Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-11
ther. TITS bread in the bone. doubtless.

other. TITS bread in the bone. doubtless.
! Ha, hal"
| John looked at him reproachfully. and the
| little man at once grew grave.
| This island Is full of Inventors said he;
but they're all cranks. and don't amount
to anything-except me-"
What have you invented?" asked John.
! This! said the other, taking little tube
| from his pocket. You will notice that 1t
! often rainsIt's raining now, If you'll leok
| outside. And the reason 1t rains Is be-
cause the drops OF water fall to the earth
| by the attraction of gravitation.''
Il suppose So" said John.
Now, what do people usually do when It
| rains?" asked the little man.
| They grumble," said john
! Yes, and they use umbrellas-umbrellas,
| mind you. to keep themselves dry!
John.
[ The bald-headed one gave a scornful
laugh. IT'S ridiculous" he said, angriIy.
An umbrella is a big. clumsy thing. that
| the wind jerks out of your hand or turns
inside out; and it's a nuisance to carry 1t
never bring it back. An umbrella. sir. is a
| humbug! relic Of the dark ages! I've
! done away with the use of umbrellas en-
tirely. by means of this invention-this lit
| tie tube which can be carried in ones
pocket"
| He held up a small instrument that looked
l like tin whistle
| "How curious!' said John
lSH II. lou see, W1Inln tnlS TUBE IS
| stored a power OF repulsion that overcomes
| the attraction of gravitatfon and sends the
raindrops flying upward again. You stick
| the tube In your hatband and walk out bold
| ly into the rain. Immediately all the rain
drops shoot up into the air, and before they
| can fall again you have passed on! It's al
\ ways dry where the wearer OF this tube
! goes. for it protects him perfectly. And
| when 1t stops raining, you put 1t in your
pocket again. and it's all ready for another
time. Isn't it great. sir? Isn't 1t wonderful?
| Isn't the inventor of this tube the greatest
| man in the world?'
"Td like to try it," said John, "for no one
| needs protection from the rain more than I
do Being made of gingerbread. it would
ruin me to get wet"
True, agreed the other. 'I'll lend you
| the tube with pleasure Stick it in your hat
! band"
Il have no hat" said John: and then he
| remembered that he had left both the
| bakers hat and his candy cane lying on the
| sands where he had first fallen.
We'll, carry the tube in your hand,
| then," said the inventor. 1T will work just
as well that way. but it's not SO convenient"
So john took the tube; and, having
thanked the bald-headed man for his kind
ness. he left the room and walked down the
stairs and through the big. empty hall and
| so out into the courtyard.
The rain seemed to have driven every one
| indoors, for not person could he see.
Holding the tube upright, he boldly walked
| into the rain; and it gave him great pleas
IL.
Indeed, by looking upward, he could see the
falling drops stop short and then fly toward
the clouds; and he began to believe that the
bald-headed inventor was really as great a
man as he claimed to be.
After descending the slippery path through
the rocks, he crossed the patch Of green
and at last reached the sandy shore, where
he found the bakers hat, soaked through
by the rain. AS he lifted it he saw the
| crooked handle of the candy cane sticking
| out of the sand. and drew 1t forth to find
| 1t in excellent condition, little OF the damp
| ness having reached 1t. s4.,---4z,..ss.
But now. as John Dough began to retrace
| his steps. he discovered that his feet were
soft and swollen. For he had been walking
OH the damp ground and through the wet
grass; and. although no rain had fallen
upon his body, his feet were getting to be
| in dangerous condition. and the licorice in
! them had become sticky. After he had re-
! crossed the grass and come to the edge of
the rocks, he began to be frightened, for
| bits of his left heel commenced to
| crumble and drop in the path; and when he
| tried walking on his fabby tose. they were
| so soggy and soft that he knew they would
not last very long.
While Nhe paused, bewildered, another
| calamity overlook him. For the tube sud-
denly lost its power Of repulsion and
ceased to work. and the raindrops began to