Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-02

different from all the rest of the world.n
The King didn't understand. and when he
didn't understand it made him very tired.
'Oh. WE'LL" said he. lying back in the
| sun, Just make yourself at home here. and
see that you don't bother me by getting in
my way"
That might have ended the interview had
| not Black Ooboo. scowling and angry,
| stepped forward and said:
IF the stranger is to live with us he
must fight for the right to live in peace.
! l. is our custom. your Majesty"
| $50 It is" returned the King waking up
| again. The stranger must fight"
At this decision all the Mfllets howled
with delight, and Chick and the Princess
| began 10 De uneasy about their friend. But
| John said calmly.
Il have lever fought with any one, your
Majesty, but I'll do the best l can. With
whom mast l nght?'
"Why, with Black Ooboo, / suppose"
said the King, and if you can manage to
give him sound thrashing I'll be your
friend for life"
Ooboo scowled first at the King and then
at John and all the other Mfkets scowled
with him. for the black one was seemingly
a great favorite among them.
Whatever material you may be made OF.
bold stranger" he said, Il promise TO crush
you into bits and trample you into the
dust
Then the crowd having pressed back
ward. the black Mifket sprang upon the
gingerbread man with long. hairy arms
outstretched as If 10 clutch him; but John
was quicker than his foe. He grasped
Oobco abcut the waist lifted him high I'm
the air-bg and heavy though he was-and
flung him far the throne whereon the
King squa:ted. The black one crashed
into tho leaves of forest plant and then
tumbed t. the ground, where he lay still
for 4 moment 20 recover from his surprise
and the shock of defeat.
The rabbIe OF Mifkets didn't applaud ths
fall of their champion, but they looked
upon the gingerbread man with wonder.
and the king was so pleased that he
laughed aloud.
well done, stranger" said he "Ooboo
needs to be taken down a peg. and you did
1t very neatly. Now get away, all of you
and leave me to sleep" He proceeded to
curl himself up once more upon the fat
stone, and the Mfkets obeyed his command
and stole away to their dwellings. John
advanced to where Chick and the Princess
stood, and the Cherub patted him on the
hand and said:
I'D no idea you could do It, John. Wasn't
it lovely, Princess. to him toss that
black beast like foot ball?'
I'm glad your friend won the fight
answered the girl; but Black OobOo is a
afraid of him. Now come with me- please
l want you to meet my dear mother. who
is, unfortunately, degraded to the position
of the Kings cook"
They entered with the Princess into the
royal dwelling, where a woman quickly
seized the girl in a warm embrace and
kissed her tenderly. When Chick managed
to get a full view of the woman she was
seen to be nearly as round as an apple in
form, with an apples rosy cheeks and with
cute corkscrew curls of an ron-gray color
running from her ears down to her neck
When her daughter entered she had been
busily engaged in cooking a vegetable stew
for the Kings dinner, nor dared she pause
long in her work for fear of the Kings
anger.
Chick was dreadfully sorry for these poor
shipwrecked people. thus compelled to be
slaves to the fierce Mifkets, and hoped
they might find some way to escape. The
little man with the red whiskers presently
crept in and Joined them, and they had a
long talk together and tried to think of q
plan to leave the island, but without sue
cess. Yet John encouraged them to believe
way would soon be found, and they all
had great confidence in his ability to save
the entire party, for he had proved himself
both wise and powerful.
While they We're still talking the King
rolled his fat body into the dwelling and
demanded his dinner. at the same time
ordering the Princess to get back to her
own palace and to stay there; but he ia
vored John Dough by sending several Of
the Mifkets to build dwelling for the gin
gerbread man and the Incubator Baby lust
beside that of the little Princess which
pleased them all very much.
Go be continued next week.