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Here Lies the Mortal Part of
October 2nd.
JACK PUMPKINHEAD Which Spoiled
On the third stone were carved these words:
Here Lies the Mortal Part of
January 24th.
JACK PUMPKINHEAD Which Spoiled
"
Poor Jack!" sighed Dorothy. "I'm sorry he had to die in three parts, for I
hoped to see him again."
"
So you shall," declared the Tin Woodman, "since he is still alive. Come with
me to his house, for Jack is now a farmer and lives in this very pumpkin
field."
They walked over to a monstrous big, hollow pumpkin which had a door and
windows cut through the rind. There was a stovepipe running through the
stem, and six steps had been built leading up to the front door.
They walked up to this door and looked in. Seated on a bench was a man
clothed in a spotted shirt, a red vest, and faded blue trousers, whose body was
merely sticks of wood, jointed clumsily together. On his neck was set a round,
yellow pumpkin, with a face carved on it such as a boy often carves on a jack-
lantern.
This queer man was engaged in snapping slippery pumpkin-seeds with his
wooden fingers, trying to hit a target on the other side of the room with them.
He did not know he had visitors until Dorothy exclaimed:
"
Why, it's Jack Pumpkinhead himself!"
He turned and saw them, and at once came forward to greet the little Kansas
girl and Nick Chopper, and to be introduced to their new friends.
Button-Bright was at first rather shy with the quaint Pumpkinhead, but
Jack's face was so jolly and smiling--being carved that way--that the boy soon
grew to like him.
"
I thought a while ago that you were buried in three parts," said Dorothy, "but
now I see you're just the same as ever."
"
Not quite the same, my dear, for my mouth is a little more one-sided than it
used to be; but pretty nearly the same. I've a new head, and this is the fourth
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