The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-05-21

TO- the window was very small; puI
Gustav walked in on tiptoe and looheu
arour d. He saw the swords, carDihes
and spears, and at one end Of the room
an old suit of armor. This startled NM
for Il looked like the body or man
bullying out from the wall But ne was
a brave little fellow, and now that ne
had gone so far he was not disposed 10
turn back.
Suddenly a sight met his eyes which
made his heart leap with JOY. Ihere'
hanging but a slight distance from the
ground was an old pair of snowshoes-
lust wha: he had wished for many time
Oh. II only he could put these on and
travel miles and miles over ice and snow
perhaps until he came to that enchanted
land Of his desres
He took them down, adjusted the straps
and commenced TO fasten them TO his feet
They gave him a feeling Of exultation.
He stood upright in them, and his heart
swelled with pride. Then he took a step
forward along the smooth floor. The
sensation was delightful Once, twice
three times he went up and down the
room. Then he thought he would rest
awhile. But to his surprise he found that
the shoes moved Of their own accord.
They led him onward. He opened the
little window and was Immediately
whirled along over the ground at furious
pace.
There was no stopping now. even If he
wished He rushed along faster than
birds could fly, and paths opened clear
and free before him. over vast countries
he flew with tremendous speed and then
SKINNED across a wide ocean which
seemed TO be without bound, until all at
once he saw I'm the distar &c a strange
expanse of wilderness. 1t seemed as if a
region lof nndisturbed snow stretched
away and away until it Joined the white
motionless clouds beyond Then Gustav
noticed that the snow shoes began TO
sllcken their pace, and as they brought
him nearer and nearer. he saw that he
was approaching an enormous city built
Of nothing but ice The land was stepped
I'm twilight, and even the white snow
seemed TO be in the shadow of gloom.
Here" said Gustav Il shall find what
I want"
He entered the city Of fee. But as he
moved along the streets all was deadly
silent, and a string OF people who came
up without a sound passed him by with
a look that pierced his heart as with
dagger Of ice. He saw that the city was
without JOY. Everywhere was the numb
ness Of life and the silence Of death.
half-transbarent pinnacles, family gleam-
ing, in the motionless air. Even the wind
seemed frozen into stiffness, and the ice
cold air touched the wanderers cheeks
like a dread, invisible hand 1t was a
city of soundless temples and voiceless
people.
Truly, this was the Ice Kings dominion;
his fortress, where never sunbeam came,
where warmth and comfort had not
reached and where good cheer was for
hidden entrance.
The show-shoes led Gustav along until
he came to a gorgeous palace of glitter
ing high pinnacles and richly-fashioned
spires. He would have stopped, awe
struck, outside. but the snow-shoes car
ried him within.
Little Gustav almost wished he had not
come. The ice and snow everywhere sent
a chill to his heart. He longed to hear
some one speak, but though he saw peo-
pie here and there, no sound came from
their muffled lips.
At the top Of the steps strange specta-
Gle alarmed him.
what can these be? Gustav murmured
TO himself.
The place seemed to be crowded with
statues in ice of boys of all countries
Some Of them were very young not more
than I'VE or six; some OF them were four
teen or fifteen. Gustav was perplexed
Although the statues were Of ice, they
looked very real. He even seemed to
recognize one Of them as a boy he had
sometimes seen.
To the right and to the left there were
rows and rows Of these strange ice stat
ues. and still more in the grand long
hall which he entered. But at the other
end sat great living giant on a throne.
With an ugly white bear beside him.
1T is the Ice King" said Gustav in a
whisper, and shivenng.
Yes, 1t was the lee King. As old as
the earth he seemed to be. His beard
looked as If II were made of frozen snow
and his eyes were sharp and bright as
icicles. There he sat, silent and .notiol-
less Ike the rest only Gustav knew he
was alive because he felt the cold. keen
eyes piercing him. The snowshoes led
him right TO the foot OF the throne and
there he stood trembling.
1t was an awful moment for a little
boy Of Ken, thousands Of miles from his
pleasant home and his friends, stand *
there alone before the dread Ice King. i'm
the ice palace filled With the ice statues
of thousands OF boys. He began TO feel
like ice himself.
But while he was wondering and fear.
Ing, the ice king sud leoly spoke.
oh what a voice II was Ii rumblad
Ike thunder among the mountains, and
all the things in the great Ice Palace
shook with the sound Some OF the icicles
cracked OFF the roof. and fell shivered
into a thousand particles on the hard
ice floor.
The Ice King was In great rage.
Little boy" he said, Il know you well.
Your name is Gustav. and you are the
son Of one Of the Emperor's bravest SOL
diers. You have a kind mother and a
beautiful home TO live in, and hosts OF
friends, and thousands Of toys; yet you
are not contented. You grumbled this
morning because the sun shone. although
you knew the poor people enjoy the
warmth and light Put you thought only
OF your own pleasures and cared for
nothing else. Don't you know that whore
there is always ice and snow there must
be pain and suffering? You have zen
the people who live IN this desolate land:
do they look happy"
NO, your Majesty" said Gustav
"Of course not" said the King. They
never see the golden sunlight or The col sr