We showed the one-eyed beetle
and the four-leaved clover, and the Garuly immediately hit the gate a
ringing blow with his club, and shouted, "Beetle! beetle! beetle!" in a
wonderfully sharp and squeaking voice, while the Pickaninny on top jerked
a little bell rope, and sung out "Clover." Then we could see through the
gate a Joblily lifting his head up out of a pond, inside the enclosure.
"How many eyes?" he asked.
"One," said the Garuly.
"How many leaves?" he said, again.
"Four," returned the Pickaninny.
"Then let them in that they may see the Great Panjandrum himself, and
learn whether there be a bag of gold at the end of the rainbow." Saying
this the Joblily went under the water and the gate opened.
We passed three gates, that were opened in the same manner, and found
ourselves in front of a queer old house, with seventy-seven gables and
ever so many doors, and over every door was written, "The Great
Panjandrum Himself." There was a great bustle about the place, dried-up
Garulies running around, dandy-looking Pickaninnies hopping about, and
Joblilies swimming in the lake. We asked what it all meant, and were told
that "she was going to marry the barber;" and then they all tittered, and
we could not for the life of us tell what this pother meant.
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