Semi-weekly herald., 1912-07-22

excelsior and, after swatting the blaze
around the edges, put one fat on his
hip "You didn't know" he remarked
meries before l came to this country,
did you? Well. ] was,"
The small boy dragged up a box
that had escaped the blaze and sat
down on 1t very close to Mike. Tell
me-" he begged.
"The Dimdummeries." explained the
Janitor SIS a fiourishing society In
the ould country that has communica.
shuns with ghosts an fairies-an'-
an sperits In general. Whenever
Dimdummery wants to talk to a fairy
all he has to do is build a magic bon
fire on a spot hit by the light of the
full moon for five minutes on
Chuesday night That's very i'm
portant. picking cut the right spot
And lay the first sticks pointing to
ward the north"
The small boy peered at the base OF
the bonfire. but the janitor sighed
They amt any spots that the light
of the moon hits on a Chuesday night
in this neighborhood." he mourned
That is, ixcipt some that Is occupied
by buildings and otherwise engaged
But say the magic words over my
fires and pretind it's a glade I'm In
and that there are fairies peekins
out"
did you-did you ever truly see q
fairy. Mixer" the small boy almost
whispered.
The janitor laughed condescending
ly. Did l liver see a fairy, nowl" he
repeated. scornfully. well, listen tc
that! Amt / telling you how was
the chief of the Dimdummeries and
what for would they be making me
chief II l couldn't see. more fairies
than any other man In the county,
There was one fairy who-look out
you'll be in the fire. now,-who used
to pop up just az sociable an smoke
pipe with me livery time lit fire
for him! Vance he said: Mike,
like you-you're a fine lad, an yor
may have two wishes-anything you
ask shall be granted"
'T know what I'd have asked for!'
breathed tho small boy. "An airshir
an"
"Airship!' Mike repeated in dis
gust. THAT shows your needless dis
posishun! A real sensible person
would have asked for a wagon load
of money. wouldn't he? An then he
could-a got a feet of balloons an
everything"
"Oh, of course!" agreed the small
boy. much embarrassed "Of course
he would! But what did you do with
all your money. Mike? If I was as
rich as that / wouldn't work"
The janitor coughed and was very
busy stirring the fire. What did ]
do with it7" he repeated, scowling
horribly. "I'll tell yer-much as ]
hate to do 1t. stuffed It into old
stockings, av coorse, and TUX board
OFF the wall and chucked 'em into the
cavity They was banknotes-an' the
rats and mice ate 'em up. / should
have wished for a bank that cudn't
fall. for my second wish, an then I'd
have been a rich man today. Instead
of wishing as l did for-for-"
For what?" demanded the small
boy.
Candy" confessed the janitor, sor
rowfully. II couldn't think of any
thing l wanted 80 much as plenty OF
candy and I got It and ate 1t all up
and that was the end OF It'll"
The small boy swallowed appre.
ciatiyely. Still. you had It," he
said philosophically. THAT wasn't SO
awful bad. Did you get chocolute an
car'mels and lemon sticks?"
"oh, all kinds" the janitor said,
loftily. Il was sicker'n you ever
dreamed OF being. tell you'll 1t kind
OF soured me on that fairy an gave
him the cold shoulder after that. but
1t didn't matter because right away
the prettiest fairy I ever saw began
coming out OF a rose bush that"