St. Nicholas (serial) (1873) (14783887613)

Identifier: stnicholasserial222dodg (find matches)
Title: St. Nicholas (serial)
Year: 1873 (1870s)
Authors: Dodge, Mary Mapes, 1830-1905
Subjects: Children's literature
Publisher: (New York : Scribner & Co.)
Contributing Library: Information and Library Science Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Digitizing Sponsor: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill



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the soldiers did ntgo further than was neces-sary to see the otherwagons. Consequent-ly the dragon, gain-ing in courageand confidence, s - .came nearer tothe town, andmade a thirdmeal. This time, thedrummer - boy,who was abrave little fel-low after all,became rathercurious aboutthe dragon. In-stead of runningaway, therefore,he waited untilthe rest of thetroop were outof sight, andthen climbed atree. For a while nothinghappened ; and the drummer-boy began even to get sleepy; butjust about twilight the boy heard the rattlingand crackling of the dragons scales. Hepeered out through the leaves and soon sawthe dragon cautiously crawling down the roadtoward the wagons. The boy was so startledby the sight that he gave a violent jump, andthereby knocked his drum out of its resting-place in the tree. Whack-bang—rattlety—bang/ the drum fellthrough the branches to the ground. And atthe noise the timid dragon went scuttling awayup the road like a frightened mouse. (July, the sort the %P*&
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Oho ! cried the boy. So thatof a creature you are, Mr. Dragon! Climbing leisurely down, the drummer-boypicked up his drum, slung it over his shoulder,and returned to the town, laughing quietly tohimself. But when, the next day, the dragon made a new disturbance, he was so much nearer town that there was consternation among the citizens. They ran to the To\vn Hall in throngs, and insisted that measures be taken either to destroy the monster or to protect the town from his nearer approach. After a stormy meet-ing at the Town Hall,the town-crier appear-and read a proc-lamation from theMayor offering a richreward to whoevercould devise, in-vent, or con-trive some ef-fective means,plan, or con-trivance thatwould now,hence-forth andfor ever-more and withoutfail put anend to andabate the said pub-lic menace,enemy, and threat to the prosperity and welfare of the mu-nicipality. The proclamation, in fact, wound up bypromising to grant any request that might bemade by the lucky man who should su