Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-10-12

The Princess.
(Bv Cecil Tormay.)

i'm fairy tale books. She wore "A gown
embroidered with gold and IN her hand she
held a white lily. A. long a. she could
remember she had been standing on the
tower of her castle looking at a landscape
that never changed.
Now Il does make YOU feel rather stupid
always To hold a lily IN your hand ana Al
times Il made her thoroughly di-guSted
with herself. She felt an almost irresist-
able desire 10 throw II away and run from
the stupid picture page out INTO the wide
world. ID was quite unbearable. La the
picturr where she stood the ky was al
way. blue and the sun 4 golden yellow, but
what Disguised her more than anything
else wa the fiddler standing at the foot
OF the tower with whom she was supposed
Ia be hopelessly and romantically IN love.
For a century he had been standing there
without getting a single step closer.
Once when II was dark night IN the real
world without she screamed aloud 80 that
IL was heard through a hundred pages OF
the fairy tale book, screamed Tor somebody
to help.
ON the next picture in the fairy tale
book lived an old witch IN Il flood OF
dazzling moonlight. Toads and snakes
were all around her. The old witch knew
how dreadful il i always to be alone end
while she was young and pretty she had
run away from the fairy tale book many
times III search Of adventure, but now she
was old and virtuous.
Old witches. however, love to see beau
tIiul young Processes 20 10 the bad. She
did not hesitate long. but put on her peaked
cap, wrapped herself and astridc a broom
stick She road straight through a hundred
pages into the princess castle.
The princess who saw her threw away
her lily and ran, ran "a fast "a she could.
hut not toward the loving and faithful
fiddler, out of the castle, through the gar
den and the long alley to the white margin
of the page.
Beware. princess" the old witch cried,
"you must be back before the cock crows
or pay "A dreadful penalty"
IL shall Ice back in Time" cried the
princess aud Jumped right out into the real
world.
For n moment she looked around all be-
wildered for the real world was iull Of
books and very dark. Only on a small
table a little sun was shining under a green
silk shade and there sat a young woman
reading a letter.
The princess recognized her immediately
ID was her good friend of years ago
though nj that time her hair was hanging
loose and she wore short skirts.
Today her friend was said and the prin-
cess wanted 50 much to enjoy herself. For
tunately there lived IN the next book 4
young nobleman called Romeo, who held
a rope ladder IN his hand. lie politely Of
fered his assistance aud helped the prin-
cess to reach the windowsill. The window
was open and n branch of "a rose busi
stretched INTO the room. The princess
chg TO tins. Ii bent under her weight
and gently let her down on the lawn.
The garden, strangely enough. looked
Just like that in her own fairy tale book
In one walk stood "A man Just like hen
faithful loving fiddler. But he did n,
stand still very long. With hurried steps
and quite out of breath he came nearer.
you are the ~fairest. most beautiful
princess IN all the world" he said tenderly
and kissed her. The princess trembled
with q feeling she had never known before
How J. il" she asked. 'that Your lip-
speak most sweetly when you say moth
ing!'
'Oh, that was 4 kiss
And every night after this the princess
ran away from her fairy tale book Ia listen
10 The strange sweetness of lips that said
nothing and only returned home iuSt he
fore the cock crowed. She slipped noise
le~>ly back into her pooh and never no
tlced how everything changed. The Ely
began to fade and wither and the faithful
fiddler grew paler.
III last The old fairy tale book changed.
IL acted IN a mysterious manner, hid he.
hind other books and concealed love LET
tiers between ~ leaves. And the pale vounc
woman sat under her little green shaded
sun and cried until it was nearly dawn,
The princess paid no attention 10 her.
She did not even understand what tears
meant. In the fairy tale book time never
moves. m the real world il j. continually
beng wasted. The roses III the garden
withrred. gray clouds gathered around the
moon. II grew dark and cold.
The princess shivered. She was afraid
81 being alone and her lover often let her
wait . long and when he finally came he
was almost a dull a. the faithful fiddler.
The princess did not want to notice this.
She tried 70 hold him with loving. %flatter-
mig words. when he wanted 10 leave her
And II was long since the cock had