American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-11-13
A GROWN-UP FAIRY TALE.
BY ELIZA spRoAT TURNER.

Once, before entertainments had
quite lost their power, ere yet the
dragon slayrrs had all turned into
retormerS. the goblins into lOcomo-
tlves and sewing machines, and the
kmi2hts-errant into horle missiona-
ries, a young prince named Rhocal
set out in search of adventures.
Night came he had journeyed far,
and began TO ibihl The forest had no
end, when he s;;w what seemed a
Il sudden returning sunset, blazing
through t',e gloom.
At iIstn he cried, and hastened
eagerly to'Tard it; but found himself
Ieeelled ,,y a solid jungle of unknown
trees and bushes. 1t encircled a
large enclosure, and was $" armed
with pric.lles and spikes and Jagged
branches as. to make the whole liv-
ing wall of tlorns. But from within
came the light that reused the birds
from their slumberS. ....
Il must get inside said Rhocal.
SO, he hacked with his swotd and
dashed with his shield before him
AMI falling, threw Sword and shield
aside, and plunged straight into the
Jungle. The wicked spikes reared
up and stabbed him like SO many
daggers. Slll on he plunged, and
after the first few moments they
stabbed no more. Instead, he seem
ed to be smothered in something
sweet and yielding; and presently,
falling through on the other side.
heheld ii living Wall OF roses.
Tile place Was an old lose garden
Inside there were no thorms; bat
year by year the roses had grown
and bloomed, until the air was almost
too sweet to breathe, 1t seemed to
have showed roses there for hund
red years, and Rh0cal could hardly
make, his way through the heaps and
drifts that encumhered him.
Buried under the flowers he saw
the wreck Of a palace, crumbled long
ago. And in the centre, almost hid
den in the deepest and sweetest rose
drift, lay a lovely Young girl, motion
less and seemingly sleeping; and vel
not sleeping, for her placid es es wer,
open, hooking ut Rhocai.
Amusement cr;ed the prince
If had not been better taught.
should have sworn that This was the
Sleeping Beauty; but she was diseu
chantcd hundred years ago
Not So said fresh vGnng voice
! from, tl,.. IN n
man partly reused me; but | grew
very heavy on his hands, and some
low | found myself again on III.
couch and the young prince gone
And here | have waited anolhe
hundred years
And now she added, wistfull,
i shouIG like to get up
Rhecal looked ag;fin at the Lowell
wonder. Her face WAS round an
Innocent, her eyes were young, an
, altogether she locked! like Il lar9
child but SO fresh and delicate, S
tar beyond any picture of heaut
the prince lrld ever seen, that for
moment he scarcely dared to a
! rr0ach her. But modesty WAS IL
!. this Nou,g man $ thiing,
:. 4 see il, all - lie cried. 1T
:. clear that | am singled our for som
thing great altd peculiar. Have
q net always imstinctively felt that
l was better than others | alone,
a., all the world, am really worthy
y. waken the Sleeping Beauty
- To do that said Beauty, yc
- must kiss me on the mouth
n WHAT take such liberty with
Va foreign princess 4. Ga, no; | ha'
=. been too we'll brought up for that
y. But ! want TO get up said Bea
ty, pouiinG.
Thus adjurefl. the prince, glad
= waving etiquette. approached, Al
~ n lightly touched The half parted lii
!" They trembled and broke into snil,
III The quiet eyes kindied, the strat
- pink Ga her check disappeared, al
!" sur"ed back in crimson. She arc
and stood before him. AS her Y
ri low hair fell round her feet, $
Il Looked Ike golden fountain.
~ i will 20 with you,' she said,
~ the end Of the world
x sAnd what shall we do, my lov
VI. said El0cal, when We reach t
'e world What kind OF life shall
IS Ii ei For | mean to live for 80
Il pleasure
How should | know ? said t
40 princess; except that you must
IL always near me, because you are
IL beautiful
'S, How sweet an anSwer' S:
u Rhocal, not quite satisfied. IS
t" what delicate wild flowers. Acrt
ne them as my first love token p!aci
IS them in her hand.
~. ! am rather tired Of flowers s.
-" J." Beauty. dropping them. They hi
AN been in my way for a hundred Yea
-, But is not that blackberry bra
."' .,' hle tonderf As | remember, | V
fond of hlacllberries.'
an Rhocal sprang to the bush, {
NJ returned with a bowl made OF lea
.d and filled with b,ackherrieR; VIII
ed Beauty, sitting down, deyourcd III
fe. greedily.
b. but then,' said Rhocal, heni
be ant|y, this is her first meal IL
hundred years.
OF 'And now,' he resumed, alb
Is the time when you shall be uiy bI
Tor and true companion. For you sc
oeS mean my wife, If she will, to be "
II me alwavS: To ride with me to
Sc chase-ah that is Hfr-and to j.