Show J y BLUEBELL AND THE WITCH One night when the moon was bright in the fOie forest t a a. star fell out of the sky and when it landed in a tree in the midst of the forest it was not a star atall at atall atall all but a beautiful baby girl with blue blueeyes blueeyes blueeyes eyes and golden hair The fairies named the baby Bluebell Bluebell Bluebell Blue Blue- bell and they made a house for her In Inthe inthe the tree and every da day they came and I fed her with dew and honey until she was big enough to care for herself I On the other side of the forest lived Old Witch Badness she did not know any good at all and did not want anyon anyone any any- on one ong else to know it so one night when the wind was whispering through the forest she listened and heard the wind telling the trees about the bea beautiful Bluebell child who was so good that all the animals and flowers lover hed bed This very night I will find her said Old Witch Badness How lIow dare any good child live In my forest I II I will teach her to be bad or she will have to leave the forest Old Witch Badness called her black blackI I I cat to her and put on her long Song black cloak and peal peaked ed high hat Then she I Jumped on her broomstick and gave it ita a tap with her cane cane and and off she sailed I j high up over the tall trees of the forest i When she came to the place where 1 Bluebell lived she sho stopped and crept j along the branches of the tree to the i house housh where little Bluebell was sleep sleep-I ing Carefully she reached In the window window window win win- dow with her long lean arm and put ared a ared ared red apple on the bed beside beside- her When the tho Old v Witch itch Badness reached her home she began to dance about and rub her lean long hands I together and laugh Now my pretty i I Bluebell you are mine mine she said I You will eat the apple when you i awake awal e I 1 am sure and then I 1 shall shan hear I no more of your goodness In this forest I You will Will W IU be ue us bad IJ as I J. J am 1111 The 11 jj next nett You will Will W IU be ue us bad IJ as J. J am 1111 11 jj night she listened listened and still the wind I was whispering of the beautiful and I good Bluebell to the trees Again the Witch Badness Jumped on I her broomstick and flew to Bluebells Bluebell's I house at night The fairies had turned j the apple black and Bluebell had not I eaten it This time the witch carried a beautiful dress of silver and gold and placed it on the bed beside the sleeping Bluebell This time the Old Witch Badness left her black cat to watch the dress dressI I so that the fal fairies ies could not change it and spoil her plan Keep your yellow j jeyes I eyes fixed on the sleeping girl she told the black cat and dont don't you ou dare daree I I sleep or 01 blink You know what will happen to you The poor cat shivered as it heard hoard the I warning and anti crept closer to Bluebell and fixed its yellow eyes upon her In the morning orni when Bluebell awoke vol the first thing she saw was the black cat t tOh Oh you OU are a new animal she Y 1 said I am so glad you like my house hous You shall live here with me and I will 1 make you a nice soft bed and give F. F you lots to eat cat r r I IThe The black cat was not used to l uch r kind words and it blinked its yellow ow eyes and purred softly Poor creature Bluebell said Why do you tremble No one will r. r i r hurt you Then she he took the black cat in her arms and held it and when 7 7 the Old Witch Badness came there i she found her black cat in the arms of the good Bluebell I Old Witch Badness was so angry 1 ling hing l' l when she saw Bluebell was not wear- wear ing the dress she left that her fury at at atthe at the black cat knew no bounds Sh She f r struck at him with her magic cane can it i with such force that the cane cano flew opt out fI ii of her grasp rasp and rolled on the floor 4 right at Bluebells Bluebell's feet tl M Bluebell could Sel seethe the cane then and r p the cat Jumping from her arms to th the tho 0 0 lo floor began to speak j J ay l v Pick it up up Pick it up up it said ald to ton r n Blu Bluebell t Bluebell picked up the cane canet and Po andi jp lr t then hen she saw the wicked witch which I frightened her a little for she had hac i i never seen any badness and she site al almost almost almost al- al most dropped the tho cane The black cat ran close to her Strike me with the cane it said sald a Bluebell had bad never struck nn anything thing p lo loIn in her life but she sha did as the bla black lt A cat told her and instantly there ap a appeared ap- ap F pea red a tall handsome youth in place i of the black cat I The youth took the cane and struck 1 I at the witch with it saying Your f badness has been your undoing Be Be- I gone and may you never have power to do ought but good A Ab A bright rig r h t flash fI flash S followed f IO the th words of of St i A Ab A bright rig r h t flash fI flash S followed f IO the th words of of St i f ta l th the y youth and when Bluebell b c could see again the tree trec with her house had disappeared disappeared dis- dis I appeared and she was standing on the i ground beside the handsome youth and amI beside them stood a big beautiful tree with spreading branches The Old Witch Badness will never harm anyone now he said this tre tree i is all there is left of her and the branches will give shade to all teho-G teho come under it ft it r But where is my ply home asked askel I Bluebell I shall not have a n home v t I now what shall I 1 do it 11 I I You shall come with me and be my k f fi C CI i I princess if you yU will said the youth I was a prince before the Old Witch I Badness changed me into a black cat catt t I i he said and if it you will marry me we if a awill i I will go back hack to my palace and live M r I happily the rest of our lives I Copyright 1917 by u the McClure McClur Newy aper Syndicate Sj N Nv York rk CUr City r |