Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-07-16

making sure Of overtaking the prince;
but at the bridge they stopped short for
there the traces suddenly ended, and the
road split in three. There was nothing
for 1t but to ride back and tell the king of
their iii success. The king flew into q
worse rage than before. "DonkeysV y
roared he, don't you see that they were
the bridge and the river9 How was IL
that you didn't find that outY of with
you-apd bring him back, do you hearf"
So the pursuers started again.
az hear q trsmpling," whispered the
princess; and Prince John, after listening
a moment, replied as before, "Yes, here
they are close upon usp Instantly the
pair vanished, horse and all and in place
of them appeared dense forest, through
which ran roads and paths innumersble;
and in the midst of the forest there was,
as it were, the figure of a horse carrying
two riders. The kings men reached the
wood, saw (as they thought) the two run
aways, and made all speed to overtske
them. On flew the pursuers, and you
would have thought that in another mo-
ment they must seize the unlucky pair
but no such thing. The horsemen looked
about them and found themselves at the
entrance of the Underground Kingdom,
in the very place whence they had started
in pursuit. In moment everything had
isappeared-horse, riders, thick wood,
and all.
The pursuers returned empty-handed (;
and the king, when he heard what had
happened, went into greater passion
than ever. "Ill give it to You, you lub
bers |" screeched he. "My horse quick!
I'll go after him myself and see whether
he can give mo the Slip" So the Under
ground King himself started in pursuit.
A third time the princess whispered, 81
hear trampling;" and Prince John dis
mounted IN listen.
"They're coming" said he, "and pretty
close, too; but somehow the trampliug
sounds much louder than it did before"
"Oh dear |" said she, "this must be the
Underground King himself who is coming
after us; but at all events, yonder is the
boundary of his kingdom, and beyond
that he can not go. Once we get past it
we are safe"
The moment they reached the boundary
! line Pricess Mary changed herself into a
cave, Prince John into hermit, and the
horse into post, on which hung little
| bell. at that minute the Underground
King and all his men came galloping up.
| "Have you seen any one pass this way,
my good old manS" asked the king of the
pretended hermit.
ITO be sure" answered the hermit
"just this minute a young man and woman
came riding by, both upon one horse.
They came into my cave to rest, and when
they went away told me to swear hadn't
seen them in case l happened to fall in
with you"
"Well, there's nothing to be done," said
the Underground King, seeing that by
this time Prince John was fairly out OF
his reach "my daughter may marry him
if she likes. There's no denying it, he's q
fine lad of a prince" Aud he turned hi:
horses head, and rode home again,
In the meantime Prince John and Prin
cess Mary, having no longer any pursui
to fear, went quietly on their way to thu
country of Tsar Berendi, where they were
received by the king and queen with sucl
Joy as neither had ever felt before. There
was no time lost in deliberation; frs
came grand feast, and after the feast o
wedding. Prince John married the love
ly Princess Mary, and they lived thence
forward happily and prosperously
Prince John helped his father to govern
the kingdom. Everything went smooth
ly and well-and that is the end of tn
story.