Oz 07: The Patchwork Girl of Oz by L. Frank Baum
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had passed through in many years ."

"Looks are deceiving," declared the shaggy man, laughing at their disappointed faces, " and this barrier is_the most deceiving thing in all Oz ."

" it prevents our going any farther, anyhow," said Scraps ." there_is no one to mind the gate and let people through, and we've no key to_the padlock ."

" true," replied Ojo, going a little nearer to peep through_the bars of_the gate ." what shall we_do, shaggy man ? if_we had wings we_might fly over the wall, but we_cannot climb it and unless we get to_the emerald city I won't be_able to_find the things to restore Unc Nunkie to life ."

" all very true," answered the shaggy man, quietly; " but I_know this gate, having passed through it many_times ."

" how ? " they all eagerly inquired .

"I'll show you how," said he . he stood Ojo in_the middle of_the road and placed Scraps just behind him, with her padded hands on_his shoulders . after_the patchwork girl came the woozy, who held a part of her skirt in_his mouth . then, last of all, was_the glass Cat, holding fast to_the woozy's tail with her glass jaws .

" now," said the shaggy man, " you_must all shut your eyes tight, and keep them shut until I tell you to open them ."

" I_can't," objected Scraps ." my eyes are buttons, and_they won't shut ."

so the shaggy man tied his red handkerchief over the patchwork girl's eyes and examined all the others to_make sure they had their eyes fast shut and could_see nothing .

" what's the game, anyhow-- blind- man's- buff ? " asked Scraps .

" keep quiet ! " commanded the shaggy man, sternly ." all ready ? then follow me ."

he_took Ojo's hand and led him forward over the road of yellow bricks, toward the gate .Holding fast to one another they all followed in a row, expecting every_minute to bump against the iron bars . the shaggy man also had his eyes closed, but marched straight ahead, nevertheless, and after he had taken one hundred steps, by actual count, he stopped and said:

" now you_may open your eyes ."

they_did so, and to_their astonishment found the wall and_the gateway far behind them, while in front the former blue country of_the Munchkins had given way to green fields, with pretty farm-houses scattered among them .

" that wall," explained the shaggy man, " is what_is called an optical illusion . it_is quite real while you_have your eyes open, but if you_are_not looking at it the barrier doesn't exist at all . it's the same way with many_other evils in life; they seem to exist, and yet it's all seeming and not true . you_will notice that_the wall-- or what we thought was a wall--separates the Munchkin country from_the green country that surrounds the emerald city, which lies exactly in_the center of Oz . there_are two roads of yellow bricks through_the Munchkin country, but the one we followed is_the best of_the two . Dorothy once traveled the other way, and met with more dangers than we_did . but all our troubles are over for_the_present, as another day's journey will bring us to_the great emerald city ."

they were delighted to_know this, and proceeded with new courage . in a couple of hours they stopped at a farmhouse, where the people were very hospitable and invited them to dinner . the farm folk regarded Scraps with much curiosity but no great astonishment, for they were accustomed to seeing extraordinary people in_the land of Oz .

the woman of_this house got her needle and thread and sewed up the holes made by_the porcupine quills in_the patchwork girl's body, after which Scraps was assured she looked as beautiful as ever .

" you ought_to_have a hat to wear," remarked the woman, " for that_would keep the sun from fading the colors of your face . I_have some patches and scraps put away, and if_you_will wait two_or_three days I'll make you a lovely hat that_will match the rest of you ."

" never mind the hat," said Scraps, shaking her yarn braids; " it's a kind offer, but we_can't stop . I_can't see that my colors have faded a particle, as_yet; can_you ? "

" not much," replied the woman ." you_are still very gorgeous, in_spite of your long journey ."

the children of_the house wanted to_keep the glass Cat to play with, so bungle was offered a good home if she_would remain; but the cat was too_much interested in Ojo's adventures and refused to stop .

" children are rough playmates," she remarked to_the shaggy man, " and although this home is more pleasant than that of_the crooked magician I_fear i_would soon be smashed to pieces by_the boys and girls ."

after they had rested themselves they renewed their journey, finding the road now smooth and pleasant to walk upon and_the country growing more beautiful the nearer they drew to_the emerald city .

by and by Ojo began to walk on_the green grass, looking carefully around him .

" what_are you trying to_find ? " asked Scraps .

"A six-leaved clover," said he .

"Don't do_that ! " exclaimed the shaggy man, earnestly ." it's against the law to pick asix- leaved clover . you_must wait until you get Ozma's consent ."

" she wouldn't know it," declared the boy .

"Ozma knows many things," said the shaggy man ." in her room is a magic picture that shows any scene in_the land of Oz where strangers or travelers happen to_be . she_may_be watching the picture of us even now, and noticing everything that we_do ."

"Does she always watch the magic picture ? " asked Ojo .

" not always, for she has many_other things to_do; but, as I_said, she_may_be watching us this very minute ."

"I don't care," said Ojo, in an obstinate tone of voice; "Ozma's only a girl ."

the shaggy man looked at him in surprise .

" you ought to care for Ozma," said he, " if_you expect to save your uncle . for, if_you displease our powerful ruler, your journey will surely prove a failure; whereas, if_you make a friend of Ozma, she will gladly assist you . as for her being a girl, that_is another reason why you_should obey her laws, if_you_are courteous and polite . everyone in Oz loves Ozma and hates her enemies, for she_is as just as she_is powerful ."

Ojo sulked a while, but finally returned to_the road and kept away from_the green clover . the boy was moody and bad tempered for an hour or two afterward, because he_could really see no harm in picking asix-leaved clover, if he_found one, and in_spite of what the shaggy man had said he considered Ozma's law to_be unjust .

they presently came to a beautiful grove of tall and stately trees, through which the road wound in sharp curves-- first one_way and then another . as_they were walking through_this grove they heard some one in_the distance singing, and_the sounds grew nearer and nearer until they_could distinguish the words, although the bend in_the road still hid the singer . the song was something like this:

" here's to_the hale old bale of straw that's cut from_the waving grain, the sweetest sight man ever saw in forest, dell or plain . it fills me with acrunkling joy a straw- stack to behold, for then I pad this lucky boy with strands of yellow gold ."

"Ah ! " exclaimed the shaggy man; " here comes my friend the Scarecrow ."

" what, a live Scarecrow ? " asked Ojo .

" yes; the one i_told you of . he's a splendid fellow, and very intelligent . you'll like him, I'm sure ."

just then the famous Scarecrow of Oz came around the bend in_the road, riding astride a wooden sawhorse which_was so small that its rider's legs nearly touched the ground .

the Scarecrow wore the blue dress of_the Munchkins, in_which country he was_made, and on_his head was set a peaked hat with a flat brim trimmed with tinkling bells .a rope was tied around his waist to hold him in shape, for he_was stuffed with straw in every part of him except the top of_his head, where at one_time the wizard of Oz had placed sawdust, mixed with needles and pins, to sharpen his wits . the head itself was merely a bag of cloth, fastened to_the body at_the neck, and on_the front of_this bag was painted the face--ears, eyes, nose and mouth .

the Scarecrow's face was very interesting, for_it bore a comical and yet winning expression, although one eye was a bit larger than_the other and ears were_not mates . the Munchkin farmer who had made the Scarecrow had neglected to sew him together with close stitches and therefore some_of_the straw with_which he_was stuffed was inclined to stick out between_the seams . his hands consisted of padded white gloves, with_the fingers long and rather limp, and on_his feet he wore Munchkin boots of blue leather with broad turns at_the tops of_them .

the sawhorse was almost as curious as its rider . it had_been rudely made, in_the beginning, to saw logs upon, so_that its body was a short length of a log, and its legs were stout branches fitted into four holes made in_the body . the tail was formed by a small branch that had_been left on_the log, while the head was a gnarled bump on one end of_the body . two knots of wood formed the eyes, and_the mouth was a gash chopped in_the log . when_the sawhorse first came to life it had no ears at all, and so could_not hear; but the boy who then owned him had whittled two ears out of bark and stuck them in_the head, after which the sawhorse heard very distinctly .

this queer wooden horse was a great favorite with princess Ozma, who had caused the bottoms of_its legs to_be shod with plates of gold, so the wood would_not wear away . its saddle was_made of cloth- of- gold richly encrusted with precious gems . it had never worn a bridle .

as_the Scarecrow came in sight of_the party of travelers, he reined in_his wooden steed and dismounted, greeting the shaggy man with asmiling nod . then he turned to stare at_the patchwork girl in wonder, while she in turn stared at him .

"Shags," he whispered, drawing the shaggy man aside, " pat me into shape, there's a good fellow ! "

while his friend punched and patted the Scarecrow's body, to smooth out the humps, Scraps turned to Ojo and whispered: " roll me out, please; I've sagged down dreadfully from walking so_much and men like to_see a stately figure ."

she then fell upon_the ground and_the boy rolled her back and forth like arolling- pin, until the cotton had filled all the spaces in her patchwork covering and_the body had lengthened to its fullest extent .Scraps and_the Scarecrow both finished their hasty toilets at_the same time, and again they faced each_other .

" allow me, miss patchwork," said the shaggy man, " to_present my friend, the right royal Scarecrow of Oz .Scarecrow, this_is miss Scraps Patches; Scraps, this_is_the Scarecrow .Scarecrow--Scraps; Scraps--Scarecrow ."

they both bowed with much dignity .

" forgive me for staring so rudely," said the Scarecrow, " but you_are the most beautiful sight my eyes have ever beheld ."

" that_is a high compliment from one who_is himself so beautiful," murmured Scraps, casting down her suspender- button eyes by lowering her head ." but, tell me, good sir, are_you not a trifle lumpy ? "

" yes, of_course; that's my straw, you_know . it bunches up, sometimes, in_spite of all my efforts to_keep it even .Doesn't your straw ever bunch ? "

"Oh, I'm stuffed with cotton," said Scraps ." it never bunches, but it's inclined to pack down and make me sag ."

" but cotton is a high- grade stuffing . I_may say it_is even more stylish, not to_say aristocratic, than straw," said the Scarecrow politely ." still, it_is but proper that one so entrancingly lovely should_have the best stuffing there_is going .I-- er--I'm so glad I've met you, miss Scraps ! introduce us again, shaggy ."

" once is enough," replied the shaggy man, laughing at his friend's enthusiasm .

" then tell me where you found her, and-- dear me, what a queer cat ! what_are you_made of--gelatine ? "

" pure glass," answered the cat, proud to_have attracted the Scarecrow's attention ." I_am much more beautiful than_the patchwork girl .I'm transparent, and Scraps isn't; I've pink brains-- you_can see 'em work; and I've a ruby heart, finely polished, while Scraps hasn't any heart at all ."

" no more have I," said the Scarecrow, shaking hands with Scraps, as_if to congratulate her on_the fact ."I've a friend, the tin woodman, who has a heart, but I_find I get along pretty well without one . and so-- well, well ! here's a little Munchkin boy, too . shake hands, my little man . how are_you ? "

Ojo placed his hand in_the flabby stuffed glove that served the Scarecrow for a hand, and_the Scarecrow pressed it so cordially that_the straw in_his glove crackled .

meantime, the woozy had approached the sawhorse and begun to sniff at it . the sawhorse resented this familiarity and with a sudden kick pounded the woozy squarely on its head with one gold- shod foot .

" take that, you monster ! " it cried angrily .

the woozy never even winked .

" to_be_sure," he_said; "I'll take anything I_have to . but don't make me angry, you wooden beast, or my eyes will flash fire and burn you up ."

the sawhorse rolled its knot eyes wickedly and kicked again, but the woozy trotted away and said to_the Scarecrow:

" what a sweet disposition that creature has ! I advise you to chop it up for kindling- wood and use me to ride upon . my back is flat and you_can't fall off ."

" i_think the trouble is_that you haven't been properly introduced," said

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