The Iceberg Express | Page 5

a way. What are
we going to do now?"
"How would you like to visit the Court of the Mer King?" asked the
mermaid.
"Oh, lovely!" cried Mary Louise. "I've never met any kinds, although
I've read about them in fairy stories."
"Come along then," said the mermaid. "Follow me straight down, for I
think we are not very far from the Coral Palace, where King Seaphus
holds court."
Placing the palms of her hands together diving fashion, she gave her
pretty tail a kick-off, and away she went, head downward, through the

water.
Mary Louise followed her example, somewhat surprised at the ease
with which she executed this difficult maneuver.
In a short time they found themselves on the bottom of the ocean. In
the distance could be seen the dim outline of a magnificent castle of
pink and white coral. Leading up to it was a wide highway, flanked on
either side with beautiful sea-grass, and dotted here and there, like
milestones, stood columns of beautiful coral. Banks of exquisite
mother-of-pearl rose at intervals along the way; water plants of various
hues grew in wild profusion.
"Why, it's very much like the earth," exclaimed Mary Louise, "only one
doesn't walk, and its not dusty, and--and it's not hot and sunny!"
"No, indeed!" said the mermaid. "But sometimes we have a pest of
water gnats that are worse than mosquitoes, and we have to put up
netting on our bedroom windows to keep them out."
As she finished speaking they approached the door of the castle, on
which she knocked with a flap of her finny tail. It was immediately
opened by a merman dressed in the uniform of a court page. "What can
I do for you, Your Highness?" he asked, bowing low.
"Why, are you a princess?" asked Mary Louise in surprise, turning
quickly to the mermaid and forgetting for the moment that they were on
the steps of a real merman's castle.
The little mermaid only laughed in reply, and taking Mary Louise by
the hand led her through the coral doors to King Seaphus.
His Majesty was seated on a throne of pearl, studded with many
precious stones. A long emerald robe fell from his shoulders and on his
head rested a magnificent crown set with glittering jewels, which
gleamed and sparkled in the dim light of the royal chamber.
"Ah, my daughter, whom have you here?" he asked, leaning from the

throne and gazing intently at little Mary Louise. "Methinks she is a
mermaidized mortal!" At which the King laughed loudly, for he was
very fond of coining words and was busily engaged, when his state
duties did not interfere, in compiling a new dictionary.
"You are right, Father Seaphus," replied his beautiful daughter. "Let me
introduce little Mary Louise."
The King rose graciously and extended his royal right hand. Mary
Louise made a low curtsey, finding it much easier now that she was a
mermaid to perform this little act of graciousness on account of the
flexibility of her tail.
Legs, of course, are indispensable for walking; but, then, in these days
of new inventions, when the air is invaded by wing, and the earth
traversed by wheels, and the depths of the waters by mechanical fins,
walking may soon become a lost art! Something like this may have
flitted through her mind, but she only answered in a trembling voice,
"How do you do, Your Majesty!"
"You are welcome, 'Mermaid Mary,' to our Kingdom of the Sea," he
replied. "I hope you will enjoy your stay with us." So saying, he
gallantly lifted his gold crown as little Mary Louise made another
curtsey.
"Let us dress for dinner," said the mermaid.
They swam quickly upstairs between two balustrades of lovely coral to
her bedroom.
It was just like fairy-land; at least, it seemed so to little Mary Louise, as
she looked about the pretty room. In one corner stood a beautiful bed of
mother-of-pearl, hung with varied colored sea grass for curtains. Sea
moss made it as soft as down. In fact, it seemed almost softer to Mary
Louise, who by this time was very sleepy. She rested her tired little
body upon the cushions and in a few short seconds was sound asleep.
The princess mermaid looked at her with loving eyes, while she sang
very low and sweetly:

"Sleep, little sister, for when you awake, We'll have a fine dinner of
fishes and cake!"
I think the mermaid took somewhat after her royal father for she often
spoke in rhyme, which she composed as she talked, while his great
delight, as has been mentioned before, was to coin a new word for his
dictionary.
Leaving Mary Louise to her slumbers, the princess mermaid sat herself
down before her mirror and combed her hair.