carried away
when they bloom, and never come back again. We only sat for a few hours
in a shop before we were pinned in paper, and brought here by a dreadful
boy, who left us at your door. We were much pleased to find ourselves in
this pretty vase of fresh water in a quiet, warm room, with a gentle
mistress to look at us. Now, if you want a story about our people, I
will tell you an old one that all our family know and like very much."

"Do!" cried Marion; and then, with kitty asleep on her arm, she lay and
listened with the deepest interest to this little history of--

THE PRINCES AND THE PANSIES:

A FAIRY TALE.

Once upon a time there was a King who had two little sons, named Purple
and Plush because they always wore mourning for their mother, who died
when they were born. The King would not wear purple, which is the proper
color for royal sorrow. He was a very selfish man, and cared only for
his own comfort; so he lived in his splendid rooms, and amused himself
among his books, quite lazy and contented in his green velvet
dressing-gown and red cap, sleeping a great deal, reading, and drinking
wine so that he might forget the loss of his beautiful queen.

He did not care about his little sons, and left them to the nurses and
then the tutors, as they grew up from babies to pretty boys, so sweet
and wise and good that people said the spirit of their dead mother must
watch over them; and perhaps it did. They were always together, always
busy, always kind and gentle, but rather sad, because their father did
not love them; and all the affection of the many friends they made could
not make up for the loss of father and mother love.

His subjects wanted the King to marry again, so that the court might be
gay with feasts and balls and splendid games as it used to be; but he
was too selfish and lazy to disturb himself, till a certain beautiful
lady came to see him. She was a widow, with two little daughters, named
Primrose and Daffodil because they always wore yellow gowns. Their
mother was the Princess Jonquil, and dressed in cloth of gold. She was
very proud, and wished to be queen; so she put on a purple velvet cloak,
and made the little girls wear purple hats to look as if they mourned
like the rest of the kingdom, and went to court to marry the King. They
were all so pretty and charming that every one admired and welcomed
them; and while the Princess played chess and read poetry to amuse his
Majesty, the children