The Little Colonel's House Party

, the Little Colonel went into her

n't a thing to weah but that lawn dress that she has put on every evenin' since she came, and it isn't fresh enough. I ca

suppose I spent that hot morning in town for, the day after she came, and why, do you thin

sion of doubt showed in the anxious pucker of her forehead. "But, mothah, she

too mean to be worn in my house, and that I was ashamed to have a guest of mine present such an appearance, that would naturally hurt her pride

At least she was when I came

nto her room. I'll tell you when I

e heard a whispered "Ready;" then she called: "Come up

hen Lloyd and Betty skipped into the white and gold room. Betty had a boo

EGAN THE

ber the story of the enchanted necklace that

stories. I have read it twenty times, I am sure, an

ase. She has never heard it, and I want

hair full of cushions, and with her finger still ma

ded her. This woman was an old flax-spinner, and lived in a humble thatched cottage near the castle. She had taken pity on Olga when the little orphan was a helpless baby, and so

the woods, and spread the linen on the grass to bleach. This she did to help th

nce of the castle rode by on his prancing charger. A snow-white plume waved in his hat,

from the spring, holding it in the hollow of her beautiful white hands, and, reaching up to where he sat, offered him the sparkling water. So gracefully was it do

lga to the castle. Princesses and royal ladies from all over the realm were to be entertained there, seven days and seven nights. Every night a grand b

o the courier and promised that Olga

a promise, when thou knowest full well this gown of tow is all I own? Wouldst have me stand before

ear a court robe of the finest. Years have I toiled to g

w upon it, and rolled it in her palm, and muttering, turned and turned and turned it. And as the spell was laid upon it, it shrivelled it into a tiny round ball like a seed, and she st

e the old dame in her dress of tow. To her wonderment and grief she saw the old flax-spinner had no silken robe in waiting, only a string of beads which she

old dame. 'When thou reachest the castle g

weet sake, in m

deck me, l

thee. But remember carefully the charm. Only to the magic words, "For love's sweet sake," will the neckla

ame to the castle gate. There she paused, and grasping a bead of the

weet sake, in

deck me, l

d been blown across from some flower of Eden. Olga looked down and found herself enveloped in a robe of such delicate texture that it seemed soft

. Never before had he seen such a vision of loveliness. 'Surely,' said he, 'some rose of Paradise hath

fingers, repeating the charm. This time the pale yellow of the daffodils seemed to have woven itself into a cloth of go

age which had given her shelter so long. The next day, when she had returned to her gown of tow, and was no longer a haughty court lady, but only Olga, the flax-spinner's maiden, she repined at her lot. F

cenes in which she had taken a bright, brief part. The old flax-spinner's fingers trembled as she spun, when she saw the frowns, for she had given of her heart's bl

n the charm. The day's discontent had darkened her memory as stor

maid was ever clad before, so that I may find favour in the prince's sight and become th

d the turrets. The black night hawks in the forests flapped their

cklace. But the string broke and the beads went rolling away in the darkness in

of tow. But after awhile, through her sobbing, stole the answering sob of the night wind. 'Hush-sh!'

ee the little thatched cottage and the bent form of the lonely old woman at the wheel. All the years in which the good dame had befriended her seemed to rise up in a r

sion, for now she saw plainly that through no power of her own could she wrest strange favours from fortune. Only the power of

weet sake, in

deck me, l

ll about her, and a gossamer gown floated around her, whiter than the whiteness of the fairest lily. It was fine, like the finest l

kneeling, kissed her hand, and claimed her as his bride. Then came the bishop in his mitre, and led her to t

e. And in the merriment the old flax-spinner was again forgotten. Her kindness of the

earth, and took root and sprang up. There at the castle gate they bloomed, a

o them in wonderment. 'What do you here?' she cried, for in her lone

flax-spinner's gift,-the necklace thou didst break and scatter. From her heart'

a grieved as she listened, that she could have been so ungrateful. Then she brought the prince to listen to the story of the strange, strange flow

ttage walls and castle gardens, reminding us how often 'tis throug

while the Little Colonel, who had listened with one arm

lying in her lap under the sewing, and lifted so

you suppose the Princess Olga's necklace was anything like

: "It isn't made out of my heart's blood by any means, and it will not lead you to any Prince Charming, but it is my privilege as godmother to lay a spell on them. Let's see h

m, and laid her hand on top of the shabby little leather trunk. Shutting her eyes so tight tha

weet sake, in

deck me, l

, threw back the lid of the trunk. All that Betty could utter, a

d lilacs as could be found in a bunch of fresh sweet peas. Below were glimpses of linen and lace and embroidery, and in the top t

o the dressmaker's, compared to the rapture in Betty's shining eyes? Mrs. Sherman had never seen such happiness, or heard such a gladness in a voice as when Betty cried out, "Oh, godmother! Are you a witch? It is too good to be true. I

what you meant, mothah," she said, "about the different ways of givin' things. It can't hurt anybody's pride if you make