Show t SAND MAN STORIES J The Wise Man of the Ink Well f. f T j By y Doris OrIS Webb e. e J ll II II main 1 II where he lives or how hot hotto to lo get tell teU CANT CAN'T T y you ou there because If It I did you'd go and ask him himI I questions and that would make him cross but I you can look for him yourself if It you like and that may find you f Its It's very ery probably Impossible him him Im I'm talking of ot course about the Wise 1543 Man Ian Manof Manof of ot the Ink Well We and If It ho he over Oer reads this himself f sincerely hope bo ho wont won't mind having ha me tell all went to him Chester about bow how Chester Young Youn see was the youngest Young but be was not so very young at that that not not nearly s so o young as he be bad had been wen oven or eight years year's before when he was too young younS' to care about being called l the youn youngest cst Younst Young Youns- At t that time be didn't mind having o r. r older than himself but at It the time this story begins It t ma made o him feel very cry sad indeed When his mothers mother's friends said Why youre you're the baby arent aren't yon he would feel teel quite Indignant and make up hi his mind to grow Just as lS fast as a's as he ho could and catch tIP tIP- with up-with Allan who came came next to him But somehow somehow some some- how be he never seemed to man manage e it for when he was and Allan nn was sis be he would think Now ow Just three months more and 1 Ill I'll be six too but before belore he be got there Allan would jump Into seven seeD and dad leave lease him a whole year behind again At last Jast Chester said to himself I 1 really must find finda a 3 way to skip a year and not be the youngest Young Youns any longer so EO he asked all an those he be met If they bad had any Idea Idu how bow to skip a 3 year But although they could skip glop rope rop and skip stones and skip lessons none of or them bad had ever tried to skip a year and most of them declared It couldn't be done At last however cr some someone someone someone one said to him If you really want to fin find out go and ask the VI Wise o Man of the Ink Well eU who knows know more about everything than anybody else How flow shall I J a n good Idea said Chester Cheater find the Wise Wlee Man Ian of the Ink Well 1 Wh Why said the friend you Just go SO so and so and such ucb and such a n wheres you know I told you I 1 couldn't tell teU you where It was and a little bit to the west and then come half balf a mile back again on the same road rOld and facing the left walk five Ye steps to the right and there ll right light ht ou on the broad seashore you JOU will find End the thc Ink Well f Y very r clear deao indeed t said aid Chester who was wasa j I a J clever le little boy and what shall shull I do after that thaU f first t said J j l hl his hS i friend let me warn you Oll not to go so six I steps to to the right 1 because then you'd you walk into f the thC I Ill do my mr best to 1 bo be careful said Chester t 1 I And nd then continued his bis friend If 1 f you ou look about A you you will rill probably see cc t the Jo Wise Man of the Ink InkWell InkWell Well c and If he lie feels like It be he ml may talk to you OU and amI If 11 he fie doesn't be he wont won't lie probably wout wont Of 01 course that was a little JUle discouraging ln but still it was the only suggestion Chester had heard beard as yet ct to so be lIe thanked his bis friend and started out for the thc InkWell Ink luk Well Veil at that Identical moment Ho followed all his friends friend's directions carefully and conscientiously and it wn wasn't nt more than two minutes over o three quarters of an hour before be lie stood on the edge of ot the Ink Well ell ou on the sandy shore Ho lIo had bad carefully refrained from rom stepping Into the tile Ink Welt Well ell v There by the side of or the Ink Well Kell sitting on the sand 1 l. was spas an 0 old J C 1 man who looked so intensely wise that y i Y r T t trL rL II t J 1 r f i Q I r 1 J t p r I Ll s c r t i t i r Y r rilL f f t f a 1 aI frT rT 1 7 Ji I f 6 Good Ct t asi Aro L i t. t Y r l 1 r Chester knew him at once He was studiously writIng writing writing writ writ- ing in a a. big book and frequently dipping his pen into the well Good morning said Chester pleasantly U Are re you very busy day to-day i But the Wise Iso Ise Man Ian said absolutely nothing and dipped his pen carefully Into the well What a pleasant beach this is said Chester J Dont you yon think thigh so But the Wise Man Ian kept entirely silent and wrote something In his book Chester was beginning to feel a little bit discouraged discouraged aged but bo ho decided to tr try a again alD Im Chester Young he said calmly Im the youngest Q Youn Young because Im I'm only eight and I Ilive Ilive live at at Dear me d dear lr me me said the Wise Rise Man Ian now I have ha e to write that down and dipping his pe pen Into the w well 11 he be wrote carefully in his bis book book fIes Hes Chester Young Hes He's lIe He's the youngest Young YounS' because hes he's only eight and he lives res at nt at Whatever teTer made you rou write that t down 1 asked Chester In surprise If I I had bad to replied the Wise Man Ian calmly Tm rm writing down e everything 7 I know knot and please dont don't tell leU me anything more or Ill I'll never neer get finished You see be he continued confidentially I 1 got ot tired of carrying around so much knowledge so M I started writing down things s and then Immediately forgetting forget target tins ting them Ive I've filled fille those live 60 hundred and seventy seventy- r nine volumes pointing to a hu huge e pile pUe with things I knew and no now Ive I've for forgotten them all and you dont don't know what a relief it is 15 Ive I've trained myself to forget torget a n thing the minute I write it down and andI I haven't the tho slightest t Idea now what your jour name Is 13 or how bow old you are lre or where you JOU live lI Only you ou see it will be bo very convenient to have it written hero here for or nn anybody hod who wants to find out How flow clever cried Chester I think Its It's ever e so much harder to forget torget than to remember It takes a 0 great mind said the Wise Iso Man Ian placidly and I 1 find It a great reat comfort It leaves me time to do lots of or Things Yesterday I made a n fountain pen Oh Ob I know said Chester Uncle has one Its It's n a pen with Ink luk In It It The Tho Wise Rise Ian Man shook his bead head Mines quite different differ ent he said its Itt a n rea real fountain an fountain an ink fountain Shall I turn It ou on for tor you 1 Id love loe to see ee it said Chester if it if If it doesn't splatter much It wont won't splatter over here said said the Wise Ise Man ln Its tight right In the middle of ot the beach and aDd connected of course with willi the tho well Stand back and Ill I'll turn it on ou He lie pressed the button in a rock as us he be spoke and out of ot the middle of the beach bench rose a graceful fountain of ink from a pen standing on end There said Id the Wise Iso Man Mau that lovely It would black your shoes boes for you rou In n a 1 moment But Dut of 01 course I mustn't waste ink and ln lie ire turned It off again bale Cheste Chester Ches Ches- ter te was so o charmed and interested In the thc black sand where the fountain had been playing that he be stood gazing at it for some minutes in silence At last Jost he came me to himself ana aun said suddenly Ob Oh I want to know pl please 1 e how r 1 can skip a year because I dont don't like being the youngest Young Well feU well eU said the Wise Man Ian Dear me ino It Its It's years since any one asked me bow to skip a year Of Ot course Its It's one of the first things I learned in my youth south My father taught me we how to do it Oh Ob Im I'm so glad cried Chester In dell delight ht jumping up and down Only continued the Wise Rise San Man I wrote all about It in one of m my books book so of course Ive I've for forgotten otten It Which bieh book was It asked Chester quickly I c There 1 Said the Wise Mani Mang- Man ere r That Lovely j I. I A fl 1 J 1 I It 1 1 Jr wr ill ti b I o. o a 1 I r 4 1 t. t r Auh c And Picking Up His Pen He Wrote He Has Luncheon at One I really couldn't sa say said the Wise YLse Man lan and 1 haven't Indexed them yet et but of ot course If It you looked over ocr the five fic hundred and seventy nine volumes you'd be sure to find Ond It It IL And nd they're very interesting read ing lug Lots about spelling rules and whole chapters de de- devoted devoted voted rotell to multiplication You'd oud be 00 sure to enjoy them Im afraid said Chester ter sadly Of I I haven't ha time I 1 didn't tell moth mother or I 1 was coming so Ill I'll have to go 0 right homo home again I have re luncheon at It one Quite ri right ht said the Wise Iso Man Ian goodby And d picking up his pen ho wrote lIe Ho has bas luncheon at atone atone one In his book y Chester ran away homo home as IS fast as lS be he could following his friends friend's directions backward back and tryIng trying try try- Ing InS not to feel too disappointed about still being the youngest Young But when he got ot near his house bouse Allan came to meet him Oh Ob Chester he called youre you're n not t the yonD youngest est Youn Young any more Weve We've got ot a new sister and she's a girl rJ so she wont won't mind b being n the youngest at all Arent Aren't you glad And ADd Chester was the gladdest boy in town But theres there's Just one other thing Id I'd like Uke to tell teU you You know knot that black sand made mude by the fountaIn fountain foun foun- tain tale pen of the Wise Man Ian of ot the Ink Well Vell sometimes gets ets tracked wn way down the beach bench and If Ir any time when youre you're digging ing on the seashore you come upon layers of oC blackish sand you may bo ho sure the tho Wise Stan Man of ot the Ink Well Is not far tar away DECEMBER Decembers December's such a pleasant month Im I'm very glad slad Its It's near Although h Im I'm sorry too to lose November rember dark and 1 drear i Novembers November's full of or pumpkin pIes Decembers December's full of or toys Novembers November's quiet and rind comfortable Decembers December's gay b with noise Of course Thanksgiving ng came this month Im I'm very err glad lad to say And nd oh the goodies that we wo had and what a pleasant pleas ant day dayl daylAnd And ud yet on looking forward I can say without a doubt That rather than lose loro Christmas I would leave leare Thanksgiving out For Christmas is the nicest day we have IJac in all the C CIll year Ill I'll bo be so very crr very cry glad when t Christmas day Is 15 here hert |