The San Francisco call., 1910-12-11

doors, so Mopsie could not go there.
BrIdget's cousin was visiting in the
kitchen Mopsie did not like him. He
laughed at everybody and made fun of
the things she liked best. so she
wouldn't go there. She had explored
the attic earlier in the afternoon and
was tired of it for the present No
other room offered any special attrac-
tion for the moment Mopsie sat down
on the stair landing beside the big
Dutch clock.
"IlI shine up my pennies" she said
suddenly remembering. On the stretch
of carpet she polished the pennies that
her uncle had given her that morning
Two were so new that they looked like
gold. The other three under her Wig
orous rubbing became almost as bright
as the others When she had finished
Mopsie looked up at the clock and
listened 10 It's monotonous ticking.
Il wish you would say something be-
sides Flick, fack, flick, flack she said
al last. "It must be tiresome to keep
saving the same thing over and over
again, like Five times one are five and
all the other tables, till your head spins
Don't you ever say anything put RICK
fiack. flick fack?
In answer the clock only made the
same old ticking noise. Suddenly Mop
sic remembered that only magic words
with rhymes will make everyday thlngs
show their real selves. She couldn't re-
member any magic words, so she MADE
them up for herself. Turning TO the
clock she said very slowly and sol
emnly:
Flick, naek.
Answer back
And tell me what want to know :
How did you learn
To make your hands turn.
And why do you run now fast, now $40"
The clock suddenly began to glow
like big incandescent light. Mopsie
stt red at it in establishment. for she
/. could now see inside. where the works
are supposed to be.
Instead of the weights and the little
turning wheels. the inside of the clock
was like workroom, and there on
little bench funny httie man sat
crosslegged, busily engaged in making
a tiny pair of shoes. His little ham
mer fell with regular beats on the
shoes, and the blows made the voice
Of the clock. Flick, flack, flick, hack
Well, that was something, to be sure.
But the little man had not spoken.
she tried more magic words, saying:
How do you dor
And why do you sit in clock1
That you're making today.
with your .'fiick -fack, nickety knock?
The little man never stopped ham
mering for a moment as he replied
in a choppy voice, keeping time 10 the
strokes:
Tn Flick Flack. the little shoe
maker How do you suppose the hours
and the minutes go? Barefoot? NOT
at ALL They wear shoes. every one OF
them. and make them!"
Mopsie answered, still talking IN
rhymes because she was afraid that
Flick F1ack would disappear If she
didn't:
You must be very busy;
l should think 'tweuld make you dizzy
sIt does" said Flick Flack. You
see, make all sorts of shoes Some
of the minutes are very fighty. The
lively little ones never wear anything
but dancing slippers. and have to
keep turning them out so fast | can't
get any sleep!
How dreadfuir' said Mopsie. too
sympathetic to remember the ryhmes.
But Flick Flack did not notice her
forgetfulness.
'Some of the hours are very slow"
went on Flick FIack "and drag their
feet. You can guess how they wear
out their shoes. Others are leaden
footed and grind down at the heel.
But fast or slow, they wear out their
slippers and shoes, and when l stop
hammering you can't hear the seconds
and minutes and hours as they pass.
That's because I'm not making any
more shoes and they are all going bare
foot SO long as I'm busy they are
wen shod and you can hear them"
Mopsle wanted TO know more, and
sho asked:
Do you hammer all day, do you hammer all
nightf
Ii must be weary work.
Don't your eyes grow tired and shut up tight ?
DO you never never shirk!
"If / were to stop" answered the
little shoe maker. "your father would
miss his train In the morning. Bridget
wouldn't know when to set the little