Oz 21: The Gnome King of Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16]
come to_be queen . then, giving it up, she spent the other half dancing and singing and composing long speeches to deliver to her subjects . as Piecer and Scrapper stepped into_the main hall of_the palace, she was arranging her yarn hair before a long mirror .Catching sight of_them in_the glass, she spun gaily round and clapping her crown on sideways cried haughtily: "Vassals, fetch my rolling chair . your queen desires to take_the air ! "

" stuff and nonsense ! " sputtered Scrapper, amazed at_the patchwork girl's audacious verse ."Don't you_know the coronation is over and it's time to_get to work ? "

" work ? " shrilled Scraps, catching hold of a patched portiere to steady herself ."Queens are_not supposed to work . where are the servants ? "

" there_are no servants," answered Scrapper calmly ." the queen does all the work here . just read off the list of her majesty's duties, Piecer, old fellow ."

Putting on_his specs, Piecer drew a long sheet of paper from_his patched pocket and began: " the queen of patch, on arising, shall prepare the breakfast of her two chief advisers (meaning us)," explained Piecer, looking severely at_the patchwork girl over his spectacles ." she shall make_the beds," he continued complacently, his voice growing higher with each item, " sweep the floors, dust the furniture, scrub the steps, wash the windows, sort the patches, count the cotton spools, separate the old clothes for mending, feed the Scissor bird, help pick tomato pin-cushions, scold the patch-workers- and-"

" stop ! " commanded Scraps, flinging up her arm imperiously .

" but I'm not nearly finished," objected Piecer, rattling the paper impatiently .

" well, I_am ! " the patchwork girl's suspender buttons glittered angrily behind the steel spectacles ." get someone else to_be your sovereign," she cried ." you don't want a queen, you_want acook, a housekeeper and aGrandma ! " Snatching the work basket from her head, she dashed it to_the floor and jumping on_it with both feet shouted defiantly: "Eeejee, weejee, squeejee, squb ! i_will_not sweep, i_will_not scrub ! i_will_not scrub ! i_will_not dust ! so let those dust and scrub who_must ! "

" better save your strength for your work," advised Piecer, stepping back a few paces ." you're chief Scrapper," he whispered hurriedly to_his companion ." you settle her while I fetch the Scissor bird ."

as_the door slammed upon Piecer, the chief Scrapper faced the patchwork girl ." go on, get as mad as_you please," he urged cheerfully ." the madder you_are the better we like you . the crosser you grow the better queen you'll make for patch, our Queens must_be good scolders," he chuckled, rubbing his hands gleefully together .

"I'm not your queen," screamed Scraps, stamping one foot and then the other ." take me back to_the emerald city, you miserable ragamuffin . I_am a free subject of Ozma of Oz ."

"Oh, no ! you're queen of patch, now, corrected Scrapper, picking up the waste basket and jamming it down upon her cotton forehead ." you were chosen by_the royal spool of succession to_be our ruler ! "

while Scraps listened in amazement, he explained how the former queen had gone to pieces and how the golden spool had led them to_the emerald city .

" and you_think, just because your silly spool tagged me, that I'm going to stay and do all your work ? " exclaimed Scraps, snapping her cotton fingers under Scrapper's nose ."Kazupp-kazick, you make me sick ! " Rushing to_the door, she jerked it open, bumped against Piecer, on_his way in, and sat down with a thud .

" what a pretty creature," chirped the Scissor bird, who had flown over Piecer's head ." is_this the new queen ? "

Scrapper nodded .

" she knows almost as_many cross words as_the last one," he chuckled admiringly ." but she refuses to work ."

"Oh, i_think she'll work now," smiled Piecer . with a significant wink at his companion, he thrust a broom into scrap's hands and, turning to_the Scissor bird, said quietly: " if her majesty refuses to clean the castle, just cut off her head ! "

" nothing would give_me more pleasure," chortled the bird, and snapping his scissor bill hungrily, he swooped down upon Scraps and snipped an inch off her yarn hair .

" help ! " screamed the patchwork girl ." help ! help ! " but there_was no one to help her and, as_the Scissor bird took another snip at her yarn, she seized the broom and fell to sweeping for dear life .

" when_you finish sweeping, you_may wash the windows," said the chief Scrapper and, taking the arm of_the prime Piecer, passed pompously out into_the garden . all day, pursued relentlessly by_the Scissor bird, Scraps flew from one task to another . being made of cotton she did_not grow tired, but as she had never in her whole life done anything she did_not wish to_do, you_can imagine how furiously angry she became .

" wait till Ozma hears of_this ! " she raged, shaking her scrubbing brush under the Scissor bird's bill ." just wait ! "

"I'll wait ! " yawned the Scissor bird, " but you'll have to wait too, and while we're waiting suppose you go on with_the scrubbing ."

poor Scraps, she could_have wept with anger, but she had_not_been constructed for crying and having not a tear in her cotton constitution was forced to express her indignation in groans, shouts and threatening verses . to_these the Scissor bird paid no attention whatsoever and by night- fall Scraps had_not even energy enough to_make verses . after complaining bitterly about their dinner, and it must_be confessed that Scraps, having had no experience, proved a poor cook, the two Quiltie Ministers locked her securely in_the palace sitting- room and went off to_tell their fellow townsmen about_the emerald city . they took the Scissor bird with_them and, left to her own devices at last, the patchwork girl sank into a broken chair and began to rock to and fro .

" no wonder the Queens go to pieces so fast," groaned Scraps, anxiously examining a rip in her cotton finger . she had caught it on a nail while scrubbing the castle steps ."Kazupp Kazoo, what shall I_do ? stay here and go to pieces, too ? never ! "

Springing up, she took the candle the Quilties had placed on_the center table and ran from one window to_the other . but the windows were all locked and barred and, after rattling the door knobs and pounding on_the wall, she sat dejectedly down in_the rocking chair again . there_was nothing in_the room to amuse her . all the books in_the bookcase were needle-books, all the cushioms were pin-cushions and_the wall was simply covered with cross stitched mottoes .

"A stitch in_time saves nine ! " sniffed Scraps, scornfully reading the one nearest her ." well, who wants to save nine ? why should nine be saved any more than six or seven ? "

there_was no one to argue it with, so after a little silence she murmured: "I wonder what's in_that chest ? " except for a few rickety chairs and_the sewing- table, the chest was_the only other piece of furniture in_the room .Taking the candle, Scraps walked over to_the chest, and dropping on her knees, cautiously lifted the lid . at first she thought it_was empty, but, as three or four drops of hot candle grease dripped inside, a low growl rumbled out_of_the darkness . in some alarm Scraps jumped back .

" go away ! " roared a gruff voice ." do your own scolding, I'm sleepy ! shut that lid, I tell you ! "

" shut it yourself ! " cried the patchwork girl, who was extremely tired of being ordered about . besides she was a little frightened . at_this, there_was a short pause, followed by a surprised grunt, and presently a rumpled head appeared above the edge of_the chest . it_was a small brown bear .Blinking at Scraps, it grumbled crossly, " where's the queen ? who in scratch are_you ? "

"I'm the queen, who in patch are_you ? " answered the patchwork girl saucily . the bear regarded her attentively for some_time before he answered . then putting his head on one side he explained calmly, " why, I'm a pet of_the late queen cross patch . has she gone to pieces ? "

Scraps nodded ."I don't see why she wanted a bear for a pet," she added frankly .

" you look bright, but I'm afraid you're quite dumb," sniffed the bear, climbing out_of_the chest ." why shouldn't she have a bear for a pet ? Isn't a bear about_the crossest pet one could find ? I helped cross patch with_the grumbling and growling when she was tired .I'll help_you if_you_wish, though it_will_be a little harder . just looking at you makes me want to laugh ."

" well, why don't you ? " asked Scraps, seating herself in_the rocker again .

"Sh-hh ! do_you_want me to lose my position ? " breathed the little bear, looking around anxiously ."I mustn't laugh .Don't you_know a bear is supposed to_be cross ? you_have to_be pretty cross to_keep your place in_this country ! "

" well, I don't intend to stay in_this country," announced Scraps, rocking vigorously backward and forward ." i_was kidnapped and crowned queen against my will and I intend to run away as_soon_as I_can . princess Ozma may send for_me any minute, too . all she has_to do is to look in_the magic picture ." this_was quite true, for in Ozma's palace hangs an enchanted picture, showing a country landscape . if_the little fairy ruler wishes to locate any of her subjects, she has but to command them to appear and_the magic picture immediately shows where they_are and what they_are doing . all of_this, and a bit about Ozma and_the emerald city, Scraps explained to_the cross little bear and he listened most earnestly, wiggling his buttony nose with interest .

" what's your_name ? " asked Scraps presently .

" grumpy ! " answered the bear gruffly ." what's yours ? "

"Scraps ! " said the patchwork girl, kicking her heels against the rocker .

now, one_of_the delightful things about Oz is_that all the animals and birds can talk; and as talk of any kind interested Scraps she began to_feel quite cheerful and like herself .

" you mean queen Scraps," corrected the little bear, eyeing the work- basket on her head with great respect .

" not if I_can help it ! " cried the patchwork girl, springing out of her seat and rattling the crown jewels defiantly ." the country is all right, but who ever heard of a queen doing all the work ? it's ridiculous ."

" queen cross patch liked to work," muttered grumpy . then, sitting down thoughtlessly on a pin- cushion, he arose with a loud roar ." well, I don't," said Scraps, while grumpy, growling furiously, pulled two needles from_his fur ." so I_hope Ozma looks in_the magic picture soon, but whether she does or not I_shall run off first chance I get- " back to_the city of sun and song, back to_the city where I belong ! "

" it'll be a long_time before_they let you," observed grumpy thoughtfully, " and if_you try to escape the Scissor bird will cut off your head . what would you_do then ? "

" have it sewed on again," declared Scraps stoutly, but she shivered a little at_the prospect and in a slightly shaky voice inquired, "Don't you_know any games or riddles ? no one's around now and we_might as_well have some fun ."

grumpy shook his head, then brightening up a little he slid out of_his chair ." cross patch and I always cuffed each_other a bit after dinner," he_said casually .

" cuffed each_other ! " gasped Scraps ." what for ? "

" for practice," explained grumpy solemnly ." you_have no idea how_many new cross words we learned that way . it's simply astonishing what cross words you_can think of when someone thumps you on_the ear . come on- let's try it . you'll need to_know alot of cross words ." Drawing back his fuzzy arm, grumpy gave the patchwork girl a cuff that sent her flying into_the corner .

" what a pleasant pastime ! " puffed Scraps, picking herself up with a flounce ." do_you call that fun ? " she demanded, shaking the dust scornfully out of her skirts .

" well, what do_you_want to_do then ? " mumbled the little bear sullenly ." that's the only game I_know . say, someone's at_the door ! listen ! "

someone certainly was . first, the bell rang long and clangingly . then came such a series of thumps, kicks and slams that all the cross stitched mottoes fell sideways .

"Oh ! " shrilled the patchwork girl, flinging up her arms joyously, " I_know .Ozma has sent someone to rescue me . come on grumpy, we'll let them in .

" how do_you_know it's rescuers ? " shivered the little bear anxiously ." they sound like robbers to_me ! "

" get out ! " cried Scraps, running over to_the door .

" we_can't get out," grumpy reminded her patiently, " for we're locked in good and tight ."

" that's so," sighed the patchwork girl, pressing her cotton nose to_the window bars ." they'll have to break down the door ."

"Sounds as if_they had," sputtered the little bear, as a terrible crash sounded from_the hallway ." here they_come ! " Jumping head first into_the chest grumpy pulled down the lid .

chapter 4

Peter Flies with an odd bird

nothing at all ever happens here," exclaimed Peter, digging his hands deep into his pockets and staring discontentedly out_of_the window .

" there's a balloon man on_the corner, chuckled his grandfather, who was standing just behind Peter ." go buy yourself a balloon ." with another chuckle he dropped a quarter into Peter's hand and went back to_his evening paper .

"I'm too old for balloons," said Peter with great disgust ." i_should think you'd know that, grandfather ."

" then buy me one," laughed the old gentle- man, winking provokingly . there_was no use arguing with a person like that, so Peter, fully intending to_buy some marbles and a double nut sundae, ran out_of_the house .

Peter's home was in Philadelphia, facing on a large public square and_the balloon man, his boisterous wares nearly tugging him off his feet, stood on_the corner nearest Peter . there_was something mysterious about_the man . his face was dark and merry and_his long pointed beard and slouch hat gave him the appearance of a merchant from some far country, so_that in_spite of himself Peter stopped .

"A balloon, young gentleman ? " inquired the dealer, bowing politely to_the little boy ." what do_you

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16]