The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-12-27
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OUR BOYS
and GIRLS
TOMMY AND THE EARTHQUAKE
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Just about as bad as most of them,
and just about as tall as most of them.
He was also just about as impatient
as most of them, and one of the things
that annoyed him most was having
some one knock down his stone
houses when he had nearly had them
finished That is why he found the
earthquake so trying, Tommy would
build big house with his blocks, and
Just as he was ready to put on the
finishing touches and crown all the
tipmost columns with little triangu-
lar bits of bluestone the earthquake
would come rumbling along and down
would go all the red and white and
blue stones all over the carpet, until
the room looked-well just as If
there had been an earthquake.
That was about the most damage
the earthquake ever did, so it was
comparatively harmless, but still 1t
was not pleasant to have even mild
earthquake rumbling around Under
the house every once and while,
Sometimes it just gave a low rumble
grumble and didn't shake anything
off the shelf or knock down Tommy's
houses, but at other times as | have
explained, it would cause a lot Of both
er.
At last Tommy made up his mind
to interview the earthquake all by his
lonesome, and SO, as the earthquake
plainly lived somewhere in the un-
derground region, he made his way to
the cellar as the starting point.
81 WONDER" he said, 'if there isn't
some way of getting out of this eel
lar and into the underground world?"
"This begins TO be interesting" said
Tommy, and he opened the door. Be
fore him was a little tunnel, and into
this Tommy bravely ventured. On
and on he went, and down and down
for what seemed a long distance, and
then to his amazement essuddenly
came out into the largest room mag
Unable, so large that the hole from
which he had emerged was no big
ger than a mouse hole in COMPARE
son
And this great room was all furnish
ed with huge furniture, SO large that
the seat of one of the chairs was as
big as the floor of a good sized room.
Tommy looked around but nobody
was "a sight, so he determined to ex-
plore a bit He walked all over the
room and found 1t most astonishing.
When he stood by the leg of one of
the chairs he felt as if he were next
a good sized tree, and a sofa cushion,
which had fallen on the floor, appear
ed to him like little HILL And then
Tommy discovered that there were
doorways in the room and more large
rooms beyond. He explored these,
too, and found them most entertain
ing. But when he came to the last
room he found surprise awaiting
him. Sitting in large armchair was
a tremendous giant, fast asleep. And
a. Tommy looked at him he awoke.
"My goodness mel" he exclaimed
looking at Tommy in surprise-and
then all at once he began to tremble
and shake to such an extent that the
walls seemed to rock
"Oh dear4" cried Tommy, please
don't! You're probably shaking all
the dishes off the shelf at home."
"Am II" said the giant, beginning
to subside. I'm really very sorry,
but / can't help it."
Are you nervous?" asked Tommy
alphabetically.
mo-" said the giant. II don't be-
lieve I'm nervous. Pm only cold"
ut is pretty cold here" said Tommy,
1--WE been shivering myself-only of
course / don't do so much damage
when l shiver."
"That must be great convenience"
said the giant, 81 know I must be a
great trial to many people, but l real
~ can't help shivering when it's as
cold as this now, can II"
well, Mr.. Earthquake" said Tommy
eff you're so cold, why don't you build
a fire."
Because / haven't any chimney"
replied the earthquake.
That's So" said Tommy. "but why
don't you build chimney"
II never thought of that said the
giant, "do you suppose the people
would mind if built chimney right
in the middle of Surprise Hill, for in
stance"
'T'm sure they wouldn't mind that
as much as having their house shak-
en- every little WHILE" said Tommy.
"Then / believe I'll do it." said the
earthquake. 'Ill start to work at
once"
"That's splendid" said Tommy. "I'll
have to go home now, but I'll look out
for your chimney tomorrow"
But the next morning when he
awoke he heard his father exclafm:
Goodness me! Sunrise Hill has turn
ed into volcano. What will happen
nexti"
1t was a long time before Tommy
could convince the family that it was
q good thing to have Sunrise Hill act
ing as a volcano, because that would