Oz 06: Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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of money, too .

uncle Henry grew poorer every year, and_the crops raised on_the farm only bought food for_the family . therefore the mortgage could_not_be paid . at last the banker who had loaned him the money said that if he_did_not_pay on a certain day, his farm would_be taken away from_him .

this worried uncle Henry a good_deal, for without the farm he_would_have no way to earn aliving . he_was a good man, and worked in_the field as hard as he_could; and aunt Em did all the housework, with Dorothy's help . yet they_did_not seem to_get along .

this little girl, Dorothy, was like dozens of little girls you_know . she was loving and usually sweet- tempered, and had a round rosy face and earnest eyes . life was a serious thing to Dorothy, and a wonderful thing, too, for she had encountered more strange adventures in her short life than many_other girls of her age .

aunt Em once said she thought the fairies must_have marked Dorothy at her birth, because she had wandered into strange places and had always been protected by some unseen power . as for uncle Henry, he thought his little niece merely a dreamer, as her dead mother had_been, for he_could_not quite believe all the curious stories Dorothy told them of_the land of Oz, which she had several_times visited . he_did_not think that she tried to deceive her uncle and aunt, but he imagined that she had dreamed all of_those astonishing adventures, and_that the dreams had_been so real to her that she had come to_believe them true .

whatever the explanation might_be, it_was certain that Dorothy had_been absent from her Kansas home for several long periods, always disappearing unexpectedly, yet always coming back safe and sound, with amazing tales of where she had_been and_the unusual people she had met . her uncle and aunt listened to her stories eagerly and in_spite of_their doubts began to_feel that_the little girl had gained alot of experience and wisdom that were unaccountable in_this age, when fairies are supposed no longer to exist .

most of Dorothy's stories were about_the land of Oz, with its beautiful emerald city and a lovely girl ruler named Ozma, who was_the most faithful friend of_the little Kansas girl . when Dorothy told about_the riches of_this fairy country uncle Henry would sigh, for he_knew that a single one_of_the great emeralds that were so common there would pay all his debts and leave his farm free . but Dorothy never brought any jewels home with her, so their poverty became greater every year .

when_the banker told uncle Henry that he_must pay the money in thirty days or leave the farm, the poor man was in despair, as he_knew he_could_not possibly get the money . so he_told his wife, aunt Em, of_his trouble, and she first cried a little and then said that they_must_be brave and do_the best they_could, and go away somewhere and try to earn an honest living . but they were getting old and feeble and she feared that they_could_not take care of Dorothy as_well as_they had formerly done . probably the little girl would also be obliged to_go to work .

they_did_not tell their niece the sad news for several_days, not wishing to_make her unhappy; but one morning the little girl found aunt Em softly crying while uncle Henry tried to comfort her . then Dorothy asked them to_tell her what_was the matter .

" we_must give up the farm, my dear," replied her uncle sadly, " and wander away into_the world to work for_our living ."

the girl listened quite seriously, for she had_not known before how desperately poor they were .

" we don't mind for ourselves," said her aunt, stroking the little girl's head tenderly; " but we love you as if_you were our own child, and we_are heart- broken to_think that you_must also endure poverty, and work for aliving before_you have grown big and strong ."

" what could I_do to earn money ? " asked Dorothy .

" you_might do housework for some one, dear, you_are so handy; or perhaps you_could_be a nurse- maid to little children .I'm sure I don't know exactly what you_can do to earn money, but if your uncle and I are able to support you we_will do_it willingly, and send_you to school . we fear, though, that we_shall_have much trouble in earning aliving for ourselves . no one wants to employ old people who_are broken down in health, as_we_are ."

Dorothy smiled .

"Wouldn't it be funny," she said, " for_me to_do housework in Kansas, when I'm a princess in_the land of Oz ? "

"A princess ! " they both exclaimed, astonished .

" yes; Ozma made me a princess some_time_ago, and she has often begged me to_come and live always in_the emerald city," said the child .

her uncle and aunt looked at her in amazement . then the man said:

" do_you suppose you_could manage to return to your fairyland, my dear ? "

"Oh yes," replied Dorothy; " I_could do_that easily ."

" how ? " asked aunt Em .

"Ozma sees me every day at four o'clock, in her magic picture . she_can see me wherever I_am, no matter what I_am doing . and at_that_time, if I make a certain secret sign, she will send for_me by_means of_the magic belt, which I once captured from_the Nome king . then, in_the wink of an eye, I_shall_be with Ozma in her palace ."

the elder people remained silent for some_time after Dorothy had spoken . finally, aunt Em said, with another sigh of regret:

" if that_is_the case, Dorothy, perhaps you'd better go and live in_the emerald city . it_will break our hearts to lose you from_our lives, but you_will_be so_much better off with your fairy friends that_it seems wisest and best for_you to_go ."

"I'm not so sure about_that," remarked uncle Henry, shaking his gray head doubtfully ." these things all seem real to Dorothy, I_know; but I'm afraid our little girl won't find her fairyland just what she had dreamed it to_be . it would make me very unhappy to_think that she was wandering among strangers who_might_be unkind to her ."

Dorothy laughed merrily at_this speech, and then she became very sober again, for she_could see how all this trouble was worrying her aunt and uncle, and knew that unless she found a way to help them their future lives would_be quite miserable and unhappy . she knew that she_could help them . she had thought of a way already . yet she did_not tell them at once what it_was, because she_must ask Ozma's consent before she would_be_able to carry out her plans .

so she only said:

" if_you_will promise not to worry a bit about me, I'll go to_the land of Oz this very afternoon . and I'll make a promise, too; that you shall both see me again before_the day comes when_you must leave this farm ."

" the day isn't far away, now," her uncle sadly replied ." I_did_not tell you of_our trouble until i_was obliged to, dear Dorothy, so the evil time is near at hand . but if_you_are quite_sure your fairy friends will give_you a home, it_will_be best for_you to_go to_them, as_your aunt says ."

that was why Dorothy went to her little room in_the attic that afternoon, taking with her a small dog named Toto . the dog had curly black hair and big brown eyes and loved Dorothy very dearly .

the child had kissed her uncle and aunt affectionately before she went upstairs, and now she looked around her little room rather wistfully, gazing at_the simple trinkets and worn calico and gingham dresses, as if_they were old friends . she was tempted at first to_make a bundle of_them, yet she knew very_well that they_would_be of no use to her in her future life .

she sat down upon a broken-backed chair-- the only_one the room contained-- and holding Toto in her arms waited patiently until the clock struck four .

then she made the secret signal that had_been agreed upon between her and Ozma .

uncle Henry and aunt Em waited downstairs . they were uneasy and a good_deal excited, for_this is a practical humdrum world, and it seemed to_them quite impossible that their little niece could vanish from her home and travel instantly to fairyland .

so they watched the stairs, which seemed to_be the only way that Dorothy could get out_of_the farmhouse, and_they watched them a long_time . they heard the clock strike four but there_was no sound from above .

half- past four came, and now they were too impatient to wait any longer . softly, they crept up the stairs to_the door of_the little girl's room .

" Dorothy ! Dorothy ! " they called .

there_was no answer .

they opened the door and looked in .

the room was empty .

3 . how Ozma granted Dorothy's request

I suppose you_have read so_much about_the magnificent emerald city that_there_is little need for_me to describe it here . it_is_the capital city of_the land of Oz, which_is justly considered the most attractive and delightful fairyland in all the world .

the emerald city is built all of beautiful marbles in_which are set a profusion of emeralds, every_one exquisitely cut and of very great size . there_are other jewels used in_the decorations inside the houses and palaces, such as rubies, diamonds, sapphires, amethysts and turquoises . but in_the streets and upon_the outside of_the buildings only emeralds appear, from_which circumstance the place is named the emerald city of Oz . it has nine thousand, six hundred and fifty-four buildings, in_which lived fifty-seven thousand three hundred and eighteen people, up_to_the time my story opens .

all the surrounding country, extending to_the borders of_the desert which enclosed it upon every side, was full of pretty and comfortable farmhouses, in_which resided those inhabitants of Oz who preferred country to city life .

altogether there were more than half a million people in_the land of Oz-- although some_of_them, as_you_will soon learn, were_not made of flesh and blood as_we_are-- and every inhabitant of_that favored country was happy and prosperous .

no disease of any sort was ever known among_the Ozites, and so no one ever died unless he met with an accident that prevented him from living . this happened very seldom, indeed . there were no poor people in_the land of Oz, because there_was no such thing as money, and all property of every sort belonged to_the ruler . the people were her children, and she cared for_them . each person was given freely by his neighbors whatever he required for_his use, which_is as_much as any_one may reasonably desire . some tilled the lands and raised great crops of grain, which_was divided equally among_the entire population, so_that all had enough . there were many tailors and dressmakers and shoemakers and_the like, who_made things that any who desired them might wear . likewise there were jewelers who_made ornaments for_the person, which pleased and beautified the people, and these ornaments also were free to_those who asked for_them . each man and woman, no matter what he or she produced for_the good of_the community, was supplied by_the neighbors with food and clothing and a house and furniture and ornaments and games . if by chance the supply ever ran short, more was taken from_the great storehouses of_the ruler, which were afterward filled up again when there_was more of any article than_the people needed .

every_one worked half the time and played half the time, and_the people enjoyed the work as_much as_they_did the play, because it_is good to_be occupied and to_have something to_do . there were no cruel overseers set to watch them, and no one to rebuke them or to_find fault with_them . so each_one was proud to_do all he_could for_his friends and neighbors, and was glad when they_would accept the things he produced .

you_will know by what I_have here told you, that_the land of Oz was a remarkable country . I_do_not suppose such an arrangement would_be practical with_us, but Dorothy assures me that_it works finely with_the Oz people .

Oz being a fairy country, the people were, of_course, fairy people; but that_does_not mean that all of_them were very unlike the people of_our own world . there were all sorts of queer characters among them, but not a single one who was evil, or who possessed a selfish or violent nature . they were peaceful, kind hearted, loving and merry, and every inhabitant adored the beautiful girl who ruled them and delighted to obey her every command .

in_spite of all I_have said in a general way, there were some parts of_the land of Oz not quite so pleasant as_the farming country and_the emerald city which_was its center . far away in_the south country there lived in_the mountains a band of strange people called hammer-Heads, because they had no arms and used their flat heads to pound any_one who came near them . their necks were like rubber, so_that they_could shoot out their heads to quite a distance, and afterward draw them back again to_their shoulders . the hammer-Heads were called the " wild people," but never harmed any but those who disturbed them in_the mountains where they lived .

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