ORY OF THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE._

Many of you will remember the story I told you of Little Blessed-Eyes
and the wonderful power his fairy god-mother gave him of seeing
instantly the best that was in everybody. To-day I want to tell you of
some of the remarkable things which happened after Blessed-Eyes had
become chief counsellor to the King, for, of course, the King was glad
to keep near him a man with such power as that.

Long years have passed since our last story and Blessed-Eyes had been
the King's Chief Counsellor for ten years, or more, and the capital had
become the most renowned city on earth. One day Blessed-Eyes was walking
through its streets when he heard a deep sigh as of some one in great
trouble. He turned, and looking around saw a poor laboring man with his
head bent forward upon his hands, as he sat on the doorstep of a house
near by.

"What is the matter?" said Blessed-Eyes gently, stopping in front of the
man.

"Ah," replied the poor man, "I can find nothing to do in this great
city. All the places in the shops and stores are already taken and my
children are starving for want of bread."

"What large, strong arms you have!" said Blessed-Eyes.

"Yes," replied the man, "but of what use are they to me. One can measure
tape or weigh sugar with much smaller arms than mine."

"Why do you not seek the King?" continued Blessed-Eyes, "and offer to go
to yonder mountain range and quarry the beautiful white marble which
lies there. I have heard that it is the most beautiful marble in the
whole world. Those great strong arms of yours could do a grand work in
the King's quarry."

The man's face softened at once. "I will go," he said.

The King gladly accepted the strong man's offer and the next day started
him out with crow-bars and drills to the mountain district, and soon
there came a wagon load of beautiful white marble, and then another and
then another. The King was so pleased with the marble that he sent ten
men to help the strong man in his work, and then twenty and then a
hundred, until the mountain tops rang with the sturdy blows of the
quarrymen. And soon a vast pile of the glistening, white marble had been
collected in the King's stoneyard, and the poor and discouraged man with
the strong arms had become the most famous stonemason in the world.

Not long after this, Blessed-Eyes and the King walked one fine evening
to look at the shining white marble and to plan how best it could be
u