_How_ THE SCARECROW DISPLAYED HIS WISDOM
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Probably The Wisest Man in All OZ.]
This amazing news had saddened every heart and all were now anxious toreturn to the Emerald City and share Ozma's fate. So they startedwithout loss of time, and as the road led past the Scarecrow's newmansion they determined to make a brief halt there and confer with him.
"The Scarecrow is probably the wisest man in all Oz," remarked the TinWoodman, when they had started upon their journey. "His brains areplentiful and of excellent quality, and often he has told me things Imight never have thought of myself. I must say I rely a good deal uponthe Scarecrow's brains in this emergency."
The Tin Woodman rode on the front seat of the wagon, where Dorothy satbetween him and the Wizard.
"Has the Scarecrow heard of Ozma's trouble?" asked the Captain General.
"I do not know, sir," was the reply.
"When I was a private," said Omby Amby, "I was an excellent army, as Ifully proved in our war against the Nomes. But now there is not a singleprivate left in our army, since Ozma made me the Captain General, sothere is no one to fight and defend our lovely Ruler."
"True," said the Wizard. "The present army is composed only of officers,and the business of an officer is to order his men to fight. Since thereare no men there can be no fighting."
"Poor Ozma!" whispered Dorothy, with tears in her sweet eyes. "It'sdreadful to think of all her lovely fairy country being destroyed. Iwonder if we couldn't manage to escape and get back to Kansas by meansof the Magic Belt? And we might take Ozma with us and all work hard toget money for her, so she wouldn't be so _very_ lonely and unhappy aboutthe loss of her fairyland."
"Do you think there would be any work for _me_ in Kansas?" asked the TinWoodman.
"If you are hollow, they might use you in a canning factory," suggestedUncle Henry. "But I can't see the use of your working for a living. Younever eat or sleep or need a new suit of clothes."
"I was not thinking of myself," replied the Emperor, with dignity. "Imerely wondered if I could not help to support Dorothy and Ozma."
As they indulged in these sad plans for the future they journeyed insight of the Scarecrow's new mansion, and even though filled with careand worry over the impending fate of Oz, Dorothy could not help afeeling of wonder at the sight she saw.
The Scarecrow's new house was shaped like an immense ear of corn. Therows of kernels were made of solid gold, and the green upon which theear stood upright was a mass of sparkling emeralds. Upon the very top ofthe structure was perched a figure representing the Scarecrow himself,and upon his extended arms, as well as upon his head, were several crowscarved out of ebony and having ruby eyes. You may imagine how big thisear of corn was when I tell you that a single gold kernel formed awindow, swinging outward upon hinges, while a row of four kernels openedto make the front entrance. Inside there were five stories, each storybeing a single room.
The gardens around the mansion consisted of cornfields, and Dorothyacknowledged that the place was in all respects a very appropriate homefor her good friend the Scarecrow.
"He would have been very happy here, I'm sure," she said, "if only theNome King had left us alone. But if Oz is destroyed of course this placewill be destroyed too."
"Yes," replied the Tin Woodman, "and also my beautiful tin castle, thathas been my joy and pride."
"Jack Pumpkinhead's house will go too," remarked the Wizard, "as well asProfessor Wogglebug's Athletic College, and Ozma's royal palace, and allour other handsome buildings."
"Yes, Oz will indeed become a desert when the Nome King gets throughwith it," sighed Omby Amby.
The Scarecrow came out to meet them and gave them all a hearty welcome.
"I hear you have decided always to live in the Land of Oz, after this,"he said to Dorothy; "and that will delight my heart, for I have greatlydisliked our frequent partings. But why are you all so downcast?"
"Have you heard the news?" asked the Tin Woodman.
"No news to make me sad," replied the Scarecrow.
Then Nick Chopper told his friend of the Nome King's tunnel, and how theevil creatures of the North had allied themselves with the undergroundmonarch for the purpose of conquering and destroying Oz. "Well," saidthe Scarecrow, "it certainly looks bad for Ozma, and all of us. But Ibelieve it is wrong to worry over anything before it happens. It issurely time enough to be sad when our country is despoiled and ourpeople made slaves. So let us not deprive ourselves of the few happyhours remaining to us."
"Ah! that is real wisdom," declared the Shaggy Man, approvingly. "Afterwe become really unhappy we shall regret these few hours that are leftto us, unless we enjoy them to the utmost."
"Nevertheless," said the Scarecrow, "I shall go with you to the EmeraldCity and offer Ozma my services."
"She says we can do nothing to oppose our enemies," announced the TinWoodman.
"And doubtless she is right, sir," answered the Scarecrow. "Still, shewill appreciate our sympathy, and it is the duty of Ozma's friends tostand by her side when the final disaster occurs."
He then led them into his queer mansion and showed them the beautifulrooms in all the five stories. The lower room was a grand receptionhall, with a hand-organ in one corner. This instrument the Scarecrow,when alone, could turn to amuse himself, as he was very fond of music.The walls were hung with white silk, upon which flocks of black crowswere embroidered in black diamonds. Some of the chairs were made in theshape of big crows and upholstered with cushions of corn-colored silk.
The second story contained a fine banquet room, where the Scarecrowmight entertain his guests, and the three stories above that werebed-chambers exquisitely furnished and decorated.
"From these rooms," said the Scarecrow, proudly, "one may obtain fineviews of the surrounding cornfields. The corn I grow is always husky,and I call the ears my regiments, because they have so many kernels. Ofcourse I cannot ride my cobs, but I really don't care shucks about that.Taken altogether, my farm will stack up with any in the neighborhood."
The visitors partook of some light refreshment and then hurried away toresume the road to the Emerald City. The Scarecrow found a seat in thewagon between Omby Amby and the Shaggy Man, and his weight did not addmuch to the load because he was stuffed with straw.
"You will notice I have one oat-field on my property," he remarked, asthey drove away. "Oat-straw is, I have found, the best of all straws tore-stuff myself with when my interior gets musty or out of shape."
"Are you able to re-stuff yourself without help?" asked Aunt Em. "Ishould think that after the straw was taken out of you there wouldn't beanything left but your clothes."
"You are almost correct, madam," he answered. "My servants do thestuffing, under my direction. For my head, in which are my excellentbrains, is a bag tied at the bottom. My face is neatly painted upon oneside of the bag, as you may see. My head does not need re-stuffing, asmy body does, for all that it requires is to have the face touched upwith fresh paint occasionally."
It was not far from the Scarecrow's mansion to the farm of JackPumpkinhead, and when they arrived there both Uncle Henry and Aunt Emwere much impressed. The farm was one vast pumpkin field, and some ofthe pumpkins were of enormous size. In one of them, which had beenneatly hollowed out, Jack himself lived, and he declared that it was avery comfortable residence. The reason he grew so many pumpkins was inorder that he might change his head as often as it became wrinkled orthreatened to spoil.
The pumpkin-headed man welcomed his visitors joyfully and offered themseveral delicious pumpkin pies to eat.
"I don't indulge in pumpkin pies myself, for two reasons," he said. "Onereason is that were I to eat pumpkins I would become a cannibal, and theother reason is that I never eat, not being hollow inside."
"Very good reasons," agreed the Scarecrow.
They told Jack Pumpkinhead the dreadful news about the Nome King, and hedecided to go with them to the Emerald City and help comfort Ozma.
"I had expected to live here in ease and comfort for many centuries,"said Jack, dolefully; "but of course if the Nome King destroyseverything in Oz I shall be destroyed too. Really, it seems too bad,doesn't it?"
They were soon on their journey again, and so swiftly did the Sawhorsedraw the wagon over the smooth roads that before twilight fell that hadreached the royal palace in the Emerald City, and were at theirjourney's end.
The Emerald City of Oz Page 26
