Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-01


replied one of her generals; but I
find that I and my brother officers
all suffer from heart disease, and
the slightest excitement might kill
us. If we fight we may get cx-
cited. Would 1t not be we'll for us
to avoid this great DANGER"
Soldiers should not have heart
disease" said Ozma.
Private soldiers are not, l be-
lieve. afflicted that way" declared
another general, twirling his NOUS
tache thoughtfully. IF your Royal
Highness desires, we will order our
private to attack yonder warriors"
do so.' replied Ozma.
"For-ward-march!" cried all the
generals, with one voice. Forward
march," yelled the colonels.
For-ward-march!" shouted the
majors. "For-ward-march!" COM
manded the captains.
And at that the private leveled his
spear and dashed furiously upon the
foe.
The captain of the Nomes was
so surprised by the sudden on
his warriors to fight, so that the ten
! men in the first row, who stood IN
| front of the private's spear, fell over
like so many toy soldiers. The spear
could not go through their steel
| armor, however, so the warriors
scrambled to their feet again, and
by that time the private had knock
| ed over another row of them.
Then the captain brought down
his battleaxe with such a strong
blow that the private's spear was
shattered and knocked from his
grasp, and he was helpless to fight
any longer.
The Nome King had left his
throne and pressed through his war
riors to the front ranks, so he could
see what was going on; but as he
raced OZma and her friends the
Scarecrow. as if aroused to action
by the valor of the private, drew one
OF Bllllna,ss eggs from his right
jacket pocket and hurled it straight
at the little monarchs head
II struck him squarely in his left
eye, where the egg smashed and
scattered, as eggs will. and covered
his face and hair and beard with its
sticky contents.
Help, help" screamed the King,
clawing with his fingers at the egg,
In struggle to remove it.
An egg! an egg! Run for your
liVes!" shouted the captain of the
Nomes, in a voice of horror.
i And how they did run! The war
riors fairly tumbled over one another
in their efforts to escape the fatal
poison of that awful egg, and those
who could not rush down the wind
ing stair fell off the balcony into
the great cavern beneath, knocking
over those who stood below them.
Even while the King was still YELL
ing for help his throne room became
and before the monarch had man
aged to clear the egg away from his
left eye the Scarecrow threw the
second egg against his right eye,
where 1t smashed and blinded him
entirely. The King was unable to
flee because he could not see which
way to run: so he stood still and
howled and shouted and screamed in
abject fear.
While this was going on, Billina
flew over to Dorothy. and perching
herself upon the Lions back the hen
whispered eagerly to the girl:
Get his belt! Get the Nome
Kings jeweled belt! It unbuckles
quick"
Dorothy obeyed. She ran at once
behind the Nome King, who was still
trying to free his eyes from the egg
and in a twinkling she had un
buckled his splendid jeweled belt and
carried 1t away with her to her place
beside the Tiger and Lion, where,
because she did not know what else
to do with it, she fastened it around
her own slim waist
Just then the Chief Steward rush
ed in with a sponge and a bowl Of
water, and began mopping away the
broken eggs from his masters face.
In a few minutes, and while all the
party stood looking on, the King re-
rained the use of his eyes, and the
first thing he did was to glare
wickedly upon the Scarecrow and ex-
claim:
"rll make you suffer for this, you
hay-stuffed dummy! Don't you
Really" said the Scarecrow,
they don't seem to agree with you,
although I wonder why"
They were strictly fresh and
above suspicion" said Billina. You
ought to be glad to get them"
I'll transform you all into
scorpions!" cried the King. angriIy,
and began waving his arms and
muttering magic words.
But none of the people became
scorpions, so the King stopped and
looked at them in surprise.
What's wrong?" he asked.
Why, you are not wearing YOUR
magic belt" replied the Chief Stew
ard, after looking the King over
carefully. Where is it? What have
you done with it?"
The Nome King clapped his hand
to his waist, and his rock colore6
face turned white as chalk.
IT'S gone" he cried helplessly.
Its gone, and l am ruined!"
Dorothy now stepped forward and
said:
Royal Ozma, and you, Queen of
Ev, I welcome you and your people
back to the land of the living. BIZ
lima has saved you from your trou-
bles, and now we will leave his
dreadful place and return to Ey as
soon as poss BILE"
While the child spoke they could
all see that she wore the magic belt.
ana great cheer went up from ali
her friends, which was led by the
voices OF the Scarecrow and the
private. But the Nome King did
not Join them. He crept back onto
his throne like a whipped dog. and
lay there bitterly bemoaning his de-
feat.
But we have not yet found NV
faithful follower, and Tin Wood.
man, said Ozma to Dorothy. "and
without him l do not wish to 90