Part 6 (1/2)

”Please, grandmother,” said Toto, ”which _is_ the wrong foot?”

”Don't you know which your right foot is?” asked the grandmother.

”Why, yes, of course,” replied Toto.

”And do you know the difference between right and wrong?”

”Why, yes, of course,” said Toto.

”Then,” said the grandmother, ”you know which the wrong foot is.

”As I was saying, Chimborazo was a very unhappy boy. He pouted, and he sulked, and he said, 'Oh, dear! oh, dear! oh, dear! oh, dear!' He said it till everybody was tired of hearing it.

”'Chimborazo,' his mother would say, 'please don't say, ”Oh, dear!”

any more. It is very annoying. Say something else.'

”'Oh, dear!' the boy would answer, 'I can't! I don't know anything else to say. Oh, dear! oh, _dear_!! oh, DEAR!!!'

”So one day his mother could not bear it any longer, and she sent for his fairy G.o.dmother, and told her all about it.

”'Humph!' said the fairy G.o.dmother. 'I will see to it. Send the boy to me!'

”So Chimborazo was sent for, and came, hanging his head as usual. When he saw his fairy G.o.dmother, he said, 'Oh, dear!' for he was rather afraid of her.

”'”Oh, dear!” it is!' said the G.o.dmother sharply; and she put on her spectacles and looked at him. 'Do you know what a bell-punch is?'

”'Oh, dear!' said Chimborazo. 'No, ma'am, I don't!'

”'Well,' said the G.o.dmother, 'I am going to give you one.'

”'Oh, dear!' said Chimborazo, 'I don't want one.'

”'Probably not,' replied she, 'but that doesn't make much difference.

You have it now, in your jacket pocket.'

”Chimborazo felt in his pocket, and took out a queer-looking instrument of s.h.i.+ning metal. 'Oh, dear!' he said.

”'”Oh, dear!” it is!' said the fairy G.o.dmother. 'Now,' she continued, 'listen to me, Chimborazo! I am going to put you on an allowance of ”Oh, dears.” This is a self-acting bell-punch, and it will ring whenever you say ”Oh, dear!” How many times do you generally say it in the course of the day?'

”'Oh, dear!' said Chimborazo, 'I don't know. Oh, _dear_!'

”'_Ting! ting!_' the bell-punch rang twice sharply; and looking at it in dismay, he saw two little round holes punched in a long slip of pasteboard which was fastened to the instrument.

”'Exactly!' said the fairy. 'That is the way it works, and a very pretty way, too. Now, my boy, I am going to make you a very liberal allowance. You may say ”Oh, dear!” forty-five times a day. There's liberality for you!'

”'Oh, dear!' cried Chimborazo, 'I--'

”'_Ting!_' said the bell-punch.

”'You see!' observed the fairy. 'Nothing could be prettier. You have now had three of this day's allowance. It is still some hours before noon, so I advise you to be careful. If you exceed the allowance--'