"These are your rooms," said
Dorothy, opening a door.
Aunt Em drew back at the sight
of the splendid furniture and
draperies.
"Ain't there any place to wipe
my feet?" she asked.
"You will soon change your
slippers for new shoes," replied
Dorothy. "Don't be afraid, Aunt
Em. Here is where you are to
live, so walk right in and make
yourself at home."
Aunt Em advanced hesitatingly.
"It beats the Topeka Hotel!" she
cried admiringly. "But this place
is too grand for us, child. Can't
we have some back room in the
attic, that's more in our class?"
"No," said Dorothy. "You've
got to live here, 'cause Ozma
says so. And all the rooms in
this palace are just as fine
as these, and some are better.
It won't do any good to fuss,
Aunt Em. You've got to be swell
and high-toned in the Land of
Oz, whether you want to or not;
so you may as well make up your
mind to it."
"It's hard luck," replied her
aunt, looking around with an
awed expression; "but folks can
get used to anything, if they
try. Eh, Henry?"
"Why, as to that," said Uncle
Henry, slowly, "I b'lieve in
takin' what's pervided us, an'
askin' no questions. I've traveled
some, Em, in my time, and you
hain't; an' that makes a difference
atween us."
Then Dorothy showed them through
the rooms. The first was a handsome
sitting-room, with windows opening
upon the rose gardens. Then came
separate bedrooms for Aunt Em
and Uncle Henry, with a fine
bathroom between them. Aunt Em
had a pretty dressing room, besides,
and Dorothy opened the closets
and showed several exquisite
costumes that had been provided
for her aunt by the royal dressmakers,
who had worked all night to get
them ready. Everything that Aunt
Em could possibly need was in
the drawers and closets, and
her dressing-table was covered
with engraved gold toilet articles.
Uncle Henry had nine suits
of clothes, cut in the popular
Munchkin fashion, with knee-breeches,
silk stockings, and low shoes
with jeweled buckles. The hats
to match these costumes had pointed
tops and wide brims with small
gold bells around the edges.
His shirts were of fine linen
with frilled bosoms, and his
vests were richly embroidered
with colored silks.
Uncle Henry
decided that he would first
take a bath and then
dress himself in a blue satin
suit that had caught his fancy.
He accepted his good fortune
with calm composure and refused
to have a servant to assist him.
But Aunt Em was "all of a flutter," as
she said, and it took Dorothy
and Jellia Jamb, the housekeeper,
and two maids a long time to
dress her and do up her hair
and get her "rigged like a popinjay," as
she quaintly expressed it. She
wanted to stop and admire everything
that caught her eye, and she
sighed continually and declared
that such finery was too good
for an old country woman, and
that she never thought she would
have to "put on airs" at her
time of life.
Finally she was dressed, and
when she went into the sitting-room
there was Uncle Henry in his
blue satin, walking gravely up
and down the room. He had trimmed
his beard and mustache and looked
very dignified and respectable.
"Tell me, Dorothy," he said; "do
all the men here wear duds like
these?"
"Yes," she replied; "all
'cept the Scarecrow and the
Shaggy
Man--and of course the Tin Woodman
and Tiktok, who are made of metal.
You'll find all the men at Ozma's
court dressed just as you are--only
perhaps a little finer."
"Henry, you look like a play-actor," announced
Aunt Em, looking at her husband
critically.
"An' you, Em, look more highfalutin'
than a peacock," he replied.
"I guess you're right," she
said regretfully; "but we're
helpless victims of high-toned
royalty."
Dorothy was much amused.
"Come with me," she said, "and
I'll show you 'round the palace."
She took them through the beautiful
rooms and introduced them to
all the people they chanced to
meet. Also she showed them her
own pretty rooms, which were
not far from their own.
"So it's all true," said Aunt
Em, wide-eyed with amazement, "and
what Dorothy told us of this
fairy country was plain facts
instead of dreams! But where
are all the strange creatures
you used to know here?"
"Yes, where's the Scarecrow?" inquired
Uncle Henry.
"Why, he's just now away on
a visit to the Tin Woodman, who
is Emp'ror of the Winkie Country," answered
the little girl. "You'll see
him when he comes back, and you're
sure to like him."
"And where's the Wonderful
Wizard?" asked Aunt Em.
"You'll see him at Ozma's luncheon,
for he lives here in this palace," was
the reply.
"And Jack Pumpkinhead?"
"Oh, he lives
a little way out of town, in
his own pumpkin
field. We'll go there some time
and see him, and we'll call on
Professor Wogglebug, too. The
Shaggy Man will be at the luncheon,
I guess, and Tiktok. And now
I'll take you out to see Billina,
who has a house of her own."
So they went into the back
yard, and after walking along
winding paths some distance through
the beautiful gardens they came
to an attractive little house
where the Yellow Hen sat on the
front porch sunning herself.
"Good morning, my dear Mistress," called
Billina, fluttering down to meet
them. "I was expecting you to
call, for I heard you had come
back and brought your uncle and
aunt with you."
"We're here for good and all,
this time, Billina," cried Dorothy,
joyfully. "Uncle Henry and Aunt
Em belong to Oz now as much as
I do!"
"Then they are very lucky people," declared
Billina; "for there couldn't
be a nicer place to live. But
come, my dear; I must show you
all my Dorothys. Nine are living
and have grown up to be very
respectable hens; but one took
cold at Ozma's birthday party
and died of the pip, and the
other two turned out to be horrid
roosters, so I had to change
their names from Dorothy to Daniel.
They all had the letter 'D' engraved
upon their gold lockets, you
remember, with your picture inside,
and 'D' stands for Daniel as
well as for Dorothy."
"Did you call both the roosters
Daniel?" asked Uncle Henry.
"Yes, indeed. I've nine Dorothys
and two Daniels; and the nine
Dorothys have eighty-six sons
and daughters and over three
hundred grandchildren," said
Billina, proudly.
"What names do you give 'em
all, dear?" inquired the little
girl.
"Oh, they are all Dorothys
and Daniels, some being Juniors
and some Double-Juniors. Dorothy
and Daniel are two good names,
and I see no object in hunting
for others," declared the Yellow
Hen. "But just think, Dorothy,
what a big chicken family we've
grown to be, and our numbers
increase nearly every day! Ozma
doesn't know what to do with
all the eggs we lay, and we are
never eaten or harmed in any
way, as chickens are in your
country. They give us everything
to make us contented and happy,
and I, my dear, am the acknowledged
Queen and Governor of every chicken
in Oz, because I'm the eldest
and started the whole colony."
"You ought to be very proud,
ma'am," said Uncle Henry, who
was astonished to hear a hen
talk so sensibly.
"Oh, I am," she replied. "I've
the loveliest pearl necklace
you ever saw. Come in the house
and I'll show it to you. And
I've nine leg bracelets and a
diamond pin for each wing. But
I only wear them on state occasions."
They followed the Yellow Hen
into the house, which Aunt Em
declared was neat as a pin. They
could not sit down, because all
Billina's chairs were roosting-poles
made of silver; so they had to
stand while the hen fussily showed
them her treasures.
Then they had to go into the
back rooms occupied by Billina's
nine Dorothys and two Daniels,
who were all plump yellow chickens
and greeted the visitors very
politely. It was easy to see
that they were well bred and
that Billina had looked after
their education.
In the yards were all the children
and grandchildren of these eleven
elders and they were of all sizes,
from well-grown hens to tiny
chickens just out of the shell.
About fifty fluffy yellow youngsters
were at school, being taught
good manners and good grammar
by a young hen who wore spectacles.
They sang in chorus a patriotic
song of the Land of Oz, in honor
of their visitors, and Aunt Em
was much impressed by these talking
chickens.
Dorothy wanted to stay and
play with the young chickens
for awhile, but Uncle Henry and
Aunt Em had not seen the palace
grounds and gardens yet and were
eager to get better acquainted
with the marvelous and delightful
land in which they were to live.
"I'll stay here, and you can
go for a walk," said Dorothy. "You'll
be perfec'ly safe anywhere, and
may do whatever you want to.
When you get tired, go back to
the palace and find your rooms,
and I'll come to you before luncheon
is ready."
So Uncle Henry and Aunt Em
started out alone to explore
the grounds, and Dorothy knew
that they couldn't get lost,
because all the palace grounds
were enclosed by a high wall
of green marble set with emeralds.
It was a rare treat to these
simple folk, who had lived in
the country all their lives and
known little enjoyment of any
sort, to wear beautiful clothes
and live in a palace and be treated
with respect and consideration
by all around them. They were
very happy indeed as they strolled
up the shady walks and looked
upon the gorgeous flowers and
shrubs, feeling that their new
home was more beautiful than
any tongue could describe.
Suddenly, as they turned a
corner and walked through a gap
in a high hedge, they came face
to face with an enormous Lion,
which crouched upon the green
lawn and seemed surprised by
their appearance.
They stopped short, Uncle Henry
trembling with horror and Aunt
Em too terrified to scream. Next
moment the poor woman clasped
her husband around the neck and
cried:
"Save me, Henry,
save me!"
"Can't even save myself, Em," he
returned, in a husky voice, "for
the animile looks as if it could
eat both of us an' lick its chops
for more! If I only had a gun--"
"Haven't you, Henry? Haven't
you?" she asked anxiously.
"Nary gun,
Em. So let's die as brave an'
graceful as we can.
I knew our luck couldn't last!"
"I won't die. I won't be eaten
by a lion!" wailed Aunt Em, glaring
upon the huge beast. Then a thought
struck her, and she whispered, "Henry,
I've heard as savage beastses
can be conquered by the human
eye. I'll eye that lion out o'
countenance an' save our lives."
"Try it, Em," he returned,
also in a whisper. "Look at him
as you do at me when I'm late
to dinner."
Aunt Em turned upon the Lion
a determined countenance and
a wild dilated eye. She glared
at the immense beast steadily,
and the Lion, who had been quietly
blinking at them, began to appear
uneasy and disturbed.
"Is anything the matter, ma'am?" he
asked, in a mild voice.
At this speech from the terrible
beast Aunt Em and Uncle Henry
both were startled, and then
Uncle Henry remembered that this
must be the Lion they had seen
in Ozma's Throne Room.
"Hold on, Em!" he exclaimed. "Quit
the eagle eye conquest an' take
courage. I guess this is the
same Cowardly Lion Dorothy has
told us about."
"Oh, is it?" she
cried, much relieved.
"When he spoke, I got the idea;
and when he looked so 'shamed
like, I was sure of it," Uncle
Henry continued.
Aunt Em regarded the animal
with new interest.
"Are you the Cowardly Lion?" she
inquired. "Are you Dorothy's
friend?"
"Yes'm," answered the Lion,
meekly. "Dorothy and I are old
chums and are very fond of each
other. I'm the King of Beasts,
you know, and the Hungry Tiger
and I serve Princess Ozma as
her body guards."
"To be sure," said Aunt Em,
nodding. "But the King of Beasts
shouldn't be cowardly."
"I've heard that said before," remarked
the Lion, yawning till he showed
two great rows of sharp white
teeth; "but that does not keep
me from being frightened whenever
I go into battle."
"What do you do, run?" asked
Uncle Henry.
"No; that would be foolish,
for the enemy would run after
me," declared the Lion. "So I
tremble with fear and pitch in
as hard as I can; and so far
I have always won my fight."
"Ah, I begin to understand," said
Uncle Henry.
"Were you scared when I looked
at you just now?" inquired Aunt
Em.
"Terribly scared, madam," answered
the Lion, "for at first I thought
you were going to have a fit.
Then I noticed you were trying
to overcome me by the power of
your eye, and your glance was
so fierce and penetrating that
I shook with fear."
This greatly pleased the lady,
and she said quite cheerfully:
"Well, I won't
hurt you, so don't be scared
any more. I just
wanted to see what the human
eye was good for."
"The human eye is a fearful
weapon," remarked the Lion, scratching
his nose softly with his paw
to hide a smile. "Had I not known
you were Dorothy's friends I
might have torn you both into
shreds in order to escape your
terrible gaze."
Aunt Em shuddered at hearing
this, and Uncle Henry said hastily:
"I'm glad you
knew us. Good morning, Mr.
Lion; we'll hope
to see you again--by and by--some
time in the future."
"Good morning," replied the
Lion, squatting down upon the
lawn again. "You are likely to
see a good deal of me, if you
live in the Land of Oz."
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