Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-10
parents died have lived entirely alone"
Then come to the palace and you shall

parents died nave lived entirely alone.
"Then come to the palace and you shall
be nv sister" said the Princess.
Christina was willing 10 leave her lonely
homo and 70 with the beautiful Princess,
who promised the little orphan that her
every wish should be granted. When they
reached the palace the Princess said to the
Queen: Mother, / have found this beau
tiful little girl in the forest, and have
brought her home To live with us have
always louged for sister, and now Chris
tina shall be one TO me-"
But the Queen did not welcome the little
stranger into her home. She said: PER
hsps this child is idle and wicked, and has
come with you only to escape labor"
To these words the Princess ropliedi "If
you will only look into her fair face you
will sec that sls IL true and good"
Then the Queen had Christina brought
before her.
"why did Won leave your homo and come
10 the palace7" she asked.
Because" answered Christina, bowing
low, "your daughter seemed 20 want me,
and ! was very lonely In the forest"
When the Queen had looked into the
lovely face and had heard the sweet voice,
her doubts almost vanished, but khe said:
"sinee the Princess wishes 1t you may re-
main here, If you will perform three tasks
which j shall appoint for you"
Christina then inquired what the tasks
would be. The Queen said: "First you
must bring the Fairy Queen to the palace,
have often heard OF her and now wish TO
talk with her."
Christina laughed and replied: LADY
Queen, that is an easy task, and at the time
Of the next full. moon you shall see the
Fairy Queen"
A few minutes later when the great white
moon rose round and clear, Christina stole
from the palace, and hastened to the mead
oWs near the forest where stood her little
cottage. Here were thousands and thous-
Rnds of flowers, white, blue and red, and
dancing gaily among them were the Iairies,
who were holding the festival which they
had every full moon.
PUCK" said Christina to one little fel-
low who was greedily drinking honey from
a flower cup, where Is your Q1een?"
But instead of replying to her question,
Puck sang gay song, in which he told of
the frolics OF the fairies. Christina soon
saw that the little fellow was too busy en-
joying himself to give any heed to her ques-
tions, so she continued her way through the
meadow. How beautiful it was here. The
golden-halred fairies danced and sang in
the white moonlight, or slipped honey from
the flowers, while others wove bright gar
LANDS with which to crown their Queen.
Apart from the Others on g green nillock,
sat the Fairy Queen, watching the gay scene
before her. As she saw Christina approach,
she said: "Dear Maid OF the Forest, what
brings you to our feast tonight"
II have come to ask favor of you," was
the reply, "the Queen of this land has said
that If perform the three tasks, which she
will appoint for me, may always live in
the palace. The first task is that 1 shall
take you to the Queens home, as she wishes
20 see and talk with you."
For your sake shall 20 to the palace"
said the Fairy Queen.
Then she ordered her pearl chariot. drawn
bv countless white doves, to be brought, and.
Hiding Christina to scat herself ;beyide
her, the Fairy Queen drove to the palace.
When they reached the gate the Fairy said:
''Now leave me Christina, and / shall
seek the Queen"
The next morning the Queen said to
Christina: "You have performed well the
first tasK. The Fairy Queen has been to
the palace, and have talked with her. The
second task is 10 find an opal, which, for
several years, has been missing from my
jewel box. 1t brought fortune and happi-
ness 10 my family, aud since its loss much
trouble has come 70 me-"
II think, Lady Queen" said Christina,
that this task will be much easier than the
hrst Was your gen like this7"
And the little girl took from her pocket
a large, beautiful opal, and handed II TO the
Queen. The Queen gazrd for moment ut
tue stone, and then cried In astonishment;
This Ia my opal, which has been lost 10
many years. How did II come TO be Ia your
Several years ago." said Christina, |
when ] was very little girl, maybe
built her nest In IN old poplar, which stood |
before out cottage. One night during q |
storm, the tree blew down, and In the morn.
Ing I found the magpie's nest on the |