Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-07
THE GLASS HEARTS,

There was once king and queen who
had three beautiful daughters, and the
organism of these thres princesses was
remarkable for their each being fur
nished with heart of glass.
children, children" +" said the queen,
when the princesses were still quite
small, whatever you do, take care of
your hearts, for they are of fragile
make"
The children therefore tried to be
very careful, and for some time all
went well, and the hearts remained un-
broken.
But one day the eldest girl, who was
leaning out of the window, looking
down into the garden below, noticed a
little bee which was buzzing busily
around some flowers. The little creature
interested her SO much that she leaned
out farther, so as to be able to watch it
more closely, when suddenly-smash--
there came sound of broken glassi The
young princess had crushed her heart
against the window sill, and SO, alas! the
poor girl expired.
After this exceedingly sad accident
the other two sisters We're still more
careful about their hearts.
Some time after the death of the
princess, the second daughter very
thoughtlessly drank cup of rather hot
coffee, and when she had it finished
soznething was suddenly heard to crack,
and she fell back fainting, into an arm
chair. The sound on this occasion, how
ever, was not SO loud as on the first.
The queen rushed to where the princess
lay, and on examining her found, to her
CREST delight, that the heart was only
slightly cracked, and not broken, and
that her daughter was still alive.
What are we to do with our daugh-
terY' said the king to the queen, '.fos,
although the injury to her heart amounts
only to a crack at present, this may in
crease to decided fracture"
But the princess begged them not to
worry themselves about her.
For you know" said she, ''it's the
cracked pitcher that goes oftenest to the
we'll"
Meanwhile the youngest daughter
grew up and became most beautiful
as well as most remarkably clever
girl, and many a handsome and wealthy
prince from distant lands came to ask
for her fair hand. But the old king did
not forget the bitter experiences he had
had with his two elder girls.
II have only one daughter left with
q whole heart, and hers is also of glass.
Therefore if l give her in marriage to
any one, it must be to king who is at
the same time a glazier and who under
stands how to treat an article SO fragile,
so that in case of accidents he would
know how to rivet the cracks"
Unfortunately none of the young
princes and mobiles who had come as
suitors to the princess knew anything at
all about how to riyet broken glass and
were none of them GLACIERS by profess
sion, so they had to return to their
native lands miserable and disappointed
lovers.
Among the royal pages in the palace
was one whose term as page was shortly
toexpire. He had still to carry the train
of the youngest princess three times, and
after that he was to be promoted to a
full blown courtier.
On the first occasion when the page
had TO carry the young princess train
she glanced at him, and as their eyes
met she blushed. When next he carried
her train she waved her hand to him at
parting, and the unfortunate youth was
unable to sleep the whole of that night
in consequence!
The third time when the young fellow
bore the princess train the king came
forward to meet them half way and dis
missed the page, saying:
ya "You have done your duty now, young
man, and you may go. 1 thank you, and
have also to congratulate you on your
promotion"
With that the king turned and walked
away, while the princess bent forward
10 where the page stood, and said:
"You carried my train SO beautifully
better than any one elsei Oh, why
are you not king and glazierg'
confused, as well as delighted, that he
was unable to utter word in reply. He
managed, however, to make very grace
full and polite bow. When the princess
had left him he ran as hard as ever he
could to the nearest glazier, and asked
him whether he was in need of fore
man
Eyes, !" replied the other, 'but you will
have to- work four years with me before
you can be foreman. At first you must
bea sort Of errand boy, and go to the
bakers TO fetch me my bread, and also
10 look after my children, wash them
and dress them. Secondly, you must
learn to putty the cracks; thirdly, you
will have to learn how to cut the glass
and fir in windows, and after that, in
the fourth year, you shall be my fore
man"
The page thought this would take
rather too long, SC he asked the glazier
whether he could not possibly begin
with cutting the glass and fixing win
dows, and leave ont the rest SO as to get
on quicker. But the glazier shook his
head and assured the young fellow that
every good glazier had to begin his
career from the beginning or he could
never be clever. So the page was obliged
to reconcile himself to his fate.
The whole of the first year the un-
fortunate young courtier spent his time
in running to the bakers for bread for
hia 7lnaster and in washing and dressino O,