The royal historians of Oz,
who are fine writers and know
any number of big words, have
often tried to describe the
rare beauty of Ozma and
failed because the words were not good enough. So of course I cannot
hope to tell you how great was the charm of this little Princess, or
how her loveliness put to shame all the sparkling jewels and
magnificent luxury that surrounded her in this her royal palace.
Whatever else was beautiful or dainty or delightful of itself faded to
dullness when contrasted with Ozma's bewitching face, and it has often
been said by those who know that no other ruler in all the world can
ever hope to equal the gracious charm of her manner.
Everything about Ozma attracted
one, and she inspired love
and the sweetest affection
rather than awe or ordinary
admiration. Dorothy threw her
arms around her little friend
and hugged and kissed her rapturously,
and Toto barked joyfully and
Button-Bright smiled a happy
smile and consented to sit
on the soft cushions close
beside the Princess.
"Why didn't you send me word
you were going to have a birthday
party?" asked the little Kansas
girl, when the first greetings
were over.
"Didn't I?" asked
Ozma, her
pretty eyes dancing with merriment.
"Did you?" replied
Dorothy,
trying to think.
"Who do you imagine, dear,
mixed up those roads, so as
to start you wandering in the
direction of Oz?" inquired
the Princess.
"Oh! I never 'spected YOU
of that," cried Dorothy.
"I've watched you in my Magic
Picture all the way here," declared
Ozma, "and twice I thought
I should have to use the Magic
Belt to save you and transport
you to the Emerald City. Once
was when the Scoodlers caught
you, and again when you reached
the Deadly Desert. But the
shaggy man was able to help
you out both times, so I did
not interfere."
"Do you know who Button-Bright
is?" asked Dorothy.
"No;
I never
saw him
until you
found him
in the
road,
and then only in my Magic Picture."
"And
did you
send Polly
to us?"
"No,
dear; the
Rainbow's
Daughter slid from her father's
pretty arch just in time to
meet you."
"Well," said Dorothy, "I've
promised King Dox of Foxville
and King Kik-a-bray of Dunkiton
that I'd ask you to invite
them to your party."
"I have already done that," returned
Ozma, "because I thought it
would please you to favor them."
"Did you 'vite the Musicker?" asked
Button-Bright.
"No; because he would be
too noisy, and might interfere
with the comfort of others.
When music is not very good,
and is indulged in all the
time, it is better that the
performer should be alone," said
the Princess.
"I like the Musicker's music," declared
the boy, gravely.
"But I don't," said
Dorothy.
"Well, there will be plenty
of music at my celebration," promised
Ozma; "so I've an idea Button-Bright
won't miss the Musicker at
all."
Just then Polychrome danced
in, and Ozma rose to greet
the Rainbow's Daughter in her
sweetest and most cordial manner.
Dorothy thought she had never
seen two prettier creatures
together than these lovely
maidens; but Polly knew at
once her own dainty beauty
could not match that of Ozma,
yet was not a bit jealous because
this was so.
The Wizard of Oz was announced,
and a dried-up, little, old
man, clothed all in black,
entered the drawing-room. His
face was cheery and his eyes
twinkling with humor, so Polly
and Button-Bright were not
at all afraid of the wonderful
personage whose fame as a humbug
magician had spread throughout
the world. After greeting Dorothy
with much affection, he stood
modestly behind Ozma's throne
and listened to the lively
prattle of the young people.
Now
the shaggy
man appeared,
and so startling was his appearance,
all clad in shaggy new rainment,
that Dorothy cried "Oh!" and
clasped her hands impulsively
as she examined her friend
with pleased eyes.
"He's still shaggy, all right," remarked
Button-Bright; and Ozma nodded
brightly because she had meant
the shaggy man to remain shaggy
when she provided his new clothes
for him.
Dorothy led him toward the
throne, as he was shy in such
fine company, and presented
him gracefully to the Princess,
saying:
"This,
your Highness,
is my friend,
the shaggy
man,
who owns the Love Magnet."
"You are welcome to Oz," said
the girl Ruler, in gracious
accents. "But tell me, sir,
where did you get the Love
Magnet which you say you own?"
The shaggy man grew red and
looked downcast, as he answered
in a low voice:
"I
stole it,
your Majesty."
"Oh, Shaggy Man!" cried Dorothy. "How
dreadful! And you told me the
Eskimo gave you the Love Magnet."
He shuffled first on one
foot and then on the other,
much embarrassed.
"I told you a falsehood,
Dorothy," he said; "but now,
having bathed in the Truth
Pond, I must tell nothing but
the truth."
"Why did you steal it?" asked
Ozma, gently.
"Because no one loved me,
or cared for me," said the
shaggy man, "and I wanted to
be loved a great deal. It was
owned by a girl in Butterfield
who was loved too much, so
that the young men quarreled
over her, which made her unhappy.
After I had stolen the Magnet
from her, only one young man
continued to love the girl,
and she married him and regained
her happiness."
"Are you sorry you stole
it?" asked the Princess.
"No, your Highness; I'm glad," he
answered; "for it has pleased
me to be loved, and if Dorothy
had not cared for me I could
not have accompanied her to
this beautiful Land of Oz,
or met its kind-hearted Ruler.
Now that I'm here, I hope to
remain, and to become one of
your Majesty's most faithful
subjects."
"But in Oz we are loved for
ourselves alone, and for our
kindness to one another, and
for our good deeds," she said.
"I'll give up the Love Magnet," said
the shaggy man, eagerly; "Dorothy
shall have it."
"But every one loves Dorothy
already," declared the Wizard.
"Then
Button-Bright
shall have
it."
"Don't want it," said
the boy,
promptly.
"Then
I'll give
it to the
Wizard, for I'm sure the lovely
Princess Ozma does not need
it."
"All my people love the Wizard,
too," announced the Princess,
laughing; "so we will hang
the Love Magnet over the gates
of the Emerald City, that whoever
shall enter or leave the gates
may be loved and loving."
"That is a good idea," said
the shaggy man; "I agree to
it most willingly."
Those assembled now went
in to dinner, which you can
imagine was a grand affair;
and afterward Ozma asked the
Wizard to give them an exhibition
of his magic.
The Wizard took eight tiny
white piglets from an inside
pocket and set them on the
table. One was dressed like
a clown, and performed funny
antics, and the others leaped
over the spoons and dishes
and ran around the table like
race-horses, and turned hand-springs
and were so sprightly and amusing
that they kept the company
in one roar of merry laughter.
The Wizard had trained these
pets to do many curious things,
and they were so little and
so cunning and soft that Polychrome
loved to pick them up as they
passed near her place and fondle
them as if they were kittens.
It was late when the entertainment
ended, and they separated to
go to their rooms.
"To-morrow," said Ozma, "my
invited guests will arrive,
and you will find among them
some interesting and curious
people, I promise you. The
next day will be my birthday,
and the festivities will be
held on the broad green just
outside the gates of the City,
where all my people can assemble
without being crowded."
"I hope the Scarecrow won't
be late," said Dorothy, anxiously.
"Oh, he is sure to return
to-morrow," answered Ozma. "He
wanted new straw to stuff himself
with, so he went to the Munchkin
Country, where straw is plentiful."
With this the Princess bade
her guests good night and went
to her own room.
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