The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-05-24
MIR. H. NJ. WOGGLE-BUG, T. e.

MIR. H. NJ. WOGGLE-BUG, I. e.
Now, General Jinjur-who, you will
remember, commanded the Army of
Revolt-was rendered very uneasy by
the escape of the Scarecrow from the
Emerald City. She feared, and with
good reason, that if his Majesty and
the Tin Woodman Joined forces. it
would mean danger to her and her en-
tire army; for the people of Or had
not yet forgotten the deeds of these
famous heroes. who had passed sue
cessfully thru so many startling adj
ventures.
So Jinjur sent post-haste for old
Mombi, the witch, and promised her
large rewards if she would come to
the assistance of the rebel army.
Mombi was furious at the trick Tip
had played upon her, as well as at his
escape and the theft of the precious
Powder of Life; SO she needed no urg-
ing to induce her to travel to the
Emerald City to assist Jinjur in de-
feating the Scarecrow and the Tin
Woodman, who had made Tip one of
their friends.
Mombi had no sooner arrived at the
royal palace than she discovered, by
means of her secret magic, that the
adventures were starting upon their
journey to the Emerald City; so she
retired to a small roo-l high up in a
tower and locked herself in while she
practiced such arts as she could COM
mand to prevent the return of the
Scarecrow and his companions.
That was why the Tin Woodman
presently stopped and said:
Something very curious has hap
pened. 1 ought to know by heart ev-
cry step of this journey and yet fear
we have already lost our way
THAT is quite impossible!" protest
49, do In
my dear friend, that we have gone
astray?"
why, here before us is a great field
of sunflowers-and / never saw this
field before in all my life"
At these words they all looked
around. only to find that they were
indeed surrounded by a field of tall
stalks, every stalk bearing at its top
gigantic Sunflower. And not only
were these flowers almost binding in
thsir vivid hues of red and gold. but
each one whirled around upon its stalk
like a miniature Windmill, completely
dazzling the vision of the beholders
and so mystifying them that they
ITS witchcrafti" exclaimed Tip.
While they paused, hesitating and
wondering, the Tin Woodman uttered
a cry of Impotence and advanced with
swinging axe to cut down the stalks
before him But now the sunflowers
and the travellers plainly saw girls
face appear in the center of each flow
err. These lovely faces looked upon
the astonished band with hooking
smiles, and then burst into a chorus
of merry laughter at the dismay their
appearance caused.
"Stop. stop!" cried Tip. Selling the
woodman's ARM they're alive!
they're girls!"
At that moment the flowers began
whirling again, and the faces faded
away and were lost. in the rapid revo-
lutions.
The Tin Woodman dropped his axe
and sat down upon the ground.
1T would be heartless to chop
down those pretty creatures" said he.
despondently; land yet 1 do not know
how else we can proceed upon our
way"
''They looked to me strangely like
the faces of the Army of Revolt.
unused the Scarecrow. But 1 cannot
conceive how the girls could have fol-
lowed us here so quickly"
ct believe it's magic" said Tip.
positively. and that someone is play
ing a trick upon us. I've known old
Mombi do things like that before
Probably it's nothing more than an
illusion, and there are no sunflowers
here at ALL
Then let US shut our eyes and walk
forward" suggested the Woodman.
Excuse me- replied the Scare
crow. My eyes are not painted to
shut. Because you happen to have
tin eyelids. you must not imagine we