Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-05
''It's a Wheeler -

you wouldn't be able to talk in n
civilized country like Kansas, where
no fairies live at ALL"
Perhaps we're in the Land of
o." said the her thoughtfully.
No, that can't be-" answered the
little girl; because I've been to the
Land of OF and it's all surrounded
by a horrid desert that no one can
cross"
Then how did you get away from
there again." asked Billina-
Il had a pair of silver shoes, that
carried me through the air; but 1
lost them" said Dorothy.
"Ah, indeed" remarked the yellow
hen, in a tone of unbelief.
Anyhow" resumed the girl. there
is no seashore near the Land of Or,
so this must surely be some other
fairy country"
While she was speaking she Sc
lscted a bright and pretty dinner
pail that seemed to have a stout
handle, and picked it from it's branch.
Then. accompanied by the yellow
hen, she walked out of the shadow
of the trees toward the seashore.
They were part way across the
sands when Billina suddenly cried,
in a voice Of terror:
Whats that"
Dorothy turned quickly around
and saw coming out of a path that
led from between the trees the most
peculiar person her eyes had ever
beheld.
1t had the form of a man. ex-
cept that it walked, or rather rolled,
upon all fours, and it's legs were the
same length as it's arms, giving them
the appearance of the four legs of a
beast. Yet it was no beast that
Dorothy had discovered, for the per-
son was clothed most gorgeously in
embroidered garments of many col
ors, and wore a straw hat perched
Jauntily upon the side of it's head.
But 1T differed from human beings
n this respect, that instead of hands
and feet there grew at the end of
its arms n legs round wheels. and
by of these wheels it rolled
very swiftly over the level ground.
AfterWard Dorothy found that these
odd heel were of the same hard
substance that our ~finger-nails and
t~oe-nails are composed of, and she
also learned that creatures of this
strange race were born in this queer
fashion. But when our little girl
nrst caught sight of the first indivi-
dual OF a race that was destined to
cause her a lot of trouble, she had
an idea that the brilliantly-clothed
parsonage was on roller skates.
which were attached to his hands as
well as to his feet.
RUM" screamed the yellow hen,
huttering away in great fright. Its
a Wheeler!"
"A Wheeler" exclaimed Dorothy.
What can hat be?"
Don't you remember the warn
ing in the sand: Beware the
Wheelers?' Run, l tell you-run!"
SO Dorothy ran, and the Wheeler
gave a sharp, wild cry and came
after her in full chase.
Looking over her shoulder as she
ran, he girl now saw a great pro-
cession of Wheelers emerging from
the forest - dozens and dozens of
them-all clad in splendid, tight-ht-
ting garments and all rolling swiftly
toward her and uttering their wild,
strange cries.
They're sure to catch us!'% pant
ed the girl, who was still carrying
the heavy dinner-pail she had pick
ed. Il can't run much further,
Billina."
"Climb up this hill-quick!'
said the hen; and Dorothy found
she was very lear to the heap of
loose and Jagged rocks they had
passed on their way to the forest,
THE yellow hen was even now fiutter-
ing among the rocks, and Dorothy
followed as best she could, half
climbing and half tumbllng up the
rough and rugged steep
She was none too soon, for the
foremost Wheeler reached the hill a
moment after her; but while the
girl scrambled up the rocks the
creature stopped short with bowls OF
rage and disappointment.
Dorothy now heard the yellow
hen laughing in her cackling,
benny way.
Don't hurry, my dear" cried
Billina. They can't follow us
among these rocks, 70 we're safe
enough now"
l Dorothx stonDed at once and