Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-02-01

should come to his daughter. Well, l
Will not trouble about death. But is
there no other way?"
sudden inspiration came to him,
and he ran swiftly to his own palace,
noting, with terror, that the short
winter day was nearly ended. Gather
ing his colleagues around him, he told
them of the extraordinary demand of
the prince
There is only one thing to be
DONE he went on, noting the fright
ened faces about him. Listen! We
may yet be saved
Everyone within three leagues
around, men, women, girls and boys,
mobiles, merchants and peasants, must
set instantly to work with silk, velvet,
satin and paper, and make scores of
flowers. Let them cut up their clothes,
their hangings; let them make use of
their fans, cushions; everything they
have
Then, before daybreak, all these
flowers must be tied, fastened or glued
to all the trees and bushes of the park
and all the country near the palace;
the finest and best near the princess
palace and the poorest the furthest
away All the painters and artists
must superintend the decorations.
Take the army, take the hospitals.
take the prisons. Every one must
work, no one must stop to eat or drink
tonight. Go and remember that your
very lives depend upon your sue
cess"
Without a word the ministers fled
Immediately from the palace In less
than an hour there was not a palace
nor a house in the city nor a single
village in the country where the in
habitants were not making flowers,
and if one had looked that night from
the daimios palace he would have
seen thousands of lanterns bobbing
about among the trees in every di-
rection.
The next morning, as her women fin
ished dressing her, Fiaki heard the
sound of sweet singing and many in
struments beneath her window.
'Ah! it is my birthday to-day" she
said, with a SILVER. why are the gods
so cruel as to cause it to fall in the
winter time?" Her women pulled
aside the curtains from the window.
What beautiful day, Mistress"
they said.
Indeed, as if it too were a courtier,
the sky was clothed in richest blue
in which the sun like a golden jewel
shone proudly.
Languidly the princess walked out
upon the balcony But what cry of
joy and surprise broAe from her lips!
Flowers, flowers, in every direction,
and as far as the eye could see.
The princess rubbed her eyes. Was
it a miracle?
Father, father!" she cried, as the
noble prince entered her apartment,
truly, you are god'
The daimio, smiling with pleasure
proposed a ride through the park to
see the magic springtime. The de-
lighted princess clapped her hands, and
the brilliant procession of gayly-clad
courtiers headed by the prince and his
daughter started slowly down the
winding avenue.
What a delicious perfume scents the
air!" cried the princess.
Surprised, the daimio realized that
the soft doors of the spring flowers did
indeed fill the air The secret was that
every few rods q fire of sweetest in
cense burned in carefully hidden bra
Ziers.
Presently an especially beautiful pink
plum tree caught the attention of the
princess.
Il wish a branch of that tree" she
cried. happily. 1T will be a memory
of one OF the most beautiful prom
enades of my life
The daimio looked uneasily at the
minister.
"She will discover the cheat" he
thought.
But Nai-da-tsin did not tremble nor
grow pale.
Grant me the honor to pluck it for
you,' he said
He rode up to the tree and brought
back superb branch. The princess
seized it, burying her face in the
fresh, rosy flowers.
The daimio was more surprised than
before. He did not guess that the
prime minister had emptied all the
of all the palaces and had
many trees for just such an
occasion.
You are a wonderful man" the
prince cried to his prime minister,
when they returned to the palace.
You are absolutely magician. But
tell me, what can I do next year to
surpass this marvellous fete?"
The prime minister smiled slowly.
He pointed 10 a charming young man,
son Of the prince of Satsuma, who was
aiding Princess Fiaki to alight from |
her coach.
When another year has passed, and |
he princess receives another birthday |
IS gift from the gods, give her for |
/ husband that charming prince. She |
will love him more than she does the |