The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-05-03
THE KING OF BE0GARss


Here is story for you that my teach
or told me.
There was once boy who studied |
quito hard; for his parents were very
proud OF him, and wished him to sue
coed in life; SO they did not give him |
anything else to do, but let him give bis |
whole time to study. However, lie did /
not study quite hard enough; for when |
he was examined for his first dc nee he
failed, SaoItly after this his parents
died and he was left alone in the world. |
Now he did not know how to manage |
theestate at all. He only understood
books; so the crops wee left to take
care Of themselves. OF course that was
not very protitable; SO before long the
scholar had to sell house and farm to
get food. He lived awhile on the price
of the farm and when this was all eaten
up there was nothing for him to do but
70 beg.
Some days he Jared pretty we'll; but
sometimes he got but little. and often
nothing to eat. Then he suffered from
cold and heat. His body, unused to ex-
posure, could not endure these hard
ships; and before long he was so ill he
could hardly crawl He crept to the
gate Of rich man. and lay down there
to die, as he thought
Now this rich man CHANGED to be the
King of the Beggars. He'is man who
is commissioned by the Emperor to
keep all tie beggars in order. He
makes a good amountos money by sell
ing begging-places; butn0body respects
him but the begga' 8.
Well, this day the Beggar King was
gone out to look after his army. and
rad left his daughter at home to keep
house. This daughter was very beauti-
full and good, Her father was proud Of
her, and vowed she should marry a
gentleman. But the King of Beggars,
though he had Of lenty money, had not
very good name In the world, and no
gentleman came wooing. So. though
the girl was now past twenty, they two
were living alone together; for her
mother was dead
To-day, when she had cooked the
rice, shO went TO the gate to see if her
father were coming. She saw instead
this wretched object at the gate.
She was as good as she was beautiful:
so she topped down and asked him il
he were very ill. He had just enough
life in him TO murmur:
mot ilJs but starving
She ran quickly into'fhe house. took
up her own bowl Of rice, brought tout,
and fed him with her own chop-sticks.
He gained strength enough to thank
her and give her e6'ou-t0ss, that is
to knock his head on the ground at her
feet Then he said:
30, missl am so very cold. =
She remembered some old garments
of her fathers and told him to come in
and put them on.
just as he had finished, the door
opened and in came the King of Beg
gars. When he saw the young man of
course he was in towering rage and
scoIded his daughter we'll; for, really,
what she had done was very, very inn
proper in the eyes of the Chinese
speaking to young man. When the
storm was somewhat abated the girl
told him some of the circumstances. and
the young man spoke few words Of
apology.
AS soon as the King of Beggars heard
the scholar-beggar speak his face
changed and he invited him into his
private office, saying he had an affair to
consult him about There he asked him
about his parents, whether he had d
wife, then il he was engaged. To these
he replied in the negative.
SWELL, them" said the King of Beg.
gars, would you like to be my son in.
1awp l have plenty of money, and
see from your speech that you are 0
gentleman and worthy Of my deal
daughter. .
To the poor. starving scholar this
seemed rare chance, and he accepted
The young couple were married a.
soon as arrangements could be made
i hen teacher was engaged and the
young man resumed his studies.
At the next examination he passed
Then he studied harder than ever, anC
before many years took his second de
gree. Both these examinations are helC
II the local distriets. But. for the thirt
and highest degree, scholars come from
all parts OF the empire TO Peking. oncl
in three years, to be examined. By aRs
by he thought himself ready for this ex
animation. His fatker-in-law was a lit
Gle anxious at the thought OF his taking
so long journey alone. sohe decide'
to place his property in the hands O
relatives, and the three should 60 up T.
Peking together.
There he tried and won again. Thos
who gain this third degree can beeom
Mandarins. He passed with distin
gnis ed merit. and after some time wa
appointed Mandarin in distant pros
. ince.
The fathe started the couple on thei
way to Their new home. and then wen