Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1904-07-29
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
A Venerable Old Fairy Tale Brought UP
To Date.

To Date.
once upon time, or to speak more
accurately many years ago, there lived
in Bagdad a merchant, who had three
daughters. The youngest daughter was
very good, but the other two were, | re-
gret to say. only middlng. The one who
was good was also very beautiful. which
annoyed her sisters very much. Her pho
tograph was i'm all the stationers' win
dows. and everyone loved her, which an
noyed them still more. Her father called
| her Beauty"
The merchant was at one time very
rich and his family were looked upon as
! quite nice people. AT home cards hung
| at all angles from the pier glass, and a
! large one on photo stand paralyzod the
| country cousins with the legend, TO meet
| the prince" But the merchant, having
put all his money into company for sup
| plying compressed air to cyclists, and the
directors finding at the last moment that
! to secure a monopoly they would have to
! buy up Nle atmosphere, the company
| burst up and the merchant found himself
ruined.
1t is at this point our story opens. at
! the moment when the merchant is about
to take leave of his family. Before start
! ing he asked each of his daughters what
! present she would like him to bring back
| to her.
The eldest sister, who had been looking
at some English fashion plates, said she
| would like a tailormade frock an OPEN
work hat and tan shoes.
The second sister. who took in a French
paper, wanted a rational costume. gyp-
sy hat, pink blouse and plush "bloomers."
Beauty, who knew her father had only
the price of his railway ticket in his
pocket. asked him to bring her rose,
which the thoughtful girl knew he could
sneak out ofs some ones front garden.
The old merchant having departed, the
| he
and were all employing themselves as
women do at such times when knock
| came to the door,
Bother" exclaimed the eldest sister,
| 'if that's visitors were out
1T only single knock said the
second sister, perhaps it's our new
dresses"
But when they opened the door there
was nobody there but an old woman, who
asked If they had sup o tay for a poor
old granny who had more aches in bones
than there was fishes in the sea-
AS no one likes to be interrupted in the
middle of housekeeping the two elder sis
tiers were about to politely shut the door
in the old lady's face when Beauty, who
had gone upstairs al the first knock to
tidy herself, came down and suggested
that the old lady might be an acquisition
| as a Charwoman
It's my private opinion that Beauty
who had read Hans Andersen
tales. knew this was her fairy godmother
and behaved accordingly.
She invited her in, and going to the
cupboard placed a cruet stand and the
remains of an omlet before the old lady.
The old lady having satisfied her hun
ger, the sight alone of these viands hav-
ing been enough to take away her appe-
tite proceeded to reveal herself in her true
coors green with gilt stars.
do not be alarmed, my dear she
cried. Il am your fairy godmother. and
in return for your Kindness | bring you
good news Your dear father is under
sentence of death for trying to steal "a
rose from geutlemanS garden
THE gentleman must be a beast" said
Beauty, but why is this good news
He is a beast, a perfect beast said
the fairy. but he will spare your father ;
life if you will marry him"
is he rich?' asked Beauty.
Immensely rich,' replied the fairy.
Then my fathers life must be spared.
I'll marry him
Noble gyurl.' exclaimed the fairy
here is his address. The tram passes
his door. Farewell"
We must now go back a little in our
story to how the merchant Jared in
his journey.
Having been appointed agent to a life
insurance company he started to push
that industry on an uninhabited island
not far from Bagdad The first house h,
came to was very fine one and had a
notice over the avenue gate, ANY one
found breaking the shrubs or picking the
flowers will be prosecuted"
The merchant walked up to the front
door and rang a bell, then observing tn,
/, word servants over it he hastily uset
! the knocker. As nobody came he Wa,
walking away when he saw a rose busl
on which was pinned a very fine specimen
/, OF the "artihcal' rose.
Just the blossom for Beauty" said tn,
| merchant, hastily culling the rose an,
placing it in his hat He had hardl,
done so when loud roar told him tina
; | he was observed. His first impulse wa
r to fly as he saw "A huge bear approach
e ing him. but having left his wings will
| his overcoat at the hotel, he determined
A to remain.
= who steals my roses?" said the bear
| who had taken lessons in elocution.
n Il did not know this was a bear gar
t dem" said the merchant. "or l would no
?. have come hither l only wanted a ros
y for my daughter. You are the gardene
Il | preSume?'
d Il am the owner of these grounds. an
= of this island" said the bear, and m
II word is law. The punishment for pull
II ing a rose is: For the first offense deatl
For the second and any subsequent of
= Tense, to be hung by the heels during hi
n majesty's pleasure"
st Would it mitigate the sentence if tn
e rose was for n young lady?'
., Yes" said the bear; IF she will TAX
n your place and marry me you may E
lr free"
st But you wont kill herr"
% Not exactly, but as | am al preseI
= cut by all the best people, marrying N
" will amount to social suicide"
W "Ha! l understand. Then l will so an
n fetch her"
y Not so fast, good sir We will sen
Ill for her"
he But Beauty, as we know. has alread
been told by her fairy godmother that h,
presence is requested, and appears on Il
= scene before the bear has had time
change his coat
Behold your future husband said Il
merchant, indicating the bear, who W;
hugging himself with joy at the sight
Beauty.
But l can't marry a bear" object,
Beauty. They told me the gentlemi
was beast, but l did not think he w
a brute"
Fear not, me cheeild," said he bea
and, throwing aside his skin, he sudden
appeared as a handsome young ma
whose costume of gray silk opera tight
opera hat, green jersey, and foot bi
boots left no doubt of b's royal origi
Yes" he said, regarding -he astonish
merchant and his daughter. Il am t
prince of Putney condemned to wear
motor oVercoat until l could find soI
young lady who would marry me-.
This mOmpnt a lOud ''tOOt foot "