THE SOVEREIGN OF THE MINERAL
KINGDOM

NCE upon a time, and a long long time ago it was,

there lived a widow who had a very pretty daughter.
The mother, good honest woman, was quite content with her
station in life. But with the daughter it was otherwise; she,
like a spoilt beauty, looked contemptuously upon her many
“admirers, her mind was full of proud and ambitious thoughts,
and the more lovers she had, the prouder she became.

One beautiful moonlight night the mother awoke, and
being unable to sleep, began to pray God for the happiness
of her only child, though she often made her mother’s life
miserable. The fond woman looked lovingly at the beautiful
daughter sleeping by her side, and she wondered, as she
saw her smile, what happy dream had visited her. Then

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