Oz 06: Emerald City of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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and there_is none better of_their kind .I'm a Boston brown, myself ."

"I admit you_are all desirable citizens," said Mr Bunn rather stiffly; " but the fact remains that_our town is called Bunbury ."

"'Scuse me," interrupted Dorothy; " but I'm getting hungrier every_minute . now, if_you're polite and kind, as I'm sure you ought_to_be, you'll let me eat something . there's so_much to eat here that you_will never miss it ."

then a big, puffed- up man, of a delicate brown color, stepped forward and said:

" i_think it would_be a shame to send_this child away hungry, especially as she agrees to eat whatever we_can spare and not touch our people ."

" so do I, pop," replied a roll who stood near .

" what, then, do_you suggest, Mr over ? " inquired Mr Bunn .

" why, I'll let her eat my back fence, if she wants to . it's made of waffles, and_they're very crisp and nice ."

" she may also eat my wheelbarrow," added a pleasant looking muffin ." it's made of nabiscos with azuzu wheel ."

" very_good; very_good," remarked Mr Bunn ." that_is certainly very kind of you . go with pop over and Mr muffin, little girl, and they_will feed you ."

" thank_you very_much," said Dorothy, gratefully ." may I bring my dog Toto, and_the yellow Hen ? they're hungry, too ."

" will_you make them behave ? " asked the muffin .

" of_course," promised Dorothy .

" then come along," said pop over .

so Dorothy and Billina and Toto walked up the street and_the people seemed no longer to_be at all afraid of_them .Mr muffin's house came first, and as his wheelbarrow stood in_the front yard the little girl ate that first . it didn't seem very fresh, but she was so hungry that she was not particular .Toto ate some, too, while Billina picked up the crumbs .

while the strangers were engaged in eating, many_of_the people came and stood in_the street curiously watching them . Dorothy noticed six roguish looking brown children standing all in a row, and she asked:

" who_are you, little ones ? "

" we're the Graham Gems," replied one; " and we're all twins ."

"I wonder if your mother could spare one_or_two of you ? " asked Billina, who decided that_they were fresh baked; but at_this dangerous question the six little gems ran away as fast as they_could go .

" you musn't say such things, Billina," said Dorothy, reprovingly ." now let's go into pop over's back yard and get the waffles ."

"I sort of hate to let that fence go," remarked Mr over, nervously, as_they walked toward his house ." the neighbors back of us are soda Biscuits, and I don't care to mix with_them ."

" but I'm hungry yet," declared the girl ." that wheelbarrow wasn't very big ."

"I've got a shortcake piano, but none of_my family can play on_it," he_said, reflectively ." suppose you eat that ."

" all right," said Dorothy; "I don't mind . anything to_be accommodating ."

so Mr over led her into_the house, where she ate the piano, which_was of an excellent flavor .

" is_there anything to drink here ? " she asked .

" yes; I've a milk pump and a water pump; which will_you have ? " he asked .

"I guess I'll try 'em both," said Dorothy .

so Mr over called to_his wife, who brought into_the yard a pail made of some kind of baked dough, and Dorothy pumped the pail full of cool, sweet milk and drank it eagerly .

the wife of pop over was several shades darker than her husband .

"Aren't you overdone ? " the little girl asked her .

" no indeed," answered the woman ."I'm neither overdone nor done over; I'm just Mrs over, and I'm the president of_the Bunbury breakfast band ."

Dorothy thanked them for their hospitality and went away . at_the gate Mr cinnamon Bunn met her and said he_would show her around the town ." we_have some very interesting inhabitants," he remarked, walking stiffly beside her on_his stick- cinnamon legs; " and all of us who_are in good health are well bred . if_you_are no longer hungry we_will call upon a few of_the most important citizens ."

Toto and Billina followed behind them, behaving very_well, and a little way down the street they came to a handsome residence where aunt sally Lunn lived . the old lady was glad to meet the little girl and gave her a slice of white bread and butter which had_been used as a door- mat . it_was almost fresh and tasted better than anything Dorothy had eaten in_the town .

" where do_you get the butter ? " she inquired .

" we dig it out_of_the ground, which, as_you_may_have observed, is all flour and meal," replied Mr Bunn ." there_is a butter mine just at_the opposite side of_the village . the trees which you_see here are all doughleanders and doughderas, and in_the season we get quite a crop of dough-nuts off them ."

" i_should think the flour would blow around and get into your eyes," said Dorothy .

" no," said he; " we_are bothered with cracker dust sometimes, but never with flour ."

then he_took her to_see Johnny cake, a cheerful old gentleman who lived near by .

"I suppose you've heard of me," said old Johnny, with an air of pride ."I'm a great favorite all over the world ."

"Aren't you rather yellow ? " asked Dorothy, looking at him critically .

" maybe, child . but don't think I'm bilious, for i_was never in better health in my life," replied the old gentleman ." if anything ailed me, I'd willingly acknowledge the corn ."

"Johnny's a trifle stale," said Mr Bunn, as_they went away; " but he's a good mixer and never gets cross- grained . i_will now take you to_call upon some of_my own relatives ." they visited the sugar Bunns, the currant Bunns and_the Spanish Bunns, the latter having a decidedly foreign appearance . then they saw the French Rolls, who were very polite to_them, and made a brief call upon_the Parker H .Rolls, who seemed a bit proud and overbearing .

" but they're not as stuck up as_the frosted Jumbles," declared Mr Bunn, " who_are people I really can't abide .I don't like to_be suspicious or talk scandal, but sometimes i_think the Jumbles have too_much baking powder in_them ."

just then a dreadful scream was heard, and Dorothy turned hastily around to_find ascene of great excitement a little way down the street . the people were crowding around Toto and throwing at him everything they_could find at hand . they pelted the little dog with hard- tack, crackers, and even articles of furniture which were hard baked and heavy enough for missiles .

Toto howeled a little as_the assortment of bake stuff struck him; but he stood still, with head bowed and tail between his legs, until Dorothy ran up and inquired what the matter was .

" matter ! " cried a rye loafer, indignantly, " why the horrid beast has eaten three of_our dear Crumpets, and_is now devouring a salt-rising biscuit ! "

"Oh, Toto ! how could you ? " exclaimed Dorothy, much distressed .

Toto's mouth was full of_his salt-rising victim; so he only whined and wagged his tail . but Billina, who had flown to_the top of a cracker house to_be in a safe place, called out:

"Don't blame him, Dorothy; the Crumpets dared him to_do_it ."

" yes, and you pecked out the eyes of a raisin Bunn-- one_of_our best citizens ! " shouted a bread pudding, shaking its fist at_the yellow Hen .

" what's that ! what's that ? " wailed Mr cinnamon Bunn, who had now joined them ."Oh, what a misfortune-- what a terrible misfortune ! "

" see here," said Dorothy, determined to defend her pets, " i_think we've treated you all pretty well, seeing you're eatables an' reg'lar food for_us .I've been kind to_you and eaten your old wheelbarrows and pianos and rubbish, an' not said a word . but Toto and Billina can't be 'spected to_go hungry when_the town's full of good things they like to eat, ' cause they_can't understand your stingy ways as I_do ."

" you_must leave here at once ! " said Mr Bunn, sternly .

" suppose we won't go ? " said Dorothy, who was now much provoked .

" then," said he, " we_will put you into_the great ovens where we_are made, and bake you ."

Dorothy gazed around and saw threatening looks upon_the faces of all . she had_not noticed any ovens in_the town, but they_might_be there, nevertheless, for some_of_the inhabitants seemed very fresh . so she decided to_go, and calling to Toto and Billina to_follow her she marched up the street with as_much dignity as possible, considering that she was followed by_the hoots and cries of_the buns and biscuits and other bake stuff .

18 . how Ozma looked into_the magic picture

princess Ozma was a very busy little ruler, for she looked carefully after_the comfort and welfare of her people and tried to_make them happy . if any quarrels arose she decided them justly; if any_one needed counsel or advice she was ready and willing to listen to_them .

for a day_or_two after Dorothy and her companions had started on their trip, Ozma was occupied with_the affairs of her kingdom . then she began to_think of some manner of occupation for uncle Henry and aunt Em that_would_be light and easy and yet give the old people something to_do .

she soon decided to_make uncle Henry the keeper of_the Jewels, for some one really was needed to count and look after_the bins and barrels of emeralds, diamonds, rubies and other precious stones that were in_the royal Storehouses . that_would keep uncle Henry busy enough, but it_was harder to_find something for aunt Em to_do . the palace was full of servants, so there_was no detail of housework that aunt Em could look after .

while Ozma sat in her pretty room engaged in thought she happened to glance at her magic picture .

this_was one_of_the_most important treasures in all the land of Oz . it_was a large picture, set in a beautiful gold frame, and it hung in a prominent place upon a wall of Ozma's private room .

usually this picture seemed merely a country scene, but whenever Ozma looked at it and wished to_know what any of her friends or acquaintances were doing, the magic of_this wonderful picture was straightway disclosed . for_the country scene would gradually fade away and in its place would appear the likeness of_the person or persons Ozma might wish to_see, surrounded by_the actual scenes in_which they were then placed . in_this_way the princess could view any part of_the world she wished, and watch the actions of any_one in whom she was interested .

Ozma had often seen Dorothy in her Kansas home by this_means, and now, having a little leisure, she expressed a desire to_see her little friend again . it_was while the travelers were at Fuddlecumjig, and Ozma laughed merrily as she watched in_the picture her friends trying to match the pieces of grandmother Gnit .

" they seem happy and_are doubtless having a good_time," the girl ruler said to herself; and then she began to_think of_the many adventures she herself had encountered with Dorothy .

the image of her friends now faded from_the magic picture and_the old landscape slowly reappeared .

Ozma was thinking of_the time when with Dorothy and her army she marched to_the Nome king's underground cavern, beyond the land of Ev, and forced the old monarch to liberate his captives, who belonged to_the royal family of Ev . that was_the time when_the Scarecrow nearly frightened the Nome king into fits by throwing one of Billina's eggs at him, and Dorothy had captured king Roquat's magic belt and brought it away with her to_the land of Oz .

the pretty princess smiled at_the recollection of_this adventure, and then she wondered what had become of_the Nome king since then . merely because she was curious and had nothing better to_do, Ozma glanced at_the magic picture and wished to_see in_it the king of_the Nomes .

Roquat the red went every day into his tunnel to_see how the work was getting along and to hurry his workmen as_much as possible . he_was there now, and Ozma saw him plainly in_the magic picture .

she saw the underground tunnel, reaching far underneath the deadly desert which separated the land of Oz from_the mountains beneath which the Nome king had his extensive caverns . she saw that_the tunnel was being made in_the direction of_the emerald city, and knew at once it_was being dug so that_the army of Nomes could march through it and attack her own beautiful and peaceful country .

"I suppose king Roquat is planning revenge against us," she said, musingly, " and thinks he_can surprise us and make us his captives and slaves . how sad it is_that any_one can_have such wicked thoughts ! but I_must not blame king Roquat too severely, for he_is aNome, and_his nature is_not so gentle as my own ."

then she dismissed from her mind further thought of_the tunnel, for that_time, and began to wonder if aunt Em would_not_be happy as royal Mender of_the stockings of_the ruler of Oz .Ozma wore few holes in her stockings; still, they sometimes needed mending . aunt Em ought_to_be_able to do_that very nicely .

next_day, the princess watched the tunnel again in her magic picture, and every day afterward she devoted a few_minutes to inspecting the work . it_was not especially interesting, but she felt that_it_was her duty .

slowly but surely the big, arched hole crept through_the rocks underneath the deadly desert, and day by day it drew nearer and nearer to_the emerald city .

19 . how Bunnybury welcomed the Strangers

Dorothy left Bunbury the same way she had entered it and when_they were in_the forest again she said to Billina:

"I never thought that things good to eat could_be so dis'gree'ble ."

" often I've eaten things that tasted good but were

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