Year: 1861




time. After few months, he died, and Martha,
being older than Cristel took complete charge of
the household. This was all well enough, as she
was more experienced; but then she very
much to blame in treating her sister as badly as
she really did. She made her do more than her
strength would allow. / can tell you l would
not like Martha to be the housekeeper in my
house. She gave too many orders, and expected
too much from others. She frequently went to
the city with the butter, cheese and poultry; but
she seldom brought any money back. She was
fond Of the fine clothes and costly furniture, and
on these things she spent the earnings of herself
and sister.


Cristel did not care the least for gaudy clothes,
or luxury, or splendor in any respect. She was
fond of going TO school, running up the mountain
paths, and gathering flowers and bright pebbles.
Never did day pass that she did not think of
poor, lost Freddy; and she hunted for him, too, in
many a spot in the forest.


Martha heart was fixed on money. That was
the reason she so often examined Cristel's spin
die. But it was wood, and would stay wood; she
could not make it shine. Yet she tried to COM
pensate for its inferior quality by making her
sister spin the more on it. Instead, therefore, of
releasing her after spinning six skeins day, she
made her finish twelve. Now a remarkable event
took place. which feel bound to speak of it is
intimately connected with our history. Martha





ninth skein it shone very much. She took 1t
from the wheel, and by bringing it near the light
perceived that it was gold, ,Criste saw how bright
it was, but she never dreamed it was golden
thread, and her sister took good care not to in
form her. Every day il was the ninth sken that
was gold No matter how few or how many were
spun 1t was the ninth alone that was of inn
mense value.


After large number were collected, Martha
L Al IL
He had never seen gold thread before, but he
gave her its full price in gold and silver coin.
The next day he went to the king and told him
he could have a queen who knew how to spin
gold thread, meaning Martha, who had said that
she had spun the golden skeins. The king was a
great spendthrift, and was always in debt to his
noblemen and friends So the thought of having
a wife who could spin gold was very exciting and
attractive to him. Therefore, when Martha came
to town again to sell her prscious merchandise
to the goldsmith he sent secretely to the king and
informed him that the individual of whom he had
spoken was at his store. Soon the king came
there, followed by concourse of attendants. He
examined the gold skeins first, and then made
obesiance to Martha, the old miller's daughter.
He proposed marriage 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 then
whispered in her ear that she must not forget the
spindle when she leaves her home for the we'd
ding feast Of course she could not forget so
important matter as that. Upon reaching the
cottage she could not find her sister anywhere, of
which she was very glad; for she wanted to take
the spindle away without the knowledge of its
owner. So, when she packed up all the things
she wished, and taken the spindle from under
Cristes pillow, she set out for the city, to spend
the remaining days before her marriage, where
she could make ample preparations for it. The
wedding was followed by series of festivities,
in which all the great personages Of the kingdom
took part 1t lasted 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 req1ested her to give him specimen o.
her wonderful powers. That was sorowfu
moment for her, for it was almost impossible to
spin so many as nine skeins day, the nintf
alone being of gold. So she made trial of al
/ her attendants, and not one of them could spin
that number The king was greatly enraged, ant
threatened to discard his wife because she had de
ceived him. But he was determined if possible
| to have golden skein. So he had her put in
strong castle, and locked up there with her whee


and spindle.


Thus many DAYS passed by, and Martha's hand
being worn to the quick from spinning, she woul'
throw the spindle in the fire. But it would no
burn, and the servants always found it in th


ashes and brought it back by the kings order
| Sometimes she would cast it out of the window
| into the river, but it would always shine on tn


bottom, and skillful divers were stationed near b.
to recoverit After while Martha succeeded il
spinning some golden sxeins, but the king wou
spend them in a single nights debauch, and tn
next day his passion for more was stronger thai


ever. Martha was suffering hard fate. Tha
old castle was her only home. She was watches
she have to live on crackers and water that sh
might lose no time from her work. She ofte


sighed for the little cottage by the old mill T.
be queen was no pleasure to her.


It is almost unnecessary to say how anxiou
Cristel was for her sisters return She had no


the slightest knowledge of anything that had oc
CURED, and was grieving night and day over he
J lonely lot She had, Of course heard that tn
king was married, but had no idea her sister wa


his queen. She missed her spindle, but she di
not complain, for as it came so mysteriously an


without any labor of her own, she thought sh
had no real claim upon it. The time passed slow
! ly by, and she was naturally fond of the fores
she spent many an hour along its winding paths
8 One day, walking near the place where she an
her sister found the manned squirrel, she saw he
long absent Freddy running just ahead of her.
"ffeddy, ~ freddy, Sne exclaimeu, ana ra
of after him. But he was too quick for her, an
as often as she put out her hand to catch him. sf


missed him. All at once she felt tie groun
> open before her, and she went down. know nc
how far. She was deprived Of consciousness. b.
q had no pain.


K When she recovered, she looked around upo
: a scene of splendor that she had never dreamt
e Of She was sitting ON golden throne beside
e king of noble bearing, and great justice and wis
e DOM Freddy sat at his feet, and looked in h
L mild blue eyes. The palace was built of crysta
u and you could look through its walls upon ga
u dens of surprising loveliness. The courtie
around the throne came up and bowed befo
Cristel, and then they sang most melodio
II song, entitled THE lame Squirrels Friend
The music of the harps, in addition to the voic


of the singers. almost made her think she W
r dreaming But she was not-she knew she cou
N not be. When the music was ended, the XII
asked her if she would be his queen. When $
81 remembered that her father was dead, that Mart
" had forsaken her, and that lonely life was
a, fore her, if she returned to her old home, she
Al piled: "If Freddy will lead me once week
so the old miil-wherever it is-and will condt
y me home 70 this place again, / will be 20
er queen"


IS The king bowed his consent. The air "
"a again filled with melodious strains Of music, af
'e which came the wedding feast. So Cristel wa:


happy queen


r. A Rich story.


Some time since, when jackson county v


in its infancy, and the natives were governed
lie laws by them enacted at will, there was a char