Show Mt i Good tore rl 3 T 0 At f I c o 0 r c h i 1 I I d r e n 4 ud The Wonderful Story of Elves Elves a ar Harry Manheim a Blind Boy Learned Leaned Leam d dr r fl Peculiar Pec liar Baby B y a Dog and rid a t Boy From a aH Hermit Lessons Which Re Restored With XRay Eyes Ey s and Their Many stored His llis Lost Lo t Sister Suter and Made M de deVery Very Strange Adventures f Him a aMan Man of Enormous En Wealth of stories have haft been written about wives L LOTS and the t which bich they the leave in instead instead stead tead of babies in cradles er but nobody has ever nw told wl why they this unpleasant rr at practice I know the reason myself until l I heard beard the story I of Harry Bury sod and r Ms hits baby sitter sister Dorothy Harry was wu a blind bland boy blind Ufa from boa f bir birth t aced aad like lib all who are born without sight bight he was alas accustomed tomed to going shout bout alone alo and could find W his way so bo easily ea as u to astonish all an 11 who saw caw him hi His Ria mother was a poor woman who was wu w obliged to do cI sewing to support her two children cI and so 10 Harry was wail left to take care of his hia sister I all day He had W hada Wa a dog named Tatters lattell a very er intelligent sky shy ter terrier rier nor who perhaps watched more re closely Over ever the tM th infant nt than her brother for he rarely left her sole aide for more than a minute minu when he went to 10 gate any strange tru e noise no Harry although he be was wM a aboy aboy boy of good disposition had many sad tad and gloomy Ct moments and aDd was often sad ead and ud disheartened and a at these times t Del he used to visit wi an old hermit who plan lived in a cave cae in the forest near r his hit home Lome This The hermit cheered him hum with tales tale of the die put peat and many were the wonderful things tl the Wind blind boy De learned from the ancient man who rarely spoke to te any one else eke He Retold told the lad hid all aU about bout the die diethe elves the fairies iri dragons and nd wood nymphs that frequented fre fN frequented the forest shades aba and Harry was as u well n posted regarding such uch utters matters as u I am myself If When he was minding min Dorothy he would ponder upon what he had bad learned from tie the hermit and wonder if he le would ever see ass any of the things he ha knew all about but this was wu far beyond m his hopes as the doctors had bad said laid that he would never ns er ha be aWe able to see Bee The old hermit however boWMer denied deu t this and d as a he took a pinch of snuff smug would wouW shake his has 1 I head and say Wait ay my boy wait Ill discover something 1 yet that wW wID enable erabIO you yon to sea as WIll well as u any of e ethem them But Bat Batas as time poised passed on and nothing nc mg ease cam of his hi prediction oll Harry had wi long Jon forgotten fo it and aad never expected to be aught but a sightless man ben he grew pew Ufo up One OM summer eammer day he Jae was sitting Ii d in the shade dada near Dear the house and am Dorothy Doto was playing with Tatters on the grass when the thing happened that changed everything He had been pondering p eriD and was and sud suddenly denly aroused ar by hearing Tatters bark in a peon JN peculiar liar manner a bark that said as plain as u words orde that something was wu wrong Harry sprang up calling call Dorothy but bui when she ahe did not Dot reply he began to move about in the garden in search of the baby bahT Tatters wildly rushing here and there with excited barks barb The search was vain Yam for Dorothy had dis ds disappeared appeared app ared Harry was almost overcome with grief but when hen ho hll went into the house bo and nd heard hard Id a 1 strange JUC ling luR i sound in l ik cradle he ire was wu relieved rein for lor ho thought that thai she ehe had crept into it A moment later when W he M heard Tatters growl RIO ha ho ran his fin in fingers ing gers g over the face of the infant t as the blind do dohen dohen dowhen when hen they wish to identify anybody and aad discovered that the child in m the cradle was not Bot his hit own sister I lter but a cold clammy thing like lib a doll don made of putty and he be shuddered for he be remembered all that the theold theold old lId hermit land hIld related about 1 oui the tile else elites sad and change changelings lings dings He Be knew instantly what hat had Jad mail happened ha and so 10 I suppose did Tatters HERMIT HELPED HIM When Wh he be e thought the tho of his mothers mother grief pW his has heart Mart failed his him hi end and d he be determined Ded to go p at ones once to the tile hermit and ud ask uk his hia advice for he be could not remember ber her what was usually done when a changeling comes into the house boWIe He stopped on the way to the her hermits hermits hermits mits cave cu to io buy kY an ounce of snuff muI for that thai always put the old man JUD into the very TeY lot best humor and then th he be went on oa The hermit said aid he be was wu not at t all as surprised at t what had bad happened ha eDed for he had bad been Ilea expecting D it You did right in coming D to me said laid he be for perhaps I may be able bIe to help you yon Then he be took tooka a big bir pinch piD of snuff laW and aDd added There is it only ors one way May known that will win compel the elves em to return the baby b br and that the is ia to get eta a dues docks egg ea blow Wow et the inside inti e nand and run runs a green peen ribbon through it Them n nhang hang bang it around the changelings neck DeCk This TI a abeen has been tried many times in ancient days and is I said to be a II method Til Ill do it right ny away I cried Harry Barq and pd nd he Be ran rail off so quickly that he forgot all aD about aho tie the hermits snug snuff which was in D his J a pocket He Ba knew just where a duck was a sitting on OIl sue ax IX aggs and aDd it took him hia only oab ten minutes to get one ODe and an the five minutes more to blow blowout out its it contents Then TheD he stopped short abort in m dismay for be suddenly remembered that he ho tell a green ribbon from a red one ODe How However Ho Hoever However ever he be knew where here were lots Iota of ribbons in a bag in the closet and taking taki them one ODe by one ODe and passing pu i them over oYer the changeling cha until URill it suddenly screamed in rage he bs soon saw came e to the tile eon clion that tbt the one ODe that offended it must gust be green Then he M strung strong the ducks duek egg upon it i it and tied it around the putty neck a although it wriggled and nand squirmed like an all eel on OD a hook Jook Its Ita struggles ceased however as u soon at u the rib m ribbon ribbon bon was around its ita neck and it lay so eo still Ii U diethe he thought he be had choked it it but after alter a long ling ailene an anthe the putty put baby bahr b 7 spoke and aad said lAid Well you have Mft beaten ten me rue I hero haw lived a thou thov thousand sand years hut but Nt never near have ha Iles I heard of a human Ja die covering this daia secret Now what will wiD 1 you do m to tome met me I IThai That Thai depends replied ep Harry Barry If K If you will fining bring my sister salter ba let 70 you go P tot if yet dont doat ID Iii MS t JR Jon yo i ix ia the that and ym Tatters will tot eat ye yea h yam k t r J JL L ti S i i 1 it f v r r THE TE GUaRDING J f THE BABIES B The n W led Ugh Do Dea of et f fitl ki it You shall have hay her back baek as soon at you ou can cant get t her but you must meat do it ii yourself foe I W ani as helpless here until the time comes f for or me to be a elfAnd elf elfAnd And ADd when w m will win that bet be I asked the bar You may lure have heard beard replied till the that all elves elva are babies babica shapeless ah and hideous as aa myself for a time 0 fc it wf a thousand years Jari in Ix my 1111 cue case until a chance c daTe iii i found to exchange aw these them for human babies Then Thea lie Jae changeling elf remains r in the house until the sneezes messes when it itis iti itu is u i immediately taken home horns to Elfland EUland arid and a d there thereafter thereafter after is ia a full elf What on earth is a I 1 inquired Harry rYe Ive herd heard of a lot of funny ones but never of o oTerra a Terra Its the great hall mole half worm and aDd the rest reat weasel replied the put It dwells far fr under ground where the elves live sad and it 11 guards the human babies caught by b the tires elves but Mat when it sneezes the signal that they must be De immediately exchanged again spin and all the elves are re very ery glad dad for hen ben eD their own 0 babies 11 come home ana a be men or women The hat has not DOt sneezed for foz over a year ear and nd twelve babies h bi are re waiting wai DC and nd twelve twel elves who ho are very verj tired I as u assure uON assure sure ON you of listening to 10 the nonsensical talk they are hearing in human houses homes You must find the entrance to the eHU land and Dd that is ia under a rook rock in the forest I will Win show it to YOU u if take me there We e will go 10 at once for my mother must m not be grieved when she returns by Dy finding that Dorothy Dorothr has hu been absent abent leAt from home at all U said Harry Ill carry you He picked up the ae clammy thing daha and slung du it over oyer his hit shoulder then started for the t e forest and nd went where the directed him laim When they arrived at t the rode rock Harry soon lOOn found that the elves entered through an opening which was tar far too small for him to crawl through and ad 1 he said HIs Is Ii there no DO other way to get pt inT in Tea Yes said laid the tbs JN 7 There is i an old hoi heN heNlow hollow low tree yonder by b which you may be he able We te to enter eater DOWN INTO THE ELVES HOME Harry farrr went weIR to the tree and found fouad a great groat eat hole in its trunk Through Throngs this he crawled erlee at once f fol followed ol lowed by Tatters I who we wJ o sexed seamed to be aware that thai they t ey were on the trail trade of the lost 1 child In the great Feat hollow hallow of th tree treo he found a light flight of worn wont stone to stops steps which ones once in D ancient times were perhaps the tM steps ate of some ruined rained castle or tempt upon which the tree had taken root and grown A dark hole We yawned at t the foot of these steps but the Mind blind boy boyto to whom hom both daylight and darkness were alike went down the steps without hesitating Feeling his kie way 1 along the he side aide of the wall he went down a slanting gallery slowly until he came to a doer der which yielded to a strong push Once beyond the thedoor thedoor thedoor door t the e gallery widened into a lofty grotto potto all aU sparkling with points of many colored crystal aad ac acwith s d with specks of gold and silver flecking it every everywhere everywhere where ere out at t he be saw taW it not BOt Its It a great peat pity pit that I cant see said Harry Hari for Tor f or I would like lib to be able We to 10 tell mother all l about it Are Aze we near the now r roh oh we have haft still till far to go If before we retch reach the thet spot t where he be keeps guard pard said the baby U I am sun not as certain as I was a little while w ago that th t teven even I earn eQ guide you to the place Tim The various passages axe are so an mixed up that one has au to toe be he e belie bete betea a long W or he bowl them an all and aM I g ousts a hone t n 1 d old H a mare inure infant at m wg few k jt i What mat o ers at d Harry seeking far fer r information t J All AU of af sand ai the e JN Everything that grows or lives Ji d is ie ier our r Meat carrots parsnips pam potatoes peU pI sad aad other roots and ni we serve them with earthworms roasted routed boiled at stewed which are very v fine flue in the right season Then we have and anI scrambled sometimes sometime we ire are u lUc ky and also which are We Weg gOw g o ow splendid mushrooms ll down here too aad id I tro Erom them we to make a v ry exquisite wine also aloe but bat they ey have never let Jet me taste it Im too young you Once in ix ina a while w Je we catch and kill a small mole and ud then we have a areal real feast But we do not eat as u often as a ayou you do cIo I suppose We have haTe breakfast in hi January lunch in ill APril and dinner a grand Dd affair alair indeed in i September 1 T aking of the tM grownup elves eI you know for the ba iea ont nt eat Nt at t all add Not Rot until the elf rubbed on the themA them Jf A VALUABLE SECRET SEC tT What is t asked the boy bo boTt Tt a magic ointment that makes ma an elf com oom complete complete and perfect Whew When it is rubbed on Oft me all allover allover n over OTer I will win be able to do anything an elf 11 can do doI doI doI I will win be able to see lee through the hardest rooks rook and ud tell ten just jut what is inside or discover the contents of Gf an iron chest or anything hidden away I will be beable beable able ble to hear the slightest sound such sue as u the noise Mile grass grau makes in growing I will win be able aDIe to smell IID anything a mile miJ er so 10 away see in the darkest night Dicht and remember everything Ive learned forever Harry determined that if he came within reach of that salve lye he would is aPe his hit fingers in it in a twinkling tW J d What s the 0 these use of elves anyway T he inquired red Dear fear me what a question q on t cried the putty potty baby baa MI I never thought anything about it it but I suppose sup we have haY our uses We W Marrow borrow far down downin in the t earth and ud bring up gold to places place where men cask can find bid it but generally we fix it so 10 that they si wag wars wa have haft to work mighty hard to get it it or else eke it woId not be val valued al you see He If gold was wu as com cam camu as u other things say laY salt aalt for instance nobody wouN wort want waat it at all Its Ii because its i so 10 very me rare and 4 ipen ipen have haft to work hard arcI to get it usually that it i is so io precious Its It a great peat pity as you have bYe said w that t you IOU cant dont see all this thia splendor remarked the pa baby for it is ia even in my eyes truly magnificent Dt We have haye dozens of such halls Labe u as this W but I like Jib this one the best beat Beyond this room they cape to a submarine lake Jake the t water w of which was w a lovely pink like Jib circus cite lemonade and a strange mysterious light shone up from fro the bottom At the shore of this thi opal pond a boat made of with ivory oars oara was miss floating and Ind into it the tM directed dir ted Harry to ate This Thu is it the only oats o of Gt f boat that an elf G offs a acress oxen cress water ino in said the tte P y bt In Tit no DO other way war can en we WI get pt over even a stream HI t have ft heard the hermit sy say the e tame same thing tId said laid Harry But I cant see HI what would keep beep the i e efrom elves from front burrowing under the stream making Ong a tunnel beneath it it he ie added W We do that all aU the time t H replied the infant But sometimes we like to teaks take A sail Mil sad and this is how we do it Harry Barr took the oars oara and ud although he 1 d not net t knew kw how Jow to te row m at all aU they tM to 10 e the pry craft through ihre the hi wa i seq well weD Af AI l the theother t theother I other side aWe of the die lake a waterfall u ude sue earns down de from tro a high J P cascade that made weir that was WI wH very vary sweet w and IIi this the blind Wi boy could c w ap appreciate predate very well weH His X e sat anti there than listening lisp to the wa eg as if in iB is i a trance while the t t boat beat rocked on Oat the tiny tinny IQ waves waft This n s is it worth coming for it f t asked ed the It certainly 1 is ie and nd it almost made me se forget all abo about t inn sister r Dorothy replied Harry W We Y must tilt not Dot waste time here |