Maryland free press., 1866-11-29
~ From Dickens Once a BecA.. :
THE THREB WIsEs..

There was once wise Emperor who made
law that to every stranger who came to his court
q fried hsh should be served. The servants were
directed to take notice it, when the strarger had
eaten the fish to the bone on one side, ifhe turn
ed il over and began on, the, oller side. II he
did, he Vas to beimmediately seized, and on the
third day thereafter be was 10 be i'm 0iiately
put to death. But, by, great stretch Of inps-
rial clemency, the cdlprit was permitted to utter
one wish each day, which the Emperor pledged
himself to grant, provided il was not to snare his
life. Many had already petished in consequence
Of this ,edict; when, one day, a count and his
young son presented themselves at court, The
fish was served ms usual, and when the count had
removed all the FISH from one side, he turned Il,
over and was about to commence on the other
when he was suddenly sezeds and thrown into
prison, and was told of his approaching doom
Sorrow stricken the counts. young son besought
The Emperor to allow him 10 die in the room O,
his father, a favor Which the mUnarch was pleas.
ed to accord to him. The couhtywas according
ly released from prison and his son thrown into
hiscell in bis stead. ........,,
As soon as this had Lecn done, the young man
said to his gaolers-''You know have the right
- make three demands before die; go tell IN 4.
Emperor to send me his daughter AMI priest to
marry rs.'' The first demand, was not musti, to
the Emperors taste, nevertheless he felt bouud to
keep his word, and he therefore complied with
the request, to which the Princess had no kind
of objection. This occurred in the times when
kings Kept their treasures in cave, or in tow
er set apart for the purpose, and on the second
day Of his Imprisonment the. young. man demn,
ded the k ngs treasures. The gold and silver and
jewels were placed at the prisoners disposal On
getting possession of them he distributed tbcm
profasely among the courters, and soon he made
a host of friends by his iberality..i ~ 2,.:.a
The Emperor began now to feel exceedingly.
uncomfortable Unable to sleep; he rose early
the third morning and went, with fear in hi.
heart, to the prison to hear what the third Wwi.b
was TO be. !-- .u'...i =. s. ..Ha y. s-...' ~
''Now, said he, to the prison r, ttsil p,s
what your third demand is, that it una !, lie rran-
ted at once, and you may be hung out of hand
for am tired of your demands S'. .
| ''Sirs, answered the prisoner ri have 'brnt
-onemore favor to request Of your majesty, which
when ou! have granted, i shall die contentyiJ,
is merely that you will eau SO. the eyes of those
who saw my father turn the fsh, over 10 be put
out" - ''- 'HI'
s'Very good" replied tho Emperor. yodtiHr odtiHrT "A:
mand is but nataral, asdr springs from b rood
heart Lot tho chamberlain be seized he conlin.
uee, turning to his guards, 80, -.....,,t..
''I sire?'' cried the chamberl,in; III did not AZ,
any nything-it was the stsward."' ed ''' ''"' 30
Let the steward be seized then, roturne d the
king.pit3G ia l.iiu :lG.!:.gi siIi r. HoiiU:
But the steward protested With tears in hi,
eyes that he had not witnessed anything of.wha
had bsen reported and said it was the butler
The butler declared that he had seen inothinp q
the matter and that it inhsthave been one Of tbt
Wallets. But they protested that they were utter.
| ly ignorant of what had been charged against
the count; in short, it turned out that nobcdv
could be found who had seen the count commit
the offence; upon which the princess said: ~
az appeal to you my fatter, as to another Sol.
| onion. Ifnobody saw the offence comrntted;dh,
count cannot be guilty, and my husband is IN.
nocent.n
The Emperor irowned, and forthwith the cour.
tiers begin TO muriner, and then he smiled, and
immediately their visages becdtne radiant. IA iic
"Let it be so,jh said his majesty, slet him Iir,
Though have put msay toldeath for "a lighter
offence than his. But if he is not hung, he, is
married. Justice has been dsne.,' ''"
iFtt ~ '-.-L-----<-e. .--L--L---- l. lu =.
"'THkA THERE'S GRErH,p-T They tell a. good