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Show AAKV GRAHAM. BONNER. , action n vnntN mvwu uHlON THE FIREPLACE It was really warm weather. Windows Win-dows were left open, doors were left open. People wore thin clothes. They went out without coats, without warm gloves, without big overshoes, without with-out mufflers. The fireplace was made up but It knew It would not be lighted. It might stay this way for days and days, even weeks and weeks. It did not know how long it might stay this way. The paper and the kindlings were neatly arranged, the big log was at the back of the fireplace and the larger larg-er sticks of wood on top of the kindlings. kin-dlings. All one had to do was to light a match and the fire would be started. But no one would light the fire In this warm weather. It was much too warm for a fire. And the fireplace stayed very quiet; no crackling, no spouting, no sizzing, no warmth and no whispering going go-ing on. So It was day after day. And then along came a little cold snap. The fireplace wondered If It would now be left so still and stiff, so cold and all alone. It wondered If it would not be lighted. But evening came and no one spoke of the fire. People put on light sweaters and acted as though they were a little bit cold, but they did not light the fire. Then suddenly some one said: "Why not have the fire? Ifs chilly and It would be so cheerful to have it" "But it's really not the season for a fire," said another. "That's true," said a third. The fireplace was sad. It thought It would not be lighted, and it wanted to give warmth thli 4 fE Crackled and Danced and Sang. chilly weather and to mnke the people peo-ple feel cozier. Then still another person said: "Well, even If It's not the season for it, it Is cooler weather and It would be so pleasant to have a fire." They all agreed to this, and theD some one struck a match and the fire began. How It crackled and danced and sang. How It spouted and spurted and chuckled and chortled. And how happy everyone was! "There's nothing like an open fire," they nil ngreed. "It was a good thing we did light It," another said. "Yes, when the weather Is chilly It Is nice to have the lire It takes the chill and dampness ofT everything and the warmth is such a pleasant warmth." The fire in the fireplace heard these pleasing remarks and danced cheerily and gayly. The sparks began to play hide and go seek with each other. The blue fairies and the red fairies, the gold fairies, the amber fairies, the flame fairies and the green-hlue fairies all came out nnd played with each other In the lire. Oh, It was so gay In the fireplace, and I he people were so pleased that they had decided to light the fire. But the fire In the fireplace was particularly happy. The waits between fires were so long during the warm weather and the fireplace felt rather dull at such times, so It was very glad of this little lit-tle change nnd merriment. And the people stayed up late that evening and talked nnd told stories before the fire, and as they told stories sto-ries the fire sang the cheeriest of Utile Ut-ile sizzy songs. Did you ever hear a slzzy song? Maybe you will say thnt you haven't. Bui next time you have n fire In the fireplace, wait until the brightness of the llrst part Is over when the fireplace fire-place Just settled down Into being a slow, cozy lire, anil then you will hear I he singing of the slzzy songs. They are the particular songs of ho fireplace. |