The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-09-10


meanest of all the cooks. and the ut
most that the tears and prayers OF the
lovely Princess could gain for Alden was
to save his life. Alden was then pri-
yately banished to the kitchen by the
proud Grand Chamberlain of the palace
to turn the horse-radish grinder.
Alden, however, didn't lose hope like
Benoni, who mourned and fretted as he
cleaned knives all day until he was
scarce the shadow of his former stout.
merry self. Sulemwa was the only one
of the venerable Wizards friends not
disgraced, and whenever he came to
the kitchen windows Alden gave him a
carrot or raddish top. and sometimes
a saucer of salt.
When the Kings fever season came
around he was taken worse ill than ever
before, and the people of the palace
went to the nearest church to pray for
his recovery. But the new chief cook
said that Alden and Benoni shouldn't
go on any account.
1t was their first chance to talk to-
gether since their disgrace, as the
Grand Chamberlain went about spying
their actions. Among many other
questions, Alden asked Benoni, who was
filling a silver pitcher with ice-water
for the Kings sick room, if he had
brought home any of the strange yell
low fruit. Benoni said he had; and
going to secret closet drew forth small
sack of oval shaped fruit. Alden de-
cided that he should try the experiment
of boiling some of the fruit juice in salt;
and while squeezing some into bowl
Benoni guarded against a surprise by
the Grand Chamberlain. The donkey,
seeing Alden in the kitchen, came to
the window and thrust his long-eared
head within.
sPoor fellow!' said Alden. ''Benoni
will give you some salt"
Benoni caught up saucer. but being
so nervous from fear of the naughty
Grand Chamberlain, he filed it from
the sugar-bin rather than from the salt
bin. Sulemwa shifted at the saucer
once or twice, and finding no salt,
pushed the saucer off the window-ledge,
and. falling, it dropped into the bowl Of
juice.
"Good for youp' said Alden, begin
ming to stir the supposed salt until it was
dissolved in the juice. "Here, Benoni,
you must get donkey another saucer Of
SALT
This time Benoni went to the salt
bin, and also discovered his previous
mistake.
"Then my bowl of juice is spoiled"
said Alden; " but l will start another"
And he stood the bowl for the time in
the next window-ledge, directly over
the silver pitcher of ice-water that Be-
noni had filed.
g Run! run! here comes the Grand
Chamberlain on his tiptoesr' whispered
Benoni, before Alden could do more.
A saucer of salt was small matter to
a donkey like Sulemwa, and having
finished it he went to the other window
where the bowl stood. Lying on a
bench 10 the far kitchen, Benoni was
dismayed to see Sulemwa push the
bowl from the window-ledge, and it fall
with a splash into the silver pitcher of
ice-water.
Dear mer' thought Benoni, al
now remember was to take that ice
water up to the Kings room"
Benoni, You laggard. where are
your called the Grand Chamberlain.
entering and looking wrathfully about
the kitchens. g You lazy fellow, Sleep
ing again. Alden was then fiercely
called, and appearing was sent to the
Kings room with the ice-water As
for you, miserable Benoni," continued
the Grand Chamberlain, "you shall
come with me to the dungeon for sleep
ing on duty"
Alden had instantly gone to the sick
room, and filing goblet he saw passed
it to the Princess. who held it to the
parched lips of the sick King.
'sHa! hap laughed the King, to
every ones unspeakable astonishment.
"Quickly! another goblet of the MKT
urc; and bring here my venerable Wiz
ard, for he must have returned to life."
Those about the bed said that the
venerable Wizard was surely dead.
Alden, being also surprised at the won
derful effect produced, had peeped into
the pitcher, and seeing at its bottom
the bowl he had placed in the window
ledge, felt sure that the secret was dis
covered. By this time the King sat
right up in bed and called Alden to him.
Perhaps it would have been still
BETTER" said Alden, "if the Grand
Chamberlain hadn't came while Benoni
and l were experimenting and fright
ened u.s."
He shall lose his Office, if not his
silly headp' said the King. You,
Alden, restore to twice your former
rank and possession, and Benoni is pro-
NOTED to be Grand Chamberlain"
What's the name of that yellow
fruit?" asked Alden, when he found Be-
noni.
They spell it Lennon.
Alden looked at Benoni in a dreamy
way for one minute, then caught up
paper and pencil and said:
Here's the venerable Wizards rec
ipe, and the way he remembered it:
Sugar tens(ons) ,oa(ter).. See! ST.
lem,oa! Sugar, lemons and water
oooE cd fOcof1, 10 I< a. 81, q,