Connecticut western news., 1884-12-10

en floor. And now let me have some supper, Elsie, or am thinking you will get no tree tonight"
 Two hours later Margaret stole into the little closet where her own son usu- ally slept and gazed for a moment at her guest, who lay sunk in the dreamless slumber of childhood. his fair hair scat tered over the pillow, his pale face rest ing on his arm. "To ilink," said the peasant woman to herself, ill ap awe struck whisper-''to think that Prince of Liechenstein should sleep beneath my roof and on the linen my hands have spun And to think that, but for us, his pretty face might have lain under the cold snow. What news for his mother on Christmas Day p'
 Come look at our Christmas tree, come I" shouted Bertha the next morn ing, dragging Heinrich into thekitchen. ''Isn't it lovely, and there are presents for all of us, too. But what pity there are none for you," and her round face heightened at the thought.
 "We will each give him one of ours," said Elsie, who, in her Sunday frock, was busy bringing in the breakfast. "That is" she added, blushing, eff there is anything he likes"
 ''I will give him my rabbit" said Bertha, in the tone of one who makes sacrifice and knows 1t.
 ''And I will give him half of my soldiers and one of the cannons," said Hans.
 "And I will give him paper dolly" lisped baby Crescenz, at which they all laughed. While Elsie, who said noth- ing, was silently making up her mind to part with her greatest treasure, her long coveted book of fairy tales.
 In the meantime Heinrich looked euIi- ously at the little tree with its few gilded walnuts and cheap ornaments; then at the simple presents which seemed to yield such pleasure, until Bertha broke in opportunely on his thoughts. "Did you ever have as pretty a Christmas tree as this ?" she asked with gentle superiority.
 "Oh! yes,' said Heinrich truthfully; "mine were all a great deal prettier." Then seeing the deepening color on Elsie's cheek, he added hastily: "But I like yours best, indeed do; and if you will give me some of your presents now, will send you some of mine when I get home" "
 ''All rightr said Hans, cheerfully. But, oh, Elsie surely you are not going to let him have your fairy book that must have cost half thaler? Gan you read?" he asked, turning to- Heinrich, who was looking over the pages.
 ''Can I read ?" said the little Prince, puzzled at the question. "In what language do you mean? I can read German and French and little Latin, but not much. It is so hard"
 "Oh can only spell easy words" said Hans, who was comfortably ig- norant of any tongue but his own. Elsie, though, can read beautifully. And now let us begin to play, because after while we are all going to church"
 An hour later when the two little boys were deep in prolonged and bloody battle, fought with the utmost valor by the pewter soldiers, and Bertha, as Q hospital nurse, was busy taking charge of the wounded, couple of large sleighs drove rapidly up to the door.
 Heinrich jumped to his feet. "They have come for me p he said, and his voice showed plainly how unwelcome was the interruption.
 And come they had. Madame ] un- taine, Frau Hessler, Herr von Hagen, a nurse, with fresh clothes, and two foot men to help carry them. All this retinue to take back the poor little runaway to his home. No wonder the cottage chil- dren stared aghast, while grieved to lose their new playmate so quickly,
 "Good-bye, goodbye" said Heinrich, sorrowfully. "I will send you the toys right away and shall keep the book al- ways and think of you whenever l read it."
 Goodbye" said Elsie, her blue eyes full of tears.
 "And some time shall see you again, 5 persisted Heinrich, as he was lifted re- luctantly into the sleigh, with Frau Hessler on one side of him and Madame Fontaine on the other. or started the horses through the crisp, dry snow. The peasant children clustered bare-headed around the door and the little Prince twisted h mseif about for @ last look, while the clear Christmas morning rang with the oft-repeated word "Good-bye." " A A1,,rc