| CHAPTER I. |
| CHAPTER II |
| CHAPTER III. |
| CHAPTER IV. |
| CHAPTER V. |
| CHAPTER VI. |
| CHAPTER VII. |
| CHAPTER VIII. |
| CHAPTER IX. |
| CHAPTER X. |
| CHAPTER XI. |
| CHAPTER XII. |
"I HAVE BROUGHT MY LITTLE DAUGHTER TO YOU, MY FRIEND."—[PAGE 19.]The Princess Idleways
A FAIRY STORY
BY
MRS. W. J. HAYS
ILLUSTRATED
NEW YORK AND LONDON
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1879, by
HARPER & BROTHERS,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.[Pg 7]
CHAPTER I.
You must not suppose that the Princess Idleways was a great, grandwoman, for she was not: she was only a little lovely girl named Laura.To be sure, she was of high birth; that is to say, her father andgrandfather and great-grandfather, as well as all the fine ladygrandmothers, were people who, not obliged to labor for themselves orothers, having always had more time and wealth and pleasure than theyknew what to do with, were something like the beautiful roses which growmore and more beautiful with planting and transplanting, and shieldingfrom too hot a sun or too sharp a wind; but, for all that, roses, as youknow, have thorns.[Pg 8]
Little Laura Idleways was as bright and bewitching in appearance as anyrosebud, but she had a few thorns which could prick. She lived in agreat castle high up in the mountains, from the windows of which shecould see hill after hill stretching far away up to the clouds, andeagles flapping their great wings over deep ravines, down which tumbledfoaming cascades. The castle was a very ancient building, and part of itwas nearly a ruin; indeed, it was so old that Laura's father—who was asoldier, and not much at home—had decided not to repair it, but allowedthe stones to fall, and would not have them touched; so the wild vinesgrew luxuriantly over them, and made a beautiful drapery. But the partof the castle in which Laura lived was no ruin. The thick walls kept itcool in summer and warm in