The Washington times., 1912-11-21
For The Times Children
Just Before It's Bedtime
THE HIDDEN PRINCESS.
/ nee upon a time there was
Queen to whom tho stork
J brought a little daughter.

~ NCE upon time there was a
Queen to whom tho stork
" brought a little daughter.
The King. however, wanted
a little son, and when the Queen saw
the little girl she was afraid to show 1t
to the King.
So she took It to an old witch who
lived In a cave a long way inside q
mountain. and asked her to take care of
her baby girl and bring II UP to be a
good woman.
The witch was a very good witch. and
she grew very fond OF the little girl.
She named her Stella and she taught
her to be a good girl as well as wise,
so that when Stella grew up she could
read the fortunes of many people in the
stars.
Now. the Queen always visited the
witch once a year. for she loved her
baby and only gave II up through fear
of doing her harm. When she saw how
beautiful Stella grew each year she
tried to think of some way she could
have her daughter near her and not
have the King know It was his daughter.
BY and by the King grew old and he
was afraid the stork would not bring
him a son, 80 he sent for a distant rela-
tive who had a son and gave him a bag
OF gold to let him adopt his son. The
relative consented and the King made
the son a Prince and his heir.
When the Prince became a man the
King said to him one day: II have not
long to live and I want to see you set
tied In life before die. Go out over
the country and find wife who is
suited to be your Queen and bring her
to me-"
So the Prince started out, but before
he left the castle the Queen said to him:
Go to the mountain on the opposite
side OF the woods from here and you
will find cave. In this cave lives q
good witch and her daughter; the
daughter can read your fate In the
stars: consult her; It may help you find
a wife,
The Queen thought IL the Prince saw
the beautiful girl he might fall in love
| with her. SO she hurried off to the cave
herself by a shorter route, and took
with her a beautiful dress.
Put on this" she told Stella; "the
Prince is coming to you to have his
, fortune read in the stars. 1t Is fitting
that you should be dressed properly to
| receive him. but do not tell him have
been here
Stella promised she would not tell the
| Prince OF the Queens visit, and then
, she put on the dress. 1t was made OF
| silver and trimmed with gold lace. and
when Stella's hair fell over her Shout
ders In golden curis she was more beau
tiful than ever.
He will surely fall in love with her."
said the Queen. when she beheld her
daughter. but Stella did not know how
/ beautiful she was. because there was no
mirror in the cave. and she had never
been told of her beauty.
BY and by the Prince and his serv-
ants came riding to the cave and called
for the witch and her daughter.
When he beheld Stella he got Off his
horse. and. taking off his hat. he ben,
low before her. Can II be that you are
the daughter of witch?" he asked
when they were alone. you look more
like the daughter OF King"
But Stella only blushed and hung her
head. she really did not know what he
meant. but to have a young and hand.
some man speak to her was something
that had never happened before.
She found she was disappointed when
she began to read his fate. for the
stars told he he would marry a Kingf
daughter and that he would not go far
to find her. The Prince had fallen In
love with Stella by this time. and when
| he heard what the stars held for him
he cried out: Never will l marry the