HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1908-5-14, Page 6Freedom for a
Day
Heert'13ERT and Louise were very,
{x-11 very tired of obeying their
mother In an th1nge. There-
fore, one Morning, shortly after
breultfusttng, Herbert naked:
"Mr h'1er, may we not behave just as.
tiro Wee for one day, withOat being
told to do this and to do that?"
Bits mother smiled. "Very well, my
dear," said she; "and I think you will
hn8Al ung been a cli drOn's cline le )etch
NCE upon a time there was a
pretty little girl, who, be-
cause alae was poor, bad to
go barefooted both in sum-
mer and winter. There lived in the
same village a kind old shoemaker's
wife, and she made a pair of little
shoes out of a piece of red cloth and
gave them to the little girl, whose
name was Karen.
Karen loved those shoes and was
very proud of them and wore them
for the first time on the day of her
mother's funeral. As she was going
along with the funeral a large car-
riage came by and in It sat an old
lady.
She looked at Karen and felt very
sorry for her, and said to the clergy-
man; "If you will give me that little
girl I will take pare of her." And
this the clergyman did. ee
Karen believed It was because of
her red shoes, but the old lady
thought them hideous and had them
burned,
Karen was taught to read and eo
sew, and when people saw her they
said she was pretty; but Karen really
was more than pretty -she was very
beautiful.
One day the queen, with her daugh-
ter, the princess, was going through
the part of the country where Karen
and the old lady lived, and all the
people ran to see tbetn. Little Aaren
ran, too.
The princess was dressed In pure
white silk and had of a beautiful pair
of red morocco shoes. Karen longed
fora pair lust like them, for she
thought nothing could be so fine.
Karen was old enough now to be
confirmed, She got some new clothes
and was also to have some new shoes.
The old lady took her to a shop
where were great glass cases full of
pretty shoes, Among them was a pair
of red ones. just like those which the
princess had worn. The shoemaker
said:
"They were made for a count's
daughter, but they did not fit her."
Karen tried them on, and, as they
fitted her, the old lady bought then;
for, as she could not see well, she did
not know they were red.
Everybody looked at her feet all the
way from the church door to the
choir, and when the clergyman laid
his hand on her head Karen thought
only of her red shoes.
In the afternoon the old lady heard
from every one that Karen had worn
the red shoes.
It was a shocking thing to dol" she
said. Karen will go to church in fu-
ture in black shoes, even If they are
old."
On the next Sunday Karen looked
first at the black shoes, then at the
red ones, and then put on the red
ones.
In the door of the church stood an
old, crippled soldier, with a large red
beard, leaning on a crutch. Ile bow-
ed down to the ground and wiped the
dust orf the old lady's shoes, and
Karen put out her little toot, too.
"Dear me, what pretty .dancing
shoes," said the soldier. "Sit fast
when you dance," said he, speaking to
th1 shoes, and he slapped the -soles
with his hand.
The Old lady gave him some money,
"A THORN PIERCED HER FINGER"'
find, after all, that mother knows best
what is for your good."
But Herbert and Louise hardly
waited to hear the last words. They
were already on their way to the
garden. There Louise remained to pluck
roses, while Herbert continued toward
the orchard.
In gathering the fragrant roses, Louise
dlsdatned the use of garden shears. She
could break the stems just as well with
her fingers, she knew; and site wouldn't
be disobeying mother, because mother
thad given permission for her to do ex-
actly as she desired this day. A mo-
ment later, however, she learned the
wisdom of mother's method, for great
thorn pierced her fingers and tore the
flesh so that the blood Rowed rapidly.
She had not dried her tears before she
beard a wail from the orchard. Her-
bert had ventured to climb a tree winch
"ATE AS MANY AS HE CQULD"
mother had pronounced unsafe. The
fragile limb along which he had crawled
had broken and he had fallen to the
ground with a thud. Rubbing his
bruises ruefully he directed his steps
toward the kitchen, where, to forget his
woes, he began to eat as many apples
as he possibly could,
At luncheon. instead of eating frugally
of the food before them, Louise greedily
devoured everything upon the table.
Herbert had eaten so great a number
of apples that his appetite was entirely
gone.
When the meal was finisbed, the little
girl went to enjoy e. ride in her favorite
swine under the maple tree. But she
had eaten so Hutch that the motion of
the swing made her feet 116 in the
meantime, her brother bad taken one
of his father's cigars. It was not long
before Herbert was very sick, indeed.
So he was put to bed, and there he staid
the remainder of that afternoon. Nor
oaOieoolstutk
en It more
thours after
lunch-
eon
refuge In her little bed. She had been
leaning far over the bank of the !pond
when she lost her balance and: fell in
the water. Horrid, nasty water she
swallowed -quarts oe It, she declared-
so that she felt wretched.
That evening,before they kissed their
mother goodniht, Herbert and Louise
admitted that it was only through
obeying her that they could find the
greatest pleasure.
What He Wanted.
Concluding his lecture, the foreign
missionary solicited contributions of
money from the audience, however
small they might be, One little boy
hastened toward htm and began:
Please, sir, your talk interested me ,
very much -and -
"Go on. my boy," said the lecturer,
encouragingly; do you wish to help
In the good work?"
"Not exactly, sir," replied the lad,
to know if eyoutl have any foreign
stamps you don't want."
��JiH17N the beautiful Pr ncess Ber-
t na arrived at the age of 13
s
i' Y father, the imperious
years her f t r, p
monarch, Phupot.XX1, deemed It advis-
able that she should marry. He, there-
fore, sent broadcast a proclamation In-
viting the attendance at court of noble
suitors.
Now the princess really loved no one.
But she was a dutiful daughter and she
was willing to be merrled 1f the king so
dcstred. However, she longed for ed-
erico In making her selection of a bus -
band. To her aid she eummened her
godmother, Fairy Heliotrope.
The fairy greeted Berttna graciously,
and talked to her with kindness and
sympathy,
"My dear Berlina," said. the god-
mother at parting, "1 am leaving with
you a little casket, es each, suitor pre-
sents himself give him the casket. Bid
him take It away, examine its contents
and return it to yeti at the end of twen-
ty-four hours. But I must give you
warning; do not, upon any account,
open the oasketyourself until a suitor,
after looking Into the little case, returns
again and returns again and renews ]MMS
Vows to you,"
Berlina thanked her fairy godmother
and promised to obey these instructions.
Then she put her precious casket in a
safe places.
The next day a prince teem the neigh-
boring kingdom arrived at court and
formally asked for the heed of the
Princess Brenna. He Was enormously
wealthy arid .possessed of great power,
But leonine refused to 11 ten thim.
Take this casket," said she "open It,
and tomorrow I shall hear the words
It has inspired,"
On the 7110rroW the prime failed to
appear. Instead, be sent the casket by
a spOclay messenger, who also brought
a note stating that the prince had sud-
denly been called away by a (natter .et
extrema importance,
Then Count °sear, a handsome gentle-
man of the Ilighetlt rank, was given a
trial..He roturhed with the casket -not
to renew his vows, however, for he did
but murmur that he would return, per-
haps within a. week or so --and went his
way, never to be heard from thereafter.
And thus it was that suitor after suit-
or appeared. Full of ardor and declara-
tions of Love was each as he threw
himself before the princess. But always
the =sleet was brought back and the
wooer hastened his departure nor tar-
ried to woo a moment longer.
EOFRED RETURNED
tertius was becoming a -wearied of
the ordeal and afraid lest she have
opportunity to accept no one, when the
geed. prince Mitred canto to sue for her
No prince was more virtuous and
handsome than he. And aa. Berlina
looked upon the gallant prince kneeling
before her, a great leve for him grow
In her heart, She sighed as she hand-
ed him the littlecasket, and murmured
to herself that doubtless this handsome
lover would be sent away by its magic,
as had been the others.
But the prediction of the princess was
unfulfilled. The next day again Edfred
kneeled at her feet, as constant as
ever, Gazing upon her with eyes full
of adoration and love, he addressed her
thus:
"Princess, 'his not your Wealth nor
Your lands I desire, I want but you;
and in possessing you for my wile I
should attain to the greatest wealth
mortal coUld ever have!"
The princess shyly veiled her beauti-
ful oyes with their long lashes, Be-
fore making reply she opened the cask-
et. With astonishment, upon a Picea
of parchment therein she read these
words:
o Whom it May Concern:
Before I may conselentlousiy accept
your devotion I must confess myself ut-
terly ruined --a princess without dowry,
without lands or wealth. No 'honor's
can I bring to my husband,
end I hereby absolve you of all
promises and declarations you may have
offered mistakenly; nor shall I bear ill -
will ahould you find It impossible to
further press your suit,
"PRINCESS BERTINA."
And so was revealed the reason for
the inconstancy of those who desired
her only for her wealth, And so it was
reveatee, as well, that Prince Edfred
Was her true lover,
Gladly she accepted him for her hus-
band; explaining the while how it was
through ignorance of what the bejew-
eledcasket canteined that she had prac-
ticed- such deceit. Nevertheless, you
may be sero ra
she was i lel o
Latey godmother far ed her t even th[g
means for it compelled her to lOve Ed-
fred 011 the more.
Amid the greatest jubilation were
Bertina and Bdfred married, All man-
ner of enstiy gine they received. But
no peeSesslon was prized so highly as
the tittle bejeweled casket,
and they went into tiro church.
When Karen knelt before the altar
she thought only of her red shoes. She
forgot to sing; she forgot to pray; she
forget everything but the red shoes,
After church, as Karen was cupping
Into the carriage, the old soldier said:
"Dear me, what pretty dancing
shoes!" Karen could not help danchtg
a few stege, and when she began site
could not stop. It seemed as if her
shoes had some power over her lege.
She danced around the church, and the
coachman had to rim after her and
seize her. He lifted her Into the car-
riage, but her feet still danced and
kicked the good old lady. At last they
took off the shoes and they were put
away In a closet and only then were
ICaren's feet quiet.
Now the old lady got very sick, and It
was Karen's duty to nurse her. But
t
Karen
and wanhad tedttoation to ago very much. She
looked at her rad shoes, and said to her-
self: "It Is no eln to leave the old lady
for a little while."
She put on the red shoes and went to
the party. But When she wanted t0
dance one way the shoes made her
the stairs other,
is 001 tir oulgh danced
hoc gate. off
Into the dark woods. All of a sudden
something shone alp among the trees
like the moon. It was the old soldier
with his red beard. He sat nodding his
head. and seed:
Dear me, what pretty dancing shoes!"
She was In a fright at once, and tried
to get the red shoes oft, but they stuck
fast, She tore off her stockings, but the
shoes had grown fast to her feet,
She danced and danced and could
meadlow, Inane rain and er sunehtne, and
night and day,
She passed tate church door and saw
an angel there with long, white
wings reaching from his shoulders to
the earth, In hie hand he held a
sword and his face was sad and
stern.
Arthur's Easter
Bunny
A11 RTHUR wanted a bunny, oh, so
A much! He'd always wanted a
bunny, you know. Every time he
asked, father would say: "Wait until
Eastertime, and then catch the bunny
that brings your Easter eggs."
But Arthur had tried three Easters
nolo, and he hadn't caught Bunny. So
he was beginning to believe that Bunny
was 'most too sty to be caught. How-
ever, he made up his mind he'd try just
this Once, anyway.
Easter morning found Arthur astir ere
morning had hardly dawned. Softly he
spud down the stairs. Yes, there were
all the gifts Bunny had brought -Mitis
baskets containing eh:meiata hens and
rabbits; funny little toys that opened
and showed many tiny eggs within, and
'most everything a little boy could wish.
But Bunny himself had disappeared. In
spite of all the presents, Arthur was
disappointed.
"leo you know, Arthur," said father at
the breakfast table, "I have an idea
that perhaps Bunny tildes his eggs
among the .grass and bustles outside, as
well as in the house. Ifo were you, I'd
look all the way to the barn, and
maybe you'll find the Bunny hidden
somewhere."
In breathless excitement Arthur ran
out to search the garden. True enough,
he found nicely colored eggs in several
of the bustles. They seemed to lead in a
direct line straight for the barna Alto-
gether he had gathered eight eggs by
the time he stealthily entered the barn,
A moment's search -and then, what do
you think 11e found? 'Twas Bunny him-
self! And he was just as tame as any
bunny could be; the nicest little bunny
Arthur had ever seen.
"I think he must have pitted you in
your .hunt," laughed father, "and so
just waited for you to come up to him,"
BB that as it may, Bunny never ran
away. He remained with hie little mas-
ter, and became almost as bond of Ar-
thur as Arthur was of him.
Muezza, Famous Pussy
pERHAPS yoU may not have heard
the Arabian legend of Moham-
need's favorite cat, Muezza, Mo-
hammed sat in deep meditation, while
the cat reposed at ease on the broad
extended sleeve of his coat. So affected
was Mohammed by the warm, drowsy
air of the afternoon that he entirely
forgot his surroundings. Suddenly, when
hours had passed, he bethought himself
of eerttiln entice he had to porforna
and was about to dee from his rug
when he observed eluezza still sleeping.
Then, in order not to disturb the slum-
ber of Ills pet, Mohammed calmly cut
off thesleeve of his garment and went
upon his way.
Father --It's only fair to tell yott that
I'm pleased with your economy this
term. Sour requests for money were
too frequent last term.
Son--l:es, father -I thought Mee too;
so this term fee had everything on
tick,
"You shall dance," said he, "until
you are pale and cold."
"Mercy!" cried Karen. But she did
not hear the angel's reply, for the
shoes Carried her on.
One morning she came to the house
of the executioner and called:
"Comte out, come orifi I cannot
come int"
"I do not suppose you know who
I am; I strike oft the heads of the
wicked," he sold,
"Don't cut my head off," said Ka-
ren, "for I want to repent of my
sin. But cut Of my feet and the red
shoes," And then site confessed her
sin, and the executioner struck off
her feet; but the shoes danced away
with the little feet across the fields
into the deep forest,
The executioner carved her a pair
of wooden feet and some crutches
and taught her a psalm which Is al-
ways sung by sinners. She kissed
the hand that had guided the axe
and went away.
Now, I have suffered enough for
the red shoes," she said, "1 will go
to church,"
But when she came there the red
shoes were dancing before her, and
she was frightened and turned back.
For many days she wept and was
sorry for Per sin, The next Sunday
she went to church and looked sadly
e.t her crutches.
"0 God, help moi" she said.
The sun shone brightly, and she
looped up and saw right near her
the angel 1n white robes, the one site
had seen before at the churoh door.
He no longer earned the sword, but
a beautiful green branch of roses.
He nodded his head to leer and said:
It was right of you to come, Ka-
ren."
1t was for mercy," said she.
The organ played, and the chil-
dren's voices sounded very soft and
lovely. Karen was happy, and her
heart was filled with peace and joy,
O.
"WE HAD A MIGI3TT TUSSLIII"
f TWAS a mighty scary feeling Ted
,TWAS
ue when we 'inflated hitt
into the "Bloody Robbers."
Ted, yon know, was 'dined to be just
a Ilttle. fresh, so we jus' made up our
minds, when we finally guessed he might
as well be a "Robber," that we'd have
a pretty stiff 'nittation for him.
Right t'other side of Rocky Lot (where
ail us fellers go a-campin') is the stone -
crusher, where they've got a big ma-
chine to pound and grind up the rocks
for makin' roads.
'Bout the middle of the day, the men
who're at the crusher leave off worlcin'
an' get their dinner. So there's an hour
When the machine's not gotn',
Now, our scheme was to blindfold Ted,
lead ern over to the stone -crusher; then
take otf the bandage, gag iim and tie
him among some o' them thunderitt' big
wheels of the crusher -all thee, of
course, while the men were away, Then
we'd pretend to sneak off, leavin' him
there; an' get back just before the men
got there to start the machinery.
We had a mighty tussle gattln' Ted
over to rho crusher, I can tell you, Cap-
tain Billy Mumford got a bloody nose,
an' Pete Hamllton got a black eye, The
bandage had
edoouldty. see too hit straight enough, all
righ
But, at tact, we had 'int tied all right.
And though be pleaded hard as he could
with them eyes o' Mein (you see, he
couldn't talk for the gag), we went
away an' left him, an' hid in the woods
beyond.
All of a sudden we heard the crusher
begin to grind. It seems that ons of the
men had come around by the pike, and
got in all unbeknownst to us.
You hotelier life, every one of: us was
etruok dumb, 13111y and Skinny Were
the only ones who'd dare to go back.
They streaked it for the crusher, 'course,
expeetin' to end Ted stnashed to smith-
croons,
Bt11v cottldn't talk when 'e got there,
and Skhtity had to stammer out whet
h0 wanted. The engineer stared' and
seemed to know Petioli He slopped the
engine in e. ;jiffy, an' then Billy and
Skihny and him went to bole for po00
Ted, They couldn't 00e anything but
reds old straw hat! .05 was ragged
enough before, goodness knows] -butt
'now it was just all torn to tatters.
"Now I want you young murderers to
SO to Ted Abbott's home an' tell his
folks what's happened; an' then I'm
goln' to Have you arrested," said the
engineer, awful solemn and determined
like.
Bitty and Skinny've got mighty- stiff
upper lips, but it toots a heap of nerve to
go an' telt Mis' Abbott. The news bele'
so sad, of couree, they went In by the
front door an' into the parlor, Well,
Skinny had jun' begun in a rounderbout
sort of way, to break the awful news,
when who should come out from the
dining room, munchin' on a chunk o'
pie an' grinnln' fit to kill, but that
bioomin' Ted himself!
The joke was on Billy and Skinny and
all the rest of us, all righty!
You see, by good leek, Teti had man-
aged to tract the engineer's attention
before the machine was etarted. Then
he told'im what to say to us, and, atter
teethe up his hat, scooted for home.
We wee s0 glad t0 know that there
wasn't any part of Ted missile, that wo
all chipped in and got em a new hat
with a flashy ribbon that it hurt your
eyes to look at, That wuz about the
only thing that Rept Ted's pa from
haven' all of us trouncedgood 'n' hard.
IIe wasawful mad when the engineer
told him 'bout Totes initiation. Some-
how I don't blame 'Im much,
Couldn't Whistle it Back
PII01 was tatting his little sister
Beatrice on a short trip by rail.
As the train Sped along, he said
to ilex, warn hlgiy:
"lee careful not le lose your hat,
Beatrice."
Then, snatching It from her head, on
the vier, ho exclaimed:
'1l'herei You've- let 15 blow away.
,
mild never
But 1 shall whistle 1t
mind,
back for you:'
Thereupon wt
and imme-
diately
nmo-
dpt cmthe hat,
A snort time afterward he was
chagrined to hear Beatrice. ask:
"Won't yott WhIel:le my eint back
again, Phil? I threw it but the win-
dow."
Nctpo1eo's oyA
h. od Debt
T1I311great emperor, Napoleon;
passed ttls youth at the military,,
0011x0! of 13m'lenne. beer? were laid
the tottnde.tlans of that kaewledee which
enabled him to accomplish'nigltty deeds
In later years.
Liltn other boys, Napoleon w0s very
fond of fruit. There was an old fnlit
woman stationed near the school, and
she 11 was who Provided tempting eat -
"THEY ENTERED THE COTTAGE' •.
ablee for the future hero. Should he
have no money, it mattered not at alit
for she knew he would always repag
het just as Aeon as his next allowance
arrived. It so happened that when tie
Was ready to leave the school, he was
Mill two crowns in her debt. IIe said to
her, before making his depal'tut'o:
"My good Woman, 1 f00.r 1 meat g0
without paying what I owe you; but I
shall not forget,"
The fruit woman replied:
Oh, do not permit that to disturb
man. May Godlnpia5'erve your health
and matte 3ou such
arduous Engaged m such arduous anti exciting
work as was tate young soldier, he could
bareflinglybe debt toomed for slip 1110 memory owinthis
tri-
the
time.
Napoleon became a general and con-
quered Italy, Ile then invaded Egypt.
Returning by means oe a sea swurming
with -ships of the enemy, he entered
Parts and was named premier consul.
Napoleon established peace in hie
country; he was crowned emperorof
l,00dcdebtstill
thenoldldf uittof Ills wOMan boy.:
hal
nothing but his eremite:
I entail not forget."
But such it premise was of higher
value thanthe shat of motley involved.
So It was that when, ono day, Na-
poleon entered Brlenne secretly anis in-
cognito, he remembered his promise
and hastily bethought himself to repair
lila neglect.
What memories were recalled as, with
a trusted officer in solo atlendaulc, he
traversed the streets he had trod so er-
ten when re boy! All the Incidents of
les early youth came back to him vivid-
ly.
After a while he paused before the
humble dwell[ng where the fruit woman
had once made het' home. A. bystander
lnfornled•him that the good woman stili
resided there. The two entered,
"May we have some refreshment?"
asked the emperor.
Certainly," responded the woman,
and she went out into her garden, re-
appearing shortly with a delicious
melon, w'hietl she set before them.
\ohne the fruit -woman proceeded with
the care of her'tire, one of her visitors
asked;
"Do you know the emperor, and
whether he 1s expected here today?"
Fie has not yet arrived,' she answer-
ed, "although be is expected almost
any time. Why should I not know the
emperor? He bought many a baslcot oe
fruarmbue ah"
Anit fd didomi hee swtrayshere pay ytouscpromool.pt.
ly?" persisted the emperor.
"Certainly, no one was morn honest,"
was the Vndtggnant rejoinder,
Titan her distinguished visitor arose,
saying:
My good woman, You either speak
untruth, or you have a poor memory.
Ae proof that you do not know the em-
peror, I may say that I ant he; and to
prove that the emperor did not always
conscientiously pay his debts, I would
recall to your mind those two crowns
he owed you When he left school,"
Al the same time the other visitor de-
posited on the table a gleaming heap Of
gold coin to the amount of 1100 francs.
And the honest woman, now reeog-
nizing the emperor, fell at his feet, al-
most overcome with joy al the meet-
ing. Her little children clung to her, re.
gerding the great men with astonish..
meat, not knowing whether 10 laugh or
wN poleon ordered that the poor dwell-
ing be torn down, and that another bo
eeeeted 111,11 1ts place,
It is then house,"
he
said, "that I
wish to lodge w'heuover I conte t0 Brb
enne; and i wish It to-bearmyy 110500."
Before taking leave of the fruit wom-
an he promised that he would take
good care of her children. Ole kept Ms
word, so that you may know the debt
of his boyhood was paid honorably and
In full.
Light Rays in Water
TWO COINS WILL A 'Y hAIT
AT THEbottom of ate ordinary glass
or tumbler, plot's a coin 01 any
kind. •
Pour wafer in the glens to ole -third
Of Its capacity.
Pt'esa a saucer flrttter over the mouth
of the glass, and carefully turn glass.
tout saucer 'Upside down,
In tilts positkit you will he surpr'isotl
to apparently see two coins noting on
the surface of the gainer.