The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-11-27

dens. BY her side was the stately head nurse :
for the Grand Duchess young Behind her
were two pages, who held up her train of cloth
of-gold
The Grand Duchess kicked up the stones now and
then with the toe of dainty pointed shoe and pres
entity she sighed very big sigh
am so tired of the walk every day and every
day." she said / mean to, go this minute right out
into the fields and pick flowers, dear little common
flowers, the hill over the stream"
Impossible, your Royal Highness!" cried the old
nurse, quite shocked.
By means" replied the Duchess, wirfully Give
me my train, said she, turning to the boys. 81 will
carry it. You may 60"
Then she to the great gates. With some diff
Guilty she pushed one open and passed out The nurse,
painting and groaning, followed her.
The Duchess scampered about oyfuly She was in
convenenced by her train, it was so heavy; but she
gathered the daisies and put them in her hair she sang
songs and called to the BIRDS and talked to the sheen
cropping the grass.
The Duchess crossed the stream by the plank The
danger, new, delighted her. She laughed and capped
her hands as the board creaked under the weight of
old nurse
"Tn rest right here in the shade" said the Grand
Duchess, presently Going toward clump of trees,
she seating herself on large stone when some
thing ran from underneath it across her foot
Oh, the sweet brown mouse!" she cried. She fell
upon her knees to catch it, but at the same moment
hand as brown the mouse came from beside bush
near, and the mouse into the hand
The face of shepherd boy peeped over. "Thats my
mouse he said.
The Grand Duchess sat up on the ground and looked
back at him.
:" / want it to be mine" she answered
i" Give it to her Royal Highness Immediately" COM
manded the "You are honored that she should
care to have it."
But the shepherd boy only repeated "Its INV mouse"
The eyes of the Grand Duchess opened very widely
They were blue eyes, and her parted lips were as
rosy the wild cherries above her head
/ like you, you funny shepherd boy" she said after
long pause "But l want that dear brown mouse.
will give you my white for it. Mine has wings"
the turn of the shepherd boy to open his ewes
=" Go back and look for my mouse" said the Grand
Duchess to the shall stay here and play with
this nice boy"
But, your Royal Highness" protested the nurse,
you surely will not give the Winged Mouse to a
country lad Besides, cannot leave you here"
will take care of her." said the shepherd boy with
a lordly air. He was about a year older than the
Duchess
Go this minutel +" said she getting UP to stamp her
foot nperiousy
The nurse turned away grumbing and mutternp
Little did the Duchess think how long it would be be-
fore she saw her nurse again -.
She watched her out of sight She had naughty
smile in her blue eyes, and the simple shepherd bow
stared she reached for the embroidered pocket that
hung by her sde and took from it snow-white mouse
which she held out to him in the pink palm of her hand
1t will be such fun to have no one to trouble US
had my mouse all the time. Now it is yours and will
have the brown one"
The shepherd boy touched the delicate thng-t was
gift of her fairy godmother to the Grand Duchess
and ne thought he had never seen anything SO beautiful
and SO much to be desired
The Duchess showed him its wonderful wings They
shut neatly down against its sides like closed fans
When they spread the mouse looked as if il
were large white flower
He took tenderly and pressed it lovingly TO his
tanned cheek while he handed her the little heldmouse
AS they played the shepherd boy told her he lived
with his stepmother in small cottage near the edge Of
the town He kept the sheep of any of the neiehborne
farmers who would hire him.
He dared not let his stepmother see his new
for she was cruel witch woman So thew arrsnoed
to make little nest for it warm and coy with moses
among the tree roots, where stone was TO fit in the
opening and keep safely They were so busy hev did
not notice the sound of footsteps approaching but thew
looked up when shadow fell across them expecting to
see the nurse.
The shepherd boy turned pale Fingers like claws
pressed his shoulder, and he exclaimed Stepmotherp
She snatched the white mouse from him tbr,st i
inside the bosom of her dress seized wrist Of the
Grand Duchess and Of the boy and dragged them awav
through the wood
Then the Grand Duchess screamed and bitterly re-
pented Of her deceit, but it was too late
On and on they went. The Duchess cried ,,nt; che
had no more tears left and BY nighttime the marty
reached curious hut deep in the forest
The hut was round like beehive II had one room