The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-04-04
THE LITTLE MEDIATOR.

And the Young Prince married the
Princess and lived happy forever after :"
\ Girl Of probably -, iu a bio chair.
by the light OF a bright hearth fire, was
reading to a younger girl-in fact a
little 9irl. The story IS concluded and
the book closed.
There, dear how does that story
please you? Don't you wish you knew
such an interesting, handsome, noble
Prince as the once OF whom | have Just
Tead?"
This interrogation from the elder girl
the younger once unconSciousiy ignores
for a time. She is dreaming. Her big,
blue eyes are staring vacantly into the
red embeTs which have fallen from the
logs on the hearth. Then she sighs
deeply.
Waking from her reverie, she turns
those wide, wondering eyes of hers into
the face above her, for she is seated at
the older girls knee, and asks:
DO you know. Julia, that Prince re-
minds me Of Mr.. Mercer? Mr.. Mercer
is handsome. And he's brave, too,
cause he saved my dollie when it fell
into the lake last summer Only"-in a
regretful tone-"he hasn't any princess
fer his bride yet. But he will have,
cause he said he would"
"Oh, he did.' from the older girl.
Yes, he did. Least, he's going to
marry queen. And isn't ii strange,
Julia, her name is just the same as
yours?'
Why, child, what are you saying?
How do Won know all this?"
Well, answered the little one puck
ering her mouth in childish, quizzical
way, while Mr.. Mercer was waiting
for you TO finish dressing for the thea
ter the other evening, ne took me on
his knees and we sat there by the fire
told him | was awful tired reading
fairy stories, and asked him if he
couldn't tel me one. lie said lie
thought he didn't know any 'cept what's
in the books, but course. if | wanted
him to he try
Yes, and what did he tell you?"
lie said Once there was a man who
liked a Girl awful much, but he was
afraid to tell her so. cause he didn't
know how she'd take it, And he said,
BY JOye. | wish She wasn't so distant
10 me. And | said, Is She so far
aWay| He said, No, not that kind of
distant. She's not kind to YOU, then?'
Well, not kind enough said he. Then
| told him she wasn't nice if she wasn't
kind and he said, right quick, Oh. yes,
She is nice; she's adorable a
queen Why, what's her nance said
!. Well he was staring into the fire,
and he took big, long breath aud said
Julia.'"
Yes yes" said the elder girl, very
much interested. "Go on.
Why, that's my sisters name, "
sa.d. Does She know hcr?'7
And ne jumped up - - he really
frightened me hut then 'e kissed me
and sat me on the edge of the table and
said: "Now, joyce, | started in to tell
ycu a fairy story, didn't -" Yes"
said |; but it wasn't much account" Il
know that said, he awfully quick. "and
| want YOU to forget all about it and I'll
come around some other time and tell
YOU another one" We'll. if it isn't anv
helter than the one You started vou
needn't come said T. And he-why,
he laughed and said he'd trv and make
the next more interesting. Then YOU
came downstairs. and when YOU were
going out with him he turned around.
put his finger on his lips and looked real
serious. think
Why joyce, he meant you should
not say anything about it.
About what?'
"Wbs. about what he told YOU 1t
was naughty of you, Joyce: it vas
yyrpnu"