Now it happened one day, oh, I guess it must have been about a week and a minute after Lulu had been frightened by that big dog, that Alice was going to the store for her mother.  The store was kept by Mr. Drake, who had a little round door knob on the top of his head, so his hat wouldn’t blow off in windy weather.

“Bring me a pound of butter and some cornmeal, Alice,” her mother had said to her, “and be sure the cornmeal is fresh.  I am going to fry some for your father’s supper.”

So Alice said she would be sure about it, and she started off.

“Want me to come, Alice?” asked Lulu.

“No, dear,” replied her sister.  “I think it is too hot for you to-day.  I’ll soon be back again.”

“Better take Jimmie,” went on Lulu.  “You may meet the bad dog or an ugly fox.”

“No,” spoke Alice again, “I think I’ll go alone.  Besides, Jimmie is off with Sammie Littletail, playing leapfrog.  I’ll go alone.”

So off she went.  Now I’m going to tell you why she wanted to go alone, but don’t whisper it to any one.  You see, Alice thought maybe she might meet the fairy prince, for she still hoped that some day he would change into a king with a golden diamond crown on his head.

But, as she walked on toward Mr. Drake’s store she saw nothing of the fairy prince, though she kept a sharp lookout.  Well, she got the pound of butter and the cornmeal, and to make sure it was fresh she ate a little, for that’s the surest way to tell.  Then she started for home, with the butter under one wing and the cornmeal under the other.

Well, all of a sudden, just as she got past the weeping willow tree, if she didn’t step on a sharp stone and cut her foot, because, you see, she had no shoes on, and the stone was very, very sharp, almost as sharp as an exclamation point; yes, indeed!  There, I had the printer put one in (!) so you could see how very sharp it is.  Always be careful of exclamation points, children.

“Oh!  Oh!  Oh!” cried Alice, as she felt the sharp stone go in her foot, and she had to sink down to the ground, it hurt her so.  Then the cornmeal fell from under her wing and the bag burst and it spilled all over.  Then the butter fell from under the other wing, but that didn’t get hurt any.  It only got some dents in it, and you know that doesn’t matter, for butter.

“Oh, dear!  Whatever shall I do?” cried Alice again.  “I—­I can’t walk on my sore foot, and I can’t carry the cornmeal and the butter!  Oh, dear!  Oh, dear!  My foot’s bleeding, too!” and, sure enough it was.  Poor Alice!  How sorry I feel for her.

“Ah, if only the fairy prince would appear now,” she went on.  “He would cause a golden chariot to take me home!”

You see, Alice hadn’t gotten over being romantic, even if she had cut her foot.  Oh, my, no, and a diamond earring besides!

Well, as true as I’m telling you, no sooner had she made that wish about the fairy prince than a voice called out: