New-York tribune., 1903-03-08
THE PRINCESS ROsEBLoOM.

Once upon a time there was little princess
who was extremely homeIy, in spite OF the l"o-
that her parents had given her beadtllu- iiail'
Princess RoseblOom.
"Ab am bomelv enough" said the little prIn-
cess one morning as she peered from the top OF
her ivory chair into her mirror OF pohshed steel
princess RosebIoom lived long, long years ago
and they had no glass mirrors in those days)
Yes, l altogether homely' SHe "uu1H' a S
scanned every feature
II was true The face she ssaw reflected was iaT
from fairylik- There no smooth. WhHe IoFe-
head no glowing checks. no bright. WlnsoIhe eE -
with dropping lashes- No. her eyes We're smaIi a'(
of no particular color; her hair always came o's
of curl when it raincd, her nose was thin ana mex
complexion sallOw.
oh what a fright she exclaimed as SAe
jumped down from the chair. and turned ner face
avay from the polished steel Anyhow, I'm glad
I know 1t. and I'm glad father got me this mir
ror For now when the little princess IN the next
castle calls me names they won't sting me at an
Ill know they true "
And She laughed. such a soft, merry. ripping
little laugh, that the sunbeam stealing through the
curtains of cloth OF gold caught its echoes and
passed them to the 7eecy clouds IN the SKY beyond
Of Princess Rosebloom had caught a glimpse OF
herself at that moment in her mirror. she might
have been surprised. For when she smiled, her
beautiful white teeth cleaned, and dimples
played and a rare light came into her eyesJ
The little princess sank down on her silken dlV&n
and took up her favorite storyboOk, that old, Old
ballad. The Romaunt Of the Rose 1t was not d
printed book, like you and I have 10 read from
he art of printing had not yet been invented Dut
It was a manuscript book, written on parchment
and beautifully ilIumined in gold and silver and
green and bronze.
Princess Rosebloom was extremely clever and
could do what many grown up people could not DO
in those days-she could read. Actually read!
Soon she was deep in the lovely May morning
passages which abound in that charming old bal
lad, when
=,
chubby little prince Of four years. who toddled into
the room. with long, golden curls. and a suit OF
crimson velvet. "Pease tell me A storWy.
Why. indeed 1 will, my precious" cried the
princess. catching her baby brother to her and
kissing him mis- pink checks.
Then the tiny prince listened eagerly while sHs
told him such fairy story about cobWeFs and
dew drops and stars that his eyes Grcw bigger
and bigger his mouth wider and wider, until Inc
fell fast asleep in her arms. Then the nurse
came and took him away
The princess was about to pick up her hooi,
again. when the queen, her mother, called from
the next room:
''Rosebloom. 1 wish you would come here and
match this silk for ] can't see very we'll
The queen doing bit OF embroidery work ru
orange and yellow and duns. and the tiuts were
trying. Quick a flash the princess throw down
her book and ran to match her silk. Coming back
to her divan she cast one longing look at her dear
book, but rcsolutely shook her mead:
No" she said. Il shant read any more now;
IT is time to practise the Lutte So she lightly
skipped down the marble stairs. and had just
taken off the velvet cover from her lutte when her
father appeared at the doorway.
You will oblige my dear said the king.
IF you will put that cover again. The court
chamberlain and have been very busy. and my
head aches fearfUllY.
Very we'll your majesty" said the princess.
curtseyng low, Il will get up carly tomorrow and
practise
What an exquisite disposition Roscbloom
hast said the king to the queen that afternoon
as they nibbled their wanutS and slipped their wine
dear"
Yes" sighed the queen. but l do wish she were
a little prettiPr." Somewhere. away off In the mist
of her Imagination, the queen had always had a
vision Of rarely beautiful daughterD
oh cried the king. taking a pawn with a sweep
the wOrdi' He thinking of the beautiful
Princess SelfWiE. who lived in the nciGhUorIHE
castle and who caused her parents so much trouble
that their hair already quite white under their
crowns and the wrinkles thick about their eyes.
No. ROsebloom is lovely just as she IS. Just as
she is"
Princess Rosebloom did not hear her fathers re-
marks, though she felt that she loved even
more tenderly from that hour. But Il soft zephyr
blowing through the palace from the gardens
skies above. Where the echoes OF the little PrIn-
Cess's merry, rippng laugh had passed that morn
ing you rememberD
And the clouds which hovered around the globe
OF crimson fire in the west at sunset time We're
especially beautiful that night in their tints and
VIRGINIA LEILA VENT
Amateur Gardcncr-Do You know that your