“Princess ’Melia.”

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXX, Issue XV, 11 April 1903, Page 1040

“Princess ’Melia.”

H»t i«.h! Maine was Amelia Maria., but 140 one ever < ailed her anything else but ’Melia. She was :i qnaint-looking little, personage, rather small, with very thin leg*, straight brown hair, that was always falling over her eyes. and not much nose to -peak of: and I am sure, to look at her, you would never guess (not if you Hied your verj hardest) that ’Melia -Muggins was a princess! Yet, I assure you that it wrs a fact, and this is how it <-ame about.

Melia was not a born princess; her parents were certainly not a. king and queen; Ho, her lather went up and down the streets wheeling a barrow, and call lug out in a hoarse voice: ‘’Bag-a-bow-o! Bag-a-how o-o o!” And her mother was known in (iriibly Lane, where ’Melia lived, as a ‘"niaDoling lady.”

’Melia herself was a very busy little, woman; she helped mother clean ann s<’our, cari'et' home the mangling, and “minded” Alexander and Victoria when there Avas nothing else to do. Now. one day ’.Melia had been out shopping, and was running home as fast as her two thin legs would carry her, with a pat of butter for tea. on a plate, with a small spmre of paper on the top of it. when she saw two boys teasing a poor old crow, that had. somehow broken one of it-, wings.

The bad boys would put. the crow on the ground, then, when it vainly tried to fly away, run after it with shouts of laughter, ami catch it. again. ( crtainly it was a funny sight to see the great bird run a little way, flap one wing and hop into the air; then, with a hoarse ‘'Caw! Law!” it would fall again to the ground. But \Melia did not think it at ail p,m using; she was a ten-der-heart <d link- soul, so, popping her plate with its pat of butter down on a doorstep, she ran up to the boys, who were neighbours’ children with whom she some limes played.

“Say, Bob Smith/’ said she, 1 “I’ll giva you a penny if you'll let me ’ave. that crow.” “Ho, yes! I dare say,” replied Bob Smith; "you nin't got one.” "Haven’t I, though,” said ’Media, “and a bright one. too: a lady gave it me yesterday. when 1 took ’ome the mangling. ’ “Show us then,” demanded Bob the incredulous.

’Melia dived into the depths of her pocket, and produced a crumpled piece of paper, which she unfolded with much care, ami proudly displayed a bright new penny.

Bob looked al the penny, and then at the crow, who was now tired out with his efforts to fly away, and lay quite, still on the kerbstone. There did not seem Io be much more fun to be got out of him; so Bob took the penny, and, with his companion, raced oil’ to the nearest sweetstuff shop; and ’Melia gently lifted up the wounded bird, and, w rapping it tenderly in her tattered apron, clasped it in her arms, then picking up the plate of butter she managed, with some ditliculty, to carry them both home. "Bless me, child!’’ exclaimed Mrs Mug gins, “whatever have you got there? Here, give me the butter.” And she rescued it from ’.Melia, who had very nearly dropped it on the floor. “Of all things, io go and bring home a great bird like that. 1 don’t know where you are going to keep it, I’m sure.” “’There’s 1 hat old cage in the back yard. Muvver,’’ said 'Melia, eagerly. “J thought p’raps father ’d let me have it.” Air Muggins was leaning against the door|M»si, waiting for tea, ami smoking his pipe. Slowly removing it from his moutli. In* carefully examined the crow; 1 hen. alter -a* little consideration, he saidj "Well, yon ran have it, ’Melia, tho’ it’s worth quite twopence; but you won’t want it for long, I reckon. You don't s’pOhc that bird ’ll live, do yer?” But the crow* did not die —no, he got quite veil again; nil but his wing, which did not uicml. so that it was no use (os ’Melia explained to him) letting him go, iis he wotild not be able to fly. He certainl\ w»b not a beauty’ to look id. Me wit- <p»ite bald, his broken wing hung liiiipl\ down oh one side, and he had lost all the feathers except one ?r«>m hi- tail. But in spite of appearnnecs ’Melia was very fond of “Joe,” as fdie called him, and never forgot to give him food, clean water and a little bit of grotind-«J or watercress whenever she could get 1U

She talked to him too sometimes, so that he should not feel dull and lonely; and Joe would listen solemnly, with his head on one side, and say, “Caw! Caw!” as if he understood all about it. ’Melia said he did. Now. one afternoon ’Melia had taken Victoria and Alexander for a walk, ■which was no easy task, as Alexander was rather fat and not very steady on his legs, and every few minutes he would sit plump down on the pavement and ’Melia had ntueh ado in setting him on bis feet again. “Come along, Alexander, there’s an organ a-playin’,” she said, ns she tried to hoist him up for the fifteenth time. But Alexander was not to be coaxed; he did not want to walk and sat howling lustily on the ground. After several vain attempts to soothe him and plant him on his feet, again ’Melia gathered her fat little brother up in her arms and staggered home with him. Victoria trotting along by her side and holding fast to her skirt. The big clock in the church tower was striking four when ’Melia reached home again, and Mother had told her to keep the children out to five; so she sat down on the doorstep with Alexander in her lap, while Victoria trotted off to make dust pies with another little girl who lived next door. The sun was beginning to set. and at the end of the street there was a concertina and a monkey. “(•aw! Caw!” croaked the erow. ’.Melia look* I up. She always hung his cage in the doorway on fine days, so that he might, feel the sunshine and see what was going on in the world. ■’Well, .foe,” she said, “how are you?” “Pretty chirpy,” answered the bird. “Why, J didn’t know you could talk,” said '.Melia. “Didn’t you?. I am afraid there arc a good many things you don’t know, ’Melia,” replied Joe, as lie hopped from one leg to the- other, “it’s getting a bit chilly up here: I think 1 will come down for a change.” And Joe opened the door with his claw and ilew down on the doorstep beside ’Melia. “Why!” exclaimed '.Melia, “your wing is mended.” “Dear me! so it is, to be sure," said Joe: “you didn’t, know that cither, did yon, ’Melia?” and he gave a hoarse chuckle and flew up on to the roof of the opposite house; then circled round ami round two or three times (just to stretch his wings, you know, lie told ’Melia), and settled down on the. pavement in front of her again. “Now,” said Joe. “what shall we do to amuse ourselves?” “Well—we might play at being Princesses,” said ’Melia after a little consideration; “leastways, you be a Prince and 1 be a Princess, and Alexa nder—” “Oh! we won’t bother about Alexander,” interrupted Joe: “he’s gone to sleeu." “Dear! so he has,” said ’Melia. , “So you .would like to be a Princess, would you. -’Melia ?” Joe continued; “have you ever seen one?” “Once I did, when Teacher took us to the ‘pantymine.’ My! she was lovely, a-daneing and a-singing, with a beautiful white frock on, and a gold crown on her head. But tJiey said she wasn’t real, though,” she added with a little, sig!:. “Well, ’Melia, 1 was thinking of taking a little holiday trip, and as you have been a kind little girl 1 will take you with me if you like and show you some real princesses—lots of ’em.” “But there’s Alexander?” said ’Melia, doubtfully. “Prop him up against the door-post.” said Joe. “There, that’s right. Now, do just as. I do.” Ami he stood on the top step ami began Happing his wings. 'Melia hadn't any wings, but being a resourceful little woman she stretched out her arms ami tried to flap them up and down like the crow. “Now. one two, three, oil'," and up they shot into the air. ’Melia was quite surprised to find how easy it was to fly. if you only knew the way. “Follow me and don’t talk,” commanded Joe. And up. and up they went-past, the highest chimney-pot, pnst the church steeple, away and away, over streets and shops and houses, until at last they left them all behind, ami were out in tin- beautiful country, flying over green fields and shady woods, in which flowers were blooming and birds singing. Presently the crow swooped down wnd alighted in the most

lovely garden you have ever dreamed of. Fountains that sparkled with all the colours of the rainbow were playing iu Hie midst of daisy covered lawns, trees- covered with golden plums and nosy 'apples wore growing on every side, and Howers bloomed everywhere. Bailing over the lawns and playing under* the trees were lots of happy, laughing children. ’.Melia could see at onee tlnit they' must be princes and princesses, for they* were all dressed in white, and wore little golden crowns upon their heads. Directly they saw "Melia several children ran towards her. “Why, here is ’Melia,” they cried. ••Come and play with us, ’Melia. We are so glad you have come.” And away she went with the laughing children, and didn't she have a lovely time! She quite forgot her own shabby little frock and mended shoes, as she played hide and seek with the little princesses and swung in a golden swing under the trees;: andsoh! how high she went —right up into the clouds sometimes; and every time she swung back again the little , princesses would shout and elap their hands, and toss flowers and fruit into her Jap. Then she rested near a fountain and caught the glistening drops in her little hands; and. oh! how sweet and fresh the. water tasted. Dear little birds perched on her shoulders and squirrels and rabbits frisked about her and let her stroke them without seeming the least- little bit afraid. “How tame all the animals are!” she said delightedly. “To. be sine they are, ’Melia,” said •Toe, who was hopping about on the lawn. “No one who has been unkind to any animal, can ever come here; so they" have nothing to be afraid of, you see. But. here comes the King!” And "Melia saw that all the little Princesses were (locking round a kind looking old man, with a long, white beard, and a golden crown upon his head. “Who is this?” said he, smiling at "Mejia, as she ran towards him. “Please, your Majesty, it is another little girl who would like to be a princess,” said the crow. “Can she pass the examination?” asked the King. “Oh! please, sir, I don’t like examinations.” said ’Melia hastily. “It’s all right, my, child; you have passed already; Joe has told meal! about it,” said the King. And he handed her a card on which was printed in lai •ge letters: BULES FOB PRINCESSES. Don’t be cross. Do as yon- are told. Keep your, faee and hands clean. Always be kind to animals. “Now, ’Melia,” said the King, “as long as you keep those rules, you will be a princess; but if ever you break one of them, you will be just an ordinary little girl again.” “And please can 1 stay here?” she asked eagerly. “What about the mangling, ’Melia?” said the King. “Oh. dear! I forgot; and Mother will be waiting: she said I must be back by five. But I am "fraid, sir, the boys will laugh at my crown, and I’m sure they will throw mud at my new white frock.” And ’Melia Ifeoked troubled, as she was now dressed like the other little prin“Don’t be afraid of that, ’’Melia,” said his Majesty; “they will not notice it. No one but you and I and the crow will know that you are a princess, but mind you do not forget it, and then some day, if you keep your rules, doe shall bring you here for a holiday again. Now, good-bye, little princess. Fly away or you will be late home.” And up went ’Melia onee more after the erow, and away they hew, back again over the fields and houses. One, two, three, four, five! boomed the clock, and there was "Melia back onee more on the doorstep, and Joe was sitting iu his cage as if nothing at all out of the way had happened to him. .She picked up Alexander and went indoors. “There’s a good girl,” said Mrs Muggins; “you are just in time, the mangling is ready. Now be off as quick as you van. ns Mrs Price will be waiting for it.” “Yes, Muvver.” said Princess ’Melia; and oil’ she went. Now. all this happened several months ago, and ’.Melia is still a Princess, though, as the King told her would be the ease, no one appeared to notice it.

But ’Atelia is very careful to keep the rules, and is very particular about her hands; and if ever she feels inclined to say, “Oh! do get along!” to Victoria, or to slap Alexander (and he really is troublesome sometimes), the crow will cry, “Caw, caw!” and then ’Melia stops herself in time.

So she is still looking forward to another flying visit to the beautiful garden; and if ever you happen io meet a sbabby-looking little girl staggering along with a large basket of clothes, or taking her small sister and brother out for a walk, be sure you treat her politely. as it is never safe to judge by appearances; and for all you know, she may be really “Princess ’Melia.”

LUCY T. DUNCAN.