The Washington times., 1913-04-29
For The Times Children
Just Before It's Bedtime
SELMA AND THE DOG.

q ss>~
edge of a big forest with hei
Ik two brothers. They were hunt
ers, and went into the fores
every day and at night came homo e
a good supper that Selma had cooked
for them.
But they did not treat Selma kindly
for all that she did for them. and often
they would eat all the supper and never
leave so much as a piece Of bread fol-
her.
They dealt out the food for her TO
In their pocket when they went away In
the morning. -
One day while thev were away q poor
dog with a sore foot came limping to
the door Of Selma's cottage and began
to whine.
You poor. sick dopeie.' said Selma,
Il will bind UP your foot. but 1 cannot
give you anything to eat. for l have
nothing for myself"
So she bound I'D the sore foot and
then gave the dog some water and
made q bed for him under her bed,
for, she knew her brothers would drive
, the dog out when they came home at
night If they saw him.
That night her brothers were kinder
than usual. they gave her some scraps
of meat and a piece Of bread and tea
for supper.
Selma ate part Of II, and the rest she
put In her pocket to give to the poor
sick dog. but her brothers saw her slip
the bread and meat into her pocket
and watched to see what she did with
il.
Selma washed the dishes and put the
room in order before she went TO her
room. but the brothers still watched,
and when she took the food from her
pocket the others were looking through
the crack in the wall ana saw the dog.
They threw open the door and drove
out the dog In spite Of all OF Selma 8
pleading.
We do not want anything around
here that cannot work" they told her.
"a sick dog will never be OF any use, his
leg is broken, and 1t will never be 20
he can help us hunt; let him go into the
forest and die
But Selma would not let the dog &C
slept under a tree, Selma covering the
dog from the cold with her dress. In
the morning she hid him under a bush
and the dog seemed to understand he
was to keep quiet and did not bark.
Selma cooked the breakfast for her
brothers and they went into the forest,
but they did not leave anything for
poor Selma. You cannot be hungry
when you give part of your supper TO
a sick dog" they told her.
Selma ran to the place where the dog
was hidden and brought him into the
house as soon as her brothers were out
of sight.
She gave him a bone her brothers had
left and some water and bound his sore
foot with a clean cloth, and then she
went upstairs to make her brothers
beds When she came back the dog
had disappeared. and in the chair by
the window sat young man in velvet
suit and hat with long black plume.
Poor little Selma was too surprised to
speak when she saw the handsome
stranger in the rich-looking clothes.
DO not be afraid. my little princess. -
he said as he held out his hand to
Selma. You have saved me from a
dreadful fate and I will repay you by
taking you away from your brothers,
who do not treat YOU kindly"
But who are YOU and where will you
take me?" Selma managed to ask.
Il am a prince whom a wicked witch
changed into a dog because ! would not
marry her daughter. who was also
wicked witch, and after she had changed
me into a dog she struck me with her
cane and broke my leg. saying, as she
drove me into the forest, A dog you
shall remain until a young and hand
some glrl shall bind your broken leg
Il have wandered about eating any
thing I could find. but no one would let
me into their house or bind up my poor
broken leg until | came here.
Now the spell is broken, and l can go
back to my castle. where you shall live
the life of a princess and never want
for anything again.
Just as the Prince and Selma were
leaving the house her brothers came
hack. and when they saw Selma leaving
the house with the handsome stranger
they took hold Of her and told her she
should not go, but no sooner had they
put their hands on her shoulders than
they became two big bouders in the
middle of the road.
OF course. Selma did not love her
brothers, and she did not gr!sye TO