Year: 1873

had not heard of the loss, aod ID


Princess forbore to tell him, hopin


each day that something would b


heard ofit.


The burning July san was cover


ing all the yellow fields with its fervi


glory, the thrush's song was loud ant


full and the careless twitter of mead


ow-larks wers heard afar. Gretchen


was in disgrace for some work sh,


had left undone, and her aunt haC


beaten her and bads her 60 away


she cared not where, to return nj


more until the shadows Of night came


on. Gretchen was weary and hungry


too, but she dared not disObey, so GOV,


ering her shining hair with her old


warm hood she wandered away across


the fields 10 the summer sun, till she


came to the Elm Spring.


Many weird, strange stories were


told of this old moss grown we'll, and


Gretchen was afraid to 60 very Dear,
but weariness and thirst overcame her


dread, ana she was refreshed by the
delicious coolness Of the waters and


lulIed by its tender tinkling, fell
asleep under the great shadow Of the
clustering vines. The hours erept
away unheeded by the bering
child, and shadows were beginning to
lengthen across the fields Of ripening
grain, when she woke with a start and
looked around aer. The CHIPPING Of
robin red breast over head attracted
her attention to the bOughs above
her and she saw something shining
very brightly in the meshes Of tiny
nest. She looked at il long aud curl
ously; could it have rained, and
drop Of water was thus gIiSteniag in
the dying rays Of the sun? She swung
herself aloft by the heavy tendrils Of
the Mulnow Woe till she could touch
the wonderful shining thing, and, 10 !
it was the lost amulet Of the Princess
Ursula. She was about to tear it
from the twig, as thought occurred
to ner to take the whole nest from
the vine and carry it to the castle
with her, fearing least they might not
believe her strange story Her heart
pitied the bird as she heard its sad
cry, bereft Of its home, but she knew
shewas doing right, and so stiiled the
tie nder pleadiDgs for the lonely bird.
FOotsore and hungry though she was,
she began her journey to the little
town. 1t was just over the brow OF
the hill, and she feared to 90 to her
home for her aunt might discover her
secret, that had come TO her through
.he mornings uuhappiness, and the
little walk was begun by the desolate
child.


Twilight was beginning to cover
the earth like a mantle when she
reached the castle and asked to see
the Princess. The little one was car.
ried TO the room Of the great Iady who
welcomed the child, ard called her
the blue-eyei stranger of the May
feast, and smoothed the tangled hair
from the white forehead and babe her
rest while she ordered some wine and
cake for her little friend.


Great was the Princess JOY when
the nest was shown her, aud she mar
veled much that the charm was ever
found, woven as it was so dextrOusly |
INTO the tiny nest. 1t had fallen from
her chain aud lodged on little tSig |
Of a stiff kind Of weed that grew on
the margin Of the green, Of which |
material birds usually wove the outer
form Of their nests. Princess Ursula |
could do nothing but look at the .
charm, so miraculOuSly recovered /
and caress the sad-eycd child, and |
when she had listened to her sorrow
ful history, decided to keep her in the |
castle and henceforth to be her friend |
and sister. The five thousand thalers |
we're laid by for the future and Gretch-
IN was very happy with the Princess.
She often went to see Una, and took |
her many costly gifts, and forgave
her aunt all the unkindness Of the
past, and when Una's mother died,
Gretchen besought the good Princess
10 let Una live too in the castle. She
could deny the little one nothing, and |
to take the lonely child 20
her home, aud under the gentle tn
telace OF Gretchen aud the Princess,
Una became happier and better girl.


The story of the amulet was often
told, and every one in the kingdom
had heard it repeated, the people lost
their dread Of the Elm Spring, and
the legends Of its dark depths we're
no more held in awe by the simple
peassntry aud village danes.


Gretchen's life was like fairy
dream at the castle, and each night
she thanked God for leading bcr to
the Mulnow vine, and giving her so
good a friend as the Princess Ursula.


.r,n1avIiIe Eonowha lime ISTg