Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-04-10


needed instruction. he moved forward
and picked up the hat that lay upon
the sands, beside the print of tiny
loot half-flled with sea water
AS the king did this. the girl-child
stopped dancing, tossed back her
curls and smiled. At least there. was
4 CLEAN of small white teeth between
the scarlet lips as the king took off
his bonnet with a pretty grace and
held the hat out to her. saying in
French, 1t was getting wet, mademoi-
selle. lying there; and that out be
yond'-he pointed to the breakers
is not snow, only foam. And-there
are no such things as fairies. They
do not exist
"Ah. ba- AS if l did not know
that said the girl, still painting from
the dance. Her eyes were of an odd
agate color. and fringed with wonder
fully thick. black lashes, and her
chestnut colored eyebrows were
traced on her delicate temples as
though a fine pencil had drawn them
And her flushed face was like a ripe
wishes to amuse ones self. And here
II is so triste and dull"
The king opened his blue eyes at
this. She had seemed so happy. and
all the while she had been pretending.
Now she cried out with admiration
that seemed quite unfeigned. ooh la,
la! The stick-the lovely stick.
Who gave you that?"
1T is a Basque stick, mademoi-
selle,' the king explained. The pea
SAINTS make them, and l bought this
it was not given to me-" He stopped
for the girls eyes asked for it begged
for it, entreated for it, cOaxed for it.
Monsieur, l beg Of you, let me have
1t in my hands! How pretty it is!
How happy you must be to possess
such stick" She Rugged it to her
breast, as though she could not part
with 1t. and, though the gaudy, new
possession was dear to the boy. he
yielded it.
Keep it, mademoiselle." He did
not say, Il will buy another" for they
kept mim very short of pocket money,
and permission to spend what he re-
ceived was a concession gained with
trouble. TO filter away money IT,
81 tri1es is nnbec0ming a king. -
leak or spoil or give those triifes
away was unbecoming also. But to
refuse lady's request, that would he
agate eyes asked, if the red lips did
not
You may keep the stick, mademOl-
sClle," he said gently.
The agate eyes sparkled with de
light
How good OF you! But why call
me mademOiselle? | am Marie. Oh,
look at the beautiful red flowers
The glowing trail of weed she
pointed to lay stranded at the sea
brink one moment The next wave
might snatch it back into the treas
ury of ocean. The king sprang to-
ward the Prize and snatched it up as
the wave broken and Kissed about his
L.tle white ankles. Then he brought
the long scarlet trail in triumph back
to Marie.
Hold my hat and stick" she SAID
imperiOusly. Then, with a few def
thrusts and turns, she made a wreath
o. the SeaWeed and set it on her re-
belliOus curls, and looked at him,
smiling, crowned with the fantastic
splendOr. He nnew there are no such
things as fairies out of childish books,
but if Marie had spread gOssamer
wings and taken flight he would hard
~ have been surprised 81 will make
you crown, too she said, with a
little, gurgling laugh. and then we
can play at being a king and queen
flowers"
But the king held back.
Crowns are not made OF seaweed
or of flOwers-at least, those that are
worn by kings" he said They are
Ul heavy metal, and hurt the head"
'Iney are Of gold and jewels" cried
Marie, tossing her lovely head. "As
though | did not know that! | want
ed to make believe, and you will not
help me. We could have built a pal
ace out OF sand, and played at reign
ing over a kingdom together"
The king face grew grave and
earnest.
'Mademoiselle, We are too young to
reign. There is the minority, during
which regent occupies the throne.
If you were queen you would not b.
allowed to play at reigning. You
ctr
and tutors almost all the time, so that
you should know how to reign in
earnest when the time came. You
would
But Marie, looking into the anxious
face, burst into a denghted giggle
You are such solemn little boy"
she cried, when she could speak "Of
course it must be very stupid, all that.
The king realized that, to this dazz-
ling little creature-a commoner her
self-he, too, was a cOmmoner. The
incOgnito he relished; it was intoler-
able to be called solemn little boy.
He caught his breath and began
eagerly
"MademOiselle-'
Call me Marie"
Marie, l do amuse myself. There
are many things-Inilitar maneuvers,
evOlutions, ceremonies, and so on,
that interest me-" His dreamy eyes
frightened. Sometimes, early in the
mCrning-befOre lessons begin-I
stand at the open window when they
are changing the guard in the pal
in the courtyard. And l listen to the