The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-07-09

quest. They had, like good citizens,
abandoned the higher branches to the
robins and the nightingales. The forest,
that had hitherto sung in all it's branches,
IN all its leaves and flowers, sang now
with the insects and with the birds.
In short time Simplicity became an
old friend of the forest. They chatted
SO happily together that it robbed him
OF the last vestige of sense. When he
left the forest to shut himself again
within four walls. whether seated at his
table OF lying in his bed, he was always
dreaming.
At last, one beautiful morning, he
suddenly abandoned his apartments, and
went and installed himself under the
old foliage. There he chose for him
self an immense palace. His salon was
a vast glade. Long dark green draperies
ornamented the periphery; 500 flexible
pillars, interlaced like fine gauzy veil,
and of the bright hue of the emerald,
lowered high in the air. The roof itself
was one large dome of changeable blue
satin, starred with golden nails. His
sleeping room was delicious boudoir,
filed with mystery and fragrance. The
flooring and the walls were hidden under
under a soft carpet of an inimitable pat
tern. The alcove, bored through a rock
by some giant, had walls of pink marble
and floor of ruby powder. He had also
his bathroom, a living fountain of pure
water, a crystal bath lost in bouquet
of flowers. will not tell of the thou
sand galleries which crossed each other
in this palace, nor of the wondrous land
scapes, nor of the gardens. 1t was one
of those royal habitations that God alone
knows how to fashion. The prince,
therefore, could now be as foolish as he
pleased. His father thought him changed
into a wolf, and SO sought another heir
more worthy of the throne.
Simplicity was very busy during the
next few days after settling himself in
his new home. He made friends with
his neighbors, the beetles and the butter
flies They were kind neighbors, with as
much bright intelligence as man. At
first he had some difficulty in under
standing their language, and he soon
perceived that he would have to educate
himself anew. He learned the concise
language of the insects. A sound indi-
Gated hundred different objects, fol-
lowing the infection of the voice and
the length of the note. Soon he lost the
habit of speaking the language of his
race, so poor in spite of it's wealth Of
words. The way of living of his new
friends charmed him. He felt supreme
ly ignorant compared with them, and
resolved to go and study at their
schools
Ke was more reserved in his relations
toward the MOSES and the pines. AS he
was not yet able to understand the Ian
guage of the blade of grass and of the
flowers, his ignorance caused certain
reserve in his intercourse with them.
But the forest did not eye him coldly.
It understood that he was simple soul,
and that he held the most amiable inter
course with the denizens of the wood.
No one hid from him. It often CHANGED
that he would surprise, at the end of a
glade, butterfly rufding the collar of a
daisy. Soon the hawthorn overcame
her bashfulness, just enough to give
lessons to the young prince. She loving
ly taught him the language of perfume
and of color. The purple corolla hailed
Simplicity on his awakening, the green
leaves told of their wild midnight
dances, the grasshopper confded to him
in a whisper that he was madly in love
with the violet
Simplicity had chosen for his bosom
friend a golden dragonfy, with slen-
der waist and quivering wings. This
beauty was a dreadful coquette; she
spolted near him, seemed to call to him,
then flew lightly from his hand The
great trees, who saw these maneuvers,
rebuked her vigorously and solemnly
whispered that she would come to bad
d.
Simplicity suddenly became restless.
The ladybug, who was the first to per-
ceive the sadness of her friend, gently
sought to win his confidence. He an
swered sadly that he was as happy as
ever. He rose now with the dawn, and
wandered through the glade until dusk.
He softly held back the branches,
searched the thicket and the shadows
formed by the leaves.
"What is our pupil seekingY' de-
manded the hawthorn of the moss.
The dragonfiy, wondering at this de-
sertion of her lover, concluded that he
was mad for love of her. She came and
roguishly futtered about him; he did
not perceive her. The big trees had
judged her rightly; she consoled herself
quickly with the first butterfly at the
crossway.
The leaves were sad as they watched
the young prince, questioning each tuft
of grass and searching with an eager
eye the long avenues. They heard him
complain of the impenetrable thickness
Of the brushwood, and they said, "Sim-
plicity has seen Flower of-the- Water"
the Undine of the spring.
Flower-of-t the Water was the child of
a sunbeam and dewdrop.
She was so limpidly beautiful that the
kiss of a lover would cause her death.
The perfume of her breath was SO sweet
that kiss from her lips would cause
the death of her lover. The forest knew