The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 24, 1898, Page 32

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 1898. SIR ROLLAN AND THE PRINCESS. BY JULIET CHANDLER, SAN FRANCISCO. the year 1399 lived King Armond and his Queen, Evelyne, their lit- tle son, Rolan, and their daughter, in a beautiful palace in a Rollan w 10 y 1 was eight. The r allowed to go ou e gardens on account witch elling place could In the mountair away from the forest, liv an old giant and his wife, who paid.the old witch i um of money for children, whom 1y Rollan and Carleen were out garden with their nurse, who old. A butterf: ich was witch in disgui fore of. b Just kept out of reach. 1 was very anx n out of th could stop her. her back; but Princ n ran away very fast and dis- peared in the woods. At last Rollan ught up with her. But what was the sight that o his eves. On the ground his poor little siste ious, tied hand and foot. Her mouth s bound up in a handkerchief. anding over her was an old w h n e which flashed 1 e had only tv ay down on her like ¢ nd ) te ol >th, n she saw Rollan she sprang at ore he had time to ged him and and t drowsy and ves open. The and Rollan knew ed through the On cat black f the witch. w him she gave hich was horrible the cat gave one spring shoulder. “Oh, Tabby ou shall have the go promised _you! the children with d Look their showed them to the cat, who reat here!” to them and scratched them The old witch drew them 1 house. In one corner of a room stood a large Then she When it supper and n dry crust Then she went to In the morning she came to them 1 opened the door. All night long children had been crying and bbing The old witch 0 hard that she ain. This made cage in which she put them. st 1 by a dark q aunted the 1. ed h 2pars a ream with T Rollan so angry that he forgot his fear and saic Don’t you slap my ter again.” re you speak a sheslapped d them hand gged them to a which was very steep. Here mountain, SCENE TAKEN FROM THE STORY WRITTEN BY JULIET CHANDLER. she loosened the cords on their feet and made them walk. They saw a wonderful palace wrought of diamonds shining in the distance. The old witch kept chuckling to her self and sayine~ over and over: "Money ah! Tabby id I will ‘live in luxu They & fat, teo,” and pinched them id so. At last they cameé to the palace. The light that shohe from the diamonds al- blinded them. They heard an roar from within, when the witch knocked, that shook the ground. Then there came the tramp of some one that sounded like an army of sol- diers marching. Then the door was ed and in the doorway stood a and as fat as he could re so thick When almost hid his e aw the children he made a for them, but t old witch s them av and laughed and said, “My money f 3 | Then he roared with anger. He called | his wife, who was as big as himself, and so cruel lookin her seemed to freez: children’s veins. She brought the money and he gave t the sight of the blood in the it to the witch. She gave him the children, -who were almost dead with | fright. The giant wanted to kill them | at once and eat them for di but | his wife id: “N we will it. In two days it will be ur birthday and then we will have a grand fe Children were as great a luxury to these giants as turkey is to the aver- GIRL WHOSE TIlUIND CHANGES. 0, midget maiden, sweet to see, * And sweet {0 Kiss—if that might be— Go, search the garden through and thro And bring the flower oman | LW (Tan, A i, il L. They then shut them in a where rats and -lizards age person. dark cellar, dwelt. Poor little Carleen was so frightened that she almost fainted. But Rollan put his arms around her and tried to comfort her. Then he laid his coat on the damp ground and they lay down and w to sleep. Duri the night they were awakened by a terrible trumbling and s ng. Then there was a terrible noise and one side of the cel- lar fell in ruins. A stream of light came in through the opening and as the looked they saw a beautiful scend from the Ve he called them by name and told them to come to her, for she was their guardian angel. Then she took them in her arms and ascended into the air. As © arose the earth opened tle, the giant and the witch were swallowed up. The guardian angel took the children home, and they lived happily ever after. A QUEER MISITOR: BY BERTHA GERTRUDE ALLEN, TULARE. T was very dim last night, and as I hurried home from the factory the street lamps seemed brighter than usual. I said I hurried; yes, I al- most ran. I saw nothing to frighten me, vet my fear of the dark- ness was irresistible. On turning down our dingy street I paused & moment for breath. As I did » I heard a whirring sound as of wind rushing suddenly and swiftly around a corner. Then I heard it again and I looked about, but saw not the se of it. Surely it wasn’t the wind, the trees were standing still—as still as the stone statues across the street.. Then again I heard the same queer sounds. amazement, I looked toward Probably I thought that it could solve the mystery. Instead of ing its usual blue color I saw it to be a purple hue. How. beautiful it did look! So royal, so stately! As I turned around I saw object rising slowly above the tops. There seemed to be tree- something black on it, but I could not tell what | Then it sank from view again. | it was. Instead of being frightened, I was en- tranced with the purple sky and funny place where I had last seen this queer affair it was rising gradually in the | air. It drew nearer, giving me a fine chance to see i It was long, round and hollow. I distinguished the black figure to be a man, who sat in the cen- ter and guided it. It circled above me, shot through the air with lightning speed and then | again it would pause, as if to rest. b saw something else, too. It had the pe of a coil, with one end flattened and hanging down. It looked as if it | were made of fire. Not onlv did it cir- cle in the air, but it followed the air- ship constantly. Then, almost too quickly to be seen, swooped down upon this aerial con- nce. That was the last I saw of 1 done its work. Instantly egan to fall, fall, till it arth. Not with a crash ;:‘md it touch, but as if it had ither. «d to the spot, and what did it and a ba been a f T hurr I see? T saw the man only. He was dead. He was about three feet long and was wrinkled and shriveled., 1 Th Iw cours what 1 next thing I remember was that lying on my own bed. This, of not a truefstory. dreamed the night b It is only *fore last. | THE GIRLS’ STORIES. HE girls’ page is published this morning. Last Sunday morning the boy story tellers were in evi- (]TAu('e~. The judges will now be- gin to send in their opinions, Soon it will be decided whether the boys or the girls are the winners. The sooner the opinions are received the better, to relieve the impatience of the thousands of young people Who have their at. tention fixed on their champions. ‘What do the parents think of the The midget maid from La Belle Franced Threw back an arch and laughing glance; “I'm April's pet and precious tease, {-change my mind just when | please.” - boy and girl writers? you love most trie: < ) VA ittle Girly-Girl, of you Still forever | am dreaming. Laughing eyes of limpid blue— Tresses glimmering and gleaming Like glad waters running over Shelving shadows, rimmed with clover, Trembling whefe the eddies whirl, Gurgling, *‘Little Girly-Girl" and the | a white | airship. | When I again looked toward the I | oo Uiy THE BLUE-EYED GIRL. ¢ & JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY. SYDNEY'S NUGGET. BY R. MAUD MALLORY. REEDLEY, CAL. | | YN the early days of California, be- | fore it was discovered that the | golden poppy grew above the pre- | cious metal, a party of emigrants | started from New England across the plains to the great unknown | West. Paul Wilder, ever since | his boyhood - had longed for a { free life in some unexplored country, and as his young wife, Madaline, was willing to accompany him they bade | farewell to friends and joined the | train. After a perilous journey of six ’momhs the company reached the land of flowers. One September evening, | near sunset, the train halted for the | night on the brow of a mountain over- | looking a beautiful valley.. Nestling at | the foot of the mountain was a little | sheltered cove, and Paul and Madaline | were so struck by | spot that they r the beauty of this ed to stop here. | The following morning the remainder | of the party proceeded down the val- selectyng suitable homes, and leav- hearts full of pleasant anticipations to lay the foundation for their future abode. Paul built a rude log house near a sparkling mountain stream. The first winter was full of hard work for both, improving the little home which had already grown dear to them. Ere long their home was brightened by the arrival of a dear little baby boy, and thelr happiness seemed complete. Lit- tle Sydney was a beautiful child, as he grew older. Yellow curls hung over his shoulders, and his large, dark eyes had a dreamy expression. One day Paul | went hunting and did not return at | night. This being unusual the hours | seemed days to Madaline. Morning came at last, but brought no tidings of the lost hunter. At last she determined to find him. Fearing the worst, she mounted a gen- tle horse, and, with Sydney, started out to search. After traveling hours, and calling loudly she heard a faint an- swer. Hastening in the direction whence it came she suddenly halted on the edge of a deep ravine; peering over she saw Paul lying on the ground be- low. Filled with intense anxiety and gloomy forebodings, Madaline proceed- ed by a circuitous route to the bottom of the gulch, and learned that, while returning from a fruitless hunt at night tunately his bruises were not as serious as she had feared. He had sprained his knee and could not walk, and had it not been for Madaline's brave effort to save him he might have perished of hunger before being rescued. Madaline bathed his limb in the stream near by and gave him food which she had brought. And helping him on the horse with little Sydney they started home. 1t was late, at night when the little company reached the gate. Paul was made as comfort- able-as possible. Madaline was near- 1y sick from her long walk. When Syd- ney, In trying to comfort his papa, took from his pocket a handful of pebbles, “‘See, papa,”’ he said. “These are the pretty stones I found in the water.” Imagine Paul’'s surprise when he found among them a nugget of pure gold. Future investigation proved that the scene of Paul's misfortune was rich in the precious metal; and to make a lorig story short, little Sydney Wilder had discovered a rich gold mine, which proved a source of wealth, and while Paul and Madaline have traveled much their home is the little sheltered nook in California, where the humble cot- tage has long since given place to a beautiful modern home. And Paul re- fers to the accident while hunting as his fortunate misfortune. Next Sunday morning the roll of honor will be published, which em- braces the names of the young writers whose work has been accepted for the boys’' and girls’ pages. All the opin- ions of the judges who respond in time l‘i\'nl also be made public next Sun- ay. Some very good stories written by boys and girls in competition for place on the boys’ page and the girls’ page will be published soon. They almost won first place. It took much deliberation before the choice was finally made of the cham- pions for the girls’ side. The names of some old acquaintances will be found EDITH M. THOMAS. on the page this morning and some he happy yvoung couple with their | | slipped and she fell Paul had fallen over the precipice. For- | new ones. FOR JOAN:S LIFE, BY LUCY TILLOTSON, SANTA CRUZ. OAN BANKS lived at a small army post on the Missouri River. It was a lonely, deserted spot and the nearest village was twenty miles away. A vast plain stretched out on all sides of the post. On the other side of the river were many unfriendly’ Indians. The officers had used some land which was theirs and they were ready for a battle any time. In the-fort were only fifty or fifty- five soldiers, and a few officers. Cap- tain Banks, his housekeeper and his 13-year-old daughter, Joan, Lieutenant Jordan and wife and Colonel Roberts. On an August afternoon the officers and their wives went out for a ride on their ponies. Thirty of the soldiers with Lieutenant Myers had gone to the Indians’ camp to try and make peace with them about the land. Joan was left with the housekeeper, Mrs. Cones, who had taken care of Joan ever since her mother died, ten years earlier. In the middle of the afternoon it grew sultry and Joan decided to take a ride outside of the fort, in spite of commands. So she set out. ' She was dressed in a light saflor suit of navy blue, and a | Jaunty wide-brim hat set upon a mass of raven lo After trotting up and down outside the fort for about half an hour she turned her horse toward the valley where the Indians were encamped. As the horse was wandering about at his | own free will among the low brush | Joan spied two or more horses’ heads | above the ridge, not far from where she was. In five minutes’ time at least sixty Indians appeared, each upon a | horse, all waving and pointing wildly. For a moment Joan was dazed. Then the whole situation flashed upon her | mind and she thought: “Dear me! | The redskins are coming to attack the { fert. Forty brave Indians and at least | twenty weaker ones against twenty- | five soldiers! I see it now. While Lieu- | tenant Myers was talking to them | these wise old redskins slipped off.” All of a sudden the Indians spied | Joax; they pointed at her and grunted, then started on a swift ~allop toward | her. Joan immediately turned her pony | and started off on a breakneck speed toward the fort. The Indians set up a yell and tried to catch up with her. Once Joan thought surely she would be.taken; for her pony upon the hard earth. She jumped into the saddle and the swift little pony soon left the red men’'s tired horses in the rear. The twenty-five dozing soldiers were MRS. JENK]NS; BAD POODLE. awakened by the clattering of horses’ hoofs. They sprang up in alarm and ran to the barrack doors to see Joan, hatless and breathless, and.the pony runping at breakneck speed. “Run, quick! The Indians are com- ing. Get your guns: here they are!” was Joan's cry, and then she fell out of her saddle in a faint. The soldiers met the Indians, and 'a fierce fight followed, during which Lieutenant Myers returned and proved a great help. Out of forty Indians, ten were wounded and five killed. The In- dians left a sorry but victorious party, and never again troubled them. But where was Joan all this time? She fainted, and was immediately put to bed by Mrs. Cones. Captain Banks praised Joan for her bravery, and tol her she had saved the fort. He never scolded her for disobey- ing him. Joan became a great favorite among the ladies. Six months later Captain Banks retired and went to Brooklyn to live with his br'other. and Joan nmawI un in that eitv. € 31 nce blessed Jittle Kitty! She almost looked pretty ¥ Beloved by the angels, she needed no pity ! 74 O juvenile charmers, with shoulders-of sno 7 = Ruby lips, sunny tresses, \ a; Forms made for caresses— 3 I)! =7 yot’shonl i 39 Iz ———, THE BAD POODL.E. BY NONIE E. HERBERT. BLOOMFIELD, CAL. R. PETTIBONE walked briskly down a quiet, shady street, swinging his serviceable old green umbrella in one hand and carrying a shiny new carpet-bag in the other. Suddenly a sign suspended from the porch of a nedt house opposite caught his eye and he perused it slowly: ROOMS_TO LET. APPLY WITHIN. “Just the very place I want,” said he as, opening the gate, he walked to the porch, where lay a curly little white poodle, which, awakened by the noise of Mr. Pettibone's entrance, jumped up with a shrill “ki-yi-yi!” Mr. Pettibone stepped back and dis- placed a large pot containing a cholce flower, which fell from the porch with a crash and broke into a hundred pieces. Mr. Pettibone's anger was thoroughly der to strike the dog and heedlessly fell and broke. Mrs. Jenkins, the landlady, hearing all this clatter on the porch of her do- main, hurried to the door and raised up her hands in astonishment at the spectacle. Sitting in the middle of the floor, amid a heap of ruins, sat the Hon. Mr. Pettibone. His downfall was caused by his clumsiness in evading the offensive poodle, which now danced around him in a state of wild rage. carpet-bag was lying open on the porch and a medley of hairbrushes, combs and sundry articles of dress lay scattered near. His poor umbrella was broken, s ¢« e, 44— 8 St} o 8§ gt § & ST——— Y e JOAN'S EXCITING RIDE ON THE PRAIRIE WITH THE BAND OF HOWLING INDIANS IN HOT CHASE his tall silk hat was under him. Mr. Pettibone’s language was not very choice as he extricated himself from the ruins. But when he saw Mrs. Jenkins his polite behavior returned There's one thing. my beauties, "tis well Though the world is in love jvitk_bright éyes and soft hair, "Tis only goad children the dngels call fair. aroused. He raised his umbrella in or- | brought his weapon violently against | an ornamental bracket, which instantly | Mr. Pettibone's | immediately. Mrs. Jenkins silenced the | poodle and told Mr. Pettibone, who had speedily picked up his belongings, to follow her and she would try and suit him as to a room. Mr. Pettibone be- stowed a rueful glance upon his ruined hat and followed his fair conductress | | lows. into the house. Mr. Pettibone, duly established as a | lodger and being pleased with every- thing, thought he would politely ten- der the widow his name and fortune and aid through life. With that pur- pose in view he sauntered into the widow's neat little parlor and, smiling benignly on the flustrated dame, seated himself in a comfortable chair. The next minute he jumped up in the alr with a yell that would put to shame a Sioux brave and bounded around the room with Mrs. Jenkins’ poodle in full pursuit. Gaining the door’ he rushed through and went out of the garden like a_ flash. He had, on coming into the parlor, unwittingly sat down on the poodle, which was taking a qulet siesta in the chair. which brought the wrath of that being down on him in full force. Next day a porter came and gave | Mrs. Jenkins the money due her and removed Mr. Levi Pettibone’s belong- ings from the house. Needless to say Mrs. Jenkins and the worthy poodle saw him no more. BILLY’S : FISHING. BY MARION R. DEWEY. SONOMA. T was a warm day in summer, just the day to go fishing, Billy Barlow thought. As Billy wasn’t the boy to linger about the house when there was any prospect of weeding garden in view he sneaked off and made the best of his way to the river, with rod, line and a can of fish worms as bait. We find our young angler lying in the shade on the bank, but making no pre- tense of fishing. He. lay still awhile, listening to the drowsy hum of the bees as they flew from flower to flower and to the clatter of the mowing machine as it cut the grain in the field. “Well, I'd better hurry up, I guess,” said Billy, aloud, lazily sitting up. At that moment. a fish popped his the head out of the water. “Come on.” it sald i | 2 AWILD RIDE| THE REAL PRETTY GIRL. i MARIAN DOUGLA fish speak before. severely. ‘““Are you deaf?” Billy found his tongue. I 207" he asked. “Follow me, of course, you dunce! replied the fish. in. He sank down to the bottom with- |out feeling any discomfort. make such a fuss about drowned,” said Billy to himself. He looked around. It he was at the bottom of the river. BERNARD COMING FROM THE FO “Didn’t I tell you to follow me?” said a voice beside him. “Stop staring around and come along.” Billy looked around and beheld the fish lazily swimming around his head. | He didn’t exactly relish the idea of be- ing ordered around by a fish, but, to tell the truth, Billy was somewhat afraid of it, and he thought it best to submit. The fish led the way, and Billy fol- lowed, picking his way cautiously be tween great sharp stones which threat. ened to cut his bare feet. was necessarily slow, and at last the fish turned around. “Why don’t you hurry up?” he in- quired angrily. “If I could swim, perhaps I could get along faster,” said Billy, respectfully. “I forgot that,” replied the fish thoughtfully. “But here we are. We have reached our destination.” Turning a bend of the river Billy al- most ran into a company of fish who were lazily sporting about. “Here, take care!” cried his conduc- tor. “Sit down and behave yourself.” Billy obeyed, but the next moment an angry squeal made him aware of the fact that he had sat on a fish. He im- mediately sprang up, filled with dis- may. “I wish,” said the insulted fish, “that you hadn’t brought such an intractable specimen.” ‘“Well, he was the only one around,” Billy stared. He had never heard a | = ome on, 1 say!” repeated the fish, “Where shall Billy, without second thought, plunged | fore Leroy's eyes. “Well, I don’t see why folks want to being | seemed as i though he stood on a hillside, although | aside his book for a moment to caress His progress | MASTER. BY ANITA M. TOMASINI, SUISUN CITY EROY NUCOMB sat reading on the shady porch of his cozy lit- tle home built half way up the sides of the noble Sierras. Like an eagle’s eyrie it commanded fine view of the Sacramento Valley, with its green orchards and | well-kept farms. Away in the distance could be seen the bay, dotted with | ships. But on this particular day all | this grand scenery lay unnoticed be- He was deep in those dear old tales of the Arabian | Nights, when Bernard, his only play- | mate and companion, came barking | playfully up to him. “Well, old chap,” said the boy, laylng | | | | | lh(s pet, “where have you been for the REST BRINGING A STRANGE CHILD | past three days? I am afraid you have found a new master somewhere, one vou like better than me. Haven't you | he asked playfully, patting the shagg | head. For the past five years Bernard had been the faithful guardian of the ‘“‘Aerial Farm,”as it was callad. Never for cne moment had he been known to wander away. But for the past month he had weekly made excursions to the woods, sometimes being gone three days at a time. Leroy now romped with him and then tired out returned to his book. Not so | with the dog. He wished to play at hide-and-seek, and tried by licking his master’s face to make his wishes | known. But Leroy, like so many tired | boys, let his temper get tHe best of him, and, giving the dog a sound cuff, said, | “Clear out and go to your other mas- ter.” | The dog stood for a moment with | drooping head, then trotted quickly away. Leroy read on till the pinetrees’ shade madeittoo dark to see, and then throws ing his book upon the porch, he ran off to seek Bernard, expecting to fin” him at the barn. His search was in vain. The next day passed and the next, and still no sign of Bernard. Every night saw the repentant little master sob | himself to sleep. | _The sixth day passed as slowly as all ¥ sulkily replied Billy’s conductor, “and|gays had passed since Bernard's disap- I wasn’t going to look for another. I'm pearance, and Leroy again sat upon the tired of acting as a servant for you fel- | jjttle perch, this time studying the beau- If you don't like him, get an- | tifyl panorama below him. other, if you can find one!"” What was that he heard? Was it a The other fish was about to make an | child’s cry? Again that pitiful cry, this angry reply, when Billy interfered. | time followed by a joyful bark. He “I didn’t mean any harm,” he said, kpew the bark. The cry did not trou- “but this fellow here”—indicating his | ple him now. He bounded over the low glfldg—“treated me awtully;" | garden wall and through the thicket. ‘Well, well, to business,” interposed But what was this? Bernard, lean and another, seeing that a general row was | tired-looking, came slowly down the imminent. “Wearemembers of a soclety | wood path, and on his back, bound fast of fishes, whose purpose is to find out | with ropes, was a tiny flaxen-haired more about that peculiar race of beings girl. The frightened child was weeping called humans. After you answer all our questions you are to be confined in a cave, as we wish to experiment upon you.” too far. He sbrang up and ran off, screaming ‘‘Help! murder! police!” at the top of his veice. Then an angry cry burst. from the fishes, and Billy had a dim recollec- sters rising up around him, snapping their jaws in a manner that made Billy shiver with fright. Suddenly a par- ticularly large one opened his mouth to swallow him and all seemed lost. “Why, Billy,” exclaimed a familiar voice, “lying here asleep! Get up, lazy bones!™ Billy sat un. wondering. He was sit- ting on the bank, and before him was standing his elder brother. “Where's the fish and all those big alligators?” asked Billy. “Get out! You've been dreaming!” said his brothe- Billy got up and walked slowly home. “I'm glad it was a dream, anyhow,” he said. nce the Little Girl This fine rainbow Would forget the She had thought i Billy thought that the joke was going tion, afterward, of great, horrid mon- | | bitterly and struggled to free herself. Mrs. Nucomb cut the cords that | bound her and washed and fed her. She | was too young to talk, but in the pocket of her little apron they found a note. | It read: | To the owner of this dog: I tal'e the | liberty of sending this child to you, fer, | from the appearances of this dog, you are a kind-hearted person. I stole her back East from her parents, but my | conscience has pricked me too severely since I've seen how sweet a child she | is growing up. 'Twas a year ago I stole | her, because I was jealous of her fath- er, and now her mother is dead. Her father shall not have her! I am going to start for Australia to-day. Take | good care of Leona for her dear moth- er's sake, and oblige LONG JIM. | So this was Bernard's new master! How he had ever met the child, where she lived, who her parents were, who _ was her kidnaper, were never found out. She is now one of California’s fair- est daughters, and her husband, Leroy | Nucomb, one of the most prominent of her native sons. THE GIRL WHO FORGETS. that cried Looking through her tears espied Lovely motes of colored light In the fringes of her eye— Just as when the weather clears And the clouds are put to flight There’s a rainbow in the sky. And the Little Girl that ‘cried, As she saw this lovely sight— in her tears— reason why it best to try., EDITH M. THoMAS,