The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-11-19
Young Folks.
THE DOVE MAIDEN.
A CATsKILL FAIRY TALE
(Continued.)

FAIRIES have no need OF real money, so
Slimp hid hers by the steps of a cathedral,
where a good man found it and distributed
the gold to the poor, which the brokerne
would have done.
That night large rat, with bright eyes
like two beads, crept into the chamber where
the broker slept. lie had the chain in
stout oak box beneath the bed, and his door
was barred as he feared robbers He could
not keep out a rat especially when that rat
was Madam Skimp.
She gnawed up quantity of bank-notes,
which she had adroitly slipped from between
the leaves of pocket book, to a soft pulp.
With this she rolled two little balls, and
popped them into the sleeper's ears,so that he
could hear nothing. Then she attacked the
box under the bed gnaw, gnaw, went her
sharp teeth until tiny hole was made,
through which she dragged the dove chain,
and away she went with it.
THAT was well done," said Skimp, chang
ing into hawk.
We must now return to Aunt Katrinc's
house. The children all grew up. Sophia,
blooming maiden of eighteen, married a
| wealthy mill-owner, and went away.
The dove child was tall and fair in appear
ance She had long since outgrown the star
| spangled robe and tiny shoes she first wore.
| The dove mate bad never returned to visit
| her
Otto did not miss the chain from the hid
| ING place, for soon after Aunt Katrine had
| lost it the cottage took fire from smoking
chimney, and the whole building was de-
stroyed. Otto carried out the furniture, but
| he supposed the chain must have been lost
| in the flames. Aunt Katrine still kept 81
lent, but she was very kind to the dove child,
| trying to repair the injury she had done her.
"After all, she is better off here in Chris
tian home, thought poor Aunt Katrine and
then she looked at the spangled dress, won
dering where the dove maiden really had
lived.
Otto had grown to be handsome young
man. He was faithful, honest and industri-
Gus, and rebuilt the cottage with his own
hands Still he must always have his own
way. He wished to marry the dove maiden
Aunt Katrne thought the girl could not do
better: after she died there would be no one
left to care for her unless she married Otto
So the dove maiden went into the new cot
tage as Otto's wife, although she wept many
tears that this should be her lot instead Of
finding her dove companion once more.
Aunt Katrine still scrubbed and polished,
for in that lay her chief happiness, and the
dove maiden was too delicate for such hard
work. One fine morning the good aunt put
on her spectacles to admire "a pretty baby
which lay in the cradle, as white as milk,
with sapphire eyes. Otto made husband
good enough and he was proud of his wife
and child, but he was sury and ill-tempered
if any little matter went wrong, even with
them. The dove maiden was now cheerful
and happy; she called the child Snowdrop,
and they gathered flowers together in the
meadow, while Aunt Katrine scrubbed.
When the little girl had grown sufficiently
large she was dressed in the star-spangled
robe, shoes, and silver cap which her mother
had worn before her. Aunt Katrine was
very much pleased with Snowdrop in this
becoming costume. The dove maiden led
her to the meadow, where she loved to sit
near the spot where she was captured. The
Snyders had never heard word of her sto-
nv, but now she decided to tell it TO Snow
drop, who listened with bright, intelligent
eyes.
Il dreamed about my sister last night" F"
she said. "Perhaps if we wait patiently here
she will come and pay as visit"
"But how will she Gomez asked Snow
drop.
"She will fly here with her beautiful white
wings, just as | did, returned the dove mai
den, with a sigh. "Attend, my child, while
| tell you about your grandfather and rela-
tives in the East. The King of Selgrobia is
my father. He has brilliant court thous-
ands of miles away from here, where the
palm-trees grow. have brother who is a
Crown Prince, and will some time be King.
My sister and | were the only daughters, and
we were twins. We were born with little
gold chains about our necks, studded with
Jewels, and clasped with diamond button.
These were gifts of the fairy king at our
BIRTH and would enable us to become doves
whenever we wished to fly away. Tne
Queen, our mother, considered this a very
dangerous gift; and, fearing we would avail
ourselves of the chance thus granted US, she
carefully hid away the two chains in a cas-
ket. We were brought up in the palace, yet
seldom visited the state apartments. All,
that was happy life We played in rose
gardens with our maids, and bathed in mar
BILE fountains.
zone day there was grand reception, in
which Prince of Ethiopia, black as ebony,
and wearing turban Of yellow satin wound
with chains Of pearls, was presented to the
King. The Crown Prince, our brother, was
present at the ceremony but we were toe
, young, although our maids ran away to peer
through the lattice at the wonderful stranger
Left alone, we fambled into our mothers
! magnificent apartments, and began to exam
, inc every rare, costly piece of furniture with
, childish curiosity. Presently we found @
casket in an alcoye which contained oul
chains, and we ct once recognized the fairy
y gifts.
"'Let'us go out on the balcony. urged my
5 sister.
e $50 we stepped out, disobeying our moth
G er, and tried our wings as doves. We flew
a into the audience hall, where the King sat il
:. royal robes, and that was the last time eve
r saw him. We sped up into the clear sky
+ and after journey of many days reached
:. this place. 1t is Geld region after m!
. home"
As the mother ceased speaking, the dov,
- sister came darting down to visit them. III,
> dove maiden caressed the bird, shedding
warm tears of joy upon its snowy feathers
? and even Snowdrop stroked it with her ia
+, little hands
81 have been to the fairy king" said tn
c dove. "He saws that the workman VIII,