Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-05
CHAPTER "
The Fear OF n Laugh
SyNT-W-WH.NT made you c-cal me loony""
w stammered the Witch of the Night,

SNTT-W-WHAT made YOU c-call me loony"'
w stammered the Witch of the Night
apparently very much upset
Now Peggy realized how impote she had
been. II wasn't nice u call even Witch
IoohN.
II beg your pardon for being rude" she
said. THAT word just slipped out acct
dentally."
oh" gasped the. witch you didn't mean
II. then. That's different" For some reason
this seemed to relieve the WitChs mind
lot She settled back her seat and
quickly resumed her former arrogant pose.
princess Peggy. indeed" she sueered.
princess or no Princess YOU shall feel the
power of the Witch of the Night What
did YOU mean pretending that YOU were me
al the Birds Harvest Carnval?"
THAT was only fun" replied Peggy.
gun croa>ed the Ravens. lining up in
a row. The word is forbidden here.
We the DlsmaIs: hear our wall:
'iainst JOY and mirth we loudly rail.
Every i'll We try to borrow
In this vale of woe and sorrow"
This was q doctrine new to Peggy Shed
always believed in smiles and laughter
From the Night Herons. lined up on the
opposite side of the Witch, came similar
chorus:
I'VE are the DoIefuls. never glad
We waste our time in being sad,
\" can join our gloomy crew
Who doesn't ChecrfulneSS eSChew.'
Peggy looked at them in puzzled curiosity.
If they followed that policy wonder they
lived in swamp in the company of a witch.
The Dtsmals gave groan and the Dole
fuls sighed loudly. This tckled PeEgys
funny bone. She felt a laugh coming. 1t
was just like a sneeze she couldn't stop it.
"tIa ha ha :" the laugh burst forth Its
effect was surprising. The Dsmals sat up
straight, threw their heads back. and let
out a lot Of mournfu croaks. The Dolefuls
creakcd like lot Of rusty hinges and tried
to stand on their heads.
PeEgN's laugh got away from her again
'lia . ha ! ha!" she fairly shriekcd. The
Dismals and Doefuls began to run around
| the Witch in circle The Witch herself
| screeched and squawked. And the faster
| they ran and the more the Witch squawked
| the harder Peggy laughed
| stop that silly running around" shrieked
the Witch, and the Dismals and .Dolcfuls
| obeyed. As they lined up and looked at
Peggy. however. their CIoalts and Creaks
began to change into queer chuCliles Peggy :
laugh was like yawn or the measles--t
| was contagious They couldn't resist it. In
| a minute the pismals and DClefuls had for
| gotten all about their mirthless doctrine and
| were joining in her merriment. And it was
| so long since they had laughed that when
| the laughs came they didn't know how TO
| control them. They laughed until they rolled
| about the ground
stop" shrieked the Witch. and she let
| out her awful cry. That cry brought the
| Dismals and the nolcfuls up in hurry The
Witch abruptly gave them orders
| "INolefuIs. g. fishing Dismals. prepare the
cage Of the Man-Eaters. Roll thunder. and
| hurry them.
'rhp thunder rolled ard the Dismas and
| polefuls vanished. leaving Peggy alone with
| the witch.
You are irving 10 ruin my court" angriy
| hcgan the Witch
IF good laugh will ruin i. tha cour,
deserves to he ruined answered Peggy.
| I'm burn Iou mp in my FIRE" threatened
| the witch. pointing AT the blue fame IL
front Of her Peggy laughed again. She
had been studying that blue flame It was
Just wil'-O'-the- -wisp glow. about which her
father had told her. h heatess flame from
head Of a wet match She walked up to the
flame and stuck her hand into II
That's all care for your false fame.
she said
The Witch let ont the dreadful cry once
| mare
TO the n-Eatcrs with YOU" she
shreked. "Nou know too much I'll have
| ven eaten alive To the Man Eaters will
| YOU
The witch pointed 10 great cage al th'
side Of the water. From ii came hungry
menacing hum like suhdued roar
(TOmOrrOu IriH be fOld 1rhdf hnDncus