Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-02-22
THE PRINCES CHOICE.
His Experiences With Father
Times Three Daughters.

and face were dusty with ashes.
One day a prince came riding up to
the castle, seeking one of Father
Times daughters for wife. So q
great feast was prepared for him. and
Past and Future sat, the one on the
Princes right hand, the other on his
left; but Present, who had cooked the
feast and spread the table, waited on
them all; aud tho prince paid no heed
10 her.
"And now" said Father Time, after
the feast was ended (which Of my
daughters will you choose for wife?'
Tue prince looked at Future and he
looked at Past, and 1t seemed to him
that Future was the more beautiful Of
the two.
And what" said he to her, 'can
you do that is worthy Of princes
wife?"
II can make beautiful Clothes" said
Future, "ft for king to wear; and l
make them out of nothing at all"
Then" said the prince, nj you will
make me such suit of clothes before
morning, | will take you for my queen
to live with me all my life"
SO that night while the prince slept
Future made royal clothes out of
nothing at all, and in the morning the
suit was done. IL was made of silk
that shonc n different color for every
way that IL was turned, and crusted SO
thick with precious stones that one
cOulu hardly see the cloth beneath
them.
Yes" said the prince; that is i'm
deed suit Of clothes fit for a king to
wear" Then he lifted Future upon
the horse in front of him, and they
rode away from Father Times castle
toward the princes kingdom in the
east; but the way was long, and the
sun shone hotter and hotter, and the
jeweled clothes weighed heavier and
heavier until the sweat rolled down
the princes face. At last just as night
was falling, they reached great city
where tho prince thought to rest for
awhile; but when they rode into the
streets, the people began TO shout aud
point. Look -lools!' they cried. "See
the bcggar on horseback"
The prince looked downward at his
clothes, aud then he saw the false Jew
els had melted in the sun as though
they were drops Of tallow, and the fine
clothes were SO spotted and smeared
that they were hardly fit for beggar
To wear.
The prince was so ashamed that,
tired and hungry as no was, he turned
his horses head and never stopped un-
I'll lie was back in Father Times castle
again. For" said he, zone who makes
clothes that fall into rags with one
days journey is no wife for me-"
but there in Father Times castle en-
other feast was served for the prince
even finer than the first had been, and
again Present waited upon the table
Then the prince turned TO Past. And
what" said he, "can you do that is
worthy of II princes wifeP'
II can sing such beautiful songs"
said Past, that he who listens to
them will feel neither cold nor wcar-
ness nor hunger, but think only of what
1 sing"
Then" said the prince, II would
rather have you for wife than Future;
for 1t is better TO sing such songs as
that than even to make beautiful
clothes out Of nothing at ALL"
So the next morning he called for
his horse, and he and Past rode away
off into the world together But when
the sun beat down like fire upon his
head he began TO grow sick and weary,
and then ~ asked Past to sing to him.
Past laid her upon his shoulder and be-
gan 10 sing, and her song was so sweet
that the prince forgot everything else.
He dropped his rein on his horses neck
and left it to pick its Qwp way, and
whittier 1t went he neithsr thought nor
cared.
But even Past cannot sing forever.
After awhile she stopped, and the
prince began to look about him again.
Then he found they were in deep black
chasm; he could not tell how they had
come there nor could he tell how to get
out again, for everywhere there were
great rocks and stones, and cliffs upon
either hand. and II was growing darker
and darker.
Then the prince cried: "Sing, sing
again, Past sing us out of this black
chasm," but that Past could not do;
she only wept and wrung her hands,
and begged TO be taken home. Then
again the prince looked around upon
all sides, but he could find no escape,
and he and Past might have died in the
black chasm had he not heard Present
calling the cows home far away. The
prince followed the sound OF the voice,
and before long he saw path open be-
fore him, and there stood Father Time g
great gray castle, and as soon as they
had reached II the prince lifted Past
down. Never again" said he, "shall
you sing me into such black chasn as
that"
Then once more, for the third time,
the prince sat down to supper Tell
me-" said no to Father Time, shave
you no other daughter than these
twoP"
Yes" said Father Time. II still
have one daughter and it's she who
has cooked the feast and waited upon
you" Then he called Present up from
the kitchen; she was dressed in her
sisters cast OFF clothes, and her hands
were red and rough with work
Then said the prince: "What can
you do that is worthy OF princes
wifc9"
mot much" said Present ~ can
cook and keep tho house clean, and
can spin"
That is not much for a princes wife
to do" said he; but better these than
to bring one TO shame or to sing one
thoughts away"
So the next morning the prince took
Present upon his horse, and th~v "o6-
away without turning back until they
came to his own kingdom