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Show CROCKEYJOY ADVENTURES Bj BETTY BROM"NE (Copyrisht.)- A Crockeyjoy Mardi Gras I RUTH had climbed into the big easy chair which stood beside her father's fa-ther's radio set. After she had ad-Justed ad-Justed the earpieces to suit her fancy, she leaned back In the soft cushions and listened. For some time she could hear nothing. Then all at once she thought some one was faintly calling her name. Over and over, louder and louder It grew. It was a sweet, clear voice and to Ruth it had a little joyous tinkle which was hauntingly familiar. "Do you want to go to a Crockeyjoy party?" saW the voice at last, very clearly. Then Ruth knew that It was the kindly old Crockeyjoy, and she wondered why she had not been able to tell his voice sooner. She wanted very much to go to the party, so she listened, and then, did just what the Crockeyjoy -told her. First she walked out of the window and over the edge of the flat roof which ran all the way across the back part of her home. Once there, she sat down and waited. Sure enough, the Crockeyjoy came to meet her. Under his arm he carried two pairs two umbrellas without handles. "Put on the skates," he said to Ruth, "and fasten the cord of one Of these parachutes around your waist; then we'll hurry on down to the party." Ruth put on the skates and took hold of the Crockeyjoy's hand and away they skated. As they went they grew smaller and lt was only a few seconds i j , - I f r i until Ruth could not even see over the top of the eavetrough. When they came to the gutter pipe which, when It rained, drained the water from off the roof and Into the cistern, they paused to make sure that the parachutes para-chutes were tied on tight. Then into the drain pipe they skated. They shot along as though they were on a big roller coaster. Around bends, across open spots, faster and faster they rolled. Finally, with a rattle of skates against the edge of the iron drain pipe, they hurtled out from the mouth of it into the cistern. Their parachutes opened. Down they floated. At first Ruth thought that they were sinking . onto an island of colored leaves. As she got nearer to the surface sur-face of the water she saw that it was full of tiny boats. In all of these boats were Crockeyjoys, young and old, and all dressed In the fanciest and oddest of costumes. "It is Mnrdl Gras week in Crockeyjoy Crockey-joy Land," said, the kindly old man to her. "Be careful as you come down and one of the boatmen will push his gondola right under you so that you won't even get your feet wet." Ruth sank gently down, right into a boat, as the old Crockeyjoy had said. The boatman at once pushed his craft along in and out among the other vessels. ves-sels. Ruth enjoyed her voyage very much. There was a great deal to see. Twmkllng lights wre dancing. Mandolins Mando-lins were strumming. The air was full of the odor of roses and of strange perfumes. Tum-ta-ta-tum ta-tum the mandolin mando-lin music grew louder and louder. Ruth straightened up In her seat. She opened her eyes and found herself back in her father's big chair. The music kept on, though, because the orchestra at the big hotel sending station sta-tion had started to broadcast the evening's eve-ning's program. When Ruth's father came home he found her still curled up In the big chair. Though It was long past her bedtime, she demurred Just a little as her father picked her up in his arms and luughlngly carried her off to bed. |