The herald., 1894-01-07
THE WHITE WITCH.
lay MARY E. WILKINS. ]

written about it in the newspapers.
Polaria was once q perfectly white
country. Even in the summer there
were no green leaves and bright flowers
they were all white. The forests were
all white like the frost forests OH the
window panes in the winter. The past
ures were white also, and white cattle
with horns like pearl, and sheep with
heeces like silver, fed in them.
All the people in Polaria, young and
old, had white hair and white faces like
statues, and they always dressed in
white.
Polaria has for long period been a
very prosperous country. But at one
time there were two very serious causes
for unhappiness in Polsria.
One was strange disease, peculiar to
the country, which the doctors called by
learned name, which meant "hunger
for color" People who we're attacked by
it never recovered, but went about with
their eyes shut By keeping their eyes
shut they could imagine colors, and the
doctors ordered that treatment. Fully
one-third Of the population OF Polaria
CROPPED about with their eyes shut, and
that was great evil. since it hindered
progress, as we'll as looking awkward and
stupid.
The other affliction OF Polaria was also
of the nature Of disease, although it
was moral one. 1t might have been
called great national discomfort and it
affected only the rising generation. All
children we're attacked by it and the
doctors could not cure them, and finally
a national council was held to see if
nothing more could be done.
The council was in session for a week.
The king OF Polaria announced it as his
opinion that the cause OF the trouble
was the great prosperity of the country
and the absence OF taxes. Everything
was 30 cheap that the children had all
they wanted, and consequently were not
satisfied with anything.
Everybody voted ''vea" to this, and
there were no contrary minds, but,
though they knew the cause, it was not
go easy to settle upon any remedy for
the evil.
The council was in session IL hours
day, and the members all brought their
dinners in tin pals, and did not go
home at noon, but they got no nearer a
solution.
Yet it was very important that eome-
thing should be done speedily, as
Christmas was approaching, and on that
DAY the epidemic vi discomfort always
grew positively alarming. When the
children we're given their presents off
the Christmas trees they we're so dis
contented that they pelted each other
with them. Many little boys had their
! foreheads plastered with brown paper
for weeks, because they had been hit by
| s,,., ~ incl be n 20 u
Little girls, too, dragged the dolls from
their stockings on Christmas morning
and threw them out of the windows,
and as the dolls in Polaria had feelings
that was truly shocking TO the COM
munitv.
The poor dolls, who had been invented
| by great genius of Polaria and had
feelings just as natural as life, lay
| under the windows in the snowbanks
and wept plteously until the officers OF
the Humane society came with ambu
lances and gathered them up. There
were dolls in white satin trains and
silver crowns, like queens, who could
walk and talk, and baby dolls and
beautiful boy dolls. and they all had
feelings but it made no difference. The
| little girls rejected them all.
On the Christmas the year before it
had been suggested that all the children
be summoned into the market place on
Christmas day and be Obliged to ex-
change their presents. The plan had
been tried, but had nearly occasioned
riot. The children had been more dis
contented than ever when forced to take
each others presents. The air had been
| thick with toys, and dolls had sprawled
about on their faces everywhere, weep
| ing because their feelings were hurt. 1t
would not do to try that plan second
time.
At last the lord high chamberlain
arose. His eyes were shut for he had
the color disease. He proposed that
they should consult the white witch.
Every body said YEA There were
no contrary minds. and it was evident
there was nothing else to be done.
1t WAS arranged that the king and the
lord high chamberlain should visit the
white witch at 3 o'clock the next after
noon.
Atthat time they set out in white
chaise with q white satin hood all
feather-stitched around the edge by the
queen, and white fur robe, and white
horse with white reins.
The king drove because he still had
MS eyes Opeu.- Ills pointed silver
crown flashed white light in the sun,
and he shook his whip with it's ivory
handle and white lash over the horses
back. He was impatient to reach the
white witch's house, for that day week
was Christmas.
The white witch lived about 10 miles
away in white house with i've &c bles.
The five gables we're all trimmed around
with wide knitted lace. which the white
witch had stitfened with some magic
starch, go that it looked like ivory net
| work. This wonderful knitted lace of
the witch's was in great demand; in
deed the kings palace trimmed
with it. The white. witch earned her
living in that way. She got nothing for
her witchcrsft, for she predicted nothing
but white magic, and there never was
| much profit in that. Black magic was
q capital offense in Polaria, and she
could not have practiced that if she had
wanted to.
| When the king and the lord high
cham berlain came in sight of the
witch's house the king made an exclama-
tion.
"What eis the matter?'' asked the
lord high chamberlain, for he could not
see with his eyes shut.
"There stand elk detectives looking
over the witch's garden WALL" replied
the king.