The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-18
A CHINESE LEGEND.
now THE PRINCESS LOUIT-SEU FED
THE STRANGE WORMS.

It was a beautiful spring morning some
ASH years ago. The sun had melted away
the snow from the fields and meadows,
and a carpet of sappy green and brilliant
colored flowers covered the ground. Some
of the trees were already respondent in
their new coats of large light green
leaves, while others, like the oak and the
mulberry, had been afraid of the treach-
erous night frosts and had only just be-
gun to sprout out the first delicate leaf
lets. Above this budding world and wish
bic everywhere through the tiny foliage
the sky shone in dazzling azure, few
white feathery clouds drifting slowly be-
fore a light breeze.
In the center Of the large park of which
we speak about-we are not relating
fairy tale, but true story-there stood
magnificent, brilliant palace. The golden
gate, in front of which fierce. gray
bearded warriors stood on sentry duty
was opened wide and through It came
EIoang-Ti. the Emperor of China, accom-
panied by his little daughter. Louit-Seu,
and followed by his mandarins and many
officers of his household. He wore a SUI
perb garment made of panther skins ana
was IN excellent humor, for he had just
received good tidngs from his councillors
about various affairs of state and meant
to refresh himself after The mornings
work by walk in the new green of the
park.
As they proceeded through the long
rows of budding mulberry tees, leading
from the palace to the bank of the river,
the little Princess suddenly halted in front
OF a young mulberry shoot. standing close
by one of the older trees Under this
latters protection its leaves had sprout-
ed somewhat faster and, as it seemed,
Princess Louit-Seu had made a discovery
about the shrub, which consumed her en-
tire interest. The Emperor also approach
ed and remained oaptivated by the odd
spectacle Offering Itself to his eyes There
were hundreds of tiny black worms that
had just escaped from their eggs and were
now industriously crawling along the
twigs and branches in quest of noursh-
ment. The little Princess enjoyed herself
as only children can who have received n
new toy and The Emperor ordered the en-
tire shrub TO be carefully transplanted in
10 a magnificent vase and placed into the
room of his daughter.
Princess Louit-Seu followed with ever
increasing interest the progress OF her new
wards and had them provided with fresh
leaves when those upon The shrub had been
eaten up by the hungry crowd. Luckily
there was no lack of mulberry leaves IN
the garden of the palace. The Princess
never tired in observing how the 'iny
worms grew and grew and how their color
gradually changed from black into milk
white. Often she would call in her moth
er, the Empress Te-Ling-Shi, so that she
too might share her pleasure In observing
the cute little pets feeding on fresh leaves
and growing almost from day to day. One
day, however Louis-Seu perceived some
thing so extraordinary that she was I'M
able TO master her excitement and did
some hing she was strictly forbidden 10
do. She rushed into her fathers privy
| council chamber.
Without even noticing the amazement
of the old premier minister, who had been
! about TO submit his report on state matters
| Of grave Importance 10 the Emperor the
/ little Princess harfassed and begged ter
| father to come and see the wonderful
things she had 10 show him. until he gave
| in and followed the impuleive little girl
Some Of the caterpillars, now grown long
| and thick sat among the mulberry twlgs,
/ which they had despoiled Of their leaves
| within a fabric OF shining yellowsh
threads. Zealously they kept moving their
| little heads 10 and fro and the sharp-sight-
| ed Fmperor noticed that the fine thread
| issued from their mouths. This thread they
| kept on winding about Themselves turn ng
| a little further at every move and before
| the very eyes Of the Emperor the fine wells
first inclosing the caterpllars became
! thicker and closer, until finally The indus'ri-
! Gus worms were completely hidden from
view The Emperor turned to his wife, who
/ had come to see the unusual sight, leaving
/ her loom at which she had been working.
'srffey- yrre Industrious iiftie- creatures
! said the Emperor "ihey follow your ex-
ample and weave a beautiful garment for
themselves"
From that day on the Emperor came
! rather oftener to his daughters room
now and then several times day. HIS
! interest for the curious little animals was
now thoroughly aroused. He not only
| watched them while they spun themselves
| in until the last one had completed rs
! shining color. but ne also racked MS
brains and puzzled about what would now
| become of them. one day few weeks
| later he found the reply 10 his burning
| question. He fancied he could hear a
! sliqht noise within one Of the egg-shaped
| formations As he bent down TO examine
II more closely he saw that 1t had disco
ored at one end and apparently had De
| come moist; how this cad, giving way IN
| der some pressure from within, bulged
| outward how the outer threads were
gently pushed TO che side and how some
| ttnv white feet made their appearance,
scon followed by a little white head. A
small trembling white animal crept forth,
| It's wings grew ana StIthB lAff'h bStiNfN
| ably after being opened and shut few
times until 1t suddenly few away The
Emperor. the Empress and the little
Princess were very much surprised. They
all had often seen the little white butter
av IN swarms about the old mulberry trees
In the garden, particularly in the twilight
Of a warm summer evening. 1t was not
long before the little Princess had a lot
Of these butterflies IN her room, much "a
the discontinue Of her maid, who did not
take kindly 10 this new whim OF her mis-
tresg.
But Louit-seu was a child and a Prin-
cess at that. So she insisted on being al
lowed TO feed her new pets, just as she
had formerly fed the much less jolly ca
terpiuars; but at first she was very
unhappy that her butterflies would
not eat OF the fresh mulberry
leaves she had brought in for them
every day; still they would always
keep near the boughs placed in the room
shortly after the clever child made an
other discovery She found upon the
boughs tiny globules and remembered hav-