The Washington times., 1903-07-19
SEA URCHIN'S STORY.

n waves had left great piles of
moss and weed beaded with
foam. which glittered when the sun
touched them like heaps Of jewels. Fairy
Jewels. though, am afraid, for they
vanished when grasped by small brown
hands Harold Gordon, tired OF chasing
this illusiys wealth. began turning over
the seaweed TO see what lay beneath.
when under a bunch of sea lettuce he
found sea urchin. The grotescus
prickly ball did not like being uncovered
In this fashion. and tried TO crawl back
under the cool green leaves. Harold sat
down on the beach beside his new play
mate and partially covered him by a
leaf as he said: Hello, Master Roly
Polyl From what part OF the ocean do
you conner"
plaintive vail answered his question
and seemed TO say, Il come from the
deeps. where the princess with golden
lair dweils in 2 cave forever"
This aroused Harold's interest, for he
knew truly what beautiful and wonder
ful place the ocean was So he asked
the sea urchin 10 tell him the story. And
this is what the little exile told him:
OASC ASA6 o6Sg IN Ln1 HlIh coral PAL
ace of the Mermaid Queen, there lived q
little mermaiden with golden hair Shs
was the crown princess. and all the Won
drous people of the sea We'd with one
another in praising her beauty and in
bringing her gifts.
Each day the little princess grew
more lovely in face and form. but less
lovely in heart and mind, because she
studied only those things that would give
herself most pleasure
There had lived in the palace beyond
the eldest memory Of any a very wise
and learned man, called Barjota. He was
the queens chief adviser and a great
magician Although BarJota talked Of
ten with the princess and tried 10 fill her
mind and heart with beautiful, loving
thoughts, he never praised her beauty
OF chided her when she wept because
she was not an earth child, but only
looked at her with growing sadness as
the days slipped by and she did not try
to curb her discontented- selfish temper.
Now all OF these things made the
Queen anxious, because, although Bar
I jota was good ard Just, he was jealous
/ for the welfare Of her kingdom. and she
knew that he would not think such
/ princess great enough to sit On the am-
| Der throne nor worthy OF the love OF .he
peoples OF the sea. and she feared him
Every morning the princess woula sit
/ In a great red coral chair in the -h-one
I room and wish while around her crowd
ed the courtiers. willing to risk tl.siT
lives for the vague hope of winning a
| smile from her disccntented but lovely
face, and while she bade this one aud
that one go or fruitless errands. from
! which. perhaps, they never returned. old
Bariota. his gray beard floating about
him. stood behind the Queens. thrOns
/ and watched the princess with calm. IL
scrutable ewes.
And so in jest one day the princess
bads old Barjota go to far of MauritiuJ
] and bring her the rarest treasure in the
Acards OF the robber crabs of that sic.
This treasure was an enchanted car
she'll, which was said TO give one the
power TO hear the thoughts running il
the mind Of another. The princess
thought that b. having this shell she
/ should be able to hear double the num-
Der Of compliments about herself. for.
argued she, one always thinks fa- more
/ than one speaks.
Smiling slowly, old Barjota, in an
swer. said: Princess. l will gladly do
your bidding and so left her presence.
Two days later a great robber crab
from Mauritius. bearing the she'll on his
back. came into the palace. and with
many low salaams presented IL to tho
princess. The princess was so pleased
that she never troubled TO ask why old
Barjota did not bring il himself, but put
/ the shell 10 her ear. Alas. what did she
I hear? We shall never know, because
( sac became very angry, and in her rage
/ threw the she'll against the old craD's
back, where II broke into a thousand
pieces.
"As the she'll broke there stood before
her BarjOta. the great magician. who