The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-12-10
Ing people. ana

looked on.
Presently the door-bell tinkled. and
another customer came in. He was tall
man with very brown face. and he
wore shaggy coat that fell down to his
heels. He stood there at the door and
scanned the faces of the buyers, one by
one. Then he caught Bobbie's eyes, and
smiled down at him.
I'm looking for somebody" he said
"but I can't find her at ALL" Now the
Emile died out of his face and sad look
came instead.
A queer idea was in Bobbie's head. He
looked up at the shaggy man and said.
wistfully:
"Are you the prince? Are you look
Ing for the princess? Did you go away
and never come back any more, till
how?"
"Who told you that2" asked the
shaggy man.
my sister," said Bobbie; cts story.
Once there was a prince, and he loved
the princess; but he went away and
never came back any more"
That's q sad story" said the shaggy
man.
TITS good enough for Happy Court"
said Bobbie; and, oh, but that was q
wise thing for him to sayl
There's only Mary and me-" he be-
gan; but just then the lady called: "And
what can do for you. sir?" and he
went forward to buy his little red and
black pen-wiper.
He looked very important as he trot-
ted out into the street with his precious
present tied up carefully in pink blot
ting paper. He opened corner Of the
tiny package and let the man who had
followed him take peep at It.
TITS for my sister. Amt It beau
tiful for only five cents?"
Very" said the man. gravely. Twill
she use 1t often-does she write great
deal-your sister?"
well, no." said Bobbie, looking
shadow less happy, "but-" and his
face lit up again-"she used to, when
we didn't live in Happy Court; letters
and letters, and they went out to a
US SAii thC Oll over IIlG
water"
Now they had reached the corner OF
Happy Court.
"Good-by," said Bobbie, blithely. But
the man caught him fast by the arm.
Little boy" he said, haven't seen
you somewhere before? Now tell me
true"
"No. you haven't" said Bobbie,
promptly; "and Ineversawyou, either"
well" said the shaggy man, 81 guess
I am fool. Merry Christmas, laddie!"
Down the court, through the windy
yellow light and the falling dead leaves,
ran Bobbie as fast as he could. But the
man followed him. He followed him up
the rickety stairs and to the very door
of the shabby little room.
"Oh, Mary" said Bobbie. cts Just
beautiful"
Mary's head came out of the darkness
by the cupboard door.
"Well, Bobbie," she began--but there
she stopped and stood still as stone.
"And the prince came back again"
RUM viz ShuSS y hiui llOhl lhC hOOl :
way.
Then something wonderful happened.
| Bobbie saw it with his own two beauti
full eyes. The shaggy man took Mary
into his arms, and she put her head
| down on his shoulder and cried as Bob
bic had never heard her cry before. And
the shaggy man kissed her, and kept on
kissing her, and he told the strangcst
story to Bobbie and her.
1t was about ship and a storm and
an island all alone in the sea- It was
about letters unanswered and long
spell of sickness and weary months of
seeking. Tt was all about the prince
who came back once more to the beau
full, faithful princess. $50 they mar
ried, and were happy ever after."-Liz-
cite Woodwork Reese, in st. Louis
Magazine.