Life — December 3, 1898 — page 30: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

470 “No; I'm sorry to say, I never have.” “You needn't be so airy; our King ts a very great man, Now, if you're good and polite to mo I'll take you to see our King.” I promised. So down we went to the City ef Pearls, About us swam beautiful fish, some purple, somo crimson, some gold, Nowand then we met a pretty mermaid leaning on the fin of a goldfish, and as they passed she bowed and smiled, but the Ash ouly stared at me vacantly. Down the street rolled a chariot; it was made of gold, inlaid with pearls, The coachman and footman were crimson fisb, the prancing stecds sea-horses, In tho chariot reclined a mermaid, beautifal to behold. She was taller than ber sis- ters, and sho bore a queenly air, On her lips played that same happy smile I had seen on those of all tho others. She approached, nnd I neticed that all tho fish stood still and bowed. As sb drew near she waved her and with a gracious bow she sid: the Land of Pearls!” I turned to my tiny mermaid—sho was dancing at my side, I looked round at the smiling faces of her sisters, at the gayly colored fish, AbI— happy little world! A world without a cre! “And who is the lady?” Tasked. “Sho's the Queen, And now we aro drawing near to our King. Don’t you feel afraid?” With such a merry twinkle she looked at me, my heart bounded with delight. I took ber fuco betwoen my hands, I kissed her—there in the street, before the crowd. Tho other mermaids dancod about us; the fish laughed with glee, and all of them exclaimed : “Ho kissed her in the street!” My mermaid was silent; sbo blushed a delicate rose; she pressed my hand and murmured: “You're very nice.” We turned the corner of a street into an open square where stood a pavilion, built of coral, and overgrown with seaweed of rare growth, somo red, some green, We entered and stood before a golden throne. It was studded with diamonds, emeralds, rubies and peatls. Oncither side stood a swordfish, and about us were grouped mermaids and gayly colored fish. A man sat on thethrone; long white hair hung about his shoulders, a white beard flowed down his breast. A crown of gold was on his bead, and in his hand he held a three- pronged spear. Weather-beaten was his face, and his eyebrows shaggy. But his eyes twiukled, and a smile played round the corners of his mouth, “ Welcome, friend! What brought you here? My mermaid meekly spoke: “Please, your Ex- collency, Ibrought him. Imet him at the pool; he put his arm about me, and was so very nice, I wanted bim to come to the Land of Pearls.” +The monarch knit his brow and said: “8o, sir, you've been flirt ing with one of my mermaids!" All the fish and mermaids crowded about us; they laughed, and cried aloud : “ Yes—and ho kissed ber in the street; we saw it!” There we were—two wicked culprits—accused of some unknown crime. By my side my mermaid stooa trembling; her exquisite little head drooped pathetically, I felt myself growing angry. I turned d to us, Welcome to MK, WHISTLER, on tho crowd and exclaimed :* Yes, and I'll do itaguin it you like!” Her band stole into mine, she pressed it softly—just a dainty little squeezo—and the crowd shouted: “He'll do it again if we like!” “Silence!” cried the King. “We'll lock him up in prison; that will be the thing—'twill teach him better manners.” “Don’t send him to prison, dear King,” pleaded my lovely mer- maid. “Just because he was nico to me. The gentleman's a friend of mine. I love him, and he loves me.” “Ob!” exclaimed the King, “ you love him! Well, that's another