THE DECEMBER DAY IS ALMOST THEIRS
“Yes! I guess I’ll fix you up with a December day, all right,” answered
the genial North Wind, in response to the entreaty of the children.
For, shortly after their fight with the Clerk of the Weather, there
came a gentle, warm breeze, which they felt sure must be the North
Wind. And finding that this was so, Coppertop and Tibbs implored his
aid in their long search for a December day.
“Oh, you dear!” exclaimed Coppertop, scarcely able to believe their
good fortune; “the address is: ‘Chesney Grange, near Mount Dandenong,
Australia,’” she added, lest the precious December day should go astray.
“The World,” added the North Wind, with a smile. “Bless you, I guess
I know all Australia from Perth to Sydney, and Darwin to Hobart. I’ll
send the December day along to this Australia of yours, direct by
Sunbeam--that’s heaps faster than Marconi.”
“’Es, but I like marconi!” interrupted Kiddiwee, “with lots and lots of
milk!”
“You mean macaroni, stupid!” corrected Tibbs.
“Whatever CAN we do to thank you?” cried Coppertop, beside herself with
joy.
“Don’t thank me till you get it,” said the North Wind, with a decided
American accent, due to the fact that he had often travelled over the
United States. “And you don’t get it till you’ve paid the price!”
“The price!” exclaimed Coppertop, her face falling.
“Yep! Everything has a price in this world, dearie! Nothing is given
away. We must earn everything that is worth having, and then we know
how to value it. I guess you’ve pretty well earned your wish by now,
and there’s only one thing more to do----”
“Oh, do say!” cried Coppertop, anxiously.
“Well, you must kiss Biddy-be-sure, or the Blarney Stone, and then the
December day will be yours.” And, without any more explanation, the
North Wind blew by.
For some time after his departure the children remained silent; they
were decidedly disappointed, for the December day seemed as far off as
ever.
“Why, the Blarney Stone is on Blarney Castle!” said Tibbs.
“And where’s that?” asked Coppertop.
“Right away over in the Emerald Isle! It’s an awfully long way from
here!”
“However shall we get there,” cried Coppertop, hopelessly, “now that I
haven’t any wings?”
“Keep smiling!” replied the small voice of Smiler--the
Camel-without-the-Hump--who now hung by a string round Coppertop’s
neck.
[Illustration: The North Wind.]
“The Camel is right!” said a voice which seemed to come from everywhere
at once, “always smile at difficulties; they don’t like being smiled
at, and soon get out of your way. Now, if you take my advice----”
“Yes, we will!” cried each of the children eagerly, for they recognised
the voice of dear Mr. Atom.
“You’ll put the two wings which were cut off upon the sword of the
Samurai, then seat yourselves upon it--on the blunt side--and sing:
“Smiles to-day
Make smiles to-morrow;
Smiles will banish
Bogey Sorrow.
Smiles will help us
Over stiles,
Making life
Just miles of Smiles!
Then hold tight, and see what happens. Ta-ta!”
Trembling with excitement, the children hastened to carry out the
instructions of Mr. Atom. Tibbs and Kiddiwee fetched the sword of
the Samurai, and laid it upon the steps of the old Japanese Lantern.
Coppertop picked up her beautiful wings very tenderly, shedding a tear
or two unseen, and placed them--the wings, not the tears--upon the
Samurai’s sword, to which they at once became attached, and commenced
to quiver with life!
Feeling that something most magical was about to happen, Coppertop and
her brothers seated themselves upon the sword--their legs hanging over
the blunt side--and commenced to sing:
“Smiles to-day
Make Smiles to-morrow.”
At this, the sword of the Samurai quivered violently, and then rose
several feet into the air--
“Smiles will banish
Bogey Sorrow.”
continued the children, hardly able to sing for excitement. They felt
that they were in for another wonderful trip.
“Smiles will help us
Over stiles.”
And now the wings began to beat, and the sword moved forward--
“Making life
Just miles of Smiles!”
shouted the children.
At these last words the sword of the Samurai shot forward at lightning
speed with its precious burden, and never stopped till they arrived at
the Emerald Isle.