Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-01-27

There was once king named Koiata.
Married for three years to Queen
whom he greatly loveI and by whom
hl was beloved, he was yet childless.
his was a subject of much distress to
i'm. In the hope of diverting his
mind from the contemplation of thi s
: urce of regret, he set off on a visit to
the divers provinces of his kingdom
Alter travelling for several months, he
turned towards his capital.
One day, fatigued by the heat, he
ha his tent set up in the open coun-
try, intending to wait there the cool
ness of the coming evening. He was
thirsty, aud not finding any water near
him, he mounted his horse to go in
search of it. At short distance from
his eucampment he discovered a
limpid spring, on the surface of which
gold cup was floating.
He hurried to garIs the attractive
water and tried to seize the cup, but it
escaped his grasp. He made new at
tempts, now with the right hand, now
with the left; the cup, however, de-
feated all his efforts to grasp it.
''Wait Bit" he said; 81 shall be
bDle 10 yet uOlu vi III pEeseDlly-
And, seeming the wa er calm, and the
cnp floating motionless upon its sur
face, he stretched forth both hands to
from his sight.
"The plaguey thing" exclaimed the
Kojota; "I'll give it up, and do without
Saying this, he knelt upon the
ground and began to drink by dipping
his lips in the water. But when his
thirst was assuaged, and he tried to
rise, he felt himself held by the chin,
and valnIy endeavorel to release him
self.
WHO is it? who is holding me in
this way?" he cried.
Nobody answered; but before him,
IL the crystal of the spring, he beheld
q frightful face, two great eyes, as
green as emeralds, a large mouth grim
ming in a strange fashion, and two
claws clutahing his chin like a pair of
iron pincers, from the grip of which
he found it impossible to free himself.
At length, from the depths of this en-
chanted spring, an invisible being
cried to him:
'All your efforts are useless; you
can only recover your liberty on one
condition: it is that you will give me
the thing about which you know moth
thing, and which You will find on ar
irving at your house."
with pleasure" replied Kojata,
thinking that he knew quite well ali that
his house contained.
Remember your promise" said the
voice of the invisible being, ''or y on
will repent of it"
At these words the claws relaxed
their hold. The King remounted his
horse, aRd continued his journey.
When he arrived near to his capital,
sll the people hurried forward to meet
him, and made the air ring with their
shouts and cries of delight. On the
threshold of the palace was the Queen,
and near her was a Minister holding in
his arms a cradle in which there was a
baby, rosy and superb boy.
The King gave start on seeing
it.
That" he said, sis the thing about
which knew nothing, and with which
L must partl'
And great tears ran down his cheeks.
Without revealing to anyone the cause
OF his cruel emotion, he carried the
child TO his chamber. Afterwards he
tried to continue his customary mode
OF life, and the pleasant and peaceful
course of his reign vain endeavor-
ceaselessly he was haunted by the
memory of the fatal promise he had
given. AT every instant, day and night,
he trembled lest someone should come
and carry off from him his peerless
treasure, his only and so-long- desired
son.
Little by little, however, the recol-
lection became less tormenting, his
Tears less acute. His son grew up, and
everybody admired his grace and
strength; he was loved, too, and uni
'efsalIy called Handsome Milan"
one day, while hunting, he allowed
hlnsels to be drawn far away from his
eompanlons, In pursuit of a wild
animal, and presently found himself
alohe IN the midst of a dense forest,
Snere neither path nor sign of human
ne was visible. In "a sort of clearing,
surrounded by pine trees, stood tall
nMe tree thickly leaved. Suddenly
aLe foliage of this tree became agitated,
anu I from the bole came forth a strange
OIi man, with green eyes and a round
S yum. de advanced towards the young
nuntsnan, and said:
dood-day, Prince Milan. / have
lof long time been hoping to see
who are you?" asked the Prince.
4. lou shall know that later. For
.ne present, go back to your father,
sna tell him to make haste to pay his
ue3t' g Goodbye, till we meet again"
p.e me Old man disappeared. The
llnce returned to the palace, and
Al.
King. ' 'eN'"'0 ~ 'ne
uhf cried the King, pale and
semDhng. 'What misfortunel My
uesr son, We must partl'
.;t' ;And' weeping, he told him the ter
'ic.e . promise he had given.
NIL not weep, good fatheri" replied
The evil, I am sure, is no.