The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-01-16

rupted Bobbie, land never came back
any more"
Though as long as she lived, the
Princess thought he would and waited
for him. said Nary.
Bobbie always looked solemn when
they came TO Tins part of the story. In
some iDeNplicable 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'sP
81 feel sorry for the Princess" he
said. Then Mary kissed him.
He jingled his pennies once more.
''Do you think pen-wipors arc nice,
Mary?'
Very NICE" said his sister; "and
those little red and black ones around
the corner are just beautiful"
"Ain't they?" cried the delighted
Bobbie. II wo little black blocks and
one little red one Oh, Mary, but
they're five cents, and I've only got
four I"
She held out the coveted penny.
II think Katie Smith might like one
for Christmas gift"
"Oh, no, no, no' shouted Bobbie,
''but it's not for Katie Smith; it's
for" Then he put both hands over
his foolish little mouth and chuckled
softly.
YOU'D better 90 away, or you might
tell me secrets" 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-fash-
ioned people who were buying her
scarlet mittens, or her dainty tasseled
hoods and jackets, or even the glass
eyed canton-fannel elephants that
sto d in her windows and stared out
at the naughty world.
Bobbie 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 q
tall man with very brown face. and he
wore a shaggy coat that fell down t."
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, "but | can't find her after all.
Now the smile died out of his face and
a sad look came instead.
A queer idea was in Bobbie's head,
He looked up at the shaggy man and
said wistfully:
sAre you the Prince? Are you look
ipe for the Princess? Did she go away
and never come back any more, till
nowp"
"Who told you all thatP" asked the
shaggy man.
story. Once there was Prince and
ne loved a Princess but he went away
snd never came back ary more"
That's a sad story" said the shag-
gy man.
'It's good enough for Happy
| Court" said Bohbie; and oh, but
that was 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, sir?' and
he went forward to buy his little red
and black pen-wiper.
He looked very important as he
rotted out into the street, with his
precious present ted up carefully in
pink blotting paper. He opened :
corn er of the tiny package, and let the
man who had followed him take a
peep at it.
Its for my sister. Amt it beauti-
full for only five centsP"
Very" said the man gravely.
"Will size use it often-does she write
a great deal-your sister?"
"Well, 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 a
big ship in the waterway of over
he water"
Now they had reached the corner of
Happy Court.
"Good-bye," said Bobbie blithly.
But the man caught him fast by the
arm.
Little boy" he said, ''haven't
seen YOU somewhere before? Now tell
me true"
mo, you haven't" said Bobbie
promptly; land l never saw you
either"
"Well," said the shaggy man, 81
guess am fool. Merry Christmas,
ladesW
"Down the Court through the windy
yellow light and the falling dead
leaves, ran Bobbe as fast as he could.
But the man followed him up the rick
ETY. stairs and to the very door of the
shabby little room.
"Oh, Mary" cried Bobbie, sits
just beautifully
Mary's head came out of the dark
ness by the cupboard door.
"Well, Bobbie," she bcgan-but
there she stopped and stood as still as
stone.
"And the Prince came back again, "
said the shaggy man from.the door
way.
Then something wonderful happen
ed. Bobbic saw it with his own two
beautiful eyes. The shaggy man took
Mary into his arms, and she put her
head down on his shoulder and cried
as Bobbie had never heard her cry be-
fore. And the shaggy man kissed
her, and kept on kissing her, and he