The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-12-01
THE PRODIGY,
Being n Very Touching story from tho
2 .N.f' tH ~ D. tlcrmnuH .Lrr' =

Once upon q time there lived haudsom,
young Prince that had to marry horribl,
ugly Princess. Naturally enough he Dc
tested her. .f.5si ii R3. q
Il am going to get a genuine wife, )" IL
cried, pounding the floor with his heels
zone with A straight backbone and spark
ling eyes, and III her breast a live soul!"0
Wherever does your Majesty get such
crazy notions?' said his Indy mamma
"a soul! That would DO fine mesatiiance
Nonsense y But as the Prince WINS obsti
nate and always carried his point, he soon
prevailed upon tho Queen 10 let him &c
a:wooihg on his own hook. ION one con
dition, concluded the Queen; "you must
pick your girl before Christmas eve, and
she must be u prodigy" Sg TG,5EF
The Prince accepted the terms, hooked
on 10 Lord Of the Chamber, and joyfully
started out In quest Of the prodigy.
All the daughters OF he members Of
Parliament were first drummed into line
the pretty ones, you understand; tho home.
ly ones bad to keep ut home. "What can
you dol" queried the Prince, as he dust.
ed bis eye glasses. NG. I&.l,t
1--WE eau play on the piano twelve hours
without stopping" they replied.
"uow long have You been doing this?"
"Since they were three years DID," cried
oil the mnp,nlns, MS il with one voice.
Gan You do anything else?" inquired
the Prince in alarm, for 10 hit upon so
many prodigies at once made him feel curl.
GUS. III. IHg.tE !. ,I u n.
o., yes; We can sing all the operate airs,
one after another" .
"Sincc you were thrce?'' .I'. .s,s &.
Three! My daughter sang the AIiserere
in her cradle" cried each mamma, highly
indignant. ''"" ~" :.
Battalion, march !" shouted the Prince,
and escaped. .E.I.7.17l -
After the prince had wiped the swea.
from his lace, he remarked to the Lord Of
the Chamber, II couldn't possibly have
survived the honeymoon with any OF TINT
regiment. Tomorrow we'll trot out the
bankers daughters" w.,
The Prince at once opened tho bail,
"llow many hoursper day have you played
on the piano-eyer since your third Year,"
Twelve was the prompt reply.
Can you do anything else3" 9n d
. "Weknow Monte Cristo by heart, and
likewise the Divine Comedy. Listen!'
"sllence!" roared the agitated Prince.
This is dreadful. Regiment, march;
In the subsequent reviews matters grew
worse rather than better. Great agony
took hold on the Prince when the virgins
were brought out that even dreamed in
Greek and called chinaware Falence. It
almost reconciled him 10 the idea OF mar.
rying an old Princess.
Christmas eve came, and the disconso-
late Prince was trudging buck to his
mamma as per agreement.
What fine Christmas gift, this drafted
old Princess" lie soliloquized. II wish
she were tucked up in a BIT OF clothes line"
This was the drift Of his benevolent con.
veTsatiop as he was nearing the castle gate.
Rlghtunder the wall stood the humble
home Of the ourtapothecary, and through
the half-drawn curtains streamed the
lamplight into the street and into the ewes
Of the woeful Prince.
He peeped in, and what did lie see? A
Christmas tree with its little candles, and
beside it stood the Doctor and Margaret,
looking silently on the picture Of dead
face they both so loved. 1t was because
she was not there to laugh with them that
the Christmas tree was thus neglected,
while the tears were hanging very heavy
on the eyelids and the chins were tremb.
ling as they ought not TO do around Christ
mas trees. The Prince gulped down lis
heart and kept thinking OF the time long
ago. when he used to play with that sweet
made-how he used to quarrel and kiss
and make up, etc.
"Who are the leading orators Of the Lib
erals?' he continued, catching her hands.
II don't know what you mean, sir"
"Then you are the greatest prodigy OF
our time, and my sweet Princess, beside"
he cried exultingly, and whirled around
the tree in wild waltz. -. 5-zt
The papa was mitch affected, but gave
his assent without much ado. The four
were soon in the august presence Of the
Queen, and the Prince introduced his
prodigy to her mother.in.law.
The old lady would not hear Of such an
arrangement at first, but after hearing all
the things Margaret could not do, she re-
Tented, kissing her admiringly, called to the
PRINCE: "You have, in truth; found me
prodigy"