News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-01-01

4
night p
81 am Heinrich Ernest Won L;echel
stein," said the little prince, shuttin
the door and stepping further into th
kitchen. ST am lost and most dreat
fully cold and hungry, and want som
of your supper"
The peasant child laughed at th
calmness with which the demand wa
made
well, you can have some" she said
Hospitality. "There is plenty more O.
the stove, because father and n,othe
will want theirs when they get home
But how cold you are and how wet
Come first to the fire and dry you
clothes, and Hans" turning suddenly t,
her brother, Ego and bring down pai
OF your shoes, and then we can all hay,
our supper at once"
'Oh, yes, please do 70 said Heinrich
plaintively; ''and hurry, for I am sc
very hungryr'
And In three minutes more the little
Prince of Liechenstein, warm and dry,
was eating his share of supper with
most unaccustomed relish.
"This is very good SOUP" he said,
with Judicial gravity; "but, who takes
care of You and gives you your meals ?''
"Elsie cooked the soup" said Hans !;
"and we are taking care of ourselves till
father and mother come back. They
have only gone to Vaduz."
81 know what for" said little Bertha,
looking both solemn and eager. 'Trhey
went to get Christmas gifts and we're
going to have a tree. Did you never
have Christmas tree2" she saked Helm
rich, with evident commisserxtion for
his poverty.
'Oh. yes, said Heinrich, Indifferent
ly, shut don't care about them. What
is the use of having all your things hung
up on tree =? But would like to see
yours, +" he added, with little more ca
gerness.
''Ours will be the incest, I guess, +"
said Bertha, complacently, and before
Elsie could demonstrate at a speech
which cid not sound very polite the door
flew open and man and woman stood
In the doorway, shaking off the snow
wh-cA covered them from head to foot.
The two younger children rushed at
them, shouting with rapture at sight of
their bundles, while Hans carried off
their wet cloaks and Elsie hastened to
put some hot soup on the table.
"Ah, but it is good to get back |" said
the mother, with a sigh of satisfaction
at the warmth and comfort of the hitch
en-. "There, there, Cressy, ITO the
baby who still clung about her. "Let
me go and mind you don't touch the
bundles. Why, Elsie. child, who have |
you got here p and she gazed in aston
nent at Heinrich, who had been watch
ng her with much interest.
''He is little boy who was lost,
nother," said Elsie, ''and SO I gave him
ONE supper.
ga poor little boy" repeated Bertha,
nth infinite compassion.
"a poor little boy y echoed her |
mother, with a glance at Heinrich's |
Telvet suit and draggled lace. "Why,
my dear, what is your name and how
did you come to be lost on such
night?"
ST ran away because was SO tired"
said the child, in his plaintive fashion.
81 am Heinrich Earnest Won Liechen-
stein"
ssFranz Franz p cried the good wom-
an, excitedIy, to her husband; "did you
hear him? 1t lis the little Prince himself!
and to think that he should have found
a shelter under our roof Put on your
cap and cloak, quick, my man, and try
and get to the castle as soon as you can,
to tell them where he is. -
"Aye, aye, Margaret" said her hus-
band, stolidly. "I'll make my way there
quick enough, though it is poor night
to be abroad. But as for the lad, you
must keep him here until morning."
"Oh, yes, I am going to stay" said
Heinrich, with great composure, "be-
cause 1 want to see your Christmas
tree."
"To see our Christmas tree !" repeated
Margaret, smiling. 'That will be a
treat to you. But your mother"
"My mother is not at the castle. She
and nv father are only coming for few
days at New Year. / am sorry you
should have to go out in the snow again
on my account" he added, turning
courteously to Franz; "but will you
please tell Frau Hessler that there will
be no use sending for me tonight, for I
am not going home until I have seen
YOUR tree tomorrow.
"And where will he sleep?" asked
Hans, wonderingly.
"In your bed, my boy" said his
mother, "while you can take the kitch-
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 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 think" said the
peasant woman to herself, in an awe
struck whisper-''to think that a 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 r. shouted Bertha the next morn
ing, dragging Heinrich into the kitchen.
''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, y
said Elsie, who, in her Sunday frock,
was busy bringing in the breakfast.
''That is" she added, blushing, ''if
| there is anything he likes"
ST will give him my rabbit" said
Bertha, in the tone of one who makes a
] sacrifice and knows it.
'And I will give him half of my
soldiers and one of the cannons," said
1 Hans.
| Sand will give him paper dolly -
lisped baby Crescent, at which they all
| LAUGHED. While Elsie. who said moth.