The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-06-12
Hen LITTLE
JAMES STOPPED
The sun.

didn't like to go to school. He hated
it so much that at last he made up his
mind to go to the old gray witch who
lived at the top of a volcano that
overlooked the Stebbins' back yard.
This witch was very old and very
gray, and so wise that people used to
come from miles around to ask her
what to do when they didn't know
themselves.
So one afternoon James put on his
coat and hat and started to climb the
volcano.
There was a path up the side of
the volcano that had been worn by
tie feet of the people who came to
ask the gray witch questions. So
James followed it. And at first as he
went along there were trees and flow
ers on either side, but as he got
farther up they grew less and less I'M
I'll at last there was none left and
their place was taken by burnt black
stones and gray ashes. And there
were no birds or butterflies or hoppy
toads about, only a few brown liz
ards, which whisked out of sight as
soon as they saw James coming
Everything was so lonely and so still
that he almost wished he hadn't come.
but he kept bravely ON and by and
by he got to the top of the mountain
There, just under the rim, perched
like swallows nest, was little gray
house.
THAT must be where the gray
witch lives" thought James, so he
went up and knocked at the door.
And right away quick the door flew
open, and there stood the gray witch
on the threshold.
She looked at the little boy over
her spectacles. Good morning.
James Montmorency Stebbins," she
said you've come to see me about
school, haven't you?'
Now that surprised James Mont
morency Stebbins very much, for he
had never told any one of his plan
of going to see the gray witch and
he wondered how she could possibly
know. The gray witch chuckled when
she saw how surprised he looked.
Make your request, make your re-
quest, she said, land speak quickly.
Tor | haven't any time to waste"
II you please" said James, as fast
as he could, I'D like it never to be .
O'Clock in the morning any more"
You won't like it Bit" said the
witch, but you shall have it if you
want it, and she went into the house
and came back with bow and arrow.
which she gave to him.
Now, James Montmorency Steb-
bins" she said. this is magic ar
row and If you shoot it at the sun to-
morrow morning early it will pin it
tight on to the sky so that it won't
be able to move forward. So then
it can't ever get to be 0 o'clock"
And then l won't ever have to go
to school," cried James in glee.
But the gray witch only chuckied
in reply and shut the door before
James had time to say thank you.
But he was very happy and he went
down the mountain past the gray
ashes and past the green trees till at
last he came safe and sound to his
own back yard. and all the time he
thought to himself, How delightfully."-
delicious not to have to go to school
again." and all that night he was so
happy he could hardly sleep
The very first thing next morning
he was up and dressed and he ran
out into the back yard with his magic
bow and arrow.
The sun was just rising over the
hills. James took his arrow, fitted
it TO the bow, aimed at the sun aud
pulled the string.
Whizz went the arrow up through
the clear air; up, up and up till it
| reached the sun and pinned it fast
onto the blue sky
Then James was delighted. He
| jumped up and down and clapped his
hands.
mo more school for me- he cried,
with joy.
And he ran into the house. "Oh.
mother and father" ne cried. Il don't
nave to go to school to-day. Let's
have breakfast and then go off and
spend the day in the woods"
breakfast" said his mother.
"Why, James, it is much too early
for breakfast. Go out into the garden
and play. l will call you when it is
ready"
So James went back to the garden
and played for a long while. But his
mother didn't call him, so after a
while he went to the door and said:
Mother, isn't it most time for
breakfast"
| Goodness gracious, no., his moth
er said. Don't you see the sun is
Just over the mountains. 1t won't
be time for breakfast till it gets high
up over the pear tree
James went slowly back TO the
garden. He was thinking thought
IF it never gets any later than now
Il will always be just before break
fast 1t was narrowing thought.
J BY and by he went back to the