Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 25, 2025
"You'd like to see our showroom, sir," he said, with an innocent suavity. Gip tugged my finger forward. I glanced at the counter and met the shopman's eye again. I was beginning to think the magic just a little too genuine. "We haven't very much time," I said. But somehow we were inside the showroom before I could finish that.
I resumed my hat, and the rabbit lolloped a lollop or so out of my way. "Dadda!" said Gip, in a guilty whisper. "What is it, Gip?" said I. "I DO like this shop, dadda." "So should I," I said to myself, "if the counter wouldn't suddenly extend itself to shut one off from the door." But I didn't call Gip's attention to that.
I hung about in the nursery for quite an unconscionable time... That happened six months ago. And now I am beginning to believe it is all right. The kitten had only the magic natural to all kittens, and the soldiers seemed as steady a company as any colonel could desire. And Gip ? The intelligent parent will understand that I have to go cautiously with Gip. But I went so far as this one day.
There was a wide half closet beside the chimney and she had the top shelf for her own. It was so neat that it looked like a doll's house. Her only doll had been a "rag baby," and Gip, the dog, had demolished that. "Never mind," said her mother, "you are too big to play with dolls."
If the dog slept too long of an afternoon, the boy would hunt him out, take hold of his tail with one hand and an ear with the other, and lug him into the parlor, saying, "Gip, too much sleep is what is ruining the dogs in this country. Now, brace up and play horse with me." And then there was fun.
"Pussy!" he said, with a hand out to the rabbit as it came lolloping past us; "Pussy, do Gip a magic!" and his eyes followed it as it squeezed through a door I had certainly not remarked a moment before. Then this door opened wider, and the man with one ear larger than the other appeared again. He was smiling still, but his eye met mine with something between amusement and defiance.
"Bravo!" said the shopman, putting the men back into the box unceremoniously and handing it to Gip. "Now," said the shopman, and in a moment Gip had made them all alive again. "You'll take that box?" asked the shopman. "We'll take that box," said I, "unless you charge its full value. In which case it would need a Trust Magnate " "Dear heart! The shopman laughed at my amazement.
I said, "How would you like your soldiers to come alive, Gip, and march about by themselves?" "Mine do," said Gip. "I just have to say a word I know before I open the lid." "Then they march about alone?" "Oh, quite, dadda. I shouldn't like them if they didn't do that."
Presently I saw with a qualm of distrust and something very like jealousy that Gip had hold of this person's finger as usually he has hold of mine. No doubt the fellow was interesting, I thought, and had an interestingly faked lot of stuff, really GOOD faked stuff, still I wandered after them, saying very little, but keeping an eye on this prestidigital fellow. After all, Gip was enjoying it.
There was no answer. I stared at Gip, and Gip stared at me, and there were our distortions in the magic mirrors, looking very rum, and grave, and quiet.... "I think we'll go now," I said. "Will you tell me how much all this comes to?.... "I say," I said, on a rather louder note, "I want the bill; and my hat, please." It might have been a sniff from behind the paper pile....
Word Of The Day
Others Looking