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The Hair Tree

herself to her fate. The barber sharpened his razor, and was just going to begin, whilst all held their breath from excitement, when a voice was heard crying “Stop!” And in a minute all saw a sailor rushing towards the scaffold, panting and out of breath, but holding out something in his right hand,

“Stop!" he shouted, as loudly as he could, directly he found breath to speak. “I have got it the hair seeds from the real Hair Tree!”

On hearing this the barber flung away his razor, and the Queen screamed outright.

The courtiers and the King danced a jig for joy, whilst the duchess who was to have been shaved, threw her arms round the sailor's neck, and kissed him at once.

“Only try” cried Rupert, eagerly, “before you shave them; they came from the Hair Tree. I picked them myself.”

On hearing this, the Queen. unable to contain her impatience any longer, dashed through the crowd, and. pushing the duchess on one side. Sprang into the black chair herself.

“There is no time like the present” she cried. pulling off her muslin cap, and flinging it to

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