The Cairo bulletin., 1905-01-07


Ell Ak. "What viii ii proht any on,
of us TO allow it TO remain in it's lone
ly shrine for all time to Gomez"
Enough" cried the Gnome King
abruptly. I'VE will vote on the mat
ter, yes or no. For my part, | say
yesr'
"And IH' said the Fairy Queen
promptly, and AK rewarded her with
smile
MY people in Burzee tell me they
have learned to love him, therefore
| vote to give Claus the Mantle" said
! the King of the Ryls.
! "IIe is already comrade of the
KNOCKS announced the ancient King
of that band. Let him have immor-
tally"
LET him have it--let him have IT,
sighed the King of the Wind Demons.
"Why not?' asked the King of the
Sleep Fays. HE never dsturbs the
slumbers my people allow humanity
Let the good Claus be immortal"
II do not object said the King of
the Sound Imps.
''Nor L." murmured the Queen Of
the Water Sprites.
IF Claus does not receive the Man
tie ii is clear none other can ever claim
IT," remarked the King of the Light
Elves, so let us have done with the
thing for all time"
''The Wood Nymphs were first to
adopt him." said Queen Zurline "Of
course shall vote to make him i'm
mortal"
Ak now turned to the Master Hus-
bandman Of the World, who held up
his right arm and said "Yesr'
And the Master Mariner of the World
did likewise, after which Ak. with
sparkling eyes and smiling face, cried
out:
II thank you, fellow immortalsl For
all have voted yes. and so to our dear
Claus shall fall the one Mantle of I'm
mortality that it is in our power to
bestow-
let Us fetch it at once said the
Fay King I'm in a hurry
They bowed assent and instantly the
Forest glade was deserted, but in
place midway between the earth and
the sky was suspended cleaning
crypt Of gold and platinum, aglow with
soft lights shed from the facets of
countless gems. Within high dome
hung the precious Mantle of Immor-
Utility, and each immortal placed
hand on the hem of the splendid Robe
and said. rs with, one voice.
1--WE bestow this Mantle.upon Claus.
who is called the Patron Saint of Chit
dren!"
At this the Mantle came away from
its lofty crypt, and they carried it to
the house in the Laughing Valley.
The Spirit of Death was crouchng |
very near TO the bedside of Claus, and |
as the lmmortals approached she |
sprang up and motioned them back |
with an angry gesture. but when her
eyes fell upon the Mantle they bore
she shrank away with low moan of
disappointment and quilted that house |
forever.
Softly and silently the immortal
Band dropped upon Claus the precious
Mantle and it closed about him and
sank into the outlines of his body
and disappeared from view. II he
came part of his being. and neither
mortal nor immortal might ever take
1t from him.
Then the Kings and Queens who had
wrought this great deed dispersed TO
their.varous homes. and all were well
that they had added another
immortal to their Band
And Claus slept on, the red blood
Of everlasting life coursing swiftly
through his veins. and OH his brow was
a tiny drop Of water that had fallen
from the ever melting gown of the
Queen Of the Water SpriteS. and over
bis lips lowered tender kiss that had
been left by the sweet Nymph Necilc
For she had stolen In when the others
we're gone to gaze with rapture upon
lie immortal form of her foster SON.
ta<