Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-06-22


looking at the webs of silk. And again
she broke down, and began to cry
heartily.
AS she cried an ugly woman with a
monstrously big rose came into the
room and asked:
''Why do you cry?"
When Nabla had told her, the dgly
woman said:
'I'll make all those webs into shirts
for the prince if you promise me the
Wedding"
''I'll do that" Nabla said, ''and
thousand Welcomes.
So the woman with the big nose,
taking the needle and thimble, sat
down, and in short time had made
all the silk into shirts and disappeared
again.
When the queen came third time
and found all the silk made up in
shirts she was nightly pleased, and
said:
You are the very woman for my
son, for he'll never want housekeeper
while he has you"
Then Nabla and the prince were be.
there was gay and gorgeous COM
pany in the hall of the castle. All was
mirth and festivity. But as they were
about to sit down to splendid repast
there was a loud knock at the door. A
servant opened it and there came in
an ugly old woman with one foot as
big as bolster, who amid the loud
laughter OF the company, hobbled up
the floor and took seat at the table.
She was asked of which party was
she, the bride or the groom's, aud she
replied that she was of the brides
party. When the prince heard tkis he
believed that she was one of Nabla's
poor friends. He went up to her and
asked her what made her foot so big.
SPINNING" she said, 81 have been
all my life at the wheel, and that's
what it has done for me" ''Then, by
my word" said the prince, striking
the table a great blow" ''my wife
shall not turn wheel while I'm here
to prevent it!''
AS the party were again settling
themselves another knock came to the
door. A servant opening it, let in
woman with one hand as big as a
pot. The weight of this hand hang
ing by her side gave her body great
lean over, SO that as she hobbled up
the floor the company at the table lay
back, laughing and clapping their
hands at the funny sight. This
woman, taking seat at the table, was
asked by whose invitation she was
there, to which she replied that she
was of the brides party. Then the
prince went up to her and inquired
what caused her hand to be so big
weaving" she said. II have
shaved at the shuttle all my life; that's
what has come on me.
"Then," the prince said, striking
the table laundering blow, "by my
word, my wife shall never throw
shuttle again while live to prevent
it."
A third time the company were
ready to begin their repast, when again
there came a knock to the door. Every
one looked up; and they saw the SER
want now admit an ugly old woman
with the most monstrous nose ever
beheld. This woman likewise took a
chair at the table. She was then
asked who had invited her the bride
or the groom. She said she was one
of the brides party. Then the prince,
going mp to her, asked her why her
nose had come to be so very big.
"It's with sewing" "she said. 'All
my life have been bending my head
over sewing, so that every drop of
blood ran down into my nose, swelling
it out like that"
Then the prince struck the table
blow that made the dishes rattle.
"By my word" he said, ''my wife
shall never either put needle in cloth
again or do any other sort OF house.
hold work while live to prevent it,"
And the prince faithfully kept his
word. He was always on the lookout
to try and catch Nabla spinning, weav.
ing or sewing, or doing any sort OF
work, for he thought she might at
any time try to work on the sly.
Poor Nabla, however, never did any
thing to confirm his uneasiness, but
taking her old mother to stop in the
castle with her, lived happy and con-
tented, and as lazy as the day was
long, ever after. r.-Seumas Mac Manus,
in The Criterion.