Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-05-18
The King ofthe swans,

cheerful that she was favorlte with
everybody This girl had a friend
called Hilda, who was also very good
Child, and they loved each other dearly
I'm the winter, when the snow was lying
deep upon the hill and field, Hilda fell
sick, and her parents were in great
trouble about her. She was quite un-
able to eat, was burning with fever
heat, and shivering with cold by turns;
she became no better, though she had
several doctors and much medicine.
When any OF her young friends came
to see her, she would say "Give me
strawberries which OF yon will go and
find me some Strawberries, that ] may
get well again. If her parents said:
:" Dear Hilda, it is winter, and there
are no strawberries to be found at this
season. Hida would raise herself up
In bed, and say "Far away, over the
high hill, there is green slope there
1 can see plenty of strawberries who
will go and fetch them for me only
one Of the nice red berries-only one"
The children left the room saying to
each other: "What nonsense poor
Hilda talked about Strawberries she
must be dreaming. Who would go up
that wild hill, and through those dark
woods to get strawberries forany one2S
But Delphine felt troubled, and said;
"Who will go with me over the noun
tain to seek for strawberries 1t will
be some comfort to poor Hilda if she
sees rs start to seek them, even if we
do not find them" But no one would
go with her, but all went straight home
SO Delphine set out alone on her way
A small trodden footpath led up the
great steep mill and down again on the
other side, through great dark wood
of beach ond oak. She came toa place
where three paths met she stood still
minute, not knowing which path to
take, when she saw little man APP
preaching through the trees. He had
81 Green hat upon his head, with featb-
or os white as snow. His dress was of
e. 3o.test swan's-down; he carried an
irp,y bow at his shoulder and a small
all Jer hunting horn hung at his side
What do you want here, my little dam
SELF" he SAID, in friendly voice. -
"Ah ~ said Delphine, Il have sick
friend who longs for strawberries, and
says they will make her we'll again |
know very we'll it is winter; but think
I shall be able to find something here
she will like, and / hope shall not re-
turn empty handed"
'Come with me-, said the little hun
ter; 81 will show you a place where
you will find what you have come in
search OF.
Ae went on before, leading her
through many winding paths, until the
forest appeared lighter, the air became
warmer and more spring like, and at
last they came to grated iron door.
The little man unlocked it, saying, eff
You go straight forward you will find
what you seek.
Delphine would have thanked the
good hatured little man, but he had
vanished SO she went on few steps
further and came to green slope.
Here winter had disappeared The sun
shSne warm in blue, cloudless sky;
the birds sang merrily, and, a few steps
on, she came to II spot where the
ground was covered with the finest ripe
Strawberries. How the good little
maiden rejoiced She quickly filled
the little basket she had brought with
her, and started back to her dear sick
Hilda.
But somehow it happened that she
could not find her way back; she came
to high iron fence that surrounded
the wood, but all her attempts to find
the grated iron gate were useless. She
ran this way and that still no gate
was to be seen Then she heard the
sound of whistle at a distance, and
exclaimed, in JOY, Il hear living
sound; some one, surely, is i'll this
wood who will show me the way She
FASTENED through a thicket in the di-
rection of the whistle, and suddenly be-
held scene which caused her great
surprise. Before her lay large green
meadow, and beyond this clear lake.
on which number of stately, beauti-
full swans were swimming gracefully.
In the middle Of the lake was small
island, and upon it a grand palace,
surrounded by flower gardens and
orange groves. As she approached the
shores of the lake, she saw little man
sitting who did not look SO friendly as
the little hunter in the forest He had
n large head with rough hair. and n
gray beard that reached down to his
knees. In one hand lie held a whistle,
and in the other a switch.
Delphlne felt rather afraid 10 speak
to him, and stood at little distance.
She soon observed that his Office was
to take care of the swans, and prevent
them from going out of the water
When they did so he whistled to them,
aud if they did not obey him, then he
employed his switch, which had the
property Of stretching out or becoming
short, just MS he pleased. Delphine
could see no one but this old man, nor