The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-01-15
Ihe Woman
In the Moon
By Caroline YounelGlen.


n
Professor Skylight turned from the
big telescope, settled his glasses
straight ON his nose and stared at the
20 small boys who toed the chalk line
on the floor.
sowing" he said in learned tone
sowing to reasons you will understand
when you are older, we never see but
one side Of the moon"
"Ohw exclaimed all the little boys
They opened their eyes very round
standing still and solemn as a row Of
owls. When they ran out again to play
however, 10 Of them forgot the moon
altogether all except the twentieth
boy. who had the roundest eyes. lie
pondered the thing in his heart.
He thought of il when he went 60 he'd
that night. 1t troubled him so much
that he forgot to pull down the window
shade. SO it came to pass that an idle
moonbeam, wandering alone. slipped
in through the window and fell across
his face. Her light bothered him. He
moved his head on the pillow.
you're quite unsociable,' he heard.
or thought he heard, her say. especial
ly when I've come so far to see YOU!
Then he turned over, feeling at once
as though he were very wide awake
Excuse me-" he said politely Che had
been taught 70 remember his manners
under all circumstances; Il should
dearly love to talk with mOonbeami
Why. there are lots Of things you could
tell me! Is there only one man In the
moon? Has he always lived thereg
And is there anything on the other
slider
Ssh! Speak softlyT warned his Wis
itor. "The Man In the Moon might
hear you. He hates to have any one
talk of his history"
"Myw exclaimed the little boy. Then
how he must hate Professor Skylight.
The moonbeam shifted bit so she
might look into his eyes. "YOu knew
the Man in the Moon had wife" she
asked confdentlally. The little boy sat
up.
did heT" He came near entirely
forgetting her caution not to make any
noise. "Why, where is she nowf'
"She was one Of you here on the
EARTH" the moonbeam went on hastily.
"She was a princess and very
Beautiful" be interrupted Il know
they all are. Did she live near here 2
ooh, no! Far away. You couldn't
have known her-it was so long ago"
"How long"
Every, very long. Before your ',rand-
father was born or his grandfather
No; you couldn't possibly remember IT,
She used to walk in the gardens at
night and make poetry about the stars
She was very fond of the JStars. She
wore one in her hair. and the trail Of
her gown was so long that it took 80
little boys to carry 1t. She looked like
a comet. 1t was on Que glorious even
ing that the Man In the Moon lost his
heart"
"But how did he tell her|
ado wait! replied the mOCnbeam ini-
patiently; Il was just coming TO that.
He sent US down to WOO her. We were
very soft ana slvery just then. lie
took particular pains to polish usp'
"And they were married at night?"
"They were All, you never saw such
a night! The stars were all frightened
for the occasion. and the Milky Way
lit up for a billion miles,"
"FOr the wedding processionS~.
'Yes," she sighed a bit sadly. "Only
there wasn't any! They got behind the
first dark cloud"
'How provoking!" said thelittle boy
"Did they live happily ever 'after?"
mo, indeed!' the mOonDeam prompt
ly answered. lit wasn't but a short
time after their marriage before she
began to remember a prince who had
played with her when she was little on
the earth. He was lonely, poor fellowl
He used to walk out every evening and
look up at the princess, and she would
look down at him. Then she began to
send US down with messages and he to
send messages back. BY and by the
Man In the Moon found it out, and then
the very mountains shook. You've
heard of the mountains in the moonY'
ayes, lndeedP' he replied In great ex-
element 81 know all about them. But
what happened nextY
The moonbeam trembled violently.
''There came near being an eclipse"
she saba total eclipsel But you
couldn't possibly understand that. The
princess made all sorts of excuses, but
the Man in the Moon wouldn't hear.
She cried to go home to her mother.
but he didn't let her 60. He banished
her away over to the other side"-in an
awed whisper-"the other side of the
moon! That's the reason you don't see
It'll She can never look on the earth
again, for her face Is always turned the
other way"
"Must she stay there foreverT
"Forever and ever and ever"
"What a pityP sighed the little boy.
"What was her nameT
'The Woma In the Moonw the moon
beam whispered. "That's all can tell
you. I've told you too much already
and must be going. We aren't allowed
to be out so late"
She gllded over the coverlet and left
him to ponder her story in the dark.
Perhaps she will be surprised when
she finds he was not the only one who
heard.-San Francisco Chronicle.