The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-01-13
The
Dnndurnrneriies

/ - AAAA&0 49, - = AN>A A~0
"Whachu doin'o" Queried the small
boy as he peered cautiously out of the
back gate into the alley where the
apartment house janitor was superin.
tending the cremation Of rubbish
heap. The small boys nostrils
twitched appreciatively as he shifted
the bonfire.
Mike. the janitor, looked all around
and then cautiously said: Hist" and
crooked finger.
what is IT," gasped the small boy
as he tiptoed hurriedly out and joined
Mike ON the windward side Of the
blaze.
ITS a cillybration. Of NINE" the
janiior explained. Every vance In a
Will. 70 through the rites"
"Ni..' .iies'" in an awed whisper.
4 Nil. ;.s,.d in a recaleitrant wad Of
excelsior sd. after swatting the blaze
arouni the edges. put one fist on his
nip. You didn't know" he remarked.
that | was chief of the Dimdum-
merles before | came to this country,
did YOU" Well. was"
The small boy dragged up box
that had escaped the blaze and sat
down on il very close to Mike. Tell
me- he begged.
"The Dimdummeries. explained the
janitor. lis a nourishing society In
the ould country that has communica-
shuns with ghosts an fairies-an'--
an sperits in general Whenever a
Dimdumllery wants To talk to fairy
all he has to do Is build a magic bon
fire on IA spot hit by the light Of the
full moon for five minutes on a
Chuesday night. That's very i'm
portant. picking ont 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 Il Chuesday night
In this neiehborhood," he m0urned
"That is. kept some that il occupied
by buildings and otherwise engaged
but say the magic words over my
fires aud pretind It's a glade I'm In
and that there are fairies peeking
out"
Did you-did you ever truly see a
fairy. Nike" the small boy almost
whispered.
The janitor laughed condescending
~. Did liver see fairy, now" be
repeated. scornfully. We'll. listen t.
that, Amt | telling you how | wa
the chief Of the Dimdummeries and
what for would they be making me
chief II 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 as sociable an smoke
a pipe with me livery time lit fire
for him. Vance he said: Mike,
like you--you're a fine lad, an you
may have two wishes-anything yot
ask shall be granted"
II know what I'D have asked for!'
breathed the small boy. An airshiE
am"
"Airship'" Mike repeated In dis
gust. THAT shows your needless dis
posishun. A real sensible person
would have asked for wagon load
Of money. wouldn't he? An then BIZ
could-a got a fleet OF balloons an
everything"
"Oh. Of course" agreed the small
boy, much embarrassed "Of course
he would: hut what did you do witt
all your money. Nike? II was as
rich as that wouldn't work"
The janitor coughed and was very
busy stirring the fire. What did
do with it, he repeated, scowlinp
horribly. "Ill tell much as
hate to do IT. stuffed it into old
stockings, av coorse. and TUX a board
off the wall and chncked EN- into the
cavity. They was hanknoies an the
rats and mice ate EN- up. should
have wished for q bank that cudn't
fail for my second wish, an then Ia
Lave been a rich man today. Instead
of wishing as I did for--for--"
For what" demanded the small
boy.
Candy" confessed the ianitor, sor
rowfully 81 couldn't think of any
Thing wanted so much as plenty o.
candy and | got it and ate IL all VI
and that was the end of it,"
The small boy swallowed appre
ciatively. Still, you had it," he
said philosophically THAT wasn't 81
awful bad. Did you get chocolute an
car mels and lemon sticks
ooh, all kinds. the janitor said
loftily. 81 was sickcrn you ever
dreamed of being. | tell yon' II kind
Of soured me on that fairy an gave
him tho cold shoulder after that but