The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1916-04-05
BEDTIME STORIES
FOR LITTLE
FOLKS
THE PRIZES TRICK,

/ Hans and Claus were brothers. They
were two fat little Dutch boys who
lived i'll Holland and sailed their boats
on the canals every day after school.
The great difference was in their dis
position, for Hans was generous, while
Claus wanted everything on which he
set his eyes.
One day the two boys found on the
bank of the canal that ran near their
home two bags which seemed to con
tain gold coin In the corner was the
name of the owner, a big merchant in
the nearby city.
This is gold" exclaimed Claus Let
US keep it and we will be rich enough
to buy a fine house and handsome
pony EACH
No replied Hans. 1T belongs to
the merchant and We will put it in
two baskets and carry it to him.
Claus was unwilling, but finally con
sented So they put a bag in each bas-
! ket and started out for the town. AS
! the weather was warm, the boys
| stopped to rest under d prixie's tree
! A prixie, you know, is a tree fairy
| and it happened that she was at home
and heard them talking about what
they were doing.
She knew Claus for a selfish. unkind
| lad. so she decided to play on him a
trick which would teach him good
lesson. So, when the boys, who were
very tired, both fell asleep, she slipped
out of the tree, put both bags in Hans
Give the bearer half of this
On to Claus basket she put a bag
full of stones and a bunch of switches,
also a note which read: Give the
bearer half Of these"
When the boys woke up they saw
it was late in the AFTERNOON and hur-
ried to the city. The merchant was
not at home, so they sat down on
bench to wait
Say, Hans, this is foolishness," ex-
claimed Claus. The idea of finding
bags of gold and coming all this way
when we could have kept them our
selves. l think l will take mine baNn
home now"
mo, you will wait till the merchant
comes" replied Hans. ut is his, not
ours. I do not intend to be a thief"
Out from behind the tree which
stood near the bench stepped the mer-
chant-he had heard all the boys said. !
What is it that you have in your bags, |
lads?" he asked
1T is two bags that we found on |
the canal bank" replied Hans Your !!
name is on the corner. SO | supposed !
they belonged to you"
We'll, come to the house." said the !
merchant "And We will open the !
bags"
The lads followed the man into his |
handsome library and here they put !
both baskets on the table.
Which is your basket" asked the
man of Hans. Hans handed him the |
one he had brought and the merchant |
took out the two bags of gold.
Here is a note written in fairy |
writing said the merchant, "and it !
says, Give the bearer half of this So, !
half belongs to you Hans. No one |
would fail to obey a fairy. AS here
are two bags, one is yours" and he
placed it in Hans arms. When he
opened Claus basket he found the
stones. switches and the same note.
Good" laughed the merchant; the
fairy writes that you are TO get your
half of this-I will have a servant give
you good whipping and you carry
the stones home. This is good lesson
to boy who tries to be a thief"
So the servant gave Claus a good
with the switches and put
the bag of stones on his back so that
he had to carry it home. But Hans