Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-10

very suddenly from the west, for when
Billy left school there had not been a cloud
in the sky.
Then he looked below and saw that the
basket was floating far above his own
home. In the garden he saw his sister,
Ethel like large pink rose among the
smaller ones
Cant we drop down and take Ethel in
too?" asked Billy.
No. replied the Old Woman. Girls
talk too much, and anyway we haven't
time. We must be back again SOON" She
turned a crank as she spoke to put on more
speed and dropped the end Of her broom.
The basket shot up in the air with alarming
rapidity. Billy held on tight and stried to
look unconcerned, though he felt every hair
In his head standing out separately.
The Old Woman was too busy steering,
however, to pay much attention to Billy.
Suddenly she brought her broom handle
about again and pressed another electric
button, and the basket sailed smoothly into
a little harbor on the edge of large gray
cloud. Billy observed without surprise
that the soil was rose pink on the upper
side. though it appeared to fade to deep
heliotrope in the distance.
Dancing about on the shore were q num-
Der of very slender and agile little people
all In gray-even their faces were gray-and
Billy noticed that if he tried to look at them
very hard he was always somewhere else.
Il can see them better If don't notice
Them, thought Billy to himself. Il wonder
VINO they are!
One of the sprites floated out as they ap-
preached and helped them to bring the bas-
ket ashore.
AS they alighted on the pink spongy
beach, the Old Woman explained to Billy
that he must remain with the Mist Sprites
until she returned from sweeping the cob
webs away from the underside of the cloud.
Billy said he was very willing to stay
where he was, for he knew he would never
be able to hold on to the underside of the
cloud. So the Old Woman disappeared, ac-
companied by all the other sprites, and
Billy started off with the Mist Sprite to ex-
piore the cloud.
You may call me Hazy If you like" said
the Sprite. ut will make you feel more at
home"
Thank you" said Billy. looking the other
way to make sure that the sprite should
not disappear. They were stroiline toward
the hediotrope hills in the distance, and as
they drew nearer Billy saw a large and
very forbfdding gray castle on the top of
the highest hill
Who lives there" asked Billy.
The Giant Thunder Clap" said Hazy.
That Is where we are going"
oh, are we?' said Billy, conscious of a
peculiar sensation again about the roots of
his hair. IL don't believe we have time.
The Old Woman said she'd be back again
Soon."
"Oh, he's asleep" said Hazy HE seldom
wakes when It's SO cool. 1 thought you'd
like to come and see the Electric Exhibition
in his museum"
Does old Thunder Clap ever go to the
museum himself?" asked Billy
oh, yes replied Hay; whenever he
wakes up he turns on the current in all the
batteries, and then he leaves open all the
doors and windows, and goes roaring over
the edge of the cloud and squeezes it out
On. he's wonderfully strongr'
That's when we think 1t is stormine, T
suppose. said Billy. But how can he
squeeze the cloud?" ~
Don't you see how spongy it isY' asked
nay al full He squeezes until it is
goes to sleep again.
Where does the rain come from for the
next Storm inquired Billy 'i-o
ny, while he is asleep we Mist sprftes
spend our time in watering the sbongy soil
again. We have to work hard / can tell
you. In the summer timer"
4 think said Billy, that it will he ouite
ilnpossibIe Tor me to go to the museum to-
Gay. should not Ike to have the Old
woman return without me, and she said
she was going soon." he repeated Iamelv
Perhaps l my come another day. 1t is a
very pretty country
HaZy seemed quite offended that pi,,r
would go no further. but finally consented
TO return to the harbor where the ba siTet
lay at anchor.
, when they arrived they found the Old
Woman all ready in her basket. looking
very tired. Her broom was covered WITH
cobwebs Will
Billy thanked the sprite for his courtesy
- Joiiipeu H. ne OIO woman at Once
pressed button and they began to De.
Scend. " ue-
Well there's good piece of work done,"
exclaimed the Old Woman leaning back
con'entedly. They went down even more
QUICKLY than they had come up. and yery
soon Billy felt the treetops brushing the
basket as they passed, and they alighted
on the ground with a bump.
When Billy got his breath and looked
around the Old Woman and her basket had
disappeared.
Il won't say anything about it at home"
said Billy to himself They'd say I've been
asleep"
A few minutes later he Joined his sister
in the garden.
See that beautiful pink cloud" said
Ethel 1T was gray awhile ago, but 1t
turned pink
Yes, / know" said Billy
THE clouds have been wonderful this
afternoon" continued Ethel There was
one little dark one just the shape of the
Old Woman and her basket-only there
seemed to be somebody else in the basket"
There was" said Billy, under his breath.