Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1878-02-02

vine fast, the head of which was adorn-
ed with a golden apricot. From the
shoulders of this Fruit King hung n
cloak woven of trailing vines, and a
chain of fire-red cranberries, ike
badge of honor, encircled his neck.
Sigismund stared with wide-open
eyes at the little man sitting so cozily
there, and who now began TO speak
again.
''Thou thoughtst there was no such
person rs | in the world, didst thou, my
son? And yet thou vert such lover of
my subjects That thou mayst know
henceforth where L live, | will now take
thee to my dwelling
"No, oh, no, Sir Fruit King said
Sigismund, whining. 81 do not care TO
know, and would rather stay here"
81 can not help that" quoth the Fruit
King, and hoped with spring down
to the branch on which Sigismund was
covering, and clasped the boy around
with his grape arms, which were not
soft AT all, but felt hard as the hardest
grapevine. Then, with the struggling,
crying boy, he began to spring with
great leaps from one fruit-tree to anoth-
er across the garden, into the next, away
on, on, far into the country into an I'M
known region. Sometimes he took fear
full leaps, for often the fruit-trees were
miles apart, and Sigismund grew so
dizzy that he could hear and see nothing
more.
When he came to his five senses again,
the Fruit King had let 90 of him and he
stood in strengthening place where
he had never been before. 1t must have
been the tropical lands of which he had
heard and read so much, for the trees
which grew here were quite different
from those at home. There were tall
palms, bread-fruit trees and giant ferns
There were burning-red towering BUSH
es and broad-leaved, shining rubber
trees-in short, a new, strange world.
In the midst of the broad, green square
stood a marvellous house. The founda-
ton was masonry of great cocoanuts.
On this firm base rose lighter walls of
red oranges and pomegranates, the
openings between which were filled up
with close-packed figs. The roof was
matched with dates and Brazil nuts.
There were no windows, but oval OPEN
ings admitted light, and were festooned
with punches of raisins. The wide en-
trance was arched over with golden yell
low lemons, which gave it a charming
appearance.
The Fruit King was standing beneath
this arch. He motioned to Sigismund
to follow him, which he did at once, for
ha tor 70
ance, yet he expected no good from this
invitation. The inside of the house was
even more inviting than the outside.
There was one great hall, on
whose walls hung every sort of fruit
that the world gives. Every kind
was also arranged by itself
in the most charming pyramidal man
ner, and on the top of each pyramid sat
a little figure, mostly like little women,
who all wore vine mantles so that their
persons were hidden, but their heads
bore a wonderful resemblance to the
fruits which each had to guard. They
all arose with low bows as the Fruit
King entered, and gazed with astonish-
ment at the human child by their mas
ter's side.
The Fruit King seized Sigismund's
hands with his grape fingers, and said,
with emphasis, 81 have brought q
guest; if any one recognizes him, let him
step FORTH
With fabulous speed all the little
creatures who sat by the German fruits
leaped from fruit pyramids, and stand
ing in semi-circle around the trem-
bling Sigismund, cried with one voice:
1--WE know him! we know him, He is
fruit thief! he is fruit thief, He
throws stones at us! He beats us with
poles! He steals us! He eats u.s."
''Then judge him." said the Fruit
King gravely, as he sat down upon his
throne, which was built of all manner
of gilded fruit seeds.
Sigismund trembled and looked help
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