Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-05-26

did, we sat down about her Lii got upon the
seat, Cissy sat on the grass with her head
against one Of Kate's hands, which hung list
lessly from the corner where she leaned, and
threw myself on the grass at her feet, 50
as to look up in her gentle face, which had now
become calm, with its old weary look.
"Cousin Kate" said Lii, "tell us another
story"
"No, no." said, "dOn't ask she isn't SO
well to-day"
"Yes," she said quietly, raising her head
and looking at me, 81 am better to-day"
"Tell us one, then" cried Cissy, eagerly,
lone you've never told us before"
There was silence then for a few minutes,
and as gazed up into Kate's face l saw her
eyes close and sort of spasm twiteh her lips /;
but the next minute she was quite calm, and
then with the leaves whispering round us, and
the twittering of the birds coming now and
again from the distance she said in low,
sweet, musical voice:
' Once upon q time in the days of long ago,
when people were very, very happy on this earth,
there lived prince who was young and hand
some and true. Nearly every one loved him,
he was SO manly, and yet so gentle"
And he loved beautiful princess" put in
Cissy.
saw the spasm cross Cousin Kate's face
again but it was calm directly after, and she
vent on.
"No, DEAR" she said, "he did not love a
beautiful princess, but poor, simple girl, who
loved him, with all her heart, and they were SO,
so happy. When the flowers blossomed they
seemed to blossom only for them, and the birds
sang their sweetest songs for them in the sun
shine"
"Yes, and they were married. and lived
happy ever after" cried Cissy. $50 on"
There was once more that piteous look
upon Cousin Kate's face, seen only by me but
it passed off, and she went on.
Cicgy fbavy ot fOr fbn
handsome young prince had enemies-cruel,
bitter enemies-who slandered him, and said
that he had made false keys, and opened the
treasure chest of great man, and stolen away
his gold and precious stones"
'Oh y whispered Cissy, now deeply inter
ested.
"And," continued Kate, "they took the
poor prince, and there was great trial, and
though he declared he was innocent the wicked
people who slandered him and bore false wit
ness against him prevailed; and the great
judge said that he was to be cast into prison.
and wear heavy chains, and be kept there for
twenty-one long years."
ooh !' cried Lii
EYES," said Cssy, ~ know; and then the
simple young girl who loved him, went and
unlocked the prison gates, and struck off his
chains and set him free."
"No-no," cried Cousin Kate, and her voice
altered terribly, so that was alarmed, though
Icould do nothing but gaze up in the wild face
before me, for now a change came over it
mo, she cried, the poor girl could do moth
ing but sit and weep, and feel her broken heart
beat-beat- beat, in its own prison, wearing
itself out till-till she died, and-Oh Frank !!
Frank what have we done that we should
suffer this?
leaped up to throw my arms round her,
while my sisters shrank away alarmed; for
Cousin Kate turned away from us with bitter
,uaiI hnr fo in harh md f,ya,r
herself half over the arm of the old garden
seat, sobbing in wild hysterical way, such as
[ had never seen. "Kate, dear Cousin Kate, -"
[ sobbed but even as 1 spoke there was a
hasty step on the gravel, the bushes were dashed
aside and the shadow of tall man was cast
over us"
Kate-darling p he cried, catching her in
his arms, as 1 was thrush rudely aside, 81 am
innocent and free.s
She did not hear him, for she gave faint
gasp and sunk back insensible.
We three girls were almost stunned but we
saw the tall, thin, pale looking stranger hastily
lift poor Kate from the seat, and literally run
with her to the house, while we followed more
slowly.
AS We reached the porch it was to meet p papa
running out, and in a short time he returned
with the doctor. But this doctor was the
wrong one; the right one had come to us at
the garden seat, and it was his words that
brought dear Cousin Kate back to life, and III
the course of few months to health. q
For Frank Roberts was reinstated in the gov
ernment offices from which he fell-in higher
post one which gave him the confidence of the
higher officials while the man, through whose
treachery poor Frank had suffered year and
half before, died confessing that he had
been the guilty party alone.
Oh those happy lays when the roses were
coming back day by day into Cousin Kate's
oh vpha who Iuaa douD oft the
used to be sent to play and romp with us girls.
can hardly believe that thirty years have
glided by since then, but SO it is and to this day
we call dear old grey whiskered Frank "Kate's
| Prince"