Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-02-06 00:00:00

ARGUMENT.

Ever so long age there existed a remote little kingdom in
the realms of Extravagance called Faraway, which,' it the
primitive period to which this story refers, was governed by a
crafty and tyrannical monarch, yclept Squander, whose reckless
and unchecked expenditure (book-keeping being then unknown
and auditors never dreamt of,) had plunged his little king-
dom and his wretched subjects into an abject state of poverty
and want. In order to repl nish his empty coffers, and
to stop the murmurs of his impoverished followers, King.
Squander conceived the idea of effecting a matrimonial
alliance between his only son, the handsome Prince Golden-
heart, and a wealthy spinster Princess, his ward, whose
charms were buried in her money-bags. Like many modern
match-makers, his Majesty speedily made the discovery teat
his task was more difficult than he had imagined; for
although the intended bride was quite willing, the bridegroom
elect expressed a decided objection to the alliance. Finding
his son so obstinate that threats and entreaties alike failed.to
turn him from his anti-matrimonial purpose, the King de-
vised a cunning scheme, by which he hoped to overcoyee .the
scruples of his son, and entrap him into 'wedlock with the
by-no-means beautiful Princess. Having an Ungallant idea
that the fair sex were wholly and without exception addicted
to the looking-glass (those in which they could see their own
faces, having been invented about that time), he despatched the
Prince upon his travels, and obtained his royal promise that if
he returned without having discovered a fair maiden who had
never beheld her face in a glass, he would then accept the prof-
fered hand of the obnoxious Princess. Proceeding upon his
novel and apparently hopeless mission, the Prince had almost
....esignedliimself to despair, when, wearied_and dispirited, he
leached an enchanted forest, and, by the aid of certain good
fairies who dwelt therein, he w s enabled to discover the object
of his search in the person 9f little Snow-white, ,a, wood nymph,
who, together with her companions,'-had not' only never seen
their own'faces in a glass, but had never seen the race of one
man unfit- the arrival of. Prince Golden-heart in their abode,
which was a sequestered dell on the borders of Fairyland.
The yrinee, overjoyed by his wonderful diseovery, was at ranee
„mitten with her beauty, and the maiden was not slow to
reciprocate the sentiment.
Their future was probably a happy one--but history is obli-
vious of their subsequent career. Certain learned antiquarians,
whose special mission is to attempt to make people believe that
the musty records of past and gone are of more importance to
the, living-present than the stirring events of the existing gene-
ration, or the onward advancement of the future, are of opinion
that the ancient' kingdon of FaraViay has been discovered
beneath aid Goodwin Sands, and a Limited Liability
in contemplation for exploriv.g that highly attractive locality.
By others it is contended that Hilbre Island covers the defunct
kingdom, and this supposition is encouraged by the recent dis-
covery of a fossil, bearing a strong rese blance to a missing
toothpick, formerly the property of King—Squander. -Other
equally learned pundits are of opinion that Faraway is buried
in oblivion, and that it never existed an; where but in the
inventive imagination of a needy author.

TRANSFORMATION.
Harlequin fir. W. Waite Pantaloon Mr. E. Lauri
Clown 11-r. Power I Columbine Miss M'Ginty

OW— A GRAND MORNING CONCERT,• supported by
highly distinguished Artistes will be given in this Theatre on
SATURDAY, February. 11.
Adinihsion :-1-Dress Boxes, 48.; Upper Boxes, 304; Pit, 25.;
Gallery, Is.
Doors Copepeditt Half-past Six, and the Performances com-
mence at Seven o'clock precisely.
The Box-office is Ope* from Ten to Three, for securing
Seats in the Dress Circle and taking Private Boxes, which may
be had under the di;:ection of Mr. George Weston,