60 THE GOLDEN TOUCH.

derful to us, but at which the people of old times would
have stared their eyes out. On the whole, I regard our
own times as the strangest of the two; but, however that
may be, I must go on with my story.

Midas was enjoying himself im his treasure-room, one
day, as usual, when he perceived a shadow fall over the
heaps of gold; and, looking suddenly up, what should
he behold. but the figure of a stranger, standing in the

bright and narrow sunbeam! It was a young man, with
a cheerful and ruddy face. Whether it was that the im-
agination of King Midas threw a yellow tinge over every-
ihing, or whatever the cause might be, he could not help
fancying that the smile with which the stranger regarded
him had a kind of golden radiance in it. Certainly, al-
though his figure intercepted the sunshine, there was now
a brighter gleam upon all the piled-up treasures than be-
fore. Even the remotest corners had their share of it,
and were lighted up, when the stranger smiled, as with
tips of flame and sparkles of fire.

As Midas knew that he had carefully turned the key
in the lock, and that no mortal strength could possibly
break into his treasure-room, he, of course, concluded
that his visitor must be something more than mortal. It
is no matter about tellmg you who he was. In those
days, when the earth was comparatively a new affair, it was
supposed to be often the resort of bemgs endowed with
supernatural power, and who used to interest them-
selves in the joys and sorrows of men, women, and chil-
dren, half playfully and half seriously. Midas had met
such beings before now, and was not sorry to meet one