A CROSS-WORD PUZZLE

Northern Advocate, 16 February 1926, Page 6

A CROSS-WORD PUZZLE

GWENDA’S SOLUTION. By JOYCE MINNS. Gwenda was doing a cross-word puzzle. She had almost finished it, and was feeling very pleased as she had done it all herself. But this word she could not get. “More than half a cross-word puzzle.” “Whatever can it be, mummy?” she exclaimed, reading the definition aloud. “I don’t know, I am sure, dear,” replied her mother, “but 1 think that you hud better go to bed, now, so put your puzzle away.' Gwenda sighed regretful!;';. “All right, mother, though 1 did want to get it out.” The little girl trailed wearily upstairs, still puzzling her curly head over the word. But she really was tired, and she thought she would lose no time getting into bed. When she arrived at her own little white bedroom, she undressed and was just scrambling into bed when her attention was caught by a tiny man sit ting on the bedpost. Gwenda stared in amazement. The quaint, little man was no bigger than Gwenda's little finger, and he was dressed in a suit made completely of black and white checks. His little cap, stuck jauntily on one side of bis head, -was also black and white.

“Whoever are you?” Gwenda exclaimed. “I am an elf from Cross-word Puzzle Town, and I have come to take you to see my city.” “Oh, that will be beautiful,” said Gwenda. “I should love to go.” Without more ado the elf told her to shut her eyes, count seven, and turn round three times. On opening her eyes she found she had arrived at the eif’a town. It was indeed a curious place. Everything was black and white. The road on which she stood, the drosses of the little people hurrying past her, the dogs, horses, motor cars, lorries and drays, everything she could see except the hands and faces of the people. “They don't take much notice of a visitor, do they?” said Gwenda, speaking of the people.

“No, because you are exactly the same as they are.” said her companion, witli an impish grin. ‘•'Oil, so I am,” cried Owemla, looking at her dress. And indeed she was now no bigger than her guide and dressed in black and white, “What is that big building on the top of the'hill?” she asked. “Is it the King's palace?” “Oh, no,” said her friend.j “we don’t have a king. Cross-word Puzzle Town is a republic, governed by a President, and that is where President Vertical lives.” “I would like, to sec him,” Gwenda said. “Well, I will take you then. But you must be very quiet, because the President’s work is to put ideas into people’s heads uii in the Land of Mortals for making and filling in cross-word puzzles.” Her elfen guide led her through streets exactly alikd* until he arrived at a big check gate. He rang the bell and a little man popped his head through one of the squares in the door and asked them their errand. Gwenda’s companion told him. and the guard let them in. They went up a flight of steps into a large ' hall where a number of men, dressed in the national costume were sitting round a long table at the head of which a man was sitting who appeared slightly taller and more important-look-ing than the rest. “That is the President,” said the guide. “Yes, but whatever are they all talking about so seriously?” she asked. “Well, you see, more than halt a crossword puzzle is white,” he began- —. But. Gwenda, with a gleeful chuckle, rani for the door. “That’s the word, that’s the word,” she murmured, and then she awoker “At any rate, that is the word,” she said to lierself. “It may be a dream, but ‘white’ finishes my puzzle.”