GOLDEN LOCKS: OR, THE TRIUMPH OF LOVE. BY J. R. WALINGFORD. HERE was once a Queen who so thirsted for wisdom, that she could not rest until she had visited the Garden of the Golden Apples, sometimes called the Garden of the Hesperides. She had of ten heard it said that whosoever gained access to this wonderful garden became possessed of great knowledge, and forgetting that knowledge is often sorrow, she longed to partake of the golden fruit. It was a long time before the ambitious Queen gained her object, for the nine fairies-otherwise known as the Lady Muses-who presided over Hesperides, did not admit all applicants to their palace grounds. But she gained the good will of the Fairy Clio-one of the nine-and through her influence obtained permission to [abide with the Lady Muses for a reasonable length of time. In fact, they quite took possession of her, and never afterward could she speak of the number of times she had taken a pull at the golden apples without sky; when a couple of leaves seemed to be whisblushing, so greedy was she. The nine sisters informed the Queen that she would soon be blessed with a little daughter, and they made her promise that the child should be theirs to educate. They said they would teach it all the knowledge of the world; but they said not a word about love, affection, pity, charity. And when the Queen spoke of these things they sighed and answered as follows, or to the same effect: "A man can find out those things called the affections for himself. Our teacher, Minerva, never troubled herself with our hearts; she had quite enough to do with our heads." So the Queen promised to confide the education of her first daughter, should that personage ever be born, to the nine fairies who lived in the old mountain garden of the Hesperides. Having passed a sufficiency of time with her new friends, she then returned to her courtiers, who were very glad to bow to her Majesty again. A few months later, sure enough, a little girl was born to the Queen, and the nine ladies sent for her in a very handsome manner. But the King, at first, refused to give the little one up, and observed (very naturally, to be sure) that the child was his; that he had not in any way promised to make a gift of his own flesh and blood; and that he preferred to keep it. The nine fairies thereupon sent in their protocols. In the first, they represented that a husband was in honor bound by his wife's word. In the second, they maintained that he was selfish to stand in the way of his daughter's education. In the third, they maintained their right to do as they liked; while, by the full protocol, the King was given to understand that if he opposed the forces of the nine shapes of knowledge, by the very act he gave his land over to Ignorance, War, Famine and Pestilence. Consequently, after due deliberation, the unhappy King revoked his first decision, and told the fairies they could take his child. So little Golden Locks, as the child was called (because she had such beautiful golden hair), was borne away to the palace of the Lady Muses. Her nine godmothers were very good to her. They immediately proceeded with her education, and promised that she should be one of the most learned princesses that ever lived; that she should be possessed of all the qualities, and that when she arrived at a marriageable age they would find her a husband quite worthy of her. Before she was five years old, the use of the globes was old knowledge to her, and she was perfect in Greek. We are very much afraid that the parents of Golden Locks forgot her after a time. They were very selfish, and as they had a large family, why, naturally, half a dozen children dulled the edge of the grief they had once experienced for their eldest and far-distant daughter. pering together, she envied them. Nothing seemed alone but her. She likened herself to the black rock, streaked with red, which she had often seen standing isolated in the garden, and which she had been told was the demon dragon slain by Apollo, and turned to stone by pitying Jupiter. No, she was not happy. Yet she could not have explained why. She grew up very beautiful, but all unconscious of her beauty. One day when Golden Locks was about seventeen, the most remarkable of her nine godmothers, Clio, came to her, and nodding her old head, remarked: "I have good news for you." The old lady laughed. "What is it?" asked Golden Locks. "Married? What is that?" she asked. Yes, gentle reader, she was probably the only girl of seventeen that had ever lived up to that age and had never heard of the word marriage. In all her life, thus far, she had never seen others than her nine godmothers, and she did not even know that there were such creatures as men. "You are to be the companion of a youth as wise as yourself," Clio explained; "and happy indeed, will be your life." "What is a youth ?" asked Golden Locks. "Bless the girl!" said Clio; and all the other fairies, who by this time had gathered round their protege, to hear how she would receive the news, began to laugh in a very unladylike way, as it seemed to her. "Why, a youth is a young man!" "And what," said Golden Locks, discovering all at once that she was deplorably and shockingly ignorant, "and what is a young man ?" The nine sisters now looked at one another in great alarm, and Clio said. "Why, here is this girl knew the terrestrial and celestial globes through and through before she was seven; she had mastered astronomy at twelve and there was nothing more we could teach her quite six months ago; and here she is more ignorant of the opposite sex than the next little miss of five years of age! There must be something wrong here." "I always said so," remarked the Fairy Terpsichore. "I have observed that men always admire me and my abilities far more thoroughly than the fair sex, and I am bound to say that Golden Locks has been ill used." "Well, well," said the Fairy Euterpe; "what is undone is undone, and what can be accomplished should not be left unachieved. In the first place, show her the portrait of our sweet Cerebrumino." "A very happy idea," said the Fairy Melpomene, Golden Locks became as learned as all her teach- with a sepulchral sigh. "Let her see Cerebrumi ers put together. But she was not happy. Something was wanting. When she saw the butterflies chasing one anoth er; when two cloudlets touched, kissing in the no's effigy, by all means." They showed her the picture, and she fairly turned pale with the shock it gave her. "And is that a man?" she cried, staring incredulously at the portrait. "It is, indeed; and a model one," said Clio. "Why, he has more knowledge than all the princes in the world." "Well-that would not be much," said Thalia, who was always laughing, despite the deplorable nature of the comparison. "But I have seen handsomer youths." As for Golden Locks, she thought she had never seen such a horrid sight. The eyes of the man were of a chalky green, and he wore large goggle glasses; there was not a bit of hair on the top of his head, and he had a positive hump. His complexion was of a yellowish green, and his under lip poked out like a spout. "What a fright!" exclaimed the girl. "Not at all," said Clio; "his condition is the exact result of his sweet life. He has pored over so many books that he has hurt his eyesight; he has rubbed his head so often while studying, that he has nobly rubbed off all the hair; he has grown hump-backed leaning over invaluable manuscripts, and the dust of old documents has so completely ruined his dear digestion, that, as you see, he has got no complexion left. The projection of his under lip is the result of continued thought, and is only an added beauty, from my point of view." Most of the sisters cordially agreed, but Thalia and Terpsichore began to laugh. "I think him hideous!" said Golden Locks, boldly; "and besides what is the good of one man possessing all the knowledge in the world, if he ruins his health forever? Would it not be better that all he knew should be divided among a hundred healthy men, who should be useful in a hundred different ways, than that one should know everything, and be capable of doing nothing-for your friend appears to be next door to a mummy. What are those things under his arms?" "Those are his crutches; for he has grown so weak studying forever, that his poor legs can do nothing but stagger under him, and the crutches help him to keep on his poor feet." "Then I don't think much of his understanding," said Golden Locks. This achieved her disgrace, and she was hurried to her little bed-room, where she had passed so many happy years, when work seemed all sufficient, and she had no thought of to-morrow. But to go to sleep she could not. She was only able to weep and moan, and not knowing what she yearned for, could only cry "Come! come!" The nightingales were singing by hundreds in the grove, and she wondered why she could not be as happy as they. His head was covered with thick golden curls, and it was easy to see how he had reached the window sill. He had two little fluttering white wings, that looked like silver in the moonlight. Furthermore, he had a little case full of quills at his back, and he carried in one hand a lovely little bow, of white whalebone, stretched with a golden thread. "Who are you?" asked Golden Locks. "Men call me Cupid," said the little fellow, in a very charming voice. "But I call myself Recreatettos. Yes, it is a long name. But there is a good deal in a name sometimes, if you will but look long enough. I am the oldest immortal in the world, and that is the reason why I am always in appearance the youngest. But of course, wise as you are, I cannot expect you, seeing the shameful ignorance of my existence in which my sisters have kept you, to understand anything concerning my organization. But the great advantage about me is that most humans understand me without any trouble or learning on my part. One day I am not for them-by next mid-day sun I am their Thereupon Terpischore and Thalia laughed master and for life, AND FOR LIFE, if my votary again. 6. Highty-tighty!" said Clio. "Here is a very pretty business indeed. Seventeen, and talking to her elders in this manner!" "Oh, my dear godmother,"said Golden Locks, "I want to know nothing more about men! I shall be quite willing to live among you till I die, only I confess there is something here in my heart which seems very heavy." "Go to your room directly," said Clio; "and as wisdom is far above mere externals, there will be no need to delay the wedding because of mere dressmakers. You will be married to-morrow at eleven, and I sincerely trust, my dear sisters, that Cerebrumino will not be too late for the wedding, as after mid-day it cannot be legally done; and, to tell the truth, a more unpunctual man I never knew." "Perhaps," said Golden Locks-and she felt that she was breaking out into flat rebellion— "Perhaps he is always behindhand because he has so much to carry in bis head." is wise. I cannot come unless I am called, and the human nature in you, which my sisters have tried to kill, has been stronger than wisdom. So much the better?" "You speak very kindly." "Oh, even if I did not, you would think I did. I blind people to all faults; so much so, that I have actually caused a young person to fall in love with Cerebrumino. She thinks him perfection." "Is it possible?" cried Golden Locks. "Look here," said her visitor. This is more after your taste." ་་ And thereupon he placed a little miniature into her hand. She looked at it eagerly, and found it to be the likeness of an exceedingly handsome young prince, with a pleasant, smiling face and very bright eyes. It must be confessed that Golden Locks fell in love with the young prince on the spot, and fell to kissing the picture rapturously. The next day there was quite a disturbance in the palace, and several of her godmothers so far forgot their wisdom and classical condition of com plete coolness as to shake Golden Locks yery violently. Then out flew her miniature, and the truth with it; for she told them exactly what had happened. one stolen. You see hearts will go out and meet hearts, for all the cold-blooded wisdom in the world." "Indeed, sir, you should not despise the acquisition of learning, for you speak very learnedly your Of course they were all very angry. "Here is all our knowledge destroyed by love!" self." they exclaimed, one after another. "Love!" said Golden Locks, with a great deal of spirit. "A grain of love is worth all the wisdom in the world!" This insult was more than they could bear. "Indeed!" snapped Clio. "Then, since you defy wisdom, I desire you to become a mere prickly hedgehog-now!-this minute!-and remain such until the original of your miniature takes pity upon you, and wrings your neck!" There was a great crash, and a tumble; and immediately Golden Locks found herself alone in a great forest, with her little miniature around her neck. She was not in human form, but in the shape of a small and exceedingly ugly quadruped. Clio had actually turned her into a hedgehog! For awhile she knew not what to do. She ran hither and thither, cowering under logs and brushheaps, and feeling decidedly miserable. But after awhile the nature of the animal she personated began to assert itself within her, and she felt more at ease. On the second day after the transformation, she was wandering through the woods in search of something to eat when she espied a huntsman coming towards her. He was close upon her before she discovered him; she was about to flee,' when, as she glanced up into his face, she saw that he was the very prince with whom she was in love-the original of the picture which Cupid had given her! The discovery stupefied her; she could not move; she could not even roll herself in a ball after the fashion of alarmed hedgehogs. She could only faint dead away! When she returned to consciousness she found that she was no longer a hedgehog, but a human being once more. Also, the delicious fact became apparent that her head was pillowed on a strong arm, and a handsome, smiling face was looking down into hers. Overwhelmed with confusion, she struggled to her feet. The Prince took off his plumed hat, and bowed low before her. "Tell me," he said; "did you faint because you were blinded by love?" "I beg, your highness, that you will spare my blushes," said Golden Locks, her heart fluttering so violently that it almost suffocated her. The Prince dropped upon one knee, and imprisoned both her little hands. "Look here, Lady Golden Locks; do you see this portrait? I picked it up when I took pity upon you; and as I wrung your neck according to the order I received from Cupid, I looked at the picture, and saw that it was my own likeness-a miniature mysteriously stolen from my palace." "You are very good," said Golden Locks. "I will, if you please, take it back. Why, what is this you give me? This is my likeness!" "But mark how love has foiled the wisdom of your godmothers. They desired that you should only regain your form when I should wring your neck. But a hedgehog is an animal whose neck as a rule, cannot be wrung, owing to the spiked quills which grace it. But the chain of the miniature you wore round your neck had worn away the thorns, and the wise nine were foiled. You are now human. Whither go you?" "Prince, I know not." "You love me, Golden Locks ?" "Yes, Prince." "If you were my wife, you would come to my palace, and live with me. Will you come to my palace, darling?" "If you wish it, Prince." And thus Love conquered Wisdom. A NIGHT IN THE WOODS. ANY years ago I was travelling through a thinly populated district. It so happened that I had got belated in a long, lonely wood, where, for the last three miles I had not even seen a hut. I kept on, however, for another half-hour; when I was suddenly rejoiced with the faint glimmer of a light in the distance. Some half-hour afterwards I found myself at the door of a tenanted building, and heard voices within. Under other circumstances, I think I should have remembered that I was carrying no small amount in money and valuables, and considered the danger of committing myself to the keeping of strangers; but, at the time, I only thought of being cold and wet, and faint with fatigue and hunger, and, without hesitation, knocked at the door. The voices instantly ceased; and the words, "Come in," reached my ears like a growl, and at once brought me to a sense of the situation I was in. But it was too late to retreat. The door was opened with a jerk, a dim light shone upon me, and the same growl, coming from a stout, grim-visaged man, said,"Who's there?" I stepped boldly forward, and asked if I could obtain supper and lodging for the night. The man eyed me sharply, glanced at my trunks, and then, with a kind of grim smile, replied, a little less gruffly, "Yes! Come in!" I complied with what seemed rather a command than a welcome, and the next minute would willingly have given a year of my life to be safely in the woods again, even though to spend the night in the storm. There were three men and a woman in a small, dingy room; and four more unprepossessing, ill "Yes," returned the Prince; " left in place of the looking characters I have never seen. The men were from thirty to forty years of age, coarsely dressed, with black, matted hair, long beards, and dirty, swarthy features, while the woman-thin, tall, and sallow, with small, sharp eyes, and a harsh, unpitying expression-seemed a fit companion for such ungainly fellows. I glanced furtively about the apartment, and was somewhat relieved, on perceiving a rude bar in one corner, to know the house to be an inn, and I tried to reassure myself with the hope that two of the party, at least, were travellers. The host closed the door with a bang, and locked it; and then, as he swaggered forward towards the fire, said, in a low, gruff tone, which he doubtless intended should sound more pleasant than his first growl In a few minutes, however, I had settled upon my course of action, and my self-control returned. Pushing back from the table, I turned once more to the fire, and opened a cheerful and lively conversation with men whom I believed to be prepared for murder and robbery. At length, with a yawn, I announced that I would retire for the night, as I wished to make an early start on the morrow. "I will take my trunks with me," I added in a tone of indifference, as the host, with a meaning glance at his companions, readily started up to light me to my chamber, "for in one of them I have some articles of dress, which I shall need." "Oh, yes-take 'em with you-for they're valuable, no doubt, and you'll feel easier with 'em in your own room." "Nay, for that matter," returned I, "I know they will be as safe here as there;" which I believed to be the truth, though not in the sense he "Come, stranger, set down your trunks and walk up to the fire-for you're cold and wet. A disagreeable night outside; but you'll find it quite comfortable here. Mag, this man wants some supper, and so fetch it on, while he warms and received it. dries himself."" I proceeded to relieve myself of my trunks, and, in doing so, I detected an exchange of glances that made me feel quite uneasy. I concealed all show of this, however, and advanced to the fire with a cheerful air, remarking that it was very pleasant indeed to get into such comfortable quarters on such a disagreeable night. "Yes, indeed!" assented the host, while the woman got up quietly and proffered me her seat. "Sit down there and dry yourself. Take a little so'thing to warm you up?" he added, nodding towards the bar. "Thank you," I replied, "I would rather not at present-I seldom indulge!" I was afraid he would either poison or drug the liquor. And all this time, without scarcely glancing at the two other men, I was conscious they were silently and furtively examining me. At length the woman announced supper, and I immediately drew up to the table, with my back to the fire, in order to enable the different parties to confer together without my seeming to notice them; while, on the other hand, I could keep my eyes and ears alert without the risk of detection. As I had expected, they began to converse among themselves, upon commonplace topics, gradually lowering their voices and drawing their heads together, till at last I saw the shadow of the host nod slightly, as if towards me, and barely distinguished the words, spoken in a low tone, "Do you think it'll do?" If there was any reply to this, I did not hear it; but probably it was answered by a nod or glance. Something seemed to tell me, however, that my doom was decreed. It was well that none of the villains saw my face at that moment, for I really believe it would have ended in their bringing their foul design to a more speedy termination. I thought rapidly upon some plan for escape, the while I seemed to be wholly absorbed in the occupation of appeasing my hunger. I had no weapon save an ordinary clasp-knifeand even with pistols I was only one against four -for the woman would undoubtedly take part against me. He carried up one, and I the other, to a small bedroom in the second story. He then put down the light on a small stand, hoped I should have a pleasant sleep, would call me early in the morning, bade me good-night, and went down to his companions to arrange matters for making my sleep eternal. As soon as he was out of the room, I closed the door, and made a hurried examination of the place. There was, as I had hoped, a window; and to this I hurried, opened it, and received a gust of wind and rain in my face. I thrust out my head, and could dimly perceive the dark ground below, at a distance not too great to venture a leap, in the event of finding my worst suspicions confirmed. I closed the window, and went to the door, but found it had neither lock, bolt, nor fastening. It simply latched, and that was all. I made it partially secure, however, by thrusting the blade of my knife over the latch. Then I sat down in the chair and ruminated. Should I trust myself to remain till assailed? Was I to believe that an attempt would be made to murder me? After all, might I not be mistaken in the parties ? Might they not be coarse and rough, but honest? I pondered on the matter for half an hour, when the dim burning of my lamp aroused me to the fact that I should soon be in darkness, and this thought prepared me for instant action. I took a sheet from the bed, tore it in half, tied the two parts together, blew out my light, and lowered my trunks from the window. I was a little surprised, when I had run out the whole length of my sheet rope, to find the trunks had not yet touched the earth. But a few feet more or less was nothing; and so, without giving the matter a second thought, I set the trunks to swinging, and, during their greatest oscillation, let them drop to one side, that I might not fall upon them, in case of any accident happening to me while lowering myself. I next drew the bedstead noiselessly to the win |