The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-01-25
misceIlanentts.
THE LADDER OF PATIENCE.
A STORY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

II love music, mother wish you would
teach me to play the piano like Cousin Clara,
said little Alice May.
Cousin Clara! Why, my dear, she plays
splendidy," said her mamma.
Yes, know, mamma, and want to play
splendidly too"
II will begin to teach you, certainly, if you
wish but it will be very, very long time
before you play like Cousin Clara"
II should like to begin at once mamma,
please" said Alice.
VERY well, my dear shall be very pleas.
ed to teach you First, you must learn the
notes"
Eyes, mamma. That's like learning ones
letters, isn't 1T"
Exactly" said her mother; and then she
showed Alice how the black notes went in
twos and threes, from one end OF the piano
to the other, and how d was always between
the two black boys, with G and e on each
side of it, and how G and A were between
the three black boys, with andB on each
side of them. Alice was quick child, and
in the first lesson she had mastered the mus
ic-alphabet, though it seemed to her rather
queer that the black notes should be sharps
and flats at the same time
However, when this was all learned, Alice
was very happy, and very much pleased with
herself
"Now shall very soon be able to play
like Cousin Clara, shan't /, mammap"
'Not too fast, my dear. Unhappily, among
which no one has yet been able 10 find"
"What road, mammal"
1.-THE royal road to learning"
81 don't think know what you mean,
mammal"
did ever tell you the story of Prince
Hasuager, and how he tried to find it2"
mo, mamma"
"Well," said her mother, II shall tell you."
This prince was born heir to one of the
Fortunate Isles in the far Indies. / am not
sure that he wasn't born reigning sovereign.
In any case, from his earliest infancy he was
a powerful potentate, than whom there was
none greater in the kingdom, and whenever
he showed so much as the tip of his nose, all
his subjects fell down on the ground before
him and cried
20 mighty and gracious sovereign there is
no one in the world half so powerful or so
clever as YOU"
The worst of it was that young Prince
Hasuager knew that this wasn't true He
wasn'ta bit clever, or rather he had never
had the chance of becoming so, for no one
Lad dared to take such a liber,y as to teach
him. And he grew up almost to manhood a
complete Ounce.
But one day he was out hunting in vast
forest which stretched away from his castle
for miles and miles, and storm coming on,
he took shelter in the hut of hermit who
lived in the forest. Now the hermit was a
very learned man, and the Princes curiosity
was much excited w the number of books
which lined the walls of his little cabin.
II shouldn't have thought there were so
many books in the world" said the Prince
81 assure your Highness that these are but
very small number indeed compared with
what have been written"
Dear mep said the Prince, "what are
they all about ~
History, biography, divinity, geography,
astronomy, botany, zoology, began the her
NIT.
"Bless my heart" said the Prince, II never
heard of any of these things, and yet people
say am 50 clever. The fact is, must learn
them all"
ut will take your Highness many years,
and much labor" said the hermit.
ooh, nonsense |" returned the Prince "Tm
not going to be bothered. l am a Prince,
you know, and can have anything that
want, and now want to have all this knowl-
edge Immediately"
The hermit shook his head.
II don't see how you'll manage 1t, Prince"
Then the Prince, who was bit of tyrant,
began to get cross.
you've got it, you close old fellow" he
cried You pass it over to me, and I'll pay
you well for it, if that's what you mean and
if you don't give it TO me at once I'll have
your head of" ...
prince" returned the hermit, my head is,
| assure you, the most valuable part of me,
for keep all my knowledge in it"
Just the very reason I'll take it of, and
I'll have it put in box and carry it about
with me wherever CO." said the Prince
Il assure your Hghness," said the hermit,
that would be no good ut all, and if you will
only allow me to keep my head on my shopl.
ders, | will try and teach you what know !"
call right" cried the Prince
Then he called his attendants, and pointed
out to them the hermit's head.
"Keep your eye on that" he said, land
mind the man dot sn't lose it, or mislay 1t, or
do anything with it, for it is as valuable to
me as it is to him."
Then, the storm being over, the Prince
bore off the poor hermit with him in his
train, together with as many of his books az
he could pack upon the horses of his attend
ants
When the Prince reached home he at once
sent for the hermit, and desired him to teach
him all he knew. He was most eager to be
gin learning; but when he found what very
hard work learning was he soon grew rest.
less and weary.
"It's ridiculous he cried. What's the use
of being Prince if have all this worry and
botherp'
"Ah, Prince - returned the hermit, "you
will have to find out the royal road to learn
ing"
l "Of counsel Why didn't you think of tina,