Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-05-18
THE EMPEROR's NEW SUIT.
BY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN.

y
who cared so very much about having new
clothes that he spent all his money merely
for the sake of being very smartly dressed.
He did not care much about his troops
he did not care either about going to the
play or driving out, unless it were that he
might show his new clothes. He had q
new suit for every hour in the day; and, as
one usually says Of King or Emperor, he
held private council, so Of him 1t was
said, his Majesty sat in council with his
tailOrs
In the large town where he resided
people led merry life Day after day
fresh visitors arrived at court; one day,
too, couple of swindlers, who called
themselves first rate weavers, made their
appearance. They pretended that they
were able to weave the richest stuffs, in
which not only the colors and patterns
were extremely beautiful, but that the
clothes made Of such stuffs possessed the
wonderful property Of remaining invisible
10 him who was unfit for the Office he held,
or who was extremely silly.
What capital clothes they must be /"
thought the Emperor. IF had but a
suit could directly find out what people
in my empire were not equal to their Office {;
and, besides, should be able to distinguish
the clever from the stupid. BY Jove,
must have some of this stuff made directly
for mel" And so he ordered large sums
Of money to be given to the swindlers,
that they might set to work Immediately
The men erected two looms, and did as
Il they worked very diligently; but in
reality they had nothing on the loom
They boldly demanded the finest silk and
gold thread, put it all in their own pockets,
and worked away at the empty loom till
quite late at night
II should like to know how the two
weavers are getting along with my stuff"
said the Emperor, one day, to himself;
but he was rather embarrassed when he
remembered that silly fellow, or one un-
fitted for his Office, would not be able to
see the stuff. IT'S true, he thought, as far
as regarded himself, there was no risk
whatever; but yet he preferred sending
some one else, to bring him intelligence
Of the two weavers, and how they were
getting on before he went himself Every
body in the whole town had heard of the
wonderful property that this stuff was
said to possess, and all were curious to
know how clever or foolish their neigh
bors might be found to be.
IT will send my worthy old minister"
said the EmPeror at last, after much con-
sideration; he will be able to say how
the stuff looks better than anybody; for
he Is man of understanding, and no one
can he found more fitted than he."
So the worthy old minister went to the
room where the two swindlers were work.
ing away with all their might and main
Lord help mel" thought the old man,
opening his eyes as wide as possible
"why can't see the least thing whatever
on the lO0m!" But he took care not to
give voice to his thoughts
The swindlers begged him most politely
TO have the goodness to approach nearer
to the looms and then pointing to the
empty frame, asked him If the colors were
not Of great beauty. And the poor old
minister looked, and looked, and could
see nothing whatever, for, indeed there
was nothing at all there. BLESS mel"
thought he to himself, " am I, then, really
simpletonf Well, I never thought So
and nobody dare know 1t. / not fit fol
my ofilcel No, nothing on earth shall
make me say that have not seen the
stuff"
swell, sir" said one of the swindlers
stuff f r pIessess YOU S% oy NOT. Su u0A S'' 'n'
admirable!" said the old minister, looking
at the beam through his spectacles. "This
pattern and these colors-well, well; !
shall not fail to tell the Emperor that both
are most beautiful"
"Well, we shall be delighted If you do
So" said the swindlers; and named the
different colors and patterns which were
in the stuff. The old minister listened at.
tentively to what they said, in order that
he might be able to repeat all to the Em-
perOr.
The swindlen then asked for more
money, and silk, and gold thread, which
they said they wanted to finish the piece
they had begun. But they put, as before,
al that was given to them into their own
pocket and still continued to work with
apparent diligence ut the empty loom.
Some time altar the Emperor sent
another officer to eco how tho work Wa
setting on, and II the piece Of broAdcloth
would soon be hnished. But he hred like
the other. He stared Ct the loom from
nvnrv AAAe INT N fh1rA V1na n0thins