~~John Dough Begins his Adventures::John Dough and the Cherub
Now, when John Dough left Madame Grogrande's shop and up the street, he was with the odor of fresh gingerbread. Indeed, he was still so from the that I am positive you not have your hand against him for more than a second. The Great Elixir had him to life, and him a in the world; but the half-hour of his John Dough was very hot-headed. Also he was hot-footed, for he that, by walking fast, the with the fresh air the from his and him much more comfortable.
A dog
smelled the gingerbread...
One by the Great Elixir was knowledge, and while John Dough that he unlimited knowledge (having had an of the Elixir), he not very well apply it to his he with the world, which alone knowledge of any value to mankind. John Dough speak all languages—modern and classic. He had a logical and clear mind—what is called a "level head," you know; and this was with good sense, judgment, and a of that had been into him in a fashion. But these were as yet of no use to our man he had no experience. It was like into a scholar's hands and him to make a watch. John Dough might in time, if he did not and crumble; but just now he was the that came out of a bake-room.
It was still early morning, and most were in bed. A dog the and came up with the of having a bite of it; but John Dough his and the dog a on the end of its nose that sent the animal in another direction with its its legs. Then, merrily, the man walked on. He no whatever, but he whistle, and so he managed to an mixture of notes that would have Herr Wagner very proud.
Presently some one said, 'Hello!'
His (or bread, rather) was off now. He was hard and and much more than at first. The had him light and the Elixir had him and vigorous. A great John Dough, if no accident to him.
Presently some one said, "Hello!" John stopped short, for in of him a bright-eyed boy with a piece of punk in one hand and a of in the other. It was Ned Robbins, who had been up since the Glorious Fourth.
"You me at first," said the boy, with a look of that he to with a laugh.
"I your pardon, I'm sure," returned John Dough, politely.
"Been to a masquerade?" asked Ned, hard at the man.
"No, indeed," the other. "I am not disguised, I you. You see me as I am."
"G'wan!" Ned. But he the gingerbread, and he to frightened. So he touched the punk to the of his biggest firecracker, it on the ground at the of John Dough, and then and up an as fast as he go.
The man still and looked after Ned until the with a that John's teeth to chatter. His whole was and he nearly in the of surprise. Then he, also, started to run. It was not fear, so much as of what might next, that him to from the spot; but he ran with a speed that was wonderful, that his were of gingerbread. Truly, that Arabian Elixir was a thing!
Bang! He had into another group of boys, two of them over they out of his way. His was over his and the the wheel of a toy and off a good two from its end.
THE CRACKER SUDDENLY EXPLODED
As he off his he a and saw the boys all for the end of the cane. One of them it and ran away, and the others in a and were soon out of sight.
the boys all scrambling
for the end
of the cane
John Dough looked after them wonderingly. Then he himself up, his vest, at a in his shirt-front, and walked slowly along the again. His of life was not pleasant.
"Good gracious!" said a voice.
He paused, and saw a woman over a gate him and at him in and terror. She a in her hand, for she had been the walk. John his politely.
"Good morning, madam," said he.
"Why, it's alive!" the woman.
"Is a live person so very unusual?" asked John, curiously.
"Surely, when he's of cake!" answered the woman, still as if she not her eyes.
"Pardon me; I am not cake, but gingerbread," he answered, in a way.
"It's all the same," she answered. "You haven't any right to be alive. There's no for it."
"But how can I help it?" he asked, puzzled by this remark.
"Oh, I don't it's your fault. But it isn't right, you know. Who you?"
"Jules Grogrande, the baker," he said, for he had read the name over the door.
"I always there was something with those Frenchies," she declared. "Are you done?"
Before he reply she had a large from the and it into his side.
"Don't do that!" he cried, indignantly, as she out the of again.
"I was only tryin' you," she remarked. "You're done to a turn, and ought to make good while you're fresh."
John at her in horror.
"Good eating!" he cried; "woman, would you me?"
"I can't say it would be murder," she replied, looking at him hungrily.
"To life is murder?" he said, sternly.
"But to isn't," she rejoined. "And I can't see that it's to eat a man if he to be cake, and fresh baked. And that looks good. Come while I a knife."
"COME INSIDE WHILE I GET A KNIFE"
She opened the gate and to John Dough by an arm. But he gave a and then the at a run, looking neither to right left in his flight.
Luckily, he was not in the center of the town, but near the outskirts, and the houses were and scattered.
By and by he saw a near the roadside. The door was open and on its hinges, so it not be closed.
John into the and some in the side. He was frightened, and he must avoid with the people of the town if he would destruction.
A knife! A knife! The word in his ears and him with horror. A knife slice him into pieces easily. He himself and on a plate for to eat, and the picture him aloud.
All through the day he the hay. Toward he to the bakery. It was a difficult task, for he had passed through many and without noticing where he was going, and it every minute. But at last, just as he was to despair, he saw a light in a window and read over the door the sign: "Jules Grogrande, Baker."
John Dough skipped
behind the counter
He opened the door so that the little tinkled. But no one would have it had it loudly, for there was a of voices from the little room Madame occupied.
John Dough the counter, where he see into the room without being himself.
Around the little table the Arab, Monsieur Jules, and Madame, and they were all into each other's faces.
"But the flask!" Ali Dubh. "Where is my flask?"
"It is here," said Madame, the and something that in the lamplight.
"But this is the flask—the for rheumatism," the Arab. "Where my Golden Flask—containing the Elixir of Life?"
"I must have a mistake," said Madame, honestly; "for my are so that I cannot tell gold from silver. Anyway, the of the other I into a bowl of water, and my with it."
The Arab a in his native and then at the woman.
The Arab a in his native
tongue...
"Was it the bowl, Leontine?" asked Monsieur Jules, with excitement.
"Yes," she answered.
"Where is it? Where is it?" the Arab, in a voice. "The may yet be saved."
"Too late, Monsieur," said the baker, his head, sadly. "I used the of the bowl to mix the for my man."
"A man! What do you mean?" asked Ali Dubh.
"I a man out of this morning," said Monsieur Jules, "and to my he came alive, and spoke to me, and walked out of the shop while he was still hot."
"It is no wonder," said the Arab, dolefully; "for him was of the Great Elixir to a dozen men to life, and give them and energy for many years. Ah, Monsieur and Madame, think of what your has cost the world!"
"I do not comprehend," said Madame, firmly, "how the world has yet been by the Great Elixir, which you and your selfish have for centuries up in a flask."
"Bismillah!" the Arab, himself across the with his fist. "Cannot you understand, you one, that it was mine—mine!—this Wonderful Water of Life? I had planned to use it myself—drop by drop—that I might live forever."
"I'm sorry," said Monsieur; "but it is your own fault. You my wife to for the flask, and you would not let her tell me about it. So, through your own stupidity, I used it in the man."
John Dough this speech with a of
horror.
"Ah!" said Ali Dubh, an in his eyes, "where, then, is that same man? If I can him, and eat him, a at a time, I shall the of the Great Elixir after all! It would not be so powerful, perhaps, as in its natural state; but it would me to live for many, many years!"
John Dough this speech with a of horror. Also he now to how he to be alive.
"I do not know where the man is," said Monsieur. "He walked out of my shop while he was hot."
"But he can be found," said the Arab. "It is for a man, who is alive, to notice. Come, let us search for him at once! I must him and eat him."
He Monsieur and Madame from the room in his desperation, and John Dough out of the until he them pass through the door and their die away up the street.
The talk he had the man very sad indeed. The was no safe home for him, after all. Evidently it was the Arab's to him and upon him; and John Dough did not want to be at all.
Therefore his must not him. They were no to meet with than the woman who wanted to cut him into slices; and he was learning, by degrees, that all men were to him, although he had himself the of a man.
He left the and out into the once more, walking now in the opposite direction from that taken by the Arab and the Grograndes.
As he along he met with people on the streets; and these, in the dark, paid little attention to the man; so his rose and his in his returned.
By and by he a and from the direction of the square in the center of the town, and then he saw red and green lights the houses, and go into the sky to into of stars.
JOHN DOUGH IS CARRIED OFF BY THE ROCKET
The people were having their Fourth of July fireworks, and John Dough to the from near by. So, his fears, he ran through the until he came to a big of people, who were too the to notice that a man them.
John Dough
John Dough pressed until he was in the row, and just the men who were the rockets.
For a time he the of the with much pleasure, and the of a big wheel that to go around, sending out weak and of green and red sparks, as is the manner of such wheels.
But now the event of the was to occur. Two men out an rocket, fifteen tall and with a of powder. This they against a that upright; but the was too tall to in place, and from to awkwardly.
"Here! Hold that stick!" one of the men, and John Dough and the of the big firmly, not there was any in doing so.
Then the man ran to a piece of rope to tie the in place; but the other man, being and the was to fire, touched off the without noticing that John Dough was fast to the stick.
There was a shriek, a of fire, and then—slowly at first, but with ever-increasing speed—the into the sky, with it the of the man!
