Oz 18: Grandpa in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson

Oz 18: Grandpa in Oz by Ruth Plumly Thompson
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Grandpa Oz

ruth Plumly Thompson

this book dedicated , with deep affection , uncle Billy ( major William J hammer ) author , inventor and second cousin Santa Claus

list Chapters
1 rainy day Ragbad
2 the wise man Speaks
3 the blue forest Oz
4 the baffled Bandits
5 down the hollow tree
6 the wizard 's garden
7 the Winding stairway
8 strange happenings perhaps city
9 Dorothy Meets new celebrity
10 prince forge John fire island
11 into_the volcano
12 the island Isa Poso
13 Tatters Receives the reward
14 Monday mountain
15 the Finding Fumbo's head !
16 princess Dorothy Escapes
17 the Adventurers meet
18 the mischievous play Fellows
19 back perhaps city
20 the prophet Confesses
21 Urtha transformed
22 Rejoicing Raghad

chapter 1

rainy day Ragbad

king FUMBO Ragbad shook in_his carpet slippers had removed his red shoes , he_could_not very_well shake in_them

" dear ," quavered the king , flattening his nose against the cracked pane , " will_you just look out of_this window and tell what you_see ? "

" dear " was really the queen Ragbad and years_ago , when she had first come to_the old red castle on_the hill , she had worn her crown every day and was always addressed " your majesty ! " but time passed and affairs in_the kingdom had gone from bad worse , dear , like many another queen , had taken off her crown , put her thimble and become plain Mrs sew - and - sew , and with all her sewing she had barely been able to_keep the kingdom from falling pieces she was stitching patch on_the king 's Thursday cloak at_this very minute I_am telling you about

" what now ! " gasped the poor lady , and rushing to_the window she also pressed her nose to_the pane

" you_see what I_see ? " choked king Fumbo, clutching her hand

" I_see great cloud rolling over red mountain ," panted Mrs sew - and - sew " I_see the red geese flying before_the wind I_see -" here she gave great bounce and brushed past her husband - " I_see best patch work quilt blowing down the highway ! " moaned Mrs sew - and - sew , stumbling across the room

" ruination ! " spluttered the king as_the door slammed after his wife " shut the bells ! ring the windows; fetch prince Tatters and call red umbrella ! Grampa ! Scroggles ! where every Ragbad- body ? "

Grampa, happened , was in_the garden and Grampa was old soldier with game leg who had fought nine hundred and eighty Ragbad battles and beaten everything , including the drum just now he_was beating the carpet Tatters, the young prince Ragbad, was off picnic with_the Redsmith, and Scroggles, the footman - - all - work about_the castle , was mending hole in_the roof , none_of_them heard the king 's calls

finally , seeing that one was coming carry out his commands, Fumbo began carry them out himself first clutched his red beard and jumped clear out of_his carpet slippers next slammed the window on_his with_his in_his mouth hurled himself upon_the bell rope , pulling violently the cord broke and dropped him upon his back Having failed ring the bell , wrung his hands- and well might , for_the room had grown dark pitch and_the wind was howling down the chimney like pack hungry gollywockers

"I'll get umbrella ," muttered king Fumbo, scrambling to_his feet , but just reached the door , ten thousand pounds thunder clapped the castle on_the back and startled poor Fumbo that fell through_the door and all the way down ten flights steps and worse still , when finally did pick himself , instead running into_the throne room , plunged out garden and_the storm broke right over his head - broke with_such flashing lightning and crashing thunder , and lashing tree tops, that_the king and such other luckless Ragbadians were out were flung flat their noses, and_the ones who were indoors crept under beds and into cup -boards and wished they had_been better than they even Grampa- who was far and away the bravest man in_the country - even Grampa, after one look at_the sky , rolled himself in_the carpet beating and lay trembling like tobacco leaf

" this_will certainly spoil the rag crop , sighed Grampa dismally , and spoke right out in_this frank fashion of_the chief industry Ragbad, I'd better tell you bit more about_the country itself, for I_can_see your nose curling with curiosity and curly noses are_not nearly becoming as_they used to_be

to_begin with , Ragbad OZ-a small patch kingdom way down in_the south - western corner of_the Quadling country in_the reign Fumbo's father had_been famous for its chintz and tapis trees, its red ginghams and calico vines, its cotton fields and its fine linens and lawns indeed , one_time , all the dress goods Oz grown in_the gardens Ragbad

but when Fumbo came to_the throne , began to_spend so_much time reading and so_much money for books and tobacco that soon emptied the treasury and had money to_pay the chintz and gingham pickers, nor send the lawns to_the laundry - they were always slightly dusty from being trodden - and one after another the workers Ragbad had_been forced seek living other lands, so_that now there were only twenty-seven families left , and_the cotton fields and calico bushes, the chintz and tapis trees, from lack care and cultivation , ran perfectly wild and yielded - instead fine bolts material - nothing but shreds, tatters and rags

the twenty-seven remaining Ragbadians, including the Redsmith, the miller , the baker and twenty-four rustic laborers, after vain attempt to_do_the work twenty-seven hundred , gave despair and became common rag -pickers from_these rags, which fortunately were still plentiful , Mrs sew - and - sew and_the good wives Ragbad made all the clothing worn in_the kingdom , besides countless rag rugs, and_the money obtained sale of_these rugs was all that kept the little country from absolute and utter ruin

of_the splendid courtiers and servitors surrounding Fumbo's father only three remained , for I_regret to_say that neither the servants nor the old nobility had_been able stand the hardships attendant upon poverty , and_they had left body the first morning Mrs sew - and - sew had served oatmeal without cream for breakfast the army , too , had deserted and marched off Jinxland because the king could_not buy them new uniforms, so_that only three retainers were left in_the old red castle on_the hill Pudge, the oldest and fattest of_the wise men , had stayed because he_was fond of_his room in_the tower and Mrs sew - and - sew 's coffee Scroggles, the second footman , had stayed because had old - fashioned notions of_his duty , and Grampa, though long since discharged from active service , had stuck to_his post like the gallant old soldier he_was , and there were battles fight , tended the furnace , weeded the gardens and helped king Fumbo and Mrs sew - and - sew bring their son fine young prince any Oz

it_was prince Tatters during all this bluster - that Grampa was thinking lay shivering under the carpet , and as_soon_as_the thunder stopped hammering in_his ears stuck out his head the wind , after snatching off ten roofs, the wings from_the red mill and shaking all the little cottages till their very chimneys chattered , had rushed away over red mountain it_was still raining, but Grampa, seeing that_the worst was over , crawled out_of_the carpet and began look for trouble and what do_you s' pose he_found ? why , the king , at_least , the best part of_the king !

"Ragamercy ! " shrieked the old soldier , jumping behind tapis tree , thing had never done all of_those nine hundred and eighty battles but his conduct does_not surprise all , for Fumbo had lost his head in_the storm , and was running wildly around without -stumbling over bushes and vines and stamping his stockinged feet perfect frenzy fright and fury now , of_course , you_will say once that Fumbo is_not the first king lose his head and I_can only answer that is_the first I ever heard who went living without , and Ragbad were_not in_the wonderful land Oz i_should say once that_the thing was impossible Oz, however , one may come apart , but one ever dies; here was poor Fumbo, with_his head clean off , live and lively ever

Breathing hard Grampa peered around the tapis tree again to_see whether his eyes had deceived him but , was_the king , without doubt , and without his head " whatever will Mrs sew - and - sew now ," groaned Grampa, and pulling his campaign hat well down over his ears dashed out and seizing Fumbo's arm began splashing through_the garden , dragging the king along after him Mrs sew - and - sew had already reached the castle and was sitting on_the broken -springed sofa that served for throne , sneezing violently she had not_only rescued her quilt , but she had caught frightful cold all the colors in_the quilt had run together , and this last calamity upset the poor lady that she began sobbing and sneezing turns but right in_the middle of_the fifteenth sneeze , she looked and saw the old soldier with_the game leg standing in_the doorway

" now don't frightened ," begged Grampa, advancing stiffly and dripping water all over the rug "Don't alarmed , but at_the same time prepare yourself for blow "

Mrs sew - and - sew , with her damp kerchief her hand , had already been preparing herself for blow , but now , dropping the handkerchief , she sneezed instead and when , glancing over Grampa's shoulder she caught sight of_the king , she sneezed again and fainted dead away and rolled under the sofa

" this_is worse than battle ," puffed Grampa, dashing between_the king and_the queen , for every time tried help Mrs sew - and - sew the king fell over chair upset table

" halt ! about face and wheel your left , can 't you ? " roared the old soldier , mopping his forehead but to_these instructions Fumbo, having face about him , paid attention instead wheeled to_the right and swept all the ornaments from_the mantel down on_the old soldier 's head , and then jumped Grampa's good foot hard that Grampa forgot for moment he_was king , and thumped him in_the ribs then , muttering apologies , the old soldier seized curtain cord and tied Fumbo red pillar this done , reached under the sofa , pulled out Mrs sew - and - sew , and having nothing else handy gave her huge pinch snuff just she came , from_the garden , splashing water every direction , rushed prince Tatters and kitchen pelted Pudge, the aged wise man

" the rag crop ruined and_the king will lose his head ! " panted Pudge, who had bad habit predicting events after they had occurred

" has lost his head ," corrected Grampa, jerking his over his shoulder

" but Grampa ! " Stumbling across the room , prince Tatters shook the old soldier by_the arm " when - how - why - what_will ? "

" without ," sighed the old soldier , glancing uneasily Fumbo

" the king has lost his head , long live his body ! " wheezed Pudge, rolling his eyes

" now don't cry , dear ! " begged Grampa, scowling reprovingly Pudge and patting Mrs sew - and - sew on_the shoulder "Having head really saves one end trouble face wash ! more headaches, ear aches, tooth aches ! " Grampa's voice grew more and more cheerful " lectures listen , spectacles hunt , hair lose , more colds catch in_it why he_is really better off without head ! "

but Mrs sew - and - sew refused to_be comforted and rocking and fro moaned , " what shall we_do ! what shall we_do ? what shall we_do ? "

"I tell you ," proposed Pudge, pursing his lips importantly " let 's all have strong cup coffee " as_this seemed sensible suggestion they all filed into_the big red kitchen of_the castle , leaving Fumbo kicking his heels against the stone pillar

chapter 2

the wise man Speaks

"I suppose ," sighed the old soldier , stirring his coffee with_the handle of_his sword , " would good hunt for_the king 's head in_the garden ? "

Drying out before_the blazing fire in_the kitchen stove and sipping Mrs sew - and - sew 's fragrant coffee the little company had grown more calm

"I'll just have look ," said prince Tatters, pushing back his chair , but the old wise man shook impatient finger at_the very idea of_such thing

" when king 's head goes off goes off ," declared Pudge huskily -" way off far off can

" how far is_that ? " asked the old soldier " and -"

" hush , I_am thinking," wheezed Pudge, ruffling his hair with one hand and holding out his coffee cup with_the other " I_am thinking and presently I_shall speak another cup coffee , 'am ! " this_was his seventh cup and after had sipped deliberately, scraped all the sugar out_of_the bottom and licked the spoon , set down both cup and saucer , flung his hands and spoke " let prince Tatters of_his father 's head ," said the old wise man Ragbad " let him seek at_the same time his fortune , princess with fortune , for otherwise he_will end common rag - picker "