Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-12-09

:. On every side lay, heaped in strange
disorder. objects Of odd form: living
animals motionless, others, that were
stuffed, writhing; on oyerthrown
trunks were seen open books. written
In undecipherable characters; IN
another place, a vessel filed with
nioodstalned water, in which foated,
like streaming weeds in dark pool:
great locks of humln hair decked with
tlnsel spang'e es; and when q gust of
WIND passed through the wide OPEN
ings from without, the rattling of skel-
etons hanging from the roof was heard.
On perceiving Ailla, the magician
made her sort of bow; but scarcely
had she told him, in trembling tones,
what had brought her to his abode.
than he uttered frightful impreca-
tlon. After which, having made with
his chair three rapid circles about the
frlneess, he stopped short, and, in a
piercing voice, announced to her that,
II she wished to avoid terrible misfor-
tunes, she must instantly have search
made for the Blue Cat, the presence of
| which could alone save her from i'm
pending disaster.
At these words the screech-owl
perched on the master's-shoulder
| fiapps its wings and uttered a dismal
cry; monstrous spider crouching on
his knees set up the bristles on its
back; all the bells on the masician's
robe tangled at once; the lynx eye shot
forth a greenish beam; then all be-
came obscured. The Princess tainted,
and, without paying any other heed to
her the old enchanter had her carried
ont of the tower by one of his familiar
| animals.
To tell the truth, the wicked old
enchanter had wished to make a strong
| impression on the Princess's mind,
though it is possible that he meditated
some other dark project. Everybody
knows how deep is the rascality of en-
chanters. However, it may have been,
his cunning did not much profit him ;
for that same evening while he was pre-
pairing a brand-new enchantment his
big cauldron burst, and next morning
nothing was found in his dwelling but a
heap of cinders, in the midst of which
were some still smoking bones.
Ailla saw in this death confrma-
ton OF the prophecy, and tainted for
the second time.
Now the whole kingdom was turned
upside down. By order of the Grand
Vizier search was everywhere made,
from the floor of the palace to the roof
of the highest garret. Notices were
published, rewards were offered to
whoever should discover, seize, and
bring to the Princess the marvellous
cat.
1t was spring time, and there was no
lack of kittens; the entire army was oc-
cupied in examining all the newborn,
| which xuara fnun1
known hue of cat; but not one that was
blue Then the open country was mi
nutely explored, the forest, the rocks
l-vainly.
The Princess visibly declined day by
day, trembling increasingly, and turn
ing from all food.
At length, weary of waiting, Ailla
convoked an extraordinary sitting of
the Grand Council, and solemnly de-
clared that she would give her hand to
whoever should bring her the marvel
ous cat.
Great was the stir amongst her suit
ors; never before did so many travel
lers stream over the surface of the
eiobel Painting horses crossed and
| recrossed each OF Ier everywhere; the
roads in every direction were encu,n-
bered with overthrown carriages.
Ships were seen to sink under the
weight of passengers on board of them
while the sky was dotted with balloons
ballasted with travellers. The easy
explanation of all this voy age energy IS
thaf every one of the Princess's official
suitors had published, far and near,
promises of rich rewards to whoever
should succeed in finding the Blue Cat.
The result was that one-half the world
rushed upon the other half.
A year sped; the Princess had be
come the merest shadow of her former
self Her temper was sharpened; she
saw about her nothing but crime and
treason. Horrible phantoms disturbed
her sleep; and. on awaking, she con
founded the dreams of her brain with
the actuality of things. Instinctively
she condemned all those of whom she
had conceived any doubt. The execu-
toner, hitherto unemployed, de
manded an increase of salary; he even
spoke of taking an assistant
In utter despair, all the most learned
men in the world were consulted. They
came from all countries, and, greeting
each other with a thousand civiiities,
did not fail to exchange a vast number
OF compliments on their own works, oi
which they spoke with reverence, while,
not having read a line of them, each, on
his side, firmly believed that his OWL
works alone were worthy of sincere
praise and deep study. These salaam
ings got through, one banquet and
then another W $ organized for theli
edification-and thousands of subjects
were discussed, all wide of the matter
which had brought them together.
On that subject, they speedily d1
vided themselves into two camps; one
affirmed that the Blue Cat was but {
variety of the tiger; the other party, OF
the contrary, maintained that the tiger
is nothing but a completely developed
cat. From tigers the discussion passed
by insensible degrees, to leop rds, tc
the Iion-even to monkeys. In short
Mt the end of six months, the Prime
Minister, wishing to know tne result o
, their labors, found them almost smoth
cred under a mass of reports; then
heads alone we're yet visible, and all a
the moment we're profoundly occuplec
in active researches on the subject OF 6
? certain kind of coLeo ptera missing
since the time of the Deluge, and whlcf
one of them fiattered himself he haC
rebound. So hotly were they dlsput
inc over this matter, indeed, as hardly
TO he conscious of the purpose which
had brought them together. furi
ous at their conduct, the Princess or
dered them all to be hanged, which had
the effect OF making them all OF on'
opinion, this time at least.
Next day an iict was posted on the
walls of all the cities in the kingdom
announcing that each day, in alphabetl
cal order, ten citizens, men and wo
men. should be hung, ami that the ex
Termination should be continued unit
. the Blue Cat was found and brought tt
the Princess.
The CONSERVATION was extreme. LII
all directions the streams became