The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-07-19
THE SEA URCHINS STORY.

ALI along the shore thereceding waves had
left great piles OF moss and weed beaded
with foam, which glittered when tie sun
touched them like heaps of jewels. Fairy
Jewels, though, am afraid. for they van
lshed when grasped by small brown hands.
Harold Gorden tired of chasing this Elusive
wealth, began turning over the seaweed TO
S. 2 what lay beneath, when under bunch
OF sea lettuce he found a sea urchin. The
grotesque prickly ball did not like being un-
covered 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 sald Hello, Master Roly Poly! From
what part of the ocean do you conner
A plaintive wall answered his question and
seemed to say, at come from the deeps,
where the Princess with golden hair dwells
IN a cave forever.
This aroused Haroid's interest, for he
knew truly what a beautiful and wonderful
place the ocean was SO he asked the sea
urchin to tell him the story. And this Is
what the little exile told him:
"Onee long ago, in the pink coral palace of
the Mermaid Queen there lived little meT-
maiden with golden hair. She was the
Crown Princess, and all the wondrous peo-
pie of the sea vfed with one another In
praising her beauty and In bringing her gifts.
Each day the little Princess grew moro
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 Bar1ota talked often with the
Princess and tried to fill her mind and heart
with beautiful, loving thoughts, he never
| praised her beauty or 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 disconnected, selfish temper.
Now all of these things made the Queen
| anxious. because, although BarJota was good
and Just, he was Jealous for the welfare OF
her kingdom, and she knew that he would
not think such princess great enough to sat
on the amber throne nor worthy OF the love
| OF the peoples of the sea- and she feared him.
Every morning the Princess would sit IN
a great red coral chair In the throne room ana
wish, while around her crowded the cour-
tiers. willing to risk their lives Tor me
vague hope of winning smile from her dis
contented but lovely face, and while she bade
this one and that one go on fruitless errands,
from which, perhaps. they never returned,
old Barjota his gray beard floating about
him. stood behind the Queens throne and
watched the Princess with calm, inscru-
table eyes. 4ss. u. S,
"And so In Jest one day the Princess bade
old Bariota 20 to far off Mauritius and bring
her the rarest treasure In the boards Of the
robber crabs of that Isle. This treasure WAS
an enchanted earshell, which was said 20
give one the power to hear the Thoughts
8 running In the mind of another. The Prinr
cess thought that by having this sheh sne
should be able to hear double the NUMBER
of compliments about herself for, argued
She one always thinks far more than one
speaks
"smiling slowly old Barjota, In answer,
said: Princess, l will gladly DO your Dia-
ding and so left her presence.
'aTwo DAYS later great robber crab from
Mauritius, bearing the shell on his back,
came into the palace, and with many low
salaams presented 1t to the Princess. 1ne
pr,nness was so pleased that she never tron-
Med to ask why old BarJota did not bring II
himself. but put the shell to her ear. AiasI
what aid she heart We shall never know,
because she became very angry, and In ner
rage threw the shell against the old crap
hack. where 1t broke into thousand pieces.
LAS the shell broke there stood peIore ner
por1o+o the great magician, who said: on,
D~,ncess with the golden hair and such
baantv as none have ever seen. banlsn
thae forevermore Thy palace shall be a
horren cave, hidden away IN the lowest
denths of the deepest sea, and tiny Kingdom
thine own vain, selfish, empty heart. In all
the Years that yet must be thou snait nave
much TO think on and bemean, AND let TINS
4honaht among others, not escape thee, that
49, saort which thinks only of Its own pleas
ure is but an empty cup 9ha' """'ss w
ing of the evil one
ssFrom that day until this the Princess has
naver been seen but all Of her people know
the cave that hides her, and shun the place
where she works out weary fate.