een and be done with it, but of
course the King's wishes had to be observed, and the people settled
down to wait.

"The two Princesses after that were very seldom seen, each being kept
busy by her respective parents learning all manner of things which she
would need to know if she became Queen, and at the same time building
up her beauty.

"Princess Amy was always my favorite niece. She was a dear
good-hearted little thing with pretty golden hair, a fine
pink-and-white complexion, and the kindest blue eyes in the world.

"Princess Bethel was neither good-looking nor sweet-tempered, and no
one thought she had any chance of being chosen Queen, especially as she
was known to be rather stupid. I really felt sorry for her, as I knew
she could not manage to change her looks altogether in two years, but
she had a surprise in store for us.

"Her father was a studious man, fond of making scientific experiments,
and I used to hear that she spent a great deal of her time in the
laboratory watching the making of strange mixtures, but I did not pay
much attention to this, as it was nothing new.

"Nobody ever saw her excepting heavily veiled, and her mother said that
they were trying a new treatment for her complexion and that the sun
must not touch her skin.

"The two years passed away, and at last a day was named in May when the
choice of Queen should be made.

"For days the roads were full of people traveling towards the Palace
gates, and when the great day dawned bright and clear the square in
front of the Palace looked as though a large army had encamped there.
Flags were flying everywhere, and inside, the Palace all preparations
had been made to crown the chosen Queen and have a great feast.

"The first thing the two Princesses had to do was to appear at nine
o'clock in the morning before seven of the greatest college professors
in the kingdom and write examinations on seven different subjects, the
result of which would be announced before the assembled multitude.

"At seven o'clock it was given out that Princess Amy had made very high
marks in all subjects and had come away ahead of Princess Bethel. At
this loud cheers were heard for Princess Amy, and it was murmured about
that she would be Queen.

"At midday all the Court were assembled, and the two Princesses, each
with her parents, walked slowly into the great ballroom.

"A murmur of admiration arose, for indeed they both looked exceedingly
beautiful in the