THE WHITE DOVE WITH THE GOLD RING. 187

one spoke roughly. The name of the Prince was often mentioned.
Some of the children looked wistful when they spoke of him; but
others were only careless and happy, and shouted more loudly and
laughed more noisily when they talked of the day when he would come
ol bring the birds with him.

Beer had never felt such happiness before in all his life, but
in spite of himself, as this day wore on and as other days followed, he
could not help feeling wistful too when the Prince was spoken of.

The Prince always paid his yearly visit at this time of year, but no
one exactly knew the hour or day of his arrival. All the children,
however, and the grown people, and even the old people, were
making preparations for him. There was an old lady named Mrs.
Lavender, in Summer Land who took a great fancy to Buttercup, and
often kissed him, and told him that he reminded her of a little boy
of her own who had gone beyond the Blue Mountains many years
before.

“T greatly hope that the Prince will want me to go back with him
this year,” she said to the little boy. “Not that. I complain, my
darling. I am intensely happy here, but still my happiness is not
quite perfect, for I want to be with my heart’s treasure, my own little
boy, whom you remind me of, again.”

“And I want to be with mother and Primrose,” said Buttercup.
“But hush! please, Mrs. Lavender—I don’t wish Sweet-Content to
hear. She is such a dear little gu, and it does make her sad when her
playmates go.’

“She is a blessed child,” said Mrs. Lavender; “but her turn will
come some day.”

“Come and play, Buttercup, come and play,” shouted numbers of
merry voices. ‘The little boy kissed Mrs. Lavender and ran off.

Mrs. Myrtle used to tuck Buttercup up every night in his little
white bed. She would kiss him affectionately, and say, ‘‘ Have golden
dreams, my child.”

One summer’s night the moon looked in at his casement window,
and Buttercup, closing his happy eyes, had very golden dreams indeed.
When he awoke early on a brilliant summer’s morning he was aitracted

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