The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-07-17

young man art thou, o Pendragon.
Jr.! Thou wouldst be wiser than thy
father; and see what thou hast
done! Thou hast changed thy old
father into white pig! Ohio and aha!
Now shall the young fool GO to join
the old fool!"
! The old woman waved the wand
! over her head, and behold! Pendra-
! gon, Jr., became a white pig, Jr., and
squealed with rage and astonishment,
just as the elder Pendragon had done
only a few moments before AS soon
as the change was accomplished the
old woman tried to drive the two
pigs into the pen that stood near the
cottage.
Now, all pigs are hard to drive;
but two magicians that have been
changed into pigs against their will
are the hardest of all to drive. One
ran this way, and the other ran the
other way, and the old woman
chased them until she was tired and
ready to drop. Then she called to
the maiden who stood near, looking
very sad and very solemn at the
same time.
"Come, Betty, thou lazybones, help
me to drive these two little squeal-
ing porkers into the pen. Else will
it be the worse for thee!"
''Give me the stick, then, Granny"
said Betty; and without remember
ing that it was magic wand the
old woman handed Betty the slender
stick.
AS soon as Betty held the magic
wand safely in her hand she seemed
changed from quiet country maiden
into proud princess. She faced the
old woman, and with terrible look
said, "Now, thou wicked witch, thou
art about to receive punishment for
all thy wrong-doing! Behold, 1 COM
mand thee to become a cross old
| cat!"
The old woman could not help her
self, and so when Betty waved the
wand there suddenly appeared in
stead of the old woman a very ugly
old cat, who spat and clawed about
as if she was in very bad temper.
"Unless you behave yourself l will
change you into a rag DOLL" said
Betty. "Now away with you, and try
to do no more mischief"
| With a last terrible howl the cat
ran away down the road, and was
seen no more.
The two little pigs meanwhile
stood perfectly still, with their eyes
as wide open as pigs eyes ever are.
As soon as the old cat was gone
Betty turned to them, and with a
wave of the wand restored Pendra-
gon, Jr., to his true shape, and hand
! ed him the wand again.
81 thought you would like to re-
store your father to his own shape
yourself,' she said. "It seems more
dutiful."
$50 it does," he replied; and in a
moment more the old magician stood
before them well as ever.
Before you CO." said Betty to the
father and son, II wish to give you
both a word of warning. To you,
Pendragon, Jr., I would say this:
Remember to learn your business
before you begin to practice it. If
it had not been for me the old witch
would have succeeded in capturing
both your father and yourself. She
had been the enemy of your family
for many centuries, and would have
been glad to ruin you both"
"Why, was that old Elspeth, the
witch?" asked Pendragon, Sr., much
surprised.
"Yes," said Betty. "And you would
| have known her in a moment had
YOU not been so silly as to leave
home without your magic spectacles
and your wand"
But 1 was anxious about my boy,"
said the old magician.
"still you must never leave home
without the tools of your trade
said Betty.
81 never will again." said Pendra-
gon, Sr.
every good" she said. "And now
good-by, and be wiser next time"
"And to whom are we lndebted-'
Pendragon, Jr., began, when she in
terrupted him.
81" said she, ''am Titania, Queen
of the Fairies"
And she vanished to the sound of
sweet music, that grew fainter and
fainter, and died away in the dis
tance.-Woman's Home Companion,
Springfield, Ohio.