Show i S FJ FRANK AND THE Frank disliked to have hl his face and hands bathed and he did not stand standstill standstill standstill still for hits his mother to brush his hair he never wanted his nails to look nice and clean or at least he did not want his mother to use the soft stick that drove away the the- black look and left lett them then nice and white One night when his mother was vas giving hint him a bath he was crying and fussing because she rubbed too hard and she hurt his fingers and sh she pulled his hair hail I Some ome da day the will get yOU jou and then I guess you will be glad to to- come back to live with me and where it Is clean and you will be glad to tal take e a bath bath his mother said Glad Glado to o take ake a bath Frank Frnnk laughed almost he e thought it was so 80 funny I I 1 wish I never had to take to-take take a a. bath he said I l am not afraid of the they cant can't hurt me me I No they cannot hurt you said his mother but I am sure they could make you very uncomfortable think of be being being being be- be ing covered with you would look like a spotted boy I I dont don't care I hate to be clean and andI andI I I wish I need never tal take e a a. bath or have my nails cleaned or my hair brushed I 1 should be happy if it it wasn't for all this bathing I am sorry my little bo boy would rather live with the than M with ith his mother was the reply as she kissed him good night Frank felt very comfortable now that he was bathed and in between the sheets but just the same he thought about It and decided he did not want I Ito to take any more more baths Here he is he heard someone say and suddenly Frank Franl felt something splash sh on his t face ce and then another splash and then on his hands and then he lie felt himself being carried through the air and before he could scream he was was in front of a queer looking grimy looking house When Frank looked ed again he s saw w that the house was covered with queer looking looking- I IQ tr I Q G 0 n creatures with tiny eyes and a tiny little tall tail They seemed to be all body and that was in the form torm o of a a. splash of black Just lIk like a a mark marle Then Frank knew what had happened happened happened hap hap- The ha had haq taken him himoff himoff off ott to their house and he h had M his wish He never would have to be bathed 01 or have his hair brushed or anything that was cleanly Into this house Frank was carried and then he stood up on his feet and looked around The room seemed to be filled tilled with flying lying and when Frank looked athis at athis athis his hands they could hardly be seen for the black smudge on them His clothes were covered too and when he at last spied a little mirror and rubbed away the smudge so he could see his face was no longer his face but the face of a boy almost black with black spots Why did j you u bring me here asked Frank as the flew around him So you could become a like us they all answered together I dont don't want to look like you you said Frank Prank you are not clean you are all smudge I II I We know that they all answered but we are the and this is our home no one cap can be clean and live here We heard you wishing you did not have to take a bath or do any of the things that a clean boy has to do and we knew you would be happy here with us so so we brought you and now you will become a like us Frank looked about for a basin o of water and a towel towe but he was told they had no such things in smudge- smudge land or a brush and comb either Then he tried to rub off the smudge with his handkerchief but that was soon black and then as fast as he made madea a a clean place on his hand han a smudge would alight on it ft and he was again He looked for a chair to sit in but every everything thins was as so covered with the he could not move without hitting one and then he soon discovered discovered discovered ered that he was changing shape his feet teet seemed to tobe bo dwindling into a tail tall and his hands he did not see at all Then ho he seemed to be floating about ItIle the tIle room with the other les and he lie mew know he was no longer a nice clean boy but a black smudge Then he bumped against another and something queer happened hap lap he he found himself sitting up in his own bed Mother mother he called What Is It it dear answered his mother coming into the room Are you sure my hands are clean and my mv face tace isn't all an smudge he asked Why no dear you had a bath before before before be be- fore you went to bed dont don't you re remember remember remember re- re member asked his mother I guess I dreamed about those then s said id Frank because a few minutes ago I was a I Just as y you U said I 1 would be o Mother I 1 dont don't want to be a and I 1 will never fuss again about taking a bath or cry when you try to make malee me a clean boy Copyright 1916 by the McClure McClur Newspaper New York York City |