The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-01-12


while go through the rites"
"What rites?' In an awed whisper
Mike poked in recalcitrant wad Of
excelsior and, after swatting the blaze
around the edges, put one fist on his
hip. "YOu didn't know" he remarked
that l was chief Of the Dimdum-
meries before / came to this country,
did you? Well, l was!"
The small boy dragged up a box
that had escaped the blaze and sat
down on It very close to Mike. Tell
me-" he begged.
"The Dimdummeries," explained the
janitor, is flourishing society in
the ould country that has communlca-
shuns with ghosts an fairles-an'-
an sperits in general Whenever
Dlmdummery wants to talk to fairy
all he has to do Is build magic bon
fire on spot bit by the light of the
full moon for Ave minutes on
Chuesday night. That's very I'm
portant, picking out 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 IL. kept 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 peeking
out"
did you--did you ever truly see
fairy, MilIe?" the small boy almost
whispered,
The janitor laughed condescending
ly. did | iver see fairy, nowl" he
repeated, scornfully. well, listen to
that! Amt telling you how was
the chief of the Dlmdummeries and
what for would they be making me
chief II I 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
pipe with me livery time lit Are
for him. Vance he said. Mike,
like you--you're a fine lad, an you
may have two wishes-anything you
ask shall be granted"
II know what I'd have asked fort"
breathed the small boy. "An alrship
an"
"Airshlp!" 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 feet of balloons an
everything"
"Oh, Of counsel" agreed the small
boy, much embarrassed "Of course
he would But what did you do with
all your money, Mike? If 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, scowllng
horribly I'm tell yer-much as
hate to do 1t. I stuffed 1t into old
stockings. av coorse, and TUX board
of the wall and chucked 'em into the
cavity. They was banknotes-an' the
rato and ,,,toa ata I'm, IN ohouIJ
have wished for a bank that cudn't
fail, for my second wish, an then I'd
have been rich man today. Instead
Of wishing as l did for--for--"
For what?" demanded the small
boy
Candy" confessed the ianltor. sor-
rowfully. al couldn't think of any
thing wanted so much as plenty Of
candy and | got 1t and ate 1t all up
and that was the end of til"
The small boy swallowed appre-
ciatively. "Still, you had It," he
said phllosophically. THAT wasn't so
awful bad. Did you get chocolute an
car'mels and lemon sticks?"
"Oh. all kinds" the janltor said,
loftily. Il was sicker'n you ever
dreamed of being. tell you! 1t kind
Of soured me on that fairy an I gave
him the cold shoulder after that, but
It didn't matter because right away
the prettiest fairy ever saw began
coming out OF rose bush that"
"Oh, tell me all about it," de-
manded the small boy ecstatically.
"Will-ie-ie-ie!" came down from the
back porch Of one of the fats.
There's your mother now" said
Mike. "And anyhow-the magic fires
all burned QUIT"
A Nice Point.