The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-01-24

I ~8As . say k0eAkA &8& W 8A& AAA kAG8A AaA9sS3 as you will hear from our song.s
 The star eyes paid close attention. and the clouds, as they decreased their speed joined in this pretty little song:
 SONG OF THE CLOUDS. Fas, far beyond the Eastern steeps There Is an humble little cot,
 And in that homely, lonely spot, mother prays and weepS. Be calm, dear one the Father hears Thy sofsest piaint cad faintest sigh, Aad He hatk bless d thy pray'rf cry And sanctifed thy tears. And He hath sent us clouds to bear Thy mothers tears, in form of rain,
 Unto the distant desert plain, To cool the desert air. The fain,lng youth will feel our breath Upon his bronxed and fevered face, And have new strength to leave that place That arid haunt of death.
 The mother heart need no. despair To morrow eve the sen shall rest Upon that mothers joyful breast,
 For God hath heard her pray'r. So, gentle stars, stay not our flight 4 mothers tears, in form of rain, We bear unto that distant plain
 Where faints son tonight. The star eyes were much pleased with this song, and they would have asked the clouds to sing all the night, but that would have been very wrong. "No, we must not detain them, for they are sailing on an errand of kindness and mercy" said a pair of the older of the star eyes. Then the clouds flew swiftly on their jourrey, in search of the weeping moth er's wandering son, singing as they went, and accompanied through all their little star eyes.
 "Speed on, speed on, o, dear clouds, cried the star eyes, "and bear strength to the distant traveller son that he may come .o the mother ere her heart breaks.
 As you may easily imagine, the night was now pretty well along. The moon came up in the eastern horizon, looking very red and fretful at first, but as soon as she saw the star eyes waiting for her, she became as smiling and complacent as you please. Then the Dady eyes saw that the moon was not, as many foolish children believe, a huge green cheese, but huge ball of hre-not the kind Of fire that burns, but soft and luminous and perfectly harmless fire into which a child might thrust his hand without be- ing singed.
 1Aha," qsoth the moon, cheerily, "you are all here, my pretty friends v Welcome, dear moon," cried the star eyes; "but why are you so late to. night9"
 "Oh, but have had dreadful tune" said the moon. "I have been all the way to China since left you last night, and have seen the most terrible sight oughl'
 And the moon shivered 90 nightly that she came very near shaking all the little star eyes out of their places. "What was this terrible sight ?" asked the star eyes, opening themselves to their widest capacity in an excitement of ex. pectancy.
 "It was the Fate of the Princess Ming as l call it," replied the moon, for have arranged the story in song, which will sing you if you wish."
 "Oh, do sing it!' cried the star eyes in unison, "for we are very anxious to hear it."
 Then the moon hemmed and hawed and cleared her throat and sang in very dulcet tones this sad, sad ballad THE PRINCESS MING.
 There was prince by the name of Tsing Who lived In the Chinese town of Lung And fell h love with the Princess Ming Who lived in the neighbsring iowa of Jung Twas A terrible thing For Tsing and Ming,
 As you I'll allow, when you've heard me sing Now If hannened an ina, the town of Iung Where lived the prince who longed to woo Went out to war with the town of Jung With junks and swords and matchlocks, too Twas a terrible thing For Tsing and Ming,
 As you'll allow, when you've heard me sing. Miss Ming's papa was eating rice On yestermorn at half past eight,
 And had carved pie composed of mice, gate; They were led by Tsing, And they called for Ming, Which all will allow was terrible thingl Miss Ming's papa girt on his sword "For this," quoth he, i1l have his gore !'' In vain the Princess Ming implored- In vain she swooned on the palace floor The Princess Ming Who was woocd of Tsing Could not prevail with the gruf old king The old king opened the palace gate And in marched Tsing with his soldiers grim.
 And the king smoie Tsing on his princely pate Stating this stern rebuke to him; It's fatal thing For you, Mir. Tsing, To come a-courting the Princess Ming !" The prince most keenly felt this slight, But still more keeniy the cut on his head l So. suddenly turning cold and white, He fell to the earth and lay there dead Which act of the king To the handsome Tsipg
 Was brutal shock to the Princess Ming. No sooner did the young prince die Than Princess Ming from the palace flew And jumped straight into the River Jl, With the dreadful purpose of dying, too Twas a natural thing For the Princess Ming To do for the love of the handsome Tsingl