The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-06-13

hish him. love him and give my life for him."
 Then there came day when the mermaid heard a sorrowful news. The
 Princes parents wished to marry him
 to the beautiful daughter of a neigh
 boring king and a splendid ship was
 being fitted out for him.
 T must go," said the Prince to her. 1 T must see the Princess. My parents | demand it, But they cannot compel
 me to bring her home as my bride. I
 cannot love her. I cannot love anyone i except the beautiful girl of the temple.
 who is so like you. If some day I we're
 to choose another bride, would chose you, my dumb founding with the dear and eloquent eyes, that speak more truly than a tongue."s
 He kissed her rosy lips and played
 with her long hair, and she dreamed a
 repturous dream of human happiness
 and an immortal soul.
 You do not fear the great, great sea, my little dumb child" said he when they stood on the deck of the noble vessel that was to caf&y- them to the court of the neighboring king.
 It pleased him, for he, too, loved the sea, though 1t had played him so i'll trick once.
 So he told her strange tales of the
 magic ocean--of shouting storms and enC0anIeQ CdlLubt OI ulknlindEc ASuco in the deepestS deep and of fearsome tales that divers had brought to the
 bright upper world of sun and sky. And she looked at him with love and smiled at his stories, and he did not suspect how much she knew of the
 wonders of the wonderful deep. In the moonlight night. when all
 were asleep except the steersman at the helm, she sat on the gunwa1e of, 4ba ahfT. a razad UaZnd with all her eyes, downward into the dark water. She thought that she could see her fathers palace, and in the up- permost part of 1t her grandmother, with the. silver crown on her head. peering upward through the turbulent
 current made by the ship. All at once her five sisters arose from the sea. They stared at her, wild with grief wringing their white hands. She beckoned to them, and wanted to tell them that she was happy; but the ships boy came along the deck, and the sisters dived down. The boy saw
 the silver sheen of their veils; but he
 had Iand-eyes. and he thought that what he saw was only the lacelike foam of the moonlit sea.
 The following morning the ship sail
 ed into a radiant harbor, where there stood the stately city of the King whom the Prince was to visit. All the bells were ringing, from all the lofty towers trumphets were exulting, ban ners were flying gorgeously. and the
 weapons of soldiers glittered in the sun.
 There followed many days of festi- val. Eevery day there was something new and magnificent Celebration suc- ceeded celebration, but the Princess did not appear.
 At last. however. the people said that she was coming. She was being brought from far away, said they; from holy temple where she had been taught every royal virtue.
 When she arrived at last the little
 mermaid hastened to see her that she
 might learn if she really was as beau tiful as men said she was. She had to acknowledge that report had, indeed,
 been truthful. A more lovely being
 had never been seen. thought the mer-
 maid Her skin was so perfect and So clear, and from behind her long. dark
 eyelashes shone a pair of blue eyes
 that were full of faithfulness and loyal goodness.
 'It Is sheP' cried the Prince, his voice ringing with great joy. Tt is
 she who saved my life when I lay like
 corpse on the shore"
 It was she. and the two young things
 looked at each other and then they
 ran to each others arms. quite forget
 full of all behoiders, quite forgetful of
 everything except youth and love.
 oh, I am far too happyi'' said the Prince to the little mermaid My highest wish. that which I dared not to l hope, has been made truei You will
 rejoice at my happiness. dear little one, for know that you love me" The little mermaid knelt and kissed
 his hand. She felt her heart heavy as
 if it were bPeaking already. His we'd ding morning would bring death. end
 less death. to her and change her into l foam on the sea.
 Again all tho bells rang and all the trumpets blared and heraIdH rode gaudily around Inc streets proclaim