THE RUNAWAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 868, 11 January 1930, Page 27

THE RUNAWAY

AND A SCISSORS-GRINDER'S SUSPICIONS A little boy ran out of his house and flown the street us fast as he could go. He passed a scissors-grinder who was shouting sing-songlngly to the accompaniment of his bell: "Any knives to sharpen?" Any scissors to grind ' Any umbrellas to mend To mend, to mend, to mend?” At once the scissors-grinder thought the little boy was up to some mischief, so lie started awkwardly after him. his grinding machine thumping his back and his big bell ringing steadily. As lie was passing the grocer’s shop, the grocer heard the insistent bell of the suspicious scissors-grinder. and. going to the door of his shop, he called: "What makes you in such a hurry, Mr. Scissors-Grinder ?” "Bo you see that boy?” pointed out the scissors-grinder. “He’s up to some mischief, I'll wager, and I'm after him." "Bo you want some help?” asked the grocer. "I should say so.” answered the scissors-grinder. So the grocer locked his shop and started after the scissorsgrinder. Now, just as the grocer had locket! his shop and started hurrying after the suspicious scissors-grinder, the butcher across the way. who with cleaver in hand was chopping up steaks and chops for a window display, caught sight of him and wondered why he left his shop so early in the day. With the cleaver stiil in hand, lie hurriedly shouted after his neighbour: “Why do you leave so soon today, Mr. Grocer?” ‘ O.” answered tlie grocer, “there** a mischievous boy tearing down the street at a great rate. The scissorsgrinder has already shown me. I’m going to help catch him.” "If that’s so,” said the butcher. “I'd better lend a hand, too,” and straightway raced after the grocer. As the butcher was lumbering around the corner after the grocer, he knocked into a traffic policeman. “Here, here!” exclaimed the traffic policeman. “What’s the matter with you?” “Why.” said the butcher, breathlessly, “a mischievous boy is skedad - dling down the street ahead of us. and I’m trying to help the grocer and the scissors-grinder to catch him." “That being the case,” answered the traffic policeman, “he’s right in my line, and I’ll go with you.” So the traffic policeman started running after the butcher. Bown tlie street fled the boy. Bown the street fled the suspicious scissors-grinder, the grocer, tlie butcher and the traffic policeman. Around the corner tore the boy. Around the corner tore the suspicious scissors-grinder, the grocer, the butcher and the traffic policeman. Clang! clang! clang! clang! sounded a very self-respecting bell in a. very self-respecting red, brick building. A woman came out and stood on the steps of the building just as the little boy raced past her. Still she stood there. Soon the suspicious scissorsgrinder, the puffing grocer, the wheezing butcher, and the breathless traffic policeman appeared before her. “Well, well, well!” said the sweetly smiling woman. "What can be the matter?” “A very mischievous boy ran* Into your building just now,” said the suspicious scissors-grinder. “Raced,” added the grocer. “Fled,” continued the butcher. “Skedaddled,” declared the traffic policeman, “and we’ve come to see about it.” “Indeed?” nodded the teacher, smiling broadly. “Indeed! Would you like to know really just why that little boy ran so extremely fast?” “Yes, we would,” chorused the suspicious scissors-grinder, the grocer, j the butcher and the traffic policeman. "Well, I will tell you,” said the ! teacher. “He had to. or he would have j been late to school.” At that she went j in and quietly shut the door. ! “Humph!” muttered the suspicious | scissors-grinder. ! “Bid you ever?’ sighed the grocer. “No. I never!” answered the butcher, j “Fiddlesticks!” declared the traffic ' policeman, wheeling about to return to J tho village. And a more foolish and I sorry group, indeed, seldom was seen, jas the puffing grocer, the wheezing butcher, and breathless traffic police- ! man wended their weary way back. The suspicious scissors-grinder alone appeared entirely unconscious of j the episode. He did not return to | the village, but went on his way eternI ally ringing his big bell and leisurely ; shouting sing-songingly: “Any knives to sharpen? Any scissors grind? Any umbrellas to mend ■ To mend, to mend, to mend?” STRATEGY Auntie was bidding her little niece farewell before she left for England. “I am going away for a long time,” she said, “and you will forget all nbout me and wonder who I am when l come back.” “Yes,” said little Betty. “1 expect I j shall say, ‘Who is this kind lady who has brought me all these beautiful toys/” Sent in by JEAN GRANT.