Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-08-18
"THE KINGS BUSINESS

LIE MINUS BDSlNESS.V
Slowly and aimlessly out of the vii
lage wandered poor. half-witted Nat
that pleasant, summer afternoon. He
hadt no pal-trdlaf destination. "only
goin' somewhere his reply ALWAYS
To any question in regard to his move
ments. During the morning he had
been parading The village street. his hat
trimmed luxuriantly with feathers
While he sounded forth his own praises
through the medium of a tin horn. OF
course, he had attracted attention. A
small army of urchins had surrounded
him, front and rear, and he had taken
thelr shouts and teasing remarks for
applause and admiration. Bat now his
grandeur was gone. One by one his
followers had forsaEen him, until at last
nc was " left alone in his glory" and
with poor Nat, like the rest of us. what
uoes Sio'y amount To when there are
none TO witness?
And so he moved onward in his drift
ing, uncertain way across the creek mt
the edge OF the village, up the hill, I'M
vi ms stalwart form stood out aoainst
the sky-for Nat was. strong in body
though weak in mind; then he passed
down on the other side TO where the
road entered forest which stretched
Tor miles away. 1t was here quiet and
lonely, but Nat fancied this. He occa-
slonally liked to escape from human
voices and human habitations, to get
away by himself and talk with the
birds, the trees and the flowers. Here
in the wood the wild vagaries of his
brain found full play. Here no one dis
Puted ms claims to greatness, no one
denied his being a noted general,
gifted orator or musician, when the
fancy seized him to be such. In fact.
Nat always had greatness thrust upon
NM; he was never an ordinary man
IN his own estimation, and he was not
now.
But on this occasion q new fancy had
taken possession of him-he was ON
business for the King. What King. or
whatfwas the particular business he did
not precisely know, but he had derived
his idea from various sermons be had
heard mt the village church and Sun
day-school, which he attended with
scrupulous punctuality through all
weathers, and although he understood
but little OF the proceedings, vet chance
sentences had fastened themselves ON
his sluggish brain.
Pm on business for the King" he
muttered. reaching up his great strong
hand and wrenching n huge overhanG-
ing branch from its place and speedily
converting it into walking-stick.
90 Yes, I'm on business for the KING.
the King of all around here. the birds.
the trees. the flowers and the bumble
bees. He sent me, He did. Parson
said so tother Sunday. He said the
King sent out His messengers to do His
work. He sent out twelve on 'em
once't, an they wasn't TO take no
money in their purse nor nothin' to eat
Guess He sent me, cause l hain't got
no money an hain't had nothin' to eat
all day."
He strobe onward. murmurinp his
thoughts rs he went, until after n time
he came upon public road which ran
through the wood. A placard fastened
TO tree by the roadside attracted his
attention, and he paused to consider it.
He could not read, but rs his eyes were
fixed upon the printed characters the
tinkle of cow-bell was heard down the
road, and presently n COW came into
view, followed by the short, sturdy fig-
ure and round. freckled face of Tommy
Brock. Tommy was flourishing large
stick and shouting at the cow in his eff
forts to keep her in proper homeward
.direptipnr And he came up and ex-
claimtd:1
TAello Natl What are you DOM
here?"
Ppm on business for the King" re-
piled Nat, with dignity.
.'On business for-who?" asked
Tommy, in surprise.
rFor the King. He sent me,n said
Nat again. "That's his orders there, 1
take it," pointing to the placard.
WHAT is il, Tommyp"
"That? Why that's only an adver-
tisement," answered Tommy. his eyes
opening wider in his astonishment. ut
says: Go to Tracey's Halfway House
for n square meal.
"Yes, know'd it, Illnow'd itr' ex-
claimed Nat, exultingly. 1.-The King
said take no money nor nothin' 70 eat,
an He'd take keer OF me. He, says
Go an I'll obey; orders, p and instant
~ his tall figure wa. moving swiftly
down the road.
Tommy gazed after him a minute in
bewildcred silence, and then exclaimed,
emphatically, as no turned away: 4
"Myl but amt he crackedr'
With rapid steps Nat hurried forward.
swinging his huge stick and talking to