The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-27

Now this is the story as told to the boy one night after he had gone to bed Dy the Gossiping Goblin, of whom perhaps you have heard. The Goblin was percned on corner of the Boys pillow, twirling ms thumbs rehectively, as he told the tale. And as to whether or not it's true-why, must refer you to the Gossiping Goblin him. self For you must know, If one is right good and goes to bed O nights without protest or crying, and then doesn't try to keep awake to see the Goblin appear tand the Goblin doesn't like to be looked for)-well, 1T one does all that, the chances are the Goblin will come and tell tale out of the Annals of Zum, which is the central kingdom of all Fairyland.
 The top O the evening to you, Boy (said the Gossiping Goblin), and how's the night time finding you? Been good todayf Yes? Well, we will take that with grain of salt; I'll have to ask your mother about that, Boy.
 Yes, I'm just from Zum, and if you prom ise not to interrupt I'll tell you just what's been happening recently. Mighty exciting it was, too.
 You know, told you awhile ago how the Prince of Noman's Land rescued the Prin- cess from her enchantment and carried her away with him, leaving the Kingdom of Zum totally without it's Enchanted Princess and with no prospect of ever getting another. We'll this state of affairs has been weigh ing heavily on the mind of the good King, who has ever the welfare of his subjects at heart; he realized fully that something dreadful was bound to happen to the King dom if another Princess wasn't installed in the Enchanted Tower right away. But, think as he might, never plan could he couture up to solve the problem.
 And it took an ordinary mortal to solve the difficulty at thati And maybe he didn't do it to the Kings taste, too! My, but that boy was cutel
 This mortal's name is Terence, and bold broth of a boy he is, too. He came to Zum, not long ago, by way of the Sea of Dreams, naturally. (For that way, you must know, is the only way that one may come to Fairy land; over the Sea of Dreams you must go.) And Terence was such good fellow that the Little People, as he insisted upon calling the Fairies, took a liking to him and asked him to stay They even got the King to offer him the command of the Standing Army on condition that he stayed. Terence thought 1t over and then he went to the King, and says he:
 Yer Honor-I mean, Your Majesty, beg ging Your Hon-Majesty s-pardon-a mili- tary life is the one that I'd lead, having the choice offered to me, and so I'll even ac- cept your most gracious offer and stay for ever in Fairyland-or until I want to go back"
 And at that the Little People laughed with joy. for they well knew that Terence would
  stay long enough to get acquainted. So he was given command of the Standing Army and everything was happy until this dis tressing matter of the Enchanted Princess began to worry the good King. And General Terence, seeing this, puzzled his head for way out of the trouble, because he was fond of the King and didn't like to see him so downcast. And presently Terence had bold, grand idea and he went to the King and asked for leave of absence for day or so.
 "Youll not be leaving us?" says the King, more worried than ever.
 "Neyer the bit of it," answers the bold Terence. " Iris but a trif1e of plan have to win us another Enchanted Princess"
 And what's that?" asked the King. And Terence bent over the throne and whispered something in the Kings ear which pleased His Majesty so that he burst out laughing. "'Tis fine that would be-grand!' he cried. But, General, you'd never come out of 1t alive.''
 Little I fear that Have Your Honor's permission?"
 ''GO ny DOy9 says thc AihB' anu thS best of luck go with you.' At that Terence turned and went to the Royal Charmery, where they keep all the most powerful charms, and he took down from the walls three charms which he found hanging there, one of which gave the wearer the power of seeing all invisible objects, even by night, and another gave him the strength of two common or garden giants. while the third made 1t impossible to bewitch or en- chant its owner.
 And Terence set forth, whistling, with his three charms thrown over his shoulder in bap. But as soon as he was out of sight of the City of Zum he took out the charm of strength and put that to work, and maybe if didn't make him cover the ground quickyl Why almost before he knew 1t he was at tha other end of the Land of the West Winds.
 Now. here 1t was that lived the witch who was called Zut, who was the most wicked | witch in all Fairyand; and she It was that