Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-12-17

] CCoS-
"And he was going to marry her, " SAID
Mary, ''and give her everything she
wanted, and then"
''And then he went away" interrupt
ed Bobbie, "and never came back any
more"
Though as long as she lived, the
princess thought he would, and waited
for him, said Mary.
Bobbie always looked solemn when
they came to this part of the story. In
some inexplicable way he thought that
he could remember the princess, and
that he had known her. And had not
her eyes been brown as his Mary'sY
81 feel sorry for the princess, he said.
Then Mary kissed him.
He jingled his pennies once more.
do you think pen-wipers are nice,
Mary?"
every nice," said his sister; ''and
those little red and black ones around
the corner are just beautiful"
'sAin't theyY cried the delighted
Bobbie. ''Two little black blocks and
one little red one Oh, Mary, but they're
five cents, and I've only got fourp'
She held out the coveted penny.
II think Katie Smith might like one
for Christmas gift"
ooh, no, no, no!' shouted Bobbie,
ssbut it's not for Katie Smith; it's for"
Then he put both hands over his foolish
little mouth and chuckled softly.
t'You'd better 60 away, or you might
tell me secrets, y laughed Mary.
And Bobbie, chuckling harder than
ever, ran out into the street.
The little old lady who kept the little
old shop where he had spied the PEN
wipers, was very busy that afternoon.
The tiny place was full of old-fashioned
people who were buying her scarlet nit
tens, or her dainty tasseled hoods and
jackets, or even the glass eyed canton
flannel elephants that stood in her win
dows and stared out at the naughty
world.
Bobbic slipped into corner, away
from the crowd of bustling people and
looked on.
Presently the door-bell tinkled, and
another customer came in. He was o
tall man with very brown face, and he
wore shaggy coat that fell down to his
heels. He stood there at the door and
scanned the faces Of the buyers, one by
one. Then he caught Bobbie's eyes, and
smiled down at him
I'm looking for somebody, he said,
'sbut I can't find her at all" Now the
smile died out Of his face and sad look
came instead.
A queer idea was in Bobbie's head.
He looked up at the shaggy man and
said wistfully:
''Are you the prince2 Are you look
ing for the princess9 Did you 60 away
and never ccme back any more, till now2"
"Who told you that9'' asked the
shaggy man.
'sMy sister, said Bobbie; sits story.
Once there was prince and he loved
the princess; but he went away and
never came back any more"
''That's sad story" said the shaggy
man.
'It's good enough for Happy Court, .
said Bobbie; and. oh, but that was a
wise thing for him to say.
There's only Mary and me-" he be-
gan, but just then the old lady called,
.'And what can do for you, sir2" and
he went forward to buy his little red and
black pen-wiper.
He looked very important as he trotted
out into the street, with his precious
present tied up carefully in pink blotting
paper He opened corner of the tiny
package, and let the man who had fol-
lowed him take peep at it.
Its for my sister. Amt it beautiful
for only five centsl"
ssVery,n said the man, gravely. "Will
she use it often-does she write great
deal-your sister2"
ssWell, no." said Bobbie, looking a
shadow less happy, but" and his face
lit up again-'she used to, when we
didn't live in Happy Court; letters and
letters, and they went out to big ship
in the waterway off over the water.''
Now they had reached the corner of
Happy Court.
Goodbye, 'said Bobbie, blithely. But
the man caught him fast by the arm.
'Little boy" he said. haven't I seen
you somewhere before2 Now tell me
true.
.'No, you haven't" said Bobbie,
promptly; and never saw you either. .
"Well, said the shaggy man, 81 guess
l am fool Merry Christmas, laddie p
Down the Court. through the windy
| yellow light and the falling dead leaves,
ran Bobbie as fast as he could. But the
man followed him. He followed him up
the rickety stairs and to the very door Of
the shabby little room.
"oh, Mary cried Bobbie, sit's just
be-au-tifuli''
Mary's head came out Of the darkness
BY the cupboard door,
''Well, Bobbie, sne began-but there
she stopped ind stood as still as a
stone.
HAnd the prince came back again, 7