Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-11-21
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
A Schoolgirls Meeting with the CeIe-
bratsd Writer Of Fairy Tales


Near BY Countess Sorr sat, beside
! the tall, kind-faced gentleman with
whom she had been talking at our en-
/ trance. Once, as ! watched them, It
was evident that they were talking
/ about me, and, catching my eve and
! seeing my embarrassment he nodded
/ pleasantly; and 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 lattered. | asked nv
negiectful professor the name of nv
friendly vis-a-yis.
That is Professor Andersen" he
answered, tine celebrated poet.n
Really said |, II have heard his
name so often. am sure Helen and
Nelly would be delighted TO have his
autograph. So that is Professor An
dersen!' Ny neighbor was convinced
that / appreciated Andersen's celeb
rity aud as the Countess then rose |
heard no more about him at that time
10 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 anna
Bile aud told them TO send their books
to him, as he would be three or four
weeks at Sorrau; and then, probably
seeing from my eyes the deep interest
| took In tie scene. he came across the
room and said, Now, little Que, do
you not want me to write something
in your albumP' l shook my head
sadly, and said timidly and slowly,
mo, | thank you" He appeared
greatly astoushed, but also a little
amused, and said. No? Why not
thenP'
Because / have no album; If you
only could have asked me day before
yesterday | could have wished for one,
for that was my birthday"
Indeed Then day before yester-
day was your birthday You must
allow me to congratulate YOU now.
Would YOU like me to write you con-
gralulationP Then on your next
birthday Oor you seem to be certain
your wish will be accomplished) YOU
can put it in your album, and keep it
in memory of a friend" He held out
his hand to me, and as laid my trem-
bling tinger-tips in it he continued:
do you know that | have the happi-
ness to be 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 aud said 1T is very good of
you 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, aud
now / will, TOO.
Now, onlyp' said Andersen. much
amused Then you did not like the
iairy 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, |
cannot bear them' want to know
how it really looks in the world, and
then Here paused and burst out
laughing a hearty, merry laugh, at
the remembrance of certain sad
afternoon when was little girl.
was shocked at myself Immediately.
and mncying that Professor Andersen
would consider me only i0c!sh
schoolgirl / hasteued to add in justi-
icatiou, II will tell you why | hate
fairy tales. Many, many years ago
There lived queen, interrupted
Andersen
No, no Professor | was it myself,
Many years ago Eas reading a pretty
story about little princess who had u
wicked stepmothei, aud tie story grew
sadder and sadder and at last cried