www.freeclassicebooks.com

I never keep track of the years," said Miss Cuttenclip, laughing. "You

see, I don't grow up at all, but stay just the same as I was when first I

came here. Perhaps I'm older even than you are, madam; but I couldn't

say for sure."

They looked at the lovely little girl wonderingly, and the Wizard asked:

What happens to your paper village when it rains?"

It does not rain here," replied Miss Cuttenclip. "Glinda keeps all the

rain storms away; so I never worry about my dolls getting wet. But now,

if you will come with me, it will give me pleasure to show you over my

paper kingdom. Of course you must go slowly and carefully, and avoid

making any breeze."

They left the cottage and followed their guide through the various streets

of the village. It was indeed an amazing place, when one considered that

it was all made with scissors, and the visitors were not only greatly

interested but full of admiration for the skill of little Miss Cuttenclip.

In one place a large group of especially nice paper dolls assembled to

greet their Queen, whom it was easy to see they loved early. These dolls

marched and danced before the visitors, and then they all waved their

paper handkerchiefs and sang in a sweet chorus a song called "The Flag

of Our Native Land."

At the conclusion of the song they ran up a handsome paper flag on a

tall flagpole, and all of the people of the village gathered around to cheer

as loudly as they could--although, of course, their voices were not

especially strong.

Miss Cuttenclip was about to make her subjects a speech in reply to this

patriotic song, when the Shaggy Man happened to sneeze.

He was a very loud and powerful sneezer at any time, and he had tried so

hard to hold in this sneeze that when it suddenly exploded the result was

terrible.

The paper dolls were mowed down by dozens, and flew and fluttered in

wild confusion in every direction, tumbling this way and that and getting

more or less wrinkled and bent.

The Emerald City of Oz