The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-12-21
A Visit to preamlana


hind the house The sun shone, the
birds sang and Betty went hoppity-
skip for pure JOY. Suddenly, about
twenty feet ahead of her, in the path,
she saw a big green door. 1t had a
shining brass handle and keyhole and
was numbered 1000"
Betty hurried toward it, wondering
how there happened to be door in
a place where she had walked hum
dred times and never seen it before.
AS she approached the door moved
away from her, still keeping along the
path. She began to run. The door
rose Immediately into the air and was
lost to sight among the tree tops A
moment later she saw it again con-
siderable distance along the path.
Again she tried to catch it by running,
and again it disappeared from view
only to reappear farther off than ever.
This time Betty did not try to catch
it but walked slowly on, thinking hard.
Just then her head bumped against
something and she looked up. She
had run into a huge brass key which
hung from the branch on an over
hanging tree. Il believe it is the key
to that door," she exclaimed, and ran
toward it once more. This time the
door did not disappear, but waited po-
litely for her. This, of course, was be-
cause she had the key in her hand.
Although it was so big she had no diff
ficulty in turning it,
The door opened easily and she
found herself in a place as big as the
church, but otherwise resembling
pantry. There were rows and rows of
shelves, but none too high for little
girl to reach. They were laden with
the most delicate eatables one could
possibly imagine. Candy of dozen
kinds, more different ice creams than
Betty had supposed could exist, fruit
and jam, pickles, little tarts and
cakes, cookies and saucer pies. And
everywhere there were placards saying
Help yourself" please taste me,
and SO on. Every saucer of ice cream
had a spoon in it and the covers Of the
preserve jars were loose, with spoon
beside each one, so that there was no
difficult about getting at their delicious
contents.
Betty ate five ice creams, one of eacn
sort of cake, tried most of the pre-
serves and pickles, filled her pockets
with assorted candy, and so sauntered
through a half open door into play
ground where twenty little girls were
playing hop Scotch, bean bag, skip
rope and the like. They all rushed up
to Betty at once.
Here's a new little girl to play with
us! What's you name and what do
you want to play? Well do anything
you wish because you're company"
Thank you very much" said Betty.
But first I'd like to know where l
am
This is the Land of AS You'd Like
1t" they told her tits the only place
in the whole world where you can have
everything exactly as you want it"
us there any more of it?' asked
Betty.
miles and miles," they sang in
chorus.
"WeH, then" said Betty, "if you
don't mind, suppose I take little
walk first and come back and play
with you later"
Eyes, indeed" they answered sweet
ly. "The second left goes to the Dolls
Houses"
The path led directly to a dolls viii
lage Each house had a fence and a
yard with grass and trees. There was
r2al smoke coming out of the Chin
ueys. There were electric lights that
turned off and on, and running water
and telephones, and all modern inn
provements. On each front door was
a brass plate marked isabella" or
"Florina," or "Emeretta," according
to the name Of the doll who lived
there Finally Betty came TO one
marked Henrietta Juliet" which was
the name of her own best doll.
Dear me-" she said, Il must go
right home and get Henrietta and put
her in her own house"
So, without waiting to see more, she
ran back through the little girls play
ground, through the room full Of good
les, and through the big green door,
which slammed to behind her. But,
alas, when she returned to the grove
with Henrietta Juliet there was no
green dor to be seen. She searched for
it all that day, and for many long
day beside, but she never saw it again.
If, however, she hadn't been in quite
sFch hurry and had put the key in
her pocket, she would have been able
to find the disappearing door, and to
unlock it whenever she chose.-House-