The herald., 1897-02-07
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
( THE OLD MANS TALE +:
3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Percy Holt. aged IA. in Galveston News.)

| dies through and through and was .ac-
quainted with every character she mad
| long wished to visit the habitation OF these
| mysterious people, and IL was not long De-
| fore her wish was fulfilled
| One afternoon Jane strayed along the
| beach. The sun was sinking IN all MS gor-
| geous array and in few moments would
| be lost from sight. Jane was meditaiing
| upon the scene when she suddenly hearo
| the most beautiful singing. She approach
ed the point whence the sound seemed TO
come and to her amazement she behe!d a
mermaid playing on harp. -,
Jane! Jane!" cried the mermaid, would
| you like TO take a trip under the sea, and
| then visit the other myths?'
with the greatest of pleasure replied
Jane, but can't live beneath the water"
Just wait until | return" and the mer-
maid plunged into the deep. She soon
| made her appearance with two Vials, one
! containing a blue and the other crimson
| fluid She rubbed Jane with the blue fluid
| and soon the latter was transformed INTO
, a mermaid like herself
| They were now gliding to the bed of the
ocean. Jane heheld castles greater and
They glimmered with jewels: fish darted
| hither and thither and Jane thought this
| was just fine. as she expressed 1t. The
| mermaid informed Jane that she was
| fairy in disguise. and that she was at her
| service.
! They soon came to coral castle, there
was the moat. drawbridge aud battlements.
''This is my castle" said the fairy. as
| knocking at the gate. which was of pure
gold. it was opened by u sea elf. After
| gaining admittance the fairy rubbed Jane
with the crimson fluid tas there was no
water in the interior of the castlel and
| once more she had regained her natural
| shape. After walking for some distance
she came 10 a glass-covered portico. and
| Jane could see thousands of castles just
| like this one.
| Neleptha. as the fairy was called, ap-
preached and informed him that that very
| night there was to be Il grand ball in honor
| of Mother Goose. They left the fairy's cas-
| tie and were soon On their way to the
| scene. Here we are said the fairy, "and
| we must go as butterflies.
Nelepthia approached a huge shell, bade
It open. and drew forth a piece of net
THROWING this over Jane the latter became
butterfly Pink, green, purple, gold and
silver constituted her garment, which gilt
tered at the slightest movement. Nelep-
thia also transformed herself in similar
manner. and buzz, buzz they were now
soaring higher and higher in the air. They
came to cloud This is my ship said
Nelepthia and repeating some magic word
the cloud assumed the form of a ship,
which glided through the air with light
ming speed.
oh. OH just look at that castle!' cried
Jane, and is that the dwelling of Mother
Goose?' Guests were arriving ships were
sailing to and fro, ana on approaching the
castle Jane found it to be ar exact repre-
sentation of the famous broom. The In
terror was of frozen clouds of various hues:
Music fioated upon the air and numbers Of
guests were merrily dancing.
gong sounded the ballroom was silent
and there came Mother Goose. She wore
red shoes. a sugar-loaf hat, a quilted skirt
and fiowered paniers. She was attended
by her son Jack and all her dearly beloved
subjects After she had been seated all the
nymphs and brownies paid their respects.
The music then recommended and they
danced merriy. 1t was very amusing to
see such partners as little Miss Muffin and
the giant Blunderbore, little Bopeep and
her lambkins. Cinderella and her mice, etc.
Mntf tfNny in To ~ 90 >d q n
her throne. She embraced her tenderly and
gave her three kisses which echoed and re-
echoed through the huge room. Supper
was announced by pigmy. He mounted a
stool and gave a cry, "Sup-per-is s-ready."
There was a gorgeous curtain of pearls
which separated the ballroom from the
dining hall Nelepthia drawing this aside,
the guests passed onward and for the first
time Jane beheld the room. 1t was Of
pink flowers entwined with garlands of
emeralds. Fountains played everywhere
which sent a delicious odcr atioat in the
room. This is a curious water. thought
Jane. but on investigation she found that
instead of water it was cologne.
In the center of the room was table
supported by recumbent figures of beauti-
full nymphs. and on approaching the table
she found il to be huge book of Mother
Gooses melodies. All kinds of creams
cakes, candies and eatables were upon the
table. The brownies were in their best at
tire and were acting as walters. Jack Hor-
ner was constantly sticking his fingers into
lHe plum puOullS, ana the len ~ CLOCK
Scholar arrived when supper was nearly
over, and was still trying to add two and
two and conjugsate the verb Ito be-
On waking the next morning Jane found
herself in the dominion of Santa Claus.
! The buildings were of gigantic size, the
streets were laid out in precise order and
were adorned by statues of Jack /, the
Ice King, the North wind and other ice
sprites. Jane was looking from her win
dow when she saw the North Wind.
Come down,Jane." called the wind. "and
when she opened the door he exclaimed:
Gee whz2' and giving tremendous blow
with his bellows, he made James ears and
hand burn with cold. "Ho! ha! Is it cold
enough for your
Yes said Jane, shaking with cold
Wei. I must go help the people build
their ice palace" Whizz. and the north
wind had flown into the air, leaving track
After her interview with the wind Jane
proceeded towards the castle of Santa
Claus. It's spires and domes were the
highest in the realm of snow, its gardens
the most beautiful. containing every vari-
ETY. of ice flowers. Jane mounted the steps
knocked at the door and it was quickly
opened by doll.
What do you wish?" commanded the
doll
Il came TO see Santa replied Jane, and
then so through the castle
Well responded the doll, 81 will show
you through the castle, but l don't think
you can Sce-''
Just then the dolls vocal mechanism ran
down. Taking Jane by the hand, it moved
with short jerky steps towards huge
room.
Jane bohed room full of toys There
We're dolls, trurnpets, drums and III fact
every imag gnable toy. The doll next took
Jane into the library. There We're the fa
nous books, containing the names of good
ana bad children. There was the pen which
had written all the names. The fire on
the hearth burned merrily and over the
fireplace was an excellent painting of Santa
seated in his SLED surrounded by toys and
drawn by his faithful reindeers
Dear me-" said Jane Il have been so
Interested in this visit | forgo' that l had
| the reception of Santa" So, bidding the
doll au reVoir, she departed.
tWhat occurred before the reception can
not be learned, as the Old man said the
parchment was torn and he had never been
! able to find the missing piece)
They had now entered the castle and
We're mounting the stairway which led to
Santa Claus receptions room. Before she
knew It Jane found herself in a huge room,
the walls of which were of the purest ice.
| Here and there We're blocks of silver in
terspersed with various pictures taken
from The Night Before Christmas" Gar
lands of flowers d5cked the walls, ana from
each flower brilliant color issued. The
ceiling was of icicles and from the point of
each CLEANED ID candle, taken from the va
rious trees Santa had visited.
Santa himself was seated upon his
throne of ice and was laughing so heartily
at the brownies that his belly shook like
d bowl full of jelly" Mother Goose now
entered with her famous tribe. She was
fond OF her own shyness, and as she en-
tered she began: There was an old wo-