she looked "too sweet for anything!" Then they floated down, arm in
arm, to the great dining hall.





King Seaphus




The great dining hall of King Seaphus was considered by all the
inhabitants of Merland--that is, all those who had been lucky enough
to have seen its splendor--to be the most magnificent of its kind
anywhere.

The dining table, or banquet board, as it was called, was made of
mother-of-pearl. The pale, shimmery cloth was woven from the most
delicate of sea-grasses. The gold and silver plates shone with a
strange luster, and the goblets, fashioned of the thinnest and most
exquisite pearl, gave the impression that they were strange sea lilies.

King Seaphus seated himself majestically at th head of the banquet
board, and little Mary Louise was shown the place on his right. At the
other end sat the Mermaid Princess. Mermen in dark green liveries
served the meal. But what delighted and interested Mary Louise the
most was the way in which the food was served. Instead of ordinary,
everyday dishes, it appeared in little airtight boats, which the
servants guided dexterously to the table, and when opened, the steam