The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-06-08

| OIL buOh, io2. = "NsA S~y
out the finest toads that eye ever SAW
And, torsooth. when tho basket was
opened at the King table there crawied
out OF it huge bloated tosds, which went
sprawling, dark, Shiny, hsrrid, over the
! fine white napery. UP jumped King.
Queen and Princess Royal, shrieking for
yery horror. His Majesty dealt the i'm
pudent messenger a vicious kick, which
pitched him head foremost iRto the cnest
of a serving man. who pushed him BACK
upon second, who cannOned him against
q third and fourth; 80, kicked, cutfed, and
pushed in turns, the young imp reached
the door and bolted away, deeming him
self over lucky in getting so cheapiy OUT
of the scrape.
II.
The King issued an edict that whose.
ever, under colsr of peaches, would dare
bring him acorns or toads, would be nang-
ed on the beliry spire. The sabot maker
tried TO find out from his two elder boys
what it all meant; but they were too
wary to let out to him how, for lack OF
manners, the peaches had been trans
formed. The poor man was deeply
grieved that both had missed SO nne
chance OF marrying the Princess Royal.
"Tll 90, if you send me" said Peter
kin
Peterkin looked more seemly lad than
his elders; but, while these were plump
chubby and rudy, he looked so thin' pale
and wan that he usually went oy the
name of Crickey.
What likelihood is there that Crickey
will prove more fortunate than his broth
ers? thought the sabot maker. "Surely
the Princess Royal never will marry sucn
wee midget For all that, the reward
offered was SO tempting that after cast
ing up the pros and the cons for whole
week, he made up his mind 70 send little
Peter.
Like his brothers, he met the old beg
gar woman at Eerie Hollow, and to her
INQUIRY about what he carried IN his bss-
ket. politely answered, peaches, my good
woman, for the Kings dessert"
"Weil, then, my lad, wish they may
turn out the finest peaches that eye ever
saw"
"God hear you, kind grandmother"
said Peter, and he went on his way.
When he came to the palace gate the
warder on duty was moved with pity and
did his best to persuade him not to run
| his little neck into the moose; but he so
insisted upon passing in that he ultimate
| ly prevailed; SO he left his ssbots behind
the gate and boldly stepped into the din
ing hall. AS soon as he opened his oas-
yet "Godverdoml What splendid peach
esln exclaimed the King, whose eyes be-
gan to twinkle and sparkle like firefies.
And truly splendid they were, white
and pink, covered over with tender
bloom, and nearly rs big as the silver
balls given hereabouts for prizes at tennis
mate hes.
The King, deity plying his gold
fruit knife, delicately removed the SKIN
of one, wetting his lips with the tip oil his
tongue. The flesh tasted so melting and
luscious that one by one he despatched
them all without a break, merely MOTTO
ing, when enjoying the last quarter ofthe
ast peach, that he had forgotten to ask
the Queen or Princess Royal to have
some. His J. ate was filled with TN
stones. Then he observed little Pet"l
standing by the sideboard; he looked Ii
him up and down, head and toes, ana,
with knit brows, gruffiy asked, "What
a-e you doing there manneken"
You, of course, know that in FLEMISH
manheken, which sounds menneke, means
a dwarf, little man.
lam waiting, please Your Majesty,
ansT ered Crickery.
uN aitinp. for WhatY
Il or the reward which Your Majesty
has promised"
9Th, indeed! What is you name"
"Sittle Peter
"SIhat do you do for your liv:ngF
- abots, sir"
x won't be sabot wife," whined the
Pri$eess Royal.
e O, yoI needn't, miss. III change
my ,rade, miss. if you don't like it "
Sand take up with mine, ehf" inquired
the ling.
"Yes. sir; if Your Majesty will be so
ki,a as TO teach me-"
We'll, then, my lad, you will enter at
once upon your apprenticeship"
Now the stomach of the King OF the
Netherlands was nicer than his con-
scieacs. Out of sight, out Of mind, says
the proverbial phase; after eating the
peaches, he cast about for seemly pre-
text not to keep his word. He talked IN
whispers to a serving msn, who walked
out, and soon after returned bearing
| wicker basket with twelve white rabbits
in il.
Listen, manneken," he said to Crickey
| then. kings are mere shepherds; ou.
men. YOU know, are more kittle cattle TO
tend than sheep. You see these twelve
Young rabbits; You will take them and
| feed them in the forest; and il, on three
successive days, you bring back your flock
com lete, you will prove your qualities
ton for my business, and may some day
or other WELD my crook.
A general OUTLAW capped this noble
speech. Peterkin was we'll aware that
the King WAS making fun of him. but. Ms
he could not help It, he SAID, with sppsr-
en-, unconcern. an try" and, dropping
y bow. made toward the forest, attended
by the serving man carrying the rabbits.
| ".
When they came TO Eerie Hollow the
II
serving man turned up the lid OF the
msund, out of which the rabbits leaped,
f-isked and scsmpered away in every d.
rec,ion. ~Goodby TO the bakers dozen
of ye," said he, jeering at the eonyherd;
| who pretended not 10 hear. Peterkin.
wasted neither trouble nor breath in run
ming after bis novel charge; he looked on
moodily, and, when the last had vanish
ed from sight, he listlessly turned home
to Boschfort He thought within himself
that the Princess Royal was very pretty,
and it would have been extremely pleas
ant TO have managed to keep his comics
together, were # only to turn the tables
upon the lsughers, and give His Majesty
q Rowland for his Oliver.
be had scarcely walked twenty yards
when the old grandmother suddenly
stood before him.
swell now, my little laddie," she ask.
| ed. did YOU get q handsome Christmas