The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1891-11-21
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN.
A Schoo girls Meeting with the Ceie-
brated Writer of Fairy Tales.

w ~
Near by Countess Sorr sat. beside
the tall. Eind-faced gentleman with
whom she had been talking at our en-
trance. Once, as | watched them. il
was evident that they were talking
about me. and catching my eve ami
seeing my embarrassment. he nodded
pleasantly; aud when the usual toast
to the blooming Wreath of Young
Ladies" was proposed. he leaned to-
ward me and said. And to the Little
Buds also, my Fraulein." Deeply
pleased and battered. asked my
neglectful professor the name of my
friendly vis-a-vis.
That is Professor Andersen" he
answered, the celebrated poet"
Really" said |. Il have heard Ills
name SO often. am sure Helen and
Nelly would be delighted To have his
autograph. So that Is Professor An
dersen!' My neighbor was convinced
that | appreciated Andersen's celeb
rity. and as the Countess then rose. |
heard no more about him at that time.
In the next room the company
divided into various groups Some
young ladies gathered around Ander-
sen and begged him for his autograph
for their albums. He was very amia-
bic. aud told them to send their books
To him, AS he wculd be three or four
weeks 1T Sorran; and then. probably
seeing from my eyes the deep interest
1 took in the scene. he came across the
room and said. Now. little one. do
you not want me TO write something
in Your album?" | shook my head
sadly. aud said timidlv and slowly.
No, thank you" He appeared
greatly astonished, but also little
amused and said No? Why not.
then?"
Because ] have no album; il you
only could have asked me day before
Yesterday could have wished for one,
for that was my birthday"
Indeed. Then dav before yestcr-
day was your birthday? You must
allow me 10 congratulate YOU now.
Would You like me 10 write you a con-
gratuIationP Then on your next
Dirthday (or you seem TO be certain
your wish Viii be accumplished) YOU
can put it in your album, and keep it
iI memory Of Il friend" He held out
his hand To me. and rs laid my trem-
bling tnger-tips in it he continued:
do you know that | have the happi-
ness To he the especial friend of chill
dren? Have | been yours. toop' This
puzzled me; | did not know what he
meant by Have | been. but | nodded
my head and said. 1T is very good of
Won to be my friend. for it is really
quite lonely here among SO many
strange people, and went on: Helen
and Nelly admire you so much, and
now will, too"
Now. onlyP" said Andersen. much
amused. Then you did not like the
airy tales"
This remark puzzled me again. but
| concluded that he wished me to give
him my opinion on the subject of fairy
tales. SO | replied decidedly. oh. |
@rannot bear them! want 10 know
how it really looks in the world, and
then" Here paused and burst out
laughing. IA hearty. merry laugh, at
the remembrance of certain sad
afternoon when | was little girl. |
Mas shocked at myself Immediately,
aud fancying that Professor Andersen
WOULD consider me only foolish
scIool-girl, i FASTENED TO add in justi-
Lcalon. II will tell you why | hate
fairy tales. Many. many years ago"
There lived Il queen, interrupted
andersen.
No. no. Professor | was it myself
Many years ago was reading "A pretty
story about little princess who had n
wicked stcpmother. aud the story grew
salder aud sadder. and ut last | cried
80 hard that had to stop reading. My
brother was mt home then. on leave
from the cadet school. aud he ratnc
straight into the room and said q '.-r
r'nieiy, Rosa, stop that bowling! " ....t
IL tne matter with youY | showed
am my book aud sobbed out, Oh the
poor princes. Theu U,rich took the
S.uX aud said: Oh. lnat will come
all right; let me see. and he sat down
and read little, and then laughed
out loud, aud showed me that the
princess turned into swan; so Of
course the story was not true. and all
my cry ing had been for nothing. Then
| laughed, too. and | never read any
more fairy tales. What was The use?
Ulrich said they were none of them
true and since have grown up | am
astonished that ever believed such
nonsense"
The good Professor listened to my
story with great attention.; then he
stroked my head kindly with his long.
slender hand. and said. You are "A
little hereto. We must try TO convert
you. Come up into the library in half
an hour, and | will read YOU one of
my fairy tales, and perhaps YOU will
pronounce a milder Judgment. st.
Nicholas.