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They came up and stood in a row, staring at him, and he stared back while
the queer sounds came from him as before:
Tiddle-iddle-iddle, oom pom-pom,
Tiddle-widdle-iddle, oom pom-pom,
Oom, pom-pom; oom pom-pom!
Oom, pom-pom--pah!
"
Why, he's a reg'lar musicker!" said Button-Bright.
"
"
What's a musicker?" asked Dorothy.
Him!" said the boy.
Hearing this, the fat man sat up a little stiffer than before, as if he had
received a compliment, and still came the sounds:
Tiddle-widdle-iddle, oom pom-pom,
Oom pom-pom, oom--
"
Stop it!" cried the shaggy man, earnestly. "Stop that dreadful noise."
The fat man looked at him sadly and began his reply. When he spoke the
music changed and the words seemed to accompany the notes. He said--or
rather sang:
It isn't a noise that you hear, But Music, harmonic and clear.
My breath
makes me play Like an organ, all day-- That bass note is in my left ear.
"
How funny!" exclaimed Dorothy; "he says his breath makes the music."
"
That's all nonsense," declared the shaggy man; but now the music began
again, and they all listened carefully.
My lungs are full of reeds like those In organs, therefore I suppose, If I
breathe in or out my nose,
The reeds are bound to play.
So as I breathe to live, you know, I squeeze out music as I go; I'm very
sorry this is so-- Forgive my piping, pray!
"
Poor man," said Polychrome; "he can't help it. What a great misfortune it is!"
"
Yes," replied the shaggy man; "we are only obliged to hear this music a short
time, until we leave him and go away; but the poor fellow must listen to
himself as long as he lives, and that is enough to drive him crazy. Don't you
think so?"
"
Don't know," said Button-Bright. Toto said, "Bow-wow!" and the others
laughed.
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