The San Francisco call., 1904-04-17
The UnGruGhful
Lake

y EA1I1 Is as beauty does.
There were once two Prin-
@ cesses who were not only
ugly but hateful 10 every
body else. until a witch came
one day 10 take them on a secret jour
ney 20 the ~Untruthful Lake" when. 10,
the transformation was wonderful
Floryset, whose courage was greater
for the moment than that OF her sister.
was the first to peer at her dazzling re-
Election In the shining lake. So wonder
full was the vision that met her aston
ished gaze IL seemed as though her
beautys very radiance must melt the
feecy blue OF her garment into mist.
The glory OF a hundred sunsets seemed
70 rest upon her hair. The luster OF
hundred lakes seemed reflected in her
eyes. The delicate blush OF a garden
OF roses seemed TO lie upon her soft
cheek, and the tint Of myriad scarlet
poppies seemed TO have lent bright
color to the bud OF her dainty lips.
She had greater beauty than the sun,
moon and all the shining stars. She
had greater beauty than int Of all the
seasons of all the years. She had great
er beauty than that OF all the flowers
IN all the fields and greater beauty than
that OF all the Prilcesses in all the
worlds.
No wonder then that Floryset stood
with her small hands tightly clasped be-
fore her, appalled, and unable to utter
word at sight OF her own transcendent
loveliness.
What Of sister CharlotelIa. who stood
beside her and watched the image OF
her own form and features reflected by
the untruthful lake? Remember that
the magic power OF the water enabled
even the wicked old witch TO seem
comely.
You must know. therefore, that Char
lotella was gratifled to behold a charm
ing, sweet-faced maiden where she had
thought 10 see a familiar ugly self Her
hands had become small and shapelv:
her feet peeped out like dainty butter
flies with golden wings. Her nose was
straight; her eyes had grown large and
clear; her large and hitherto prominent
ears now lay close to her well-shaped
head and in size were in keeping with
the rest OF her pretty features.
Her girlish gown, with its emerald
girdle. set off most charmingly the soft
brown tints in her curling hair.
Charlotella gazed and gazed and
gazed. At last she spoke. "Ohi" she
sighed, softly. II never dreamed I was
90 beautiful" Charlotella's face was
pale and not at all like her rosy re-
hection in the water as she said family:
Ano i am am really pretty, after
all Why didn't they tell me so? oh.
Why did no one say so before2"
She turned TO FlOryset and caught
her by the hand. Come" she said.
come, sister; we shall late. They
VIII miss US and send after us: let us
go back to the palace at once"
With hands tightly clasped and their
hearts beating in time with their foot
steps, the two Princesses hastened back
TO the palace garden. The gates were
luckily still open and their flight had
been undiscovered. So they betook
themselves to their tower chamber. and
there they sat and talked and talked OF
the images in the wonderful lake. which
they both believed TO be real.
Neither Fioryset nor Charlotella sleut
at all well that night. Early the next
morning the young Princesses were
awakened by a great shouting below in
the court yard. They arose hastily and.
donning their silken morning robes
leaned out OF the high easement to see
what Yves causing such an uproar
There they beheld the King, their
father, clad in full armor, calling
loudly 70 his soldiers, who filed the
court yard
Soon the iron gates OF the palace
swung wide apart. and the King, fol-
lowed. by his retainers, clad I'm metal
coats OF mail and wearing shields and
lances. rode forth into the fields beyond
Here he was met b. great companies OF
MS own 'oldiers. waving alof. banners
e scarlet and blue I'd g. ld Soon