The Shaggy Man had a room of
his own in the royal palace,
so there he went to change his
shaggy suit of clothes for another
just as shaggy but not so dusty
from travel. He selected a costume
of peagreen and pink satin and
velvet, with embroidered shags
on all the edges and iridescent
pearls for ornaments. Then he
bathed in an alabaster pool and
brushed his shaggy hair and whiskers
the wrong way to make them still
more shaggy. This accomplished,
and arrayed in his splendid shaggy
garments, he went to Ozma's banquet
hall and found the Scarecrow,
the Wizard and Dorothy already
assembled there. The Scarecrow
had made a quick trip and returned
to the Emerald City with his
left ear freshly painted.
A moment later, while they
all stood in waiting, a servant
threw open a door, the orchestra
struck up a tune and Ozma of
Oz entered.
Much has been told and written
concerning the beauty of person
and character of this sweet girl
Ruler of the Land of Oz--the
richest, the happiest and most
delightful fairyland of which
we have any knowledge. Yet with
all her queenly qualities Ozma
was a real girl and enjoyed the
things in life that other real
girls enjoy. When she sat on
her splendid emerald throne in
the great Throne Room of her
palace and made laws and settled
disputes and tried to keep all
her subjects happy and contented,
she was as dignified and demure
as any queen might be; but when
she had thrown aside her jeweled
robe of state and her sceptre,
and had retired to her private
apartments, the girl-- joyous,
light-hearted and free--replaced
the sedate Ruler.
In the banquet hall to-night
were gathered only old and trusted
friends, so here Ozma was herself--a
mere girl. She greeted Dorothy
with a kiss, the Shaggy Man with
a smile, the little old Wizard
with a friendly handshake and
then she pressed the Scarecrow's
stuffed arm and cried merrily:
"What a lovely
left ear! Why, it's a hundred
times better than
the old one."
"I'm glad you like it," replied
the Scarecrow, well pleased. "Jinjur
did a neat job, didn't she? And
my hearing is now perfect. Isn't
it wonderful what a little paint
will do, if it's properly applied?"
"It really is wonderful," she
agreed, as they all took their
seats; "but the Sawhorse must
have his legs twinkle to have
carried you so far in one day.
I didn't expect you back before
tomorrow, at the earliest."
"Well," said the Scarecrow, "I
met a charming girl on the road
and wanted to see more of her,
so I hurried back."
Ozma laughed.
"I know," she returned; "it's
the Patchwork Girl. She is certainly
bewildering, if not strictly
beautiful."
"Have you seen her, then?" the
straw man eagerly asked.
"Only in my
Magic Picture, which shows
me all scenes of
interest in the Land of Oz."
"I fear the picture didn't
do her justice," said the Scarecrow.
"It seemed to me that nothing
could be more gorgeous," declared
Ozma. "Whoever made that patchwork
quilt, from which Scraps was
formed, must have selected the
gayest and brightest bits of
cloth that ever were woven.
"I am glad you like her," said
the Scarecrow in a satisfied
tone. Although the straw man
did not eat, not being made so
he could, he often dined with
Ozma and her companions, merely
for the pleasure of talking with
them. He sat at the table and
had a napkin and plate, but the
servants knew better than to
offer him food. After a little
while he asked: "Where is the
Patchwork Girl now?"
"In my room," replied Dorothy. "I've
taken a fancy to her; she's so
queer and-and-uncommon."
"She's half crazy, I think," added
the Shaggy Man.
"But she is so beautiful!" exclaimed
the Scarecrow, as if that fact
disarmed all criticism. They
all laughed at his enthusiasm,
but the Scarecrow was quite serious.
Seeing that he was interested
in Scraps they forbore to say
anything against her. The little
band of friends Ozma had gathered
around her was so quaintly assorted
that much care must be exercised
to avoid hurting their feelings
or making any one of them unhappy.
It was this considerate kindness
that held them close friends
and enabled them to enjoy one
another's society.
Another thing they avoided
was conversing on unpleasant
subjects, and for that reason
Ojo and his troubles were not
mentioned during the dinner.
The Shaggy Man, however, related
his adventures with the monstrous
plants which had seized and enfolded
the travelers, and told how he
had robbed Chiss, the giant porcupine,
of the quills which it was accustomed
to throw at people. Both Dorothy
and Ozma were pleased with this
exploit and thought it served
Chiss right.
Then they talked of the Woozy,
which was the most remarkable
animal any of them had ever before
seen--except, perhaps, the live
Sawhorse. Ozma had never known
that her dominions contained
such a thing as a Woozy, there
being but one in existence and
this being confined in his forest
for many years. Dorothy said
she believed the Woozy was a
good beast, honest and faithful;
hut she added that she did not
care much for the Glass Cat.
"Still," said the Shaggy Man, "the
Glass Cat is very pretty and
if she were not so conceited
over her pink brains no one would
object to her as a companion.
The Wizard had been eating
silently until now, when he looked
up and remarked:
"That Powder
of Life which is made by the
Crooked Magician
is really a wonderful thing.
But Dr. Pipt does not know its
true value and he uses it in
the most foolish ways."
"I must see about that," said
Ozma, gravely. Then she smiled
again and continued in a lighter
tone: "It was Dr. Pipt's famous
Powder of Life that enabled me
to become the Ruler of Oz."
"I've never heard that story," said
the Shaggy Man, looking at Ozma
questioningly.
"Well, when I was a baby girl
I was stolen by an old Witch
named Mombi and transformed into
a boy," began the girl Ruler. "I
did not know who I was and when
I grew big enough to work, the
Witch made me wait upon her and
carry wood for the fire and hoe
in the garden. One day she came
back from a journey bringing
some of the Powder of Life, which
Dr. Pipt had given her. I had
made a pumpkin- headed man and
set it up in her path to frighten
her, for I was fond of fun and
hated the Witch. But she knew
what the figure was and to test
her Powder of Life she sprinkled
some of it on the man I had made.
It came to life and is now our
dear friend Jack Pumpkinhead.
That night I ran away with Jack
to escape punishment, and I took
old Mombi's Powder of Life with
me. During our journey we came
upon a wooden Sawhorse standing
by the road and I used the magic
powder to bring it to life. The
Sawhorse has been with me ever
since. When I got to the Emerald
City the good Sorceress, Glinda,
knew who I was and restored me
to my proper person, when I became
the rightful Ruler of this land.
So you see had not old Mombi
brought home the Powder of Life
I might never have run away from
her and become Ozma of Oz, nor
would we have had Jack Pumpkinhead
and the Sawhorse to comfort and
amuse us."
That story interested the Shaggy
Man very much, as well as the
others, who had often heard it
before. The dinner being now
concluded, they all went to Ozma's
drawing-room, where they passed
a pleasant evening before it
came time to retire.
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