Blanche Mary Channing

“ He simply lay and gazed at her, feeling as if a fairy-tale had come true.
His silence troubled the little girl, who took it to mean denial.
She had asked him if he would like a few wild flowers, and he did not say yes—he just kept still and looked at her with his big, strangely sorrowful eyes. He must think her rude to speak to him when he did not know who she was. It was horrid of him not to answer! Her lips began to tremble; her cheeks turned red; she put her hands up to her face, and would have run away, if a sudden intelligence had not come to the boy. ”

“ She was a very courageous child, and fond of an adventure; and as she looked across the valley at the castle of the Dragon, lying in the sunlight, gray and silent and mysterious, she felt as if some spell were drawing her towards it.
One sweet spring day, when the robins were calling "Good luck!" to each other from the trees, Cherry-Bloom went softly down the path into the valley, and ever a little more slowly, and a little more slowly, up the path on the other side, to the castle of the Dragon. ”

“ This was no less than, a goat, poised in act to spring from a rock—the lamp between its graceful horns.
Yet Hansel had realized but one half of his dream. He had the house, but now he must bring his old parents into it; and one sunny morning he set forth with a glad heart for the great forest.
"Yes," he said to himself, "I have left it too long already. I must lose no more time. Life is short, and one cannot always have a father and a mother." ”

“ No pilgrim, no goat, no dog was before him now, but a beautiful being whose eyes shone like stars, with wings whose golden feathers swept the dust, and whose raiment was like the full moon,—so radiant in its whiteness. Abdallah drew back in awe and was about to throw himself at the feet of the vision, but it held up a finger to check his impulse, and at the same time smiled so tenderly at him that he ceased to be afraid. ”

“ But Conrad stood his friend.
"Be quiet, all of you!" he cried imperiously. "Dolf Schmidt can ride Emperor if he choose, for he is a better horseman than any man here." And, throwing one arm about his companion's frieze jacket, he led him back to the castle.
Father Johann was hurrying out with an anxious face as the boys entered.
"It is all over!" said Conrad, laughing. "Dolf is best archer and best horseman. Now we shall see in what else he excels. Come up-stairs to my playroom, Dolf! You may play with all my playthings." ”

“ Little Tophra, wistfully gazing from her roof-chamber, saw the long line of the procession wind up from her father's gates, out upon the road, under the palm trees, and away towards the city, a wavy line of black and yellow, the priests of Osiris in their robes of leopard-skin; and, in their midst, the young bull, walking solemnly, proudly, as though he felt himself the centre of attention. ”

“ The birthday dawned fair and warm. Moti rapturously opened a number of parcels, and found a doll in one; a lovely toy parasol in another; a box of paints; a fairy-book; a necklace of Indian silver-work; and a trinket-case of beautifully carved sandal-wood from Dilâl. The little girl was radiantly happy, and flew up and down the house like a humming-bird.
The party was to begin at three o'clock, and long before that time the children were ready and impatient for their young friends to arrive.
"Don't you hate your best clothes?" asked Bobby, as they sat on the cool veranda waiting. ”

“ At that instant Leo sprang also—on the rebellious lion; and as they rolled over, fighting, I made my escape from the cage. I have a scar on my arm still."
Aimée had clung tightly to Alphonse as he told his story. When he ended, she drew a deep breath.
"And you did not die?"
"As you see."
"And Leo saved you?"
"I have always said so."
She looked over the old man's shoulder at Leo.
"I think I love him a little," she said.
"He is my one friend," replied Alphonse. "We love each other, and we shall never be parted. As we have lived, we shall die, together." ”

“ Here all the view was of rolling, heather-grown slopes, with no sign of life but a few cows in the distance. And, worst of all, mother was not here!
"I don't like the Manse; I wish we were in England again," said Willie to Roy, as they lay awake in the big, strange bed that evening.
Roy broke into a storm of sobs.
"I wish I could go to mother!" he cried passionately. "I wish I had n't got to be anywhere! I wish I was n't alive! What's the good of being alive now mother's gone?" ”

“ The Rocky Mountain sheep are like no flocks of the plains. Wild, shy, strong, and beautiful, they dwell in the high regions where few can follow them.
Dick had shot many a one, and now, after his first minute of absolute surprise, his hand went swiftly to the leather belt where he carried his pistol and his knife. His rifle lay just out of reach.
But he paused.
The creature stood fearless and confident on the other side of the fire, its gray fleece reddened by the glow, its steadfast, untamed eyes fixed upon the hunter from between the sweeping curve of its powerful horns. ”

“ Then a bright idea came into the little girl's head. In the weird stories of spells and enchantments she knew, there was always a charm somewhere by which the spell could be broken—the enchanted prince set free. Her pretty face glowed with hope and enthusiasm, as she leaned toward the boy.
"Oh, but I am sure that that is not all! Tell me the rest—tell me how the curse can be taken away; it always ends well, you know, when you find the charm to undo the spell!"
Bertrand looked at her oddly.
"You certainly are very clever," he said slowly. "Yes, you are, Ellie! ”

“ Vaughn worked to help the little heir; and of how,—very slowly, almost imperceptibly at first,—Bertrand began to recover.
There were times of discouragement when the great surgeon went to and from the château with a grave face, and when the Marquis looked stern and bitter; times when it seemed as if no skill could rout the disease which held the boy in its grasp. At these times, Ellie would neither smile nor speak, but shut herself up in her room and cried. ”

“ One day as he sat in his dark room, he heard a childish voice call to him, and going to his door he saw the little daughter of the concierge standing at the top of the steps which led down into the basement.
"Good-day, mademoiselle," said M. Alphonse. "Did mademoiselle call?"
The little Aimée did not answer. Her round blue eyes, growing used to the dim light, had discovered the form of the lion in its corner, and were fixed in terror upon it.
"Ah! you are afraid of Leo!" said M. Alphonse. "There is no cause, my little one. He is too old and weary to move. Besides, he is chained to the wall. ”

“ Her face was beautiful and smiling, and Paul thought her lively hazel eyes dwelt on him.
"That was my mother," said Sir John.
The little boy slipped his hand into the old man's fingers and pressed them silently. "It was painted eighty-five years ago," Sir John went on dreamily, almost as if speaking to himself. "Eighty-five years ago. She was seventeen then, and when she was twenty—she died. Ah, yes! It's hard to be a motherless boy—hard—hard." ”

“ Dolf blushed and looked down.
"Never mind," said Conrad, his cheeks as red as the others'. "He is right. I do not shoot well, and he does. Courage, Dolf! Here is another arrow."
"I must go now," said the cowherd's son. "My father will scold me. Good day, sirs!"
He made a gesture of respect, and turned to go.
"Come again to-morrow!" called Conrad.
"Yes," said Father Johann.
"It will be an excellent thing for Lord Conrad," said Father Johann to the Duchess that evening. "I know the child's parents. They are decent, honest folk, and the boy is like them. It is written in his face." ”

“ Always the mountain-sheep lay as he had last seen it, with intent eyes gazing into the storm.
The flock from which it had strayed were in need of its leadership, it might well be. Perhaps the ram knew it. Dick wondered if it did. He wondered if animals ever thought,—if they felt things, and knew joy and sorrow.
It was a new idea to a man whose only view of them had been the hunter's; who had never loved them, but only killed them for what they could bring him.
He noticed that one of the ram's horns had been injured, and that the end was broken in a peculiar way. ”

“ But the Abbot hurried him along, and into the chapel.
The angel saw him enter, and smiled upon him.
"Come hither, son," said the deep voice.
Tremblingly, the cripple advanced upon his crutches, and when he reached the chancel he fell upon his face in mute reverence. His eyes were hidden so that he could not see what all the others marked in wonder—that in the angel's outstretched hand the golden scales hung even.
"Arise, servant of the Most High," said the angel. ”

“ Even the grown people believed in this dreadful monster, and no one of them would have been found on the other side of the valley after sunset.
One very aged man always declared that he had seen the Dragon when he was young, and that he had had green and gold scales all over his body; that he breathed fire and smoke, and that he flew by like a streak of lightning. Most persons were sure that they had heard him bellowing on stormy winter nights.
But no one took so much interest in the Dragon as Cherry-Bloom. ”

“ Tophra's father who was named Techo, was one of the King's high officials. He was a rich man, and on his fine estate in the fertile Nile valley, he had wide gardens, besides artificial lakes, and stables for horses and cattle.
As Tophra walked between the beds of brilliant blossoms, Samis, the chief herdsman, approached her.
"Greeting, little lady!" he said with an obeisance. "Will not my little lady like to see the new bull-calf in the cow-house? 'T is the prettiest I ever saw, sleek as silk tissue and black as night." ”

“ Then the angel raised his wonderful eyes, and swept the sea of faces before him.
"These scales weigh no earthly and visible substance," he said. "They weigh the love of God in the hearts of men. If any man love God for a selfish reason, the scales remain as now. But when a man comes who loves Him only for His own loveliness, the scales are equal. ”

“ Conrad expected the little cowherd to express great surprise at the beautiful things he showed him, one by one,—things his father had brought from far-away lands, but Dolf cared for nothing so much as the dogs; and presently he was down on the floor, playing with them and teaching them tricks.
"Your horse of chased silver with jewels for eyes is well enough," he said, "but for my part give me something that is alive."
Father Johann smiled when he heard this, but he said nothing. He watched Dolf through the day, without seeming to do so, and he liked the free-spoken lad well. ”

“ Plum-Blossom tried to obey, but she was smaller than her sister, and not so active.
She slipped off the shiny back two or three times, and when at last she succeeded in getting her feet into the fish's mouth, she slipped down too quickly, and Cherry-Bloom could hear her muffled sobs from within the vase.
She was about to call out "Have you hurt yourself?" when another sound struck her quick ears,—a sound of feet—of heavy, grown-up feet; and in a moment she had uttered one loud "Hush!" for the benefit of her little sister, and crouched down lower in the body of the china dolphin. ”

“ He resolutely shut his eyes in order not to see the unfortunate dog, and put both hands over his ears so as not to hear it moan, and would have passed by; but the dog, as if reading his thoughts, summoned up all its weak strength, and threw itself in front of him so that he stumbled over its body. He opened his eyes and met the dying animal's gaze. ”

“ Aimée glanced doubtfully at Leo.
"I should be afraid," she said. "But you do not mind the dark because you are like the curé. The curé says the good God sees in the dark and takes care of us."
M. Alphonse was silent. He did not know much about God's care.
"Yes, that is very good when one is frightened," the child went on. "Also, it is good to have some one come to see you. The next time I come I shall bring you a bag of bon-bons. My grandmother, every time I go to see her, gives me some. I love my grandmother much. Does any one love you, M. Alphonse?" ”

“ Hundreds of people were gathered together at Memphis for the seven-days festival in honor of Apis. The city was full, and the sun shone on splendid dresses, rich uniforms, gold and silver and jewels, glancing arms, and gilded chariots. ”

“ Uncle Robert is a tyrant. He wanted to frighten us and make us make mistakes in the things he asked us about, so that he could find fault with us. He is perfectly horrid! I don't see how mother could have had such a horrid brother."
Willie considered the matter.
"She thought he was kind and nice; she always said so."
"That was just because she was kind and dear and lovely and an angel, herself," said Roy with a shaking voice. "mother always thought well of people, even if every one else knew they were hateful."
Willie was silent for a while. ”