The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1863-06-13
9nr the ggittls folk.
THE CHILDREN'S CITIES

THE CHILDREN'S CITIES.
There was a certain king who
had three sons,and who, flowing them
all alike, desired to leave them 10
-eign over his kingdom as brothers,
md not one above another.
His kingdom consisted of three
beautiful cities divided by valleys
covered with flowers anu full OF
grass; but the cities lay SO near each
{ other that from the walls of each
you could see the walls of the other
two. The first city was called the
city of Lessonland, the second the
city of CONNECTION, and the third the
city of Pastime.
The king feeling himself very old
and feeble, sent for the lawyers to
write his will for him, that his child
rem might know how he wished
them to behave after he was dead.
So the lawyers came TO the palace
and went into the kings bed room
where he lay in his golden bed. and
the will YVES drawn up as he desir-
ed.
One day. not long after the will
was made, the kings fool was trying
to make a boat of a leaf to sail it
upon the silver river. And the
fool thought the paper on which the
will was written would make bet
ter boat-for he could not read it /;
so he ran to the palace quickly, and
knowing where it was laid, he got it
and made boat of it,and SET it sail
ing upon the river,and away it float
Cd out of sight. And the worst Of
all was, that the king took such a
fright when the will blew away that
he could speak no more when the
lawyers came back with the golden
ink. And he never made another
will, but died without telling his sons
what he wished them to do.
However, the kings sons, though
they had little bodies, because they
were princes Of the Kingdom Of
Children, were very good little per-
sons,-at least they had not yet been
naughty,and had never quarreled,
so that the child people loved them
almost as they loved each other.
The child-people were quite pleased
that the princes should rule over
them; but they did not know how to
arrange, because there was no kings
will, and by rights the eldest ought
to have the whole kingdom. But
the eldest, who's. name was Gentil.
called his brothers to him and said
81 am quite sure, though there is
no will that our royal papa built the
three cities that we might each have
one to reign overland not one reigr
over all. Therefore will have 20,
both, dear brothers, choose a city te
govern over, and l will govern ov
er the city you DO not choose"
And his brothers danced for Joy
and the people,too, were pleased. 20
they loved all the three princes. Blu
there were not enough people in tn
kingdom to fill more than one city
quite full Was not this very odd
Gentil thought so; but, as he coul
not make out the reason, he said t
the child people:
81 will count you, and divide yo'
into three parts, and each part sha
60 to one city,"
For, before the king had built tn
cities, the child-people had lived il
the green vaIleys,and slept on bed
of flowers.
So Joujou, the second prince
chose the city of Pastime; and Bon
bon, the youngest prince, chose the
city of CONNECTION; and the city O
Lessonland was left for Prince Gen
til, who took possession of it direct
ly. a III
And first let us see how the good
Gentil got on in his city.
The city of LessonIand was bull
of books, all books and only books
The walls were books, set close Iik,
bricks, and the bridges over tho riv
ers (Which were very blueD wsr.
built Of books in arches, and Their,
were books to pave the roads anc
paths, and the doors Of the house.
were books, with golden letters OF
the outside. The palace of Prince
Gentil was built Of the largest books,
all bound in scarlet, and green, and
purple, and blue, and yellow. And
inside the palace all the lovlies, pic.
lures were hung upon the walls,and
the handsomest maps; and in his Ii.
brary were all tho lesson books and
ell the story-books in the world.
Directly Gentil began his reign, he
said 10 himself:
"What are all these books for?
They must mean that We are to
learn md IN hacon,a yar,, cI.ro,