Journeys Through Bookland, Volume 3 | Page 9

poor thin way of doing things. Now
HERE, we mostly have days and nights two or three at a time, and
sometimes in the winter we take as many as five nights together--for
warmth, you know."
"Are five nights warmer than one night, then?" Alice ventured to ask.
"Five times as warm, of course."
"But they should be five times as COLD, by the same rule--"
"Just so!" cried the Red Queen. "Five times as warm, AND five times
as cold--just as I'm five times as rich as you are, AND five times as
clever!"
Alice sighed and gave it up. "It's exactly like a riddle with no answer!"
she thought.
"Humpty Dumpty saw it too," the White Queen went on in a low voice,
more as if she were talking to herself. "He came to the door with a
corkscrew in his hand--"
"What did he want?" said the Red Queen.
"He said he WOULD come in," the White Queen went on, "because he
was looking for a hippopotamus. Now, as it happened, there wasn't
such a thing in the house, that morning."
"Is there generally?" Alice asked in an astonished tone.
"Well, only on Thursdays," said the Queen.
"I know what he came for," said Alice: "he wanted to punish the fish,

because--"
Here the White Queen began again. "It was SUCH a thunderstorm, you
can't think!" ("She NEVER could, you know," said the Red Queen.)
"And part of the roof came off, and ever so much thunder got in--and it
went rolling round the room in great lumps--and knocking over the
tables and things--till I was so frightened, I couldn't remember my own
name!"
Alice thought to herself, "I never should TRY to remember my name in
the middle of an accident! Where would be the use of it?" but she did
not say this aloud, for fear of hurting the poor Queen's feelings.
"Your Majesty must excuse her," the Red Queen said to Alice, taking
one of the White Queen's hands in her own, and gently stroking it: "she
means well, but she can't help saying foolish things, as a general rule."
The White Queen looked timidly at Alice, who felt she OUGHT to say
something kind, but really couldn't think of anything at the moment.
"She never was really well brought up," the Red Queen went on: "but
it's amazing how good-tempered she is! Pat her on the head, and see
how pleased she'll be!" But this was more than Alice had courage to do.
"A little kindness--and putting her hair in papers--would do wonders
with her--"
The White Queen gave a deep sigh, and laid her head on Alice's
shoulder. "I AM so sleepy!" she moaned.
"She's tired, poor thing!" said the Red Queen. "Smooth her hair--lend
her your nightcap--and sing her a soothing lullaby."
"I haven't got a nightcap with me," said Alice, as she tried to obey the
first direction: "and I don't know any soothing lullabies."
"I must do it myself, then," said the Red Queen, and she began:
"Hush-a-by, lady, in Alice's lap! Till the feast's ready, we've time for a
nap: When the feast's over, we'll go to the ball-- Red Queen, and White
Queen, and Alice, and all!"
"And now you know the words," she added, as she put her head down
on Alice's other shoulder, "just sing it through to ME; I'm getting
sleepy, too." In another moment both queens were fast asleep, and
snoring loud.
[Illustration: TWO QUEENS ASLEEP AT ONCE]
"What AM I to do?" exclaimed Alice, looking about in great perplexity,
as first one round head, and then the other, rolled down from her

shoulder, and lay like a heavy lump in her lap. "I don't think it EVER
happened before, that any one had to take care of two queens asleep at
once! No, not in all the history of England--it couldn't, you know,
because there never was more than one queen at a time. Do wake up,
you heavy things!" she went on in an impatient tone; but there was no
answer but a gentle snoring.

THE LEPRECAUN
By WILLIAM ALLINGHAM
NOTE.--The Leprecaun, or Shoemaker, is one of the solitary fairies of
Ireland. He is a little fellow who wears a red coat with seven buttons in
each row, and a cocked or pointed hat, on the point of which he often
spins round like a top. You may often see him under the hedge
mending shoes; where, if you are sharp enough, you may catch him and
make him give up the big crocks of gold, of which the little miser has
saved many and many. But you must be careful, for if after you have
seen him once you take your eyes off him for a single instant, he
vanishes into