Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-07

would be pink one second white the
next, then blue or yellow: and 1t was
tho same way when they. came to the
plants. which had broad leaves and
grew close t.. the ground. ssT =
!, When they passed oyer a field Of grass
JIM Immediately stretched down his
head and began to nibble. II .t-.'t 81
"A nice country this is.,' he grumbled.
;, where respectable; horse has to eat
pink grass.' !, ..sta ~ ~ Il. s.s. \
TITS violet, said, the Wizard, who
was in the buggy. - - ~. Nv. Z
Now It's blue" complained the
horse. ::.As q matter Of fact, I'm eating
rainbow grass" asstss}S
,'IIow does lit taste?" asked the j:
Wizard. ., a!ts.',, - 1:f,a.3 X.
y. Mot bad at ALL" said Jim. 'If they :
give me plenty OF It I'LL not complain
> about its color. ~ s5jit s
; Isy this time the party had reached a 4
freshly plowed field; and the Prince said
to Dorothy: ..9 T;s u,
'This Is our playground VI j
: Several Mangaboos came forward with
. glass spade and dug O hole in the
ground. Then they put the two halves
OF the sorcerer into It md covered him
up. After that other people brought
water from a brook and sprinkled the
earth. s'5 -. ,.FF
"I5e will sprout very SOON" said the.
= Prince, "and grow, into a large bush.
I from which we shall In time be able to
pick several very good Sorcerers."
4 do all your people grow on bushes?'.'
! asked the boy. ies.s "a AZ.
Z. Certainly" was the reply, ''Do not
all 'people>grow upon bushes where you
came from, on the outside of the earth?"
mot that ever hear Of" es
~: .How strange! But If YOU will come
with me to one of our folk gardens I
will show you the way we grow in the
Land OF the Mangaboos.''
1t appeared that these odd people,
while they were able to walk through
1.-THE air with ease, usually. moved upon
the ground in the ordinary way. There
were no stairs in their houses. because
they, did not need them. but on q level
surface they generally walked just as
we do. .5
Z y The.l little party of strangers now fol-
followed the Prince across "a few more
1 oflthe glass bridges and along several
paths until they came to q garden In
closed by a high hedge. Jim had re-.
fused to leave the field of grass. where
he was engaged in busily eating; SO the
Wizard got out Of the buggy and 6oined
Zeb and Dorothy. and the kitten fol-
lowed dendurely at their heels.
Inside the hedge they came upon
row after row Of large and handsome
,,lo go rr,tt f,,Jfw
curving until their PORTS nSarf
+ reached the, ground. In the center gfs,
each plant grew, a daintily, .dresnsAi
Mangaboo, for the clothing OF aik
these creatures grew upon them and
+, was attached to, their. bodies. &
The growing Mangaboos were Of all
sizes. from the blossom that, had just
turned into wee baby, to the full
grown and almost ripesman or woman.
On some of the bushes might Be seen
J a bud, q blossom, a baby, q half.
grown person and ripe one; but
2 even those ready to pluck were mo
tionless and silent, as II devoid Of life.
This sight explained to Dorothy why
she had seen no children. among tho
Mangaboos. a thing she had until now
been unable to account for.
"Our people do not acquire real life
until they leave their bushes" said
the Prince. You will notice they are,
all attached to the plants by the soles
Of their feet, and when they are quite
ripe they are easily sepafatd from the
stems and at once attain the powers
Of motion and speech. So while they
Z grow they cannot be said to really
live. and they must be picked before
they can become good citizens.g
How long do you 1.-Two after 0tt
are plcked?" asked Dorothy
Il THAT depends upon the care we take
OF ourselHes." he replied. III wo keep
cool and moist. and meet with no acci-
dents, we often live for five years, I've
been picked over six years. but our fnni-
lily Is known to be especially long lived.
do you eat?" asked the boy.
Eat! No, indeed. We are quite solid
inside our bodies, and have no need 20
eat, any more than does potato"
'But the potatoes sometimes sprout,'
said Zeb.
"And sometimes we do, answered the
Prince. but that is considered a great
misfortune, for then we must be planted;
Mt once"
''where did you growg asked tho
Wizard A} Z
Il will show you,' was the replys
rsSteu thta way plaoca F,ei 80