Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1900-12-20

A nj
multiplied by two.
The same thoughts came to him when he
studied the line of threes and the fours.
When it came to the study of the Fights
and the nines the trouble grew worse,
for now he wanted all his treasures null
| tiplied by eight and nine.
His father, the king, reasoned with him
about the extravaganza of his wants, and
| the queen, his royal mother, was sorry
that it was impossible to indulge him,
but it remained for his grandmother
partial old lady that she waste say, ut
is all the fault of the multiplication ia
blen'
All, that multiplication table! 1t has
occasioned a good deal of trouble to many
people, though perhaps never before or
since has it been charged with an ofense
so serious.
One day when Prince Ginjan was
well grown youth a strange thing hap
pened to him. According to the ancient
tradition, the prince was industrously
applying the principles of multiplication
in computing the number of presents he
hoped to receive on Christmas, which was
close at hand. For some cause or other
interest in the fascinating tables tagged
a little. Perhaps the prince saw how pre-
poSterOus it would be for one boy to have
3 times saddle horses or II times IL
sailboats. Anyhow he fell asleep in his
study chair with his book and slate be-
fore him.
He might have slept for an hour or two
when he was awakened by touch on the
shoulder, and, opening his eyes, he saw
an odd looking little hinchback the like
of whom he had never beheld before.
"What do you want" he asked, not al
together liking the familiarity.
what do You wan, yourself?" re-
turned the intruder in IA funny little
sQueaking voice.
Fully awake. Prince Ginian now rub
bed his eyes and stared. All at once it
occurred to him that the little hunchback
was an elf and that the present might be
q good chance to crafty some of his de-
sires.
"What do l want?" he repeated in a
more conciliatory tone. "Well, since you
are good enough to ask, | want consid-
cradle. To begin, would like 10 char
lots and "a thoroughbred horses. Give
me 6 lakes of my own in which to catch
fish and about $50 new suits of clothes.
You might let me have couple of thou
sand new books, and a few hundred of
the latest toys and games and 36 gold
chains to wear around my neck.
Instantly the request was granted.
"Anything moreY inquired the elf in
matter of fact way.
"Oh, yes. AS 1 said, I'm only begin
ming" answered the prince quickly. Il
want some spending money. Just let me
have a couple of million dollars, please"
CThe amount is expressed in dollars for
the enlightenment of American readers.)
SIS that enough?" asked the elf.
swell, now that I think about it, per-
haps / had better have little MORE" cor
rected the prince Suppose you multiply
the sum by two. You know the multi
plication tablet"
"Quite WELL" said the elf, calling off
the sum. "Four million dollars"
'It might be a good idea to multiply
again-this time by three" suggested
Prince Ginjan. "I'll soon be a young
man, and l don't want to run short"
''No. That would be inconvenient,"
agreed the elf. Twelve million dollars
Are you sure you won't need any more?"
"Twelve billions would be BETTER"