Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-01-04
A DVNB PRElCESS.

| strewn with gayly cOlOred sand, In the
inches Of its yew tree hedge stood white
marble statues, and strange flowers Of burn
ing colors surrounded the grass plats. But
ia the middle Of the garden was pond,
Ia the center Of which was group Of fish
tailed sea gods, who, sitting upon spout
ing dolphins, were blowing their shell
trumpets.
All the world admired this garden.
There was only one person whom il did
not please-this was the kings young and
most beautiful daughter. Those shameless
beathcn gods frightened her, and she al
ways avoided the garden.
Therefore the king, who loved his daugh-
Ter above all the world, sent for "A young
gardener, who had travelled through many
lands and bad seen many splendid things,
and commanded him To make new gar
den In place of the old one. He wished
70 make present Of it To the princess on
her birthday.
The gardener did his best. He dug and
chopped and he planted. Sunshine and
rain did their part also, and when the
birthday came the gardener stood at the
entrance gate and held IA salyer on which
he offered to the princess the golden keys
70 the garden. Followed by courtiers and
ladies In waiting, the princess then made
the tour Of the garden
The heart Of the kings daughter leaped
within her for Joy. She forsook the gravel
walk and sprang lightly over the lawn, 80
that her court ladies had difficulty in keep
ing up with her. But with measured tread
and a frequent shake of the head the court
duenna followed the frolicsome young peo-
-. A - l.
her powdered hair as she passed. She
thought the new garden hideous.
Now, the princess was nearing the spot
where the marble basin had formerly had
place. Today there lay u tiny, smiling
green lake.
"Oh, how charming" exclaimed the
princess, and the ladies repeated the word
after her.
Then dreadful thing happened. A fat,
green frog which was sitting in the reeds
looking out for water ladies, being dis
turbed by the rustic Of silken garments,
made great jump and plunged into the
water 80 violently that the drops spurted
up.
Every one screamed, and the princess
sank down, all pale, upon the ground.
Now the court duenna FASTENED her steps
and was shocked To see what had happen
ed. Luckily musk and smelling salts were
easily found. The fainting girl soon came
to herself, but fright had taken away her
power Of speech. With disturbed faces
and shaking with anxiety, the ladies In
waiting carried her back to the palace.
In honor Of the princess the townspeople
had decked their houses with greens and
gay flags, but when the midday hour
chimed they removed all signs Of decora-
tion, for Dame Rumor announced that the
kings daughter had suddenly become
dumb
And unhappily this was no empty hear
say.
The princess had long recovered from
her fright She could eat and drink, but
no word passed her lips. She had lost the
power Of speech.
Physicians came to her side. They
caused all the circumstances to be- told
them, put their heads together and wrote
long prescriptions. The patient swallowed
obediently drops, pills and powders, but
the power Of speech did not return.
The whole court was draped in mourn
ing. But the old king, who was usually
30 mild and kind, foamed with rage. He
ordered all the frogs In his kingdom to be
killed and set a price of "A farthing on the
head OF every frog. But he threw the gar
dsner into prison. OF what use W as it alli
The princess remained dumb.
Days, weeks and months passed by.
Physicians collected there from all corners
of the globe. What one ordered the other
always condemned, but not one Of them
could give back To the king daughter her
power Of speech. Wise women and clever
shepherds were also sent for. Even Master
Hammerlein, the executioner, was com
manded to come. They piled their strange
and secret remedies, but none OF them
could help her.
In the meantime the poor gardener was
In sorry plight. He had hoped for rich
reward, and now he was lying in chains
and could behold neither sun nor moon.
But his cd mother was still living in the
homestead, and she was a clever woman
of much experience. When she heard what
had happened to her son, she tied up her
bundle and wandered Off to the kings
town. When she arrived there, she betook
herself to the prison and implored the
turnkey with such moving words that he
at last led her into the prison.
The mother and son remained alone to-
gether for half an hour. Then the old wo-
man hobbled off. But when the warder
bioubhb hlS jug VI NatCi W g'his man
he was walking about his cell, with his
head high, whistling tune.
Next day he demanded TO be taken be
fore the king. He claimed that he possess
ed the remedy which would restore the
power OF speech to the princess.
The princess had been obliged that same
day to undergo great deal. First she
had been pricked with redhot needles by
n foreign doctor. At this she had groaned
and sobbed, but not word had she spo-
ken. After that she had been given, at
the advice Of an old herb doctor, the heart,
brain and tongue Of magpis, and this
was also quite useless. Now the princess
was lying, pale and languid, on a couch,
30 exhausted that she had closed her eyes.
They brought the gardener to her side.
His chains were clanking, but he walked
srect and seemed In good spirits.
Try your arts" said the king, "and II
you can cure her you shall receive the or
der OF the Green Crocodile and as much
gold as You can carry"
The gardener went TO the invalid's
couch, made her sit up, which she did will
lingly, took her little white hand In his
and gazed into her tired eyes.
"Poor little princess" he then said
$50 unhappy and only one and twenty
years old"
Then slight blush covered the prin-
cess countenance, her bosom rose and fell
painfully, and from her lips burst the
words "Not yet 1922
The power OF speech had returned to