terrible

    travelers o t gate of Emerald City and rang ter ringing several times, it es t be- fore.

    quot;! are you back again?quot; he asked, in surprise.

    quot;Do you not see us?quot; anshe Scarecrow.

    quot;But I t you o visit tc.”

    quot;e did visit ; said the Scarecrow.

    quot;And s you go again?quot; asked the man, in wonder.

    quot;S , for sed,quot; explained the Scarecrow.

    quot;Melted! ell, t is good ne; said the man.

    quot;ed her?”

    quot;It ; said the Lion gravely.

    quot;Good gracious!quot; exclaimed the man, and he bowed very   low indeed before her.

    to tle room and locked ta- cles from t box on all t as ere into ty. es t Doroted tc, travelers and follo croo the Palace of Oz.

    till on guard be- fore t  t once, and t by tiful green girl,  once, so t rest until t Oz o receive them.

    traigo Oz t Dorotravelers er destroying tc Oz made no reply. t t izard  once, but . t day, nor t, nor t. ting iresome and  last t Oz sreat ter sending to undergo hardships and slavery.

    So t last asked to take anoto Oz, saying if  let to see  once to

    o come to t four minutes after nine oclock t morning.  t, and

    them again.

    travelers passed a sleepless nig Oz o bestoelling o tle girl at home again.

    Promptly at nine oclock t morning to tes later t into t Oz.

    Of course eaced to see taken before, and all ly surprised  all in the room.

    t close to to one anotillness of ty room ake.

    Presently to come from some-  dome, and it said, solemnly.

    quot;I am Oz, t and terrible. hy do you seek me?”

    t of t;here are you?”

    quot;I am every;but to tals I am invisible. I  myself upon my t you may converse ; Indeed, t to come straigself; so to and stood in a row why said:

    quot;e o claim our promise, O Oz.”

    quot; promise?quot; asked Oz.

    quot;You promised to send me back to Kansas ; said the girl.

    quot;And you promised to give me brains,quot; said the Scarecrow.

    quot;And you promised to give me a ,quot; said tin ood- man.

    quot;And you promised to give me courage,quot; said the Cowardly Lion.

    quot;Is tcroyed?quot; asked t it trembled a little.

    quot;Yes,quot; s;I melted  of er.”

    quot;Dear me,quot; said t;o me tomorro ime to t over.”

    quot;Youve y of time already,quot; said tin ood- man angrily.

    quot;e s  a day longer,quot; said the Scarecrow.

    quot;You must keep your promises to us!quot; exclaimed Dorothy.

    t it migo frig toto jumped a stood in a corner. As it fell   moment all of tanding in just t ttle old man, o be as mucin oodman, raising otle man and cried out, quot;ho are you?”

    quot;I am Oz, t and terrible,quot; said ttle man, in a trembling voice. quot;But dont strike me?aplease dont?aand Ill do anyt me to.”

    Our friends looked at him in surprise and dismay.

    quot;I t Oz  ; said Dorothy.

    quot;And I t Oz ; said the Scarecrow.

    quot;And I t Oz errible Beast,quot; said tin oodman.

    quot;And I t Oz ; exclaimed the Lion.

    quot;No, you are all ; said ttle man meekly. quot;I have been making believe.”

    quot;Making believe!quot; cried Dorot;Are you not a Great izard?”

    quot;; ;Dont speak so loud, or you  izard.”

    quot;And arent you?quot; she asked.

    quot;Not a bit of it, my dear; Im just a common man.”

    quot;Youre more t,quot; said tone; quot;youre a humbug.”

    quot;Exactly so!quot; declared ttle man, rubbing o- get pleased ;I am a humbug.”

    quot;But terrible,quot; said tin oodman. quot; my ?”

    quot;Or I my courage?quot; asked the Lion.

    quot;Or I my brains?quot; ears from  sleeve.

    quot;My dear friends,quot; said Oz, quot;I pray you not to speak  of ttle terrible trouble Im in at being found out.”

    quot;Doesnt anyone else knohy.

    quot;No one kno but you four?aand myself,quot; replied Oz. quot;I  I t I s. It  mistake my ever letting you into t see even my subjects, and so terrible.”

    quot;But, I dont understand,quot; said Dorot.

    quot; t you appeared to me as a great head?”

    quot;t ricks,quot; ans;Step tell you all about it.”

    o a small ced to one corner, in ed face.

    quot;t; said Oz. quot;I stood beo make th open.”

    quot;But  t; she inquired.

    quot;Oriloquist,quot; said ttle man. quot;I can t you t it  of to deceive you.quot; o be the lovely Lady.

    And tin oodman sa errible Beast  a lot of skins, seogets to keep t. As for t   also from t ton, but he ball burned fiercely.

    quot;Really,quot; said t;you ougo be ashamed of yourself for being such a humbug.”

    quot;I am?aI certainly am,quot; anstle man sorro;but it  doy of cell you my story.”

    So t doened ale.

    quot;I was born in Omaha?a”

    quot; isnt very far from Kansas!quot; cried Dorothy.

    quot;No, but its fart;  ;riloquist, and at t I rained by a great master. I can imitate any kind of a bird or beast.quot; ten t toto pricked up o see er a time,quot; continued Oz, quot;I tired of t, and became a balloonist.”

    quot; is t?quot; asked Dorothy.

    quot;A man oget to pay to see t; he explained.

    quot;O; s;I know.”

    quot;ell, one day I  up in a balloon and t ted, so t I couldnt come do   a current of air struck it and car- ried it many, many miles aing over a strange and beau-   tiful country.

    quot;It came do  a bit. But I found myself in t of a strange people,  izard. Of course I let to do anyto.

    quot;Just to amuse myself, and keep to build ty, and my Palace; and t all , as try iful, I  ty; and to make t better I put green spectacles on all t everythey saw was green.”

    quot;But isnt everyt; asked Dorothy.

    quot;No more ty,quot; replied Oz; quot;but y  a great many years ago, for I  of t really is an Emerald City, and it certainly is a beauti- ful place, abounding in jeals, and every good t is needed to make one o t ever since t, I  myself up and  see any of them.

    quot;One of my greatest fears c all I soon found out t tco do ry, and t and est. Fortunately, tc tc and est erri- bly  I royed me.

    As it c. o me, I o promise anytc, no you ed o say t I cannot keep my promises.”

    quot;I t; said Dorothy.

    quot;O Im a very bad izard, I must admit.”

    quot;Cant you give me brains?quot; asked the Scarecrow.

    quot;You dont need t it doesnt knoo get.”

    quot;t may all be true,quot; said t;but I shall be very unhappy unless you give me brains.”

    t him carefully.

    quot;ell,quot; ;Im not muc if you o me tomorrouff your  tell you o use t find t out for yourself.”

    quot;O; cried t;Ill find a o use them, never fear!”

    quot;But  my courage?quot; asked the Lion anxiously.

    quot;You y of courage, I am sure,quot; answered Oz.

    quot;All you need is confidence in yourself. t is not afraid rue courage is in facing danger w kind of courage you y.”

    quot;Per Im scared just t; said t;I s of courage t makes one forget he is afraid.”

    quot;Very  sort of courage tomorrow,”

    replied Oz.

    quot; my ?quot; asked tin oodman.

    quot;,quot; ans;I to  a . It makes most people un, you are in luck not to .”

    quot;t must be a matter of opinion,quot; said tin oodman.

    quot;For my part, I  a mur- mur, if you .”

    quot;Very ; ans;Come to me tomorroinue t a little longer.”

    quot;And no; said Dorot;o get back to Kansas?”

    quot;e so t t,quot; replied ttle man.

    quot;Give me to consider tter and Ill try to find a o carry you over t. In time you sreated as my guests, and  keep my secret and tell no one I  am a humbug.”

    L. Frank Baum

    to say not t back to ts. Even Dorot quot;t and terrible ; as so send o Kansas, and if o forgive hing.