WHEN grandma was a little girl, When mama used to go upstairs, After she'd said "Good night," Her mother always held a lamp So she could have its light. As soon as sister's bedtime came, When she was a little lass, It was a very hot day. Even on the piazzas, under the broad roof and awnings, there was hardly air enough to move the leaves of the honeysuckle-vines. Out in the pasture, the cattle gathered in the shadows and did not move except to lash lazily at the flies. The children had come in from the lawn, and were sitting still. Their mother and father were in the city, and the only grown person at home was their visitor, an old friend of the family, a professor, who had come to stay over Sunday. He had been reading, but had now put down his book, and sat listening to the children's talk. At length one of the little girls looked up and caught the Professor's kind glance. He smiled at her, and she had a happy thought. "Professor, won't you tell us a story?" she asked. "Oh, yes-do!" said another little girl; and then one of the brothers drew his chair closer, and the other brother put down his book to listen. "Why, Daisy," the Professor said, a little uneasily, "I never told a story in my life. I hardly imagine I am capable of the feat." 1 helpless infant was fortunately discovered by a fisherman whom tradition accords the name of Grim; and Grim not only succored the foundling, but carefully tended his youthful years until the young man bade fair to do credit to his foster-parent." "To his what?" asked Hal. Foster-parent. One who stands in loco parentis is so called-that is," the Professor explained, "one acting as a father to a child, "Very well," said the Professor, "I'll tell though not a father really-or a mother, either you about him." -is known as a foster father or mother. The children settled themselves very com- Foster, you know, is to cherish or care for; fortably, and the Professor began: and a foster-parent is one who-" "Please go on, Professor," said Violet; "I see what you mean. It is one who takes care of a child like a parent." "Yes," the Professor agreed. this benevolent Grim to Havelock, the waif whom chance or an overruling Providence had intrusted to his charge. Now, when the young "What does devolved upon mean?" asked Dane, dispossessed of his patrimony, and an Daisy, when a pause came. exile in a foreign land, was, in spite of his humble station, grown to be a man in years and bearing, it happened that political events in England had caused a beautiful princess also to be left sole heiress to an extended_dominion." "Oh, I'm glad there 's a princess!" said Daisy, clapping her hands. "I believe it 's going to be a fairy story, after all." "Not just that," said the Professor, smiling indulgently; "but, at all events, a story that is not without its romantic features-though probably fabulous to some extent." "Please go on about the princess," said Violet. 'Was she beautiful?" "Doubtless she was so reported, as the narrative was woven into a troubadour's ballad," said the Professor. "We are at liberty to assume that she was a paragon of personal attractions." "Does that mean handsome?" asked Stephen. "Yes," said the Professor. "Where was I? Oh, I remember. Being thus in a situation very similar to that occupied by Havelock before his expatriation-" "What is expa-?" Daisy began. "It means before he was sent out on the raft," said Hal. Go on, Professor." 'Don't interrupt, please. force the claim of the princess to her own usurped dominions." She, too, was in the way of some powerful aristocrats who desired to usurp the throne. And in order to guard against her ever becoming the wife of some one willing and able to espouse her cause, these nobles came to the conclusion that they would wed her to some occupant of a humble station." "And did they?" asked Stephen. "Yes," the Professor went on. 'And by a remarkable combination of events it came about that the supposed humble groom selected was none other than Havelock, the reputed son of Grim, the fisherman." "And what did they do?" asked Violet. "They married the princess to Havelock, making merry over the nuptials of the wronged heiress and him they regarded as the fisher-lad of Lincolnshire. But it happened that Grim had preserved some of the garments in which the boy Havelock was dressed at the time he was despatched from the Danish coast. And these furnished a clue to the young seafarer's nationality. This clue gave a starting-point for Havelock's inquiring spirit, and by patient analysis and persistent inquiry the young Danish prince at length succeeded in establishing his identity." "What was that?" asked Stephen. "So she got back her throne, too?" asked Hal. "Yes; and so Havelock the Dane came to be king not only of what was his inheritance, but also of the realm in Albion over which his wife's title brought him sovereignty." "Is that all?" asked Violet, as the Professor paused. "Yes," answered the Professor; "but the legend, if authentic, certainly furnishes a noteworthy example of poetic justice." 'And we are "Yes, sir," said Stephen. very much obliged to you." Quite welcome, I 'm sure," said the Professor, picking up his book and going indoors. "Wake up, Daisy!" said Hal, shaking his sister gently by the shoulder. "It is n't polite to go to sleep like that." "Is the story - over?" asked Daisy, rubbing her eyes. "Yes," said Violet. "What was it about? Daisy asked drowsily. the last part of it?" "I don't know quite," said Hal. "I feel sure Havelock married the princess, anyway. But it was n't a fairy story." "What kind of a story was it?" Violet asked. "A kind of a dictionary story, I guess," said Stephen. "It must be nice to go to college and learn what big words mean. The Professor must-why, I'm in the Fifth Reader, and I could n't tell what he was talking about." |