Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-09

Davie slid out of his chair in
great bewilderment. He and Dor
othy were having Npretend-play
of the story of Hanse1 and Gretel,
and Dorothy kept changing from
Hansel into the witch and from the
witch into Hansel again until he
hadn't an idea as to just who he
was, or whether he'd ever, ever be
Dayie again.
Just now they had reached the
point in the story where the old
witch wanted Gretel to crawl into
the oven to see if 1t was hot enough
for the cakes. And Gretel (who was
really Dorothy, you know, children)
had just said to her, well, you go
first to show me how to do It,"
"(You see, you're the old witch
now, and when you crawl in to
show me how l shut the oven door
quickly and roast you all up. Then
you hurry and get back in the chair
and be Hansel and I'll come and let
you out of the cage) Old witch, you
crawl in, and then / Will" And
Gretel smiled trustingly up into the
5 old witch's face.
Dorothy's own remarks are in
brackets, my children, because they
are not really part of the pretend.
The old witch looked dubious, but
moved obediently toward the NOR
ris chair. Dorothy sighed as she
wished that Davie was better
pretender. "(You must mutter to
yourself, and say, I'm going to
burn the child up and eat herr
See, see, old witch, the door is wide
open"
Pm going to burn this child all
up and eat her. (EIow can l eat
you II, you're burnt upO"
"DaViei Don't begin to ask ques-
tons. Now you must crawl into
the chair) Bang! The door closed
and the witch Is burning, burning!
hurry and get in the other chair
and be Hansel. SOS l can come and
rescue you from the cage)."
Dorothy waved her arms and
groaned like a properly-burning
witch should groan, and Davie
scampered across the room and
crawled into the big leather chair.
He was Hansel once more, and pre-
ferred the role to that of the witch,
because he didn't fancy being too
wicked, as all witches We're.
Dorothy, still playing Gretel,
hoped gleefully around the room,
singing, Nov, Hansel, my brother,
step forth; you are freei Wait until
I undo this latch. Hurrah! Hur-
rahi Let us see if the old witch is
all burned up. Look! Looki She
is. she Is, and we can go straight
home to our poor father and
mother" And the pretend-play
ended as Gretel kissed Hansel on
the mouth, crying. Wasn't that a
lovely game? Mary 'Lizbeth plays
1t much better than you do. Davie,
cause ] don't have to keep telling
her all the time what to do"
DAVE sat on the edge of the
couch and pondered.
IT don't like to keep making be-
lieve. You get me all mixed up.
When I'm Hansel 1 want to stay
Hansel. I don't want to be turned
into the witch. And first you say
the chairs cage and then you say
another chairs an oven; but they're
chairs, just the same, to me-"
Dorothy laughed at his solemn
face.
"You must learn to pretend bet
ter, Davie, and then you'll be able
to see very clearly that a chair can
be cage and table can be a
gingerbread house"
Davies eyes sparkled.
81 liked that part" he cried
reaching over to the table and pre-
tending to break off a piece.
wouldn't you just love to see a
house all made of candy and cake,
Dorothy. with chocolate window
stills and cocoanut steps,"
chimed in Dorothy, "Td love it.
And s'pose all the vines were made
of sugar candy and all the flowers
in the yard were good to eat! N-no,
l wouldn't like that so much. Roses
are too beautiful the wav they are.