Show Stories 4 I L. L I The Marvelous Power of Life the matter care- care that the best place would be at the bend benda bendI I a little way from the ie st started to carry his hist t mt t found him heavy and hard Iv rd rd to handle After creature a short dis- dis him on his feet and andIng Ing the joints of one of the other other at at ne Tie pushing from behind ir aged to induce Jack to Send bend nd In the road It was wasted ted shied shed without a few turnip turn tum- ip tp really worked harder had tad In the fields or forwe forve forve for- for ve we ve of mischief urged him pleased pleased ased him to test the his ls workmanship fi fright right and works fine t I panting with the tion But Just then he hehe hehe helie he lie mans man's left arm had the Ithe Journey so 80 he went 11 lut It and afterward byn by n new W and stouter pin for joint he repaired the in- in that the tho arm was wasn n ni before Tip also nocks nock's no- no ick's icks pumpkin head had irid nid until it f faced ed his lis Is was easily remedied I It the man was set up urn urn rn In the path where whereas vas ras as to appear he looked gh to be a fair imitation i and farmer and unnatural anyone that came wares yet too early in the day daye dayes' dayes e es' es old woman to return I ent down into the valley and began to from rom the trees that grew ft Id ld returned earli- earli H I She had met a crook- crook ho vho resided In a lonely mountains noun and had trad- trad Ip secrets of magic Having in this way sel se- se l lew w recipes four magical j I Ea selection of herbs of ewer ower and potency she 1 1 as fast as she could cst lt her new sorceries vas on the treas- treas I 1 gained that when she bend in the road and of the man she dj and said log Ling pg sir ment pent after aCter noting that d' d d not not- move or reply she vL glan oe glan bl liia hie face gd eds j his Ills pumpkin head head bead I arved by Tips Tip's jackknife giving a 71 that rascally boy has has' I g gJ t tricks again W Very f good Ill I'll beet be belt 1 t him hime rue ue for trying t td scare scare t I raised her stick sUck to toT tot t T grinning pumpkin head heady y but a sudden thought thou ause ause the uplifted stick s 's n the air o t s 8 a good chance to said she shEl then 1 I can tell whether wizard izard sard has fairlY fairy trad- trad r whether whether hether he has fooled d cl F as I fooled him j down own her basket and anding mg ing In It for one of the iJ ders Viers rs she had obtained n nl l was thus occupied Ck ack with ills His pockets land nd discovered the old log ling g beside his man and I 0 Ithe the least leat bit frights fright fright- Ds D's s greatly fright I n p moment ho he became now w what was he hid behind a 11 Iw Bio o could see without ns prepared to watch arch the woman drew drewan an old pepper box I label of or which the v Itten with a II t lead pen pen- r f f Life she cried joyfully is s IS see If it is III potent zard didn't give gl me meI J I guess theres there's enough t 1 doses uLc t 1 surprised when he hep speech p ech Then he saw savi her her arm and sprinkle t f m the box over the d a if t his hIli man Jack She l t r f f I I ij ri I r t 1 1 Old puts Jack in the stable did this in the same way one would pepper a baked potato and the powder sifted down Jacks Jack's head and scattered over the red shirt and pink waistcoat I and purple trousers Tip had dressed him in and a portion even fell upon I the patched and worn shoes Then putting the pepper box into the basket lifted her left hand handi with Its little finger pointed upward and said Then she lifted her right tight the thumb pointed upward and said Then she lifted both hands with all the tho fingers and thumbs spread out and cried I Jack stepped back a apace apace t pace at this and said in a reproachful voice Dont yell like that Do you think Im I'm deaf Old danced around him frantic with delight He lie lives she screamed he lives he lives r Then she threw her stick Into the theair theair theair air and caught it as it came down dawn and she hugged with both arms and tried to do a step of a jig and all nil the time she repeated rapturously rapturously rapturously rap rap- He lie lives lives lives-he he lives lIves lIves-he he lives lives' Now you ou may well suppose that Tip observed all this with amazement At first ho was so frightened and horrified that he wanted to run away but his legs trembled and shook so badly that he couldn't Then it struck him a very funny thing for Jack Jacl to some come to life especially as the expression expression expression sion on his pumpkin face was so droll and Ind comical It excited laughter on n the So recovering from his first fear Tip began to laugh and the th merr merry merry mer mer- r ry peals reached old ears and made her hobble quickly to the hedge e where she seized Tips Tip's collar and dragged him back to where she had left her basket and the ed edman man You naughty sneaking wicked boy boy she exclaimed furiously Ill teach you to spy o out t my secrets and to make fun of me I 1 wasn't making fun of you protested protested protested pro pro- tested Tip I was laughing at old Look at him Isn't he a picture though I 1 J I hope you are not reflecting on my personal appearance said Jack and I It was so 80 funny to hear his grave voice while his face continued to wear Its I Jolly smile that Tip again burst into a peal of laughter Even was not without without- a curious curious curious curi curi- ous Interest In the man her magic had brought to life for after atter staring at him intently she presently asked What do you know Well Veil that Is hard to tell replied I Jack For although I 1 I feel that I know I a tremendous lot I am no not yet aware I how much there Is In the world to find I j 1 out about It will take me a ittle little time timeto timeto I I to discover whether I am very wise or very foolish To be sure said thoughtful thought thought- ful fully But nut what are you going to do with him now he Is alive asked Tip wondern won- won dern I must think it over answered But we must get home bome at once for It is growing dark Help the I Pumpkin to walk Never mind me said Jack I can I I walk as well as you rou can Haven't I I got legs and feet and arent aren't they jointed I Are they asked the y woman turnIng turning turn turn- Ing to Tip turn turn-I Of or Of course courte they are I made em myself myself myself my my- self returned the boy with pride So they started for the house but I when they reached the farm yard old led the pumpkin man to the cow stable and shut him up In an I empty stall fastening the door se securely securely se- se on the outside se-I se Ive got to attend to you first she said nodding her head at Tip Hearing this the boy became uneasy uneasy un un- un- un easy pasy for he knew had a bad and revengeful heart and would not hesitate to do any evil thing They entered the house It was a around around around round structure as are nearl nearly all the Ue farm houses in the Land Landof of Oz bade the boy light a candle while she put her basket in a cupboard and hung her coat on a peg Tip obeyed quickly for he heas was as afraid of her After the candle had been lighted 1 ordered him to build a fire In Inthe Inthe Inthe the hearth and while Tip was thus engaged the old woman woman woman ate her supper sup sup- per When hen the flames began to crackle tho the boy came cage to her and asked a share of ot the bread and cheese but refused him Im hungry 1 said eald Tip In a sulky II j I tone You wont won't be hungry long replied I l with a grim look The rhe boy didn't like this speech for It sounded lik a threat but he happened happened happened hap hap- to remember ho had bad nuts In his pocket so he cracked some somo of those and ate them while the woman rose shook the crumbs from her apron ant and hung above e the fire fire- a small black kettle ket ket- tle Then she measured out equal parts of milk and vinegar and poured them I into the kettle Next she produced several packets of ot herbs and powders and began adding a portion of each to 1 the contents of ot the kettle Occasionally Occasional Occasional- ly she would draw near the candle an and read from a yellow paper the recipe of ot the mess she was concocting As Tip watched her his uneasiness Increased I What Is that for he asked For you returned briefly Tip wriggled around upon his stool and stared awhile at the kettle which was beginning to bubble Then he would glance at the stern and wrinkled features of the witch and wish he were any place but in that dim and smoky kitchen where even the shadows cas casby cast by the candle upon the wall were enough to give one the horrors So an hour passed awa away during which the bubbling bubbling bubbling bub bub- silence was only by the bling of the pot and the hissing of the flames Finally Tip spoke again Have I 1 got to drink that stuff sturn he asked nodding toward the pot Yes said It do to me asked Tip If It its it's properly made replied Mom Mom- bi bl it will change or transform you into a marble statue Tip Tin groaned and wiped the perspiration tion from his forehead with his sleeve I dont don't want to be a marble statue he protested That doesn't matter I want you tobe tobe to tobe be one said the old woman looking I at him severely What usell I 1 be then asked Tip There wont won't be anyone to work for you Ill make the the work for me said Again Tip groaned Why dont don't you change me into a goat or a chicken he asked anxious anxious- ly You cant can't do anything with a marble statue I Oh yes I 1 c ca t ca returned Im going to plant a flower garden next spring and Ill I'll put you in the middle of It for an ornament I wonder wonder won won- der def I 1 thought of that b before fore I youve you've been a a. bother to me for years p I At this terrible speech Tip felt the beads of perspiration starting all over his body but he sat still and shivered and looked anxiously at the kettle I Perhaps it wont won't work he muttered muttered muttered mut mut- in a voice that so sounded weak I and discouraged Oh I think it will answered Mom Mom- bi bl cheerfully I seldom make a mis mis- take tale Again there was a period of silence silence- I a silence so long and gloomy that when finally lifted the kettle from the fire it was close to midnight I You cannot drink It until it has become quite cold announced the old I witch witch for for in spite of the law she had acknowledged practicing witchcraft We Ve must both go to bed now and at daybreak I 1 will call you and a at t once j I complete your transformation Into a I I marble statue I With this she hobbled into her room I bearing the steaming kettle with her and Tip heard her close and lock the thedoor I door boy did not go to bed as he had hadd been commanded to do but still sat j I glaring at the embers of the dying fire I lu I Next story The Flight of the Fu Fugitives Fu- Fu in which Tip decides to run runaway runaway runaway away rather than stay and be turned Into a statue by old in the I morning He goes to the cupboard for food and finds there accidentally the magic Powder of Life which he I takes tales with him so that cannot do further harm with it Not liking I to leave Jack to the J mercies of the witch he lets him out of the stable and the two escape Does I follow them Wait Walt You will I II find out next week Copyrighted by L. L Frank Baum for the Forge e Matthew Adams Service I |