The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-20

1 was the Sea King, with the crown upon
 his head. They stretched their arms out
 toward her with a great longing; but ! they dared not venture as near the land
 as did the sisters.
 Day by day the young Prince became
 more fond of the little mermaid, though, l of course, he did not dream that she was
 that. He loved her innocently and sim ply, as one loves a good. dear child; and he never thought of making her his wife. | She looked to him longingly, for she would have to become his wife, otherwise she would not receive an immortal soul and would be turned to froth on the sea | on the morning of his wedding day. Do you not love me most of all?' the blue sea eyes of the little mermaid seemed to say; and he took her into his arms and kissed her young forehead. You are most dear to me-" said he. | flor you have a golden heart. You are | dear to me, because you are like young | girl l saw once, and whom l fear l shall never find again. Listen, little dear one. I was on a ship which was wrecked and | the waves carried me ashore, close to a | great and holy temple where many young maidens were in attendance. The youngest and the fairest and the best of them all found me lying on the sands and saved my life. They would not allow me to see her again. but she is the only one in the whole broad world that l could love. You are like her and almost have you succeeded In driving her image from my mind. She belongs forever to the holy temple. It was good fortune
 that sent you to me. We shall never
 part"
 "Alas!" thought the little mermaid. He
 does not know that it was l who saved his life. He does not know that 1t was l who carried him over the sea to the forest where the temple stands If he could only
 know how I sat behind the foam and watched for some one to come to help
 him!'
 The little mermaid sighed deeply for
 she could not cry. Then she bethought
 herself that the Prince had told her that
 the maiden he loved belonged to the holy
 temple. "She will never come out into the
 world" thought she. They cannot see each other again. am with him and see him every day. l will cherish him, love | him and give my life for him." Then there came a day when the mer-
 maid heard a sorrowful news. The Princes parents wished to marry him to the beautiful daughter of nelghboring
 king 8 splendid, ship was being fitted out for him.
 "I must go," said the Prince to her. T must see the Princess. My parents de-
 mand it. But they cannot compel me to bring her home as my bride. I cannot
 love her. I cannot love any one except the beautiful girl of the temple, who is 30 like you. If, some day I were to choose another bride I would chose you,
 my dumb founding with the dear and
 eloouent eyes that speak more truly than a tongue"
 He kissed her rosy lips and played
 with her long hair and she dreamed
 rapturous 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 carry 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 en-
 chanted calms. of nightmare fishes in the
 deepest deep and of fearsome tales that
 divers had brought up to the brightAup-
 ner world of sun and sky. And she
 looked at him with love and smiled at
 his stories, and he did not suspect how