Here was nothing grimy or faded, indeed. On the
contrary, the room was of dazzling brilliance and
beauty, for it was lined throughout with an
exquisite metal that resembled translucent frosted
silver. The surface of this metal was highly
ornamented in raised designs representing men,
animals, flowers and trees, and from the metal
itself was radiated the soft light which flooded
the room. All the furniture was made of the same
glorious metal, and Scraps asked what it was.
"That's radium," answered the Chief. "We
Horners spend all our time digging radium from
the mines under this mountain, and we use it
to decorate our homes and make them pretty and
cosy. It is a medicine, too, and no one can ever
be sick who lives near radium."
"Have you plenty of it?" asked the Patchwork
Girl.
"More than we can use. All the houses in this
city are decorated with it, just the same as mine
is."
"Why don't you use it on your streets, then,
and the outside of your houses, to make them as
pretty as they are within?" she inquired.
"Outside? Who cares for the outside of
anything?" asked the Chief. "We Horners don't live
on the outside of our homes; we live inside. Many
people are like those stupid Hoppers, who love to
make an outside show.
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