The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-04

"Oh, because there are so many
children there and they treat them
so well. On the street corners there
are men who are employed to tell
them stories, and in the thickly pop
ulated country the children gather by
the hundreds to hear them. They are
sort of Father Ganders as 1t were"
whats that?" 1t was Edith speak
Ing.
Father Gander is the husband of
Mother Goose. He can say more silly
things that please more children in an
hour than we in America can think
about in year"
Tell us about Japan" said Edith
Yes. tell us bout pan" echoed
Little Johnny.
Uncle Jack cleared his throat and
began: s.,ru
"It is one of the stories that the
men who stand at the street corners
tell the children. Imagine
What is imagine, Uncle Jack?"
Johnny wanted everything made clear
as he went
lsOh. just think. Think about the
fellow in curious clothes with whole
lot of children standing around. Most
of the little girls have babies strapped
to their backs. for that is the way
they carry the babies there, and the
children have to take care of each
other. 1t is good deal like when an
organ grinder and his monkey appear
in the streets of some American town.
u,h pf
dren has gathered. instead, of playing
some air on the organ, the man tells
a story. This Is the way"
And Uncle Jack proceeded in n
squeaky voice which made the chill
dren giggle and wiggle in such a way
that he knew they were enjoying it,
"Once upon time--that Is the
way to begin stories for children in
every country in all the world--a
peasant-that is, a farmer--died and
went to heaven. The first thing he
saw was great pile of human ears.
He didn't understand 1t. and supposed
they were there to be sold. SO he
asked little Japanese angel who
stood by:
what are these? Are you going
to make soup out of them?'"
Didn't he mean souse?" asked
Edith.
mo. They don't have souse in
Japan"
"'Course not Johnny assented, and
Edith collapsed before the wisdom of
the two. Then Uncle Jack continued
THE Japanese angel replied: NO.
These ears belonged to people who
when they lived on earth liked to
hear about good things, but didn't do
what they heard. The people them
selves couldn't go to heaven, but their
ears did. But all they get out of it
is the sound Of beautiful music.
THE man who had gone to heaven
walked on a little farther, and then
came upon a great pile Of human
tongues. He knew that they did eat
tongues in japan, even the tongues of
humming birds. as small as they were,
and felt sure he would have some
thing good for dinner when he asked
another japanese angel about them"
Edith interrupted: do Japanese
people eat each others tongues?"
NO" replied Uncle Jack. There
are people though, even in America
who devour each other with their
tongues"
The children were shocked and
said. "Oh-h-h!" Just like that.
Johnny felt of his tongue to see If it
had toeth as Uncle Jack continued:
mo the Japanese angel explained.
these tongues belonged to people who
when they were on earth liked to hear
about good things, and to tell others
what they ought to do. but who never
did the right thing. Their tongues
went to heaven, though they them
selves were shut out. Now isn't that
rs that all?" asked Edith, visibIy
disappointed
THAT is ALL
1T was good thing for the fell
lows in the bad place, wasn't it, Uncle
Jack?'' she asked. "They couldn't
.holler when they got burned, and
didn't have to listen to the people who
screamed" ,
Uncle Jack was startled at what
seemed to. him preternatural wisdort
But he said nothing. He couldn't b&
cause little Johnny was tugging at him
ito tell him about Banberry Cross and
nice stories like that.