beautiful Emerald City and a lovely girl Ruler named Ozma, who was the
most faithful friend of the little Kansas girl. When Dorothy told
about the riches of this fairy country Uncle Henry would sigh, for he
knew that a single one of the great emeralds that were so common there
would pay all his debts and leave his farm free. But Dorothy never
brought any jewels home with her, so their poverty became greater
every year.

When the banker told Uncle Henry that he must pay the money in thirty
days or leave the farm, the poor man was in despair, as he knew he
could not possibly get the money. So he told his wife, Aunt Em, of
his trouble, and she first cried a little and then said that they must
be brave and do the best they could, and go away somewhere and try to
earn an honest living. But they were getting old and feeble and she
feared that they could not take care of Dorothy as well as they had
formerly done. Probably the little girl would also be obliged to go
to work.

They did not tell their niece the sad news for several days,
not wishing to make her unhappy; but one morning the little girl
found Aunt Em softly crying while Uncle Henry tried to comfort her.
Then Dorothy asked them to tell her what was the matter.

"We must give up the farm, my dear," replied her uncle sadly, "and
wander away into the world to work for our living."

The girl listened quite seriously, for she had not known before how
desperately poor they were.

"We don't mind for ourselves," said her aunt, stroking the little