The daily gazette., 1882-02-04
THE PRINCESS CHRISTABEL
BY $. J. D.

who had the greatest of all earthly
affections, to lose q wife to whom he
had been married many years, and TO
whom he was greatly attached. She
left behind her only one daughter,
ChristaDel, who was q marvel OF
beauty. Although only seventeen
she had received more offers of mar
riages from powerful princes than |
have time TO tell. It is always q fool.
ish thing for man Of fifty, which was
The age of the king when the queen
died, to marry again; but happening
to meet the widow of a prince who
bad ruled in a nsighboring country,
he fell in love with her--although
really, speaking truly, no man can
ever love twice in his life. After some
little couTtship, the king and the
widow were married. Now, it unfor.
tunately happened that this widowed
queen had q daughter, whose age was
about twenty five. l must here tell
you that both mother and daughter
we're very wicked, and they had no
sooner set their eyes on the beautiful
Christabel than they conceived NOR
tai hatred for her, the natural result
of her great anna bility, which seemed
a perpetual reproach to their own bad
qualities.
The new queens daughter was
named Mandetta, and although she
was not positively homely, her native
arrogance was such that she disguised
all the young princess Of the time, SO
that she never had but one offer, and
thai was from a prince who, fortu-
nately, died the day before the morn.
ing appointed for their marriage.
Mandetta, who was incapable of low
ing any one except herself, was more
annoyed than grieved at his sudden
death; for, had he lived another day
she would have come into the possess
sion of large trt assure of gold and
precious stones, which he had intend
ed to give hor AS Wedding present.
After a time, the haired which the pew
queen and her wicked daughter had
conceived against the amiaolS Christa-
bel became So intense that they resolved
TO yet Der out of the way, so that Man
detla might inherit the kingdom when
the old king died. For THIS purpose
they consulted fairy, who was almost
as wicked as themselves, for there are
bad as well as good fairies, just as there
are Tad and good men,
The fatty promised to further their
design, and one day when the princess
was walking alone In her garden, there
suddenly appeared chariot drawn by
flying dragons. The princess paused
Ia astonishment and fear, when an In
visible power lifted her from the ground
and placed her in the enchanted car,
which sped through the air with great
speed.
After some hours's travelling, the car.
descended TO the earth, and disappeared,
leaving the princess alone on large
heath, and not far from farmhouse,
What was the surprise Of Christabel to
see that during her ride In the air beI
costly r Jbes had been changed into the
dress of shepherdess
She sat upon the stump ola venerable
oak tree, bemoaning her fate, when she
saw an old shepherd walk towark her
Inqulring of her the cause OF her griet
she told him tnat she had been carried
of from her home by malignant fairy
who had transformed her clothes into
the garb OF a shepherdess.
The old shepherd, whose name was
Anselmo, very kindly invited her to hi
cottage. She gratefully accepted ths
r, and she found herself In the place
where she was welcomed by the old sheI
herds wife.
After sharing their frugal meal, sht
told them her story, but thought 1t best
10 CONCEAL that she was princess, les
they should think she was mad.
They had no children, so they offBre {
TO adopt her and consider her as theil
own daughter, promising TO leave bel
everything they had when they died.
! i will leave Christabel in TINS peace-
full dwelling, and return to the palact
J Of the king, her father.
The sudden disappearance of thi
: princess pluDaed the king and all thl
D court, excepting, Of course, the wicked
: queen and her daughter, into the pro
fOundest sorrow, for she was so mucI
beloved by all thai her loss was consid
cred a national calamity, The kin(
sent heralds into the neighboring re-
gions, Offering immense rewards to any
person who should Testors her to BIZ
care. Even the wicked queen and hel
equally wicked daughter pretended th'
utmost aililctiOn, aud expressed greR
sympathy with tue bereaved farmer.
The news of the mysterious disap
pearance of the Princess Chrstabel
reached the ears OF Prince Florlzel, tht
!. son of a neighboring king. Sid q
y Now, it 80 happened that he had seeI
e the princess at grand ball given by he
father, and become desperately enam
ored Of her beauty, and short CONVEX
: satOn be had with her during the les
. tlvities completed the conquest.
When he heard the sad news Of hel
disappearance, be resolved TO devote hi
eutire lite TO search for her. II
Without saying a word TO anybody
lie disguised himself as shepherd, an
proceeded on his self-imposed task
He had roamed for several weeks with
out any tidlngs of the missing princess
l when, feeling himself overcome wit
fatigue he stretched himself beneatl
the shadow of noble oak, whose foil
age spread over a, wide extent.
He soon fell into a sweet ond refresh
j. ing slumber, when he dreamed that b.
- had found pearl as large as beautiful
woman, and that it sang like an angel
n He was dreaming this delicious dreap
8; when the Princess ChflstaOel came uf
She did not recognize him, but cOnsiC
cred him to be nelghbOrlng shepherl
u whom she was surprised that she ha
. meyer seen before.
While she was looking at him, she IL
IN her crook fall upon his arm. She W.
N stopping TO pick it up when Floriz
&c opened his eyes, His astonishment Wa
" only tqnaled by bis delight, for he In