The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-12-28


their blossoms fall TO the ground as an
Offering of sweet fragrance to the memoy
OF old times. Women had not tho heart
to wish, for there were now no kind
spirits TO bear their wishes in mind: end
men scarce cared to set about any new
work for they knew there was no one left
To bring them luck. Even the hi ng was
mournful. and spoke to none for full
seven Days; while the Queen and the
Princesses sat round the fire in the great
hall, or watched the logs sadly burn into
white ashes. which the wind caught up
and scattered all over the world. Dull
and gloomy was every day, and the dogs
wbined a. night by the house doors-for
the fairies were all gone.
On the eighth day at noon. when the
en-at-arms were groaning ut the weight
OF their halber~s, and the old mastiff lay
growing lazily because he bad naught
to dc, there suddenly sounded the note OF
bugle-not loud and strong ami mas
terfuI as a bugle cali should be, but low
and marvellously sweet-echving away
over aill and dale till it was heard by
everyone In the land and all looked wise
and said something was going TO happen
When the King heard II his heart leaped
for joy, ana he cried aloud: Bring mo
hither the stranger, for surely he must
be noble who soundeth SO sweet a note;
and psrchance he hath news of the
fairies"
Then the soldiers stood TO their arms
ana the castle trumpets sounded, and the
senesobal with all his train went forth
I'm state To welcome the great lord who
was without But when they had finished
arranging themselves In the propsr order
and had tiIae 10 look about them, tEey
could see no one but ragged lad with
heron's feather in his cap, who was sit
ting on fallen tree painting rushes. All
round the castle they sought without
finding anyone; till at last the seneschal
was fain to lind lad to ask OF the vaga-
bond II lac had seen u great lord there
abouts.
"No. " said he II saw no lord"
Then the senesohai himself came. and
rating him beforehand To rem ind him OF
his place, asked if he heard not a bugle
call.
AYE, truly" said he "I heard 1t. F."
''No trifling with me, " sale thu sene-
schal, "or thou Roest TO the stocks. Who,
then. sounded that noteY'
THAT did J. your lordship, answered
the youth, "for the blgle, found IL In
our well where the ferns grew; and my
grandmother, who Is q very old and wise
woman, dreamt she saw me sound
bugle at the kings gate at noon. So am
come hither r. che dreamed--else had
the teaten me sore.
Then said the seneschal: "Give me
the bugle that may take il TO my lord
she king"
Aye answered the lad" and me
Herewith. for my father, who Ia a smith,
hath bound 10 round my mock with u
chain 80 that none may take 1t from
me-"
At this the senescbal was furious, and
taking the lad by the ear, hailed him
forthwith into the kings audience cham
Der. where now were the queen and all
the princesses in their royal robes await
ing the great lord
"See, SIRE" said the seneschal. max
ing three obeisances in due form, here
is the rascal who hath played this trick
upon us. bugle and all.
And he toll the king what had been
soid. Then the kings face grew very
dark, and he looked sternly at Carl-for
so was the laa calleu and said: II know
not why DO not have thee killed for they
knaveIy-pcr chance IL IL for the sake OF
the sweet note thy buRle hath sounded.
Yet take heed how thou triflest with
kings. Seven times seven nights shalt
thou lie in ward eating but bread and
drinking only water aud SO learn wis
dom
Al! Crleu SdTl, III tEe hlHR WOulu
let me but sound my bugle each evening
ut sunset; he will know now that IL Is
but "a rush -weaver's note, ana no lord s. "
teen tho youngest PROCESS begged that
10 might be so, and the echo was still
ringing fitfully about tue old walls. 30
tns KING granted his request. and they
led him away.
Now toward sunset time folk began TO
come tn tho castle from all around. Old
mon and women and even little children
all who had heard that first note-forth-
with packed up for o journey and set
out. Those who lived nearest came first
and settled down just without the walls,
greeting their kindred as they arrived.
No one thought If asking why the other
md come, only they mournei over the
lost fairies, anu the old men feared there
was no LUCK left and the women could
not remember a wish.
While they Were yet at their gossip
the sun sank slowly. and the gold on the
great wood of the western hills became
ruddir ever till IL famed outright. Then
the tallest tree stood up black against the
suns face; and the merry light leaving
the forest below. shot high ino the heav-
ems as the day died-biaher and higher,
until north and east and south gloHed in
vestment OF purple and green and rich
gold. with the silverv new moon pale ard
sweet for a jewel. Then out of the 81.
lence came the song OF the bugle, and the
people looked in each others eyes and
wondered. But Carps grandmother sat
In her cottage door spinning, and an-
swored never "A W, rd tD those who spoke
with her, because she was "a wise woman
And oil those days came ever more and
more folk from tho most distant parts OF
the Kingdom. and each evening at sun
down out rang the sound OF the bugle-
yet the sound was never the same
Now ms they all stnyed-they knew rot
why the men must needs do work In the
day TO pass the time; so they set about
tiIling all ito kings lands TINT vcre
round the castle; waste aud poor soil
that had hitherto been good for uarRnJ
save pasture, aud little OF that: and they
wrought so duftly that the lands became
tne most nutahl part OF tnat region And