The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1910-06-26
note$ and News
Of Interest
1855 BY m. +. ". 4$*A&

Once upon a time there lived a prime
who was very fortunate and very TN
| happy. The prince was heir to a grea
kingdom and vast riches. He wa
young, strong and handsome His pee
pie loved him. In prowess with arm
and skill in horsemanship he surpassed
all the young men of the realm. Blu
he loved not the royal forest and tn,
jousting field He had a gypsy heart il
him and he longed for the open roac
and the wide world. The prince was
,betrothed to a princess of a neighborins
| kingdom. She was tall and fair as
lily and her hair was like spun gold
The prince had no rival, but he had {
troubadour's heart in him, and he was
unhappy
At length he became so dissatisfied
with his lot that he determined to set
forth alone to see the world. Saddling
his white mare one night, he muffled
her feet and stole from the city. As he
rode along in the early morning he
heard singing and soon overlook a
ragged vagabond.
why do you sing?" asked the prince.
''Wh ydoes the lark singh" replied the
vagabond Il have no care resting on
my heart, and so the songs must needs
come forth"
How did you lose your carer" asked
the prince. Il never had any," he re-
Piled. Il have no home, no wife, no
money, no duties, no destiny Nothing is
expected of me. No one loves me and
no one hates me. | have no thought but
for one day at a time, and at night l
sleep because I am tired. What is
carer"
4 don't know" replied the prince,
but l have it, You are wise. l see
How can l get rid of my care?"
Change places with me, replied the
vagabond Give me your horse, your
plumed hat and your silken doublet and
your well filed purse, and take my shirt
and staff and old shoes. Take my Joy
and give me your care I would like to
know how it seems. | will make rare
adventure of it." And he laughed heart
lily.
So the prince gave him his sword and
doublet, and purse, and set out in the
road afoot seeking happiness.
A year rolled by before the prince re-
turned. Footsore and battered, a sorry
looking beggar, he applied for admis-
sion at the palace gates. They drove
him away thrice, but he persisted. Then
they brought the dogs to set them upon
1im. But the princes faithful hound
knew him, leaped joyfully upon him
licking his hands Then the prince
showed the old gatekeeper the birth
mark on his left shoulder just the size
ind shape and color of a ripe straw
berry, and desired that the queen be
old of it. The queen mother acknowl-
dyed her son and threw herself weep
ng on his neck.
So they made a great feast for the
prince had come back to his own.
But soon the prince was unhappy
gain, and one day he summoned his
ather's oldest and wisest counsellor. |
Why am | unhappy" he asked | gave
way my purse, my sword, my good
White mare, but | got no joy in return.
The stones hurt my feet, and the food
hat got sickened me- Now I am as /
vas before. Why am [ not happy"
The wiseacre thought long time,
md then he answered "You are half
'rince and half peasant" quoth he IF |
on are very rich, the peasant in you is
Unhappy; if you are very poor the
rince in you suffers. You must seek
golden mean. Your father will give
-ou whatever you wish. Ask him for
ill and a valley for focks and herds.
10 there to live as the ruler of little
.ingdom. Ask not for gold or for a
curt, only for the needful things"
But the prince scorned this advice i
'uch life was too tame for him. He |
vas 1oath to give up again the luxuries
o which he had been born He did not
now that they and care are the same
Let us give heed to the parable. Most
# us either are princes or trying to be.
Ne are working to heap UP for our
elves treasures on earth, and the labor
# it is killing us. It is true we must
work to live; even if we are born to
he purple, we must work to live ade-
luotely A voorhees, life is "a desecra-
ion. Nature abhors a drone What
ire we working for? History is the re-
ord of the human attempt to become
iappied. Let us say that we do not
work for money, but for money simply
IS means to an end We earn money
or its power to purchase happiness, in
he form in which we most desire it.
Money is but medium of exchange
work, money and happiness; that is the