The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1905-10-27

/
The clock on the mantlepiece wa:
still ticking; its sound no longer of,
fensive. but companionable, friendly
and CHEEKY.
who wrote those wonderful talesE
she asked after a pause.
He glanced at her reproachfully.
What a question: The very sug-
gestion turns my prancing steeds into
mice. my coachmen and footmen into
-ats. leaves a pumpkin in place of thc
chariot. and as for the poor little
princess"
~ withdraw the question absolutely
Danish the suggestion by telling ms
one of the stories"
would that be wise after what I've
claimed for them? | might spoil it in
the telling, and then"
I'm sure you wouldn't and Well
we're both believers, you know"
With that word I'VE" on her lips he
could have refused her nothing-would
have attempted a far more difficult
task TO hear her repeat it.
Very well. Let me see. There was
one about a giant, and another about
an enchanted ring. and third about a
prince. Suppose l try that one. I'm
afraid 1t won't sound real, but Once
upon time there nved, IN the King
dom Of Desires, a prince"
There was a rustic of silk beside
him, and Kennard turned quickly TO
the sound. Leslie had slipped softly
70 the floor, and was sitting, with her
feet tucked under her. her elbows on
her knees and her chin in her hands,
staring into the fire.
"Once upon time in the Kingdom OF
Desires there lived prince" she
prompted, without looking UP.
"A pig-headed. self-opinionated, ig.
norant little prince" corrected Ken
uard, "who didn't believe in fairies,
despite the testimony of a very wise
old nurse who told the most convinc-
ing tales. But every time the prince
Heard of fairy he pooh-poohed the
idea. and said it couldn't be, and it
wasn't possible, and was really quite
absurd. Bah, pish, tush, CANNON"
was his unvarying reply to every story
Of his nurse, to whom he was very
rude and inattentive. One day she
grew angry with him, and said he'd
repent of his ignorance before long
But the little prince replied, Bah, pish,
tush, gammon!' and turned to his
blocks and puzzles. which interested
him far more, and with which he
played all day long. But by and by.
as the prince grew older, he wearied
of his blocks, which had come to be no
play at all but very hard work In
deed. Still he labored along diligent-
ly, though joylessly, building up cas-.
ties which always toppled before he
reached the summit, and trying solu-
tons for hopelessly complicated puz'
zles. Now, one day, while engaged as
usual in this dreary task, fairy came
to him and touched him on the shoul.
der.
What are you trying to do? she
asked.
Nothing you could understand
he answered without looking up. Go
away. I'm busy
"At this reply there came to his ear
the sound of laughter, low at first, but
clear and musical like sunlit water
bubbling joyfully over messy rocks.
The prince looked up surprised at the
sound, and discovered standing before
him the most enchanting princess you
ever saw-not stately, sanity, stupid
princess, but merry, teasing, clever
princess, with eyes which could be
thoughtful and mischievous, earnest
and-Well, her eyes were very wonder
full indeed.
Who sent you here?' asked the
prince, in establishment.
1.-The fairies, of course, she an
swered brightly.
Bah, pish, tush, gam began the
prince, and then, glancing again at
the princess face, he stopped short
and pushed his blocks and puzzles
aside.
"'What do you want?' he asked a
little less roughly.
AT this the princess laughed again,
and this time the air seemed filled with
the joyous songs of birds, and all sorts