The Hattiesburg news., 1915-09-17
Bedtime Stories
For Little Folks
THE sIGHINo MOUNTAIN.
Part n.

Il
The maiden did not open her eyes
when the stranger climbed to the very
opening, and he had to touch her
gently on the arm. Then she opened
her eyes, which we're like two pansies
SO dark and soft they looked, and
smiling at the stranger she closed
them again without speaking.
The stranger touched her again. and
said, Il have come for you; are Won
ready to go?"
This time the maiden opened her
eyes and sat up. She threw out her
arms and stretched them as though
awakening from long sleep.
Eyes, l am ready to go with YOU"
she said, "but we cannot escape. It
will not. let u.s."
The stranger was just about to ask
what she meant by it," when she no.
ticed that the opening in the rock was
slowly closing and that in few min
q b
utes the maiden would be shut inside
What could he do? With one hand he
had to, hold the side of the rock, and
he could NOT rescue her with the other.
but all at cnce he noticed the stick
which he had quite forgotten on the
top of the rock.
1t was jumping up and down, trying
to attract his attention.
He did not wait; it was his only
chance, and he climbed up the rock
and reached for the stick.
Without waiting to go down. he
reached with the stick the opening in
the rock, and just as 1t was almost
closed he pushed into the small space
that was open.
The rock fell away and rolled down
the side of the mountain, making a
noise like thunder as it went.
Feeling sure he had saved the maid.
the stranger climbed to ground. in
stead of going over the side of the
mountain again, he struck the rock
with the stick.
This time the rock crashed in
pieces, and again it rolled with the
sound of thunder down the side of the
and the maid and the couch
wQrp oil that uac Iaft
This time she did not wait to be
asked to go; she arose from the couch
and held out her hands. eTake me
home," she said; "I,know you are the
prince"
When the rocks had rolled down the
mountain the first time all the people
in the village rushed from their homes
with fright, and at the second sound
all eyes were fixed on the mountain.
When the noise had ceased and the
people had recovered from their fright
SO they could see, a path down the
side OF the mountain could be plainly
seen, and horse and rider coming
along it. The rider held something
white in his arms.
The rocks had cleared a path, and
the villagers rushed to meet the
stranger and hear his story, but they
held back when they saw he carried a
beautiful maiden.
Il am taking her back to her home
and PARENTS" said the stranger. "She
IS princess who has been stolen by
on old witch of the woods and given
TO the rock witch in exchange for a
secret charm she gave to the witch
Of the woods to find gold in trees.
But after waiting many years the
wood witch found she had been de.
'eived' and told the secret, although
she did not know where the princess
was hidden, and when heard of your
signing mountain determined to see
I the princess was there.
"The old wood witch told me of tbe
charmed trees that grew on the noun
ain, and said they would help me
o find the princess, but she could not
ell me how to use the branches as
he rock witch took that power from
Ter.
The rock witch must have fled
when she found that l had the magic
'tick, and it is well for us that she
lid, for when left it on top of the |
'ock she could have rendered me pow
'rless had she been there"