MAY 26: Life in the Fireplace
“Jamie and Jackie had both fallen asleep in front of the fire,” commenced daddy, “and now instead of the fire they saw huge castles and towers and turrets and bridges and royal people. Far over in a corner, too, they saw a dark gray stone cave in which was sitting an old, old Witch dressed in a scarlet robe, with a tall black hat on her head.
“Soon they heard the Kings and Queens and the Princes and Princesses talking. They had low voices, but every little while a sudden gun would go off and for a moment they would all keep very quiet.
“‘What do those guns mean?’ asked Jackie and Jamie together.
“‘It’s the Fireplace clock,’ the Sparks answered.
“‘But it doesn’t seem to keep very good time—I heard the gun go off three times in a hurry and then not for ages,’ said Jamie.
“‘It keeps as good time as we care about,’ said the Sparks. ‘We’re not so awfully particular. Anyway, our bright colors and our gorgeous castles should be fine enough without hearing from you that our clock doesn’t keep good time.’
“‘Indeed, we do think you’re all beautiful, and we love a cool evening when we can have a fire. We don’t mind if your clock doesn’t keep good time,’ said Jamie.
“‘What are you saying about the time?’ said the Mother of Jackie and Jamie. ‘Bedtime, eh?’ for both Jamie and Jack were being shaken gently and told to trot off to their real bed. But as they both crawled into their nice soft sheets, they found that they’d each had the very same dream—and both had seen the Fireplace castles and heard the Fireplace clock which kept such bad time!”