that she wore. Her black hair had grown to her very feet and lay about
her like a splendid dress. "Would she waken?" thought the prince. He
stooped! He caught his breath! He kissed her! The charm was broken!
Her eyes flew open and the princess smiled upon her prince.

Just at that moment the king rose from his golden throne. The queen
swept from her royal parlor. The judges yawned on the council benches.
Awake came lords and ladies of the court. Again the fires leaped up
upon the palace hearths. Again the flies buzzed on the window panes.
A wind blew through the castle yard. Again the birds sang in the
branches and the bees droned in the flowers. Again the dogs barked in
the kennels and the horses whinnied in the stalls.

The hundred years were past and all was life and joy once more. Out of
the palace gates rode the bold prince, and beside him rode the happy
princess, whom his kiss had waked.

TOPSY STORIES.

I. THE COMING OF TOPSY.

One night, when Alice was a very little girl, her papa came home early
from the office. He carried a small basket in his hand, but when he
saw Alice he put the basket behind his back; his eyes twinkled as he
did so.

"Guess what I have brought you, little daughter," he said. "Something
to play with."

Alice ran and caught fast hold of her papa's knees with her two chubby
arms, and her eyes grew big and bright as she peeped around at the
basket.

"Oh, what is it, papa? Do let me see."

"You must guess first," said her papa; "such a fine plaything."

"I know; it's a dolly!" cried Alice.

Papa laughed. "No, it's ever so much better than a dolly, for it's
alive," he said.

"Oh, then it's a bird," cried the little girl.

But her papa only shook his head.

"Maybe it's a bunny, then," said Alice.

"No, no, you will never guess right," laughed papa, "so I will have to
tell you. Just listen a moment," he said, as he held the basket close
to Alice's ear.

The little girl stood on her tiptoes and fairly held her breath. Soon
she heard a faint sound: "Meow! meow! meow!"

"It's a kitty! It's a kitty! Do open the basket quickly, papa," cried
Alice, dancing up and down and clapping her hands. Then she tried to
push her fingers under the cover.

Sure enough, when the basket was opened there lay a tiny kitten.

"Oh, isn't she black!" cried the little girl.

"Yes, indeed, she is," said Alice's papa. "I should call her Topsy.
There isn't a white hair i