In Story-Land Reading Day 21

THE FAIR WHITE CITY. 71

" How very odd , " he stammered , " th-ththat you should see I was an artist , I had hoped to get work here . "

Blessed - Eyes took him at once to the King, and soon the three were deep in plans for decorating and making beautiful the inner walls of the wonderful white buildings which surrounded the " Court of Honor . " It was not long before the stammering stranger had proved that he was not only an artist but a master artist . Lesser artists and new pupils flocked to him from all parts of the land and soon the interior of the handsome buildings presented scenes as busy as the outside had before shown . In less than a year the walls of all the buildings had been decorated in soft , beautiful colors , and on many of them were wonderful pictures of faraway landscapes ; of beautiful sunset clouds ; of fair , floating angel forms , and , best of all , true and lifelike portraits of the noblest men and women of the nation . Long before this was accomplished the stammering stranger had become recognized as the greatest artist of the age .

The next question which arose in the mind of the King and his ever faithful counsellor , Blessed -Eyes , was as to the best way to use

the now truly magnificent buildings , so that all the people might enjoy them . While still full of these thoughts , Blessed-Eyes one day noticed a man wearily pacing up and down the court with bowed head , and hands clasped behind his body . On coming nearer BlessedEyes saw that he was blind . At the sound of his approaching footsteps the man stopped and said :-

"

Ah ! that is the step of Blessed-Eyes ! Much as he has been able to help his fellow men , there is nothing that he can do for me ! "

" Indeed ," said Blessed - Eyes , cheerily , I am not so sure of that . If you can tell a man by his step you must certainly have very good hearing . "

" Ah ! " said the man , " I can hear a leaf fall to the ground a block away . "

" Indeed ! " exclaimed Blessed- Eyes gladly , " You are just the man for whom I have been looking . Surely a man whose hearing is so acute must be a good musician . "

" Yes , yes ! " said the man impatiently , " I am the finest conductor of an orchestra in the whole world , but that avails me but little in these days . Nobody cares for good music now ! " With these words he shrugged his shoulders and was about to pass on .

THE FAIR WHITE CITY. 73

" Come with me to the King , " cried Blessed- Eyes , " I think he has need of you . "

After a long talk with the King , and some experiments by which they tested the man's fine sense of hearing , the King felt quite sure that he was exactly the man needed as leader for the great orchestra which he generously supported that the people might learn to love good music , so he was at once put in charge of the same . The new musician proved to be such a wonderful leader that no man in the whole orchestra dared play a false note , and soon their music under this remarkable director, was famed throughout the land , until thousands upon thousands came to hear the afternoon concerts which were given each day in the largest of the beautiful , white marble buildings .

One bright , spring morning Blessed - Eyes started out to enjoy the sunshine and the perfume of the flowers and the glad song of the birds . " Ah , " thought he , as he walked along , drinking in great draughts of the fine , fresh air , " no human being can possibly be sad on such a morning as this . " But while he was yet speaking , his eyes fell upon the tearstained face of a woman . As it was impossible for Blessed - Eyes to pass any one who was