The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 30, 1903, Page 15

COIrYRXICGHT 7903 = DY DEN P76 CLTCHEDY i o AR away is a Wonderfnl sea and in it a Wonderful Isle, smile. In the heart of this Wonderful Isle, in the heart of the Wonderful Sea, \ Is a Wonderful Kingdom of Won#erfu’ Things that strives for you and me Now, Tommy and Bess and Robby and Tess and dear little frolicsome Grace, Gather close by and quietly sit, and I'll tell & this wonderful place. l Back in the olden, golden times when man trod not this earth, This Wonderful Kingdom in the sea was given a gladsome birth. At first the living numbered one—Peter Pumpkin, big and yellow, Who whiled away the dreary hours, a most unhappy fellow. For years and years he roamed about upon this lonely isle, And for years and years and years he never smiled a smile. At last the corners of his mouth drooped so low they pained him, But when he sought for medicine the Laughter Spirit gained him. On the brink of a placid pool, one morning bright and cheerful, This lonely Peter Pumpkin stood, his eyes both sad and tearful. All at once he saw below himself all upside down, And the longer that his eyes did look the fainter grew his frown. He bended down upon a'l fours, his eyes now bulging wide, And when the reflection did likewise, he with wonder cried. He picked a pebble from the soil and tossed it at his double, Who imitated every move and caused a peck of trouble. Both Peter Pumpkins nimbly dodged the pebbles that were thrown, And both avoided injury, as "twas subsequently shown. Plump Peter Pumpkin on the land keenly felt the fun, And he laughed to watch the antics of the other playful one. Finally he laughed so hard his sides grew tired and weak, And as he looked and laughed the more, tears streamed down his cheek. He tried to stop, but all in vain, and the fainter did he feel, Until, at la his poor sides split and he began to reel, He rolled into the placid pool and weakly splashed about; But just before he sank away two tiny seeds hopped out. Where night is day.and work is play and all the year a || : These llttle fellows swam sshore, #o tired they could mot stand, And very sodn they were asleep, safe upon the land. Long they strived for the warming light, cach earnest little fellow, Until, at last, the sun dif make each one a pumpkin yellow, When they were big enough to walk they laft their place of birth Hand in hand they trudged along, through vale and over hill, Each little heart a-beating with a glad and eager thrill, At last thoy reache. a sun-kissed plain, shimmering all in grees, “T'll tell you what we’ll do,” said ons, in joyous, happy strain; “We'll st: a kingdom of our own and have a king to relgn.” “Gloriousf” the other cried, and he jumped up in the air; “But who shall be the monarch gay and who the throne shall share?” “I the ruling prince must be,” spoke the other little man, “For I deserve the honor proud for thinking of the plan.” “But what of me?” his brother said, and gloom flashed to his face— “’Tis not fair that you should reign and I should have no place.” “You,” the other quickly said, in tones benign and fair, 4 “Are now and always shall be my prized apparent-heir.” “I do not like your plan at all; you'd have by far the best, And I should do all of the work and you'd do naught but rest. 'Tis just as fair that I should be the prince of all the realm, And I'd be quite as wise as you in guiding at the helm.” For hours and hours they talked away, and each was sorely nettlad, And both of them could plainly see the thing could not be settled. At last their eyes began to blink and their drowsy heads to nod, Till finally they fell asleep on tho plain that no man trod. After awhile one’s eyes did ope and sweep the silent green, Turning to his brother near who dreamed in peace serene. “Ah, ha!” he would have shouted if he had been alone, But he kept his tongue all to himself and planned to win the throne. Softly to his feet he got and stood beside the other, Who snoozed all unsuspecting of his cowardly thieving brother. 7k 3 l'\ ) While they snoozed & great rain’fell and forced them under ground, | And when they woke the world was derk and they could not move around. | /4 And there these little Pumpkin chaps thought out a wondrous scheme. cor>ecHr 2903 BY W:Cr QAR ALL LGB TZIZRHED = Sl // , N “By my stars, my chance has comel” the scheming fellow thoughe, And quickly drew+his arms about the Pumpkin knowing naught. aie hugged and squeezed with all his might, a strain on every muscle, Until his victim cried “Enough,” and an end came to the tussle. “What do I see?” the victor cried, aghast and trembling greatlys “You are no longer plump and round; indeed you are unshapely. Your head is high, your neck is crocked, your body is much smaller, ‘Which all combines to make you look very much the taller.” In time the humor spirit touched the Pumpkin round and plump, And he, with laughter keen and loud, high in the air did jump. *Indeed, you are the funniest thing my eyes have ever seen, ' ‘And no longer can you style yourself a Pumpkin of my mien, Your claim to kingly honors will now no longer wash; And, indeed, I must remark it, you're a most unseemly ‘squash’™ ‘And so in aftertimes, my sweets, this Pumpkin, strange and odd, Went about as Crookneck Squash in the land that no man trod. The funny pair continued on, through wilderness and mead, Until, at last, a thicket patch checked them in their speed. They puffed and panted as they trudged, often falling down— ‘When all at once the Pumpkin queer tripped o’er a paper crown. But Peter Pumpkin, schemer sharp, picked up the wondrous find And placed it proudly on his head and said anto his kind: “It fits me well, you will agree, and surely I must wear it; It will not fit your funny head, and I fear that you would tear it “'Tis right that I should try it on, for maybe it will fit, ‘And if it does, my brother proud, I on the throne shall sit™ Crookneck Squash raised aloft the crown of paper ‘And let it slip down o’er his head, and then began to caper. “'Tis safer 'round my neck, you see, than on your shining pate, For the breezes cannot blow it off and shock our ship of state.” But Peter Pumpkin, selfish one, must have it all his way, And forced the fearsome Crookneck Squash to quit his claim that day. - ‘And so it came to be, my pets, this Kingdom did begin— With Peter Pumpkin reigning prince, and Crookneck under him. The Kingdom grew at wondrous pace, and—ah, I see you're blinking, 8o now I'll stop and tell of more when I've had time for thinking, A