes.
a When these eyes were Qave, which wa