Year: 1861

a great spendthrift, and was always in debt t. his noblemen and friends. So the thought o having a wife who could spin gold was very ex citing and attractive to him. Therefore, whel Martha came to town again, to sell her preciou merchandise to the goldsmith, he sent secretl, to the king, and informed him that the individ ual of whom he had spoken was at his store Soon the king came there, followed by con course of attendants. He examined the golt skeins first and then made obeisa nee to Martha the old MilIer's daughter. He proposed mar riage to her, which she was very glad to accept The wedding was to take place in the palace ! one week hence.

 As Martha left the king, the goldsmith ther whispered in her ear that she must not forget the spindle. when she leaves her home for the wedding feast. Of course she could not forget so important matter as that. Upon reaching the cottage she could not find her sister any where of which she was very glad, for she wanted to take the spindle away without the knowledge of it's owner. So when she had packed up all the things she wished, and taken the spindle from under Cristels pillow, she set out for the city to spend the remaining days be- fore her marriage where she could make ample preparation for it. The wedding was followed by series of festivities, in which all the great personages of the kingdom took part. It last ed many days and the new queen who could spin golden thread. was made the object of great adulation and attention. She expected nothing but happiness in the future.

 Three months having passed by, and Martha having spun no gold thread of her own accord the king requested her to give him specimen of her wonderful powers. That was sorrow full moment for her, for it was almost impossible to spin as many as nine skeins day, the ninth f,,in of nolI So sl, ,lo tr;. of all hnr tendants, and not one of them could spin that number. The king was greatly enraged and threatened to discard his wife. because she had deceived him. But he was determined, if pos sble, to have golden skein. So he had her pFt into strong castle, and locked up there with her wheel and spindle. Thus many days passed by. and Marthas hands being worn to the quick from spinning, she would throw the spindle in the fire. But it would not burn, and the servants always found it in the ashes, and brought it back by the kings order. Some times she would cast it out of the window into the river, but it would always shine on the bot tom, and skillful divers were stationed near by to recover it. After while Martha succeeded in spinning some golden skens, but the king would spend them in single nights debauch, and the next day his passion for more was stronger than ever. Martha was suffering a

  She was watched by three hard-hearted spies, and many day did she have to live on crack CTS and water. that she might lose no time from her work. She often sighed for the little cot tage by the old mill. To be a queen was no pleasure to her.

 Il Is almost unnecessary to say how anxious Cristel Was for her sisters return She had not the slightest knowledge of anything that had occurred, and was grieving night and day over her lonaly lot. She had of course, heard that the king was married, but had no idea her sister was his queen. She missed her spindle. but she did not complain. for as it came so mySterious y and without any labor of her own, she spent many an hour along it's winding paths. One day. while walking near th' place where she anu her sister found the maimed squirrel, she saw her long absent Freddy running just ahead of her.

 "Freddy, o Freddy" she exclaimed, and ran off af.er hm But he was too quick for her, and as often as she put out her hand to catch him, she missed him. All at once she felt the ground open before her, and she went down. know not how far. She was deprived of con- sciousness, but had~no pain.

 When she recovered she looked around upon a scene of splendor that she had never dreamed of She was sitting on golden throne beside king of noble bearing, and great justice and wisdom. Freddy sat at his feet. and looked in his mild blue eyes. The palace was built of crystal, and you could look through it's walls up- on gardens of surpassing loveliness. The cour- tiers around the throne came up and bowed be- fore Crissel, and then they sang most melodi- ous song, entitled, The Lame Squirrels Friend. The music of the harps, in addition to the vol ces of the singers, almost made her think she was dreaming. But she was not-she knew she could not be. When the music was ended the king asked her if she would be his queen. When she remembered that her father was dead, that Martha had forsaken her, and that lonely life was before her. if she returned to her old home, she replied: If Freddy will lead me once a week to the old mill-wherever it is-and will conduct me home to this palace again, will be your queen"

 The king bowed his consent. The air was again filled with melodious strains of music, af ter which came the wedding feast. Lo Cristel was happy queen.