The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-12-23


He remembered. now Longquill spoke
of it, that he had noticed the same
thing himself. By measuring the food
and carefully computing the time by
methods of their own, they could ex-
actly determine the fatal day. Long
quill called the Emperor's attention to
this fact, AMI added that it would allow
the people to prepare themselves for
the ordeal, and possibly it might some
time enable them to discover more con-
cerning the ogre smethod of procedure.
The Emperor, who was clear
headed, upright ruler, was not slow to
see the advantage that might be gained
from LongquilFs discovery, and, an
nouncing It at once to his Ministers.
proclaimed that, upon the first day
of the fourteen the Ministers should
assemble at the public square, and there
discuss the problem of how best to van
quish their common foe; and that every
intelligent citizen, no matter what his
position in life. should present himself
at the same place, listen attentively to
the discussion of the Ministers, and
when they had finished, submit any
plan which occurred to them; provided,
should it fail, that they would volun-
tarily 60 with the ogre on the dreadful
day. The object of the last clause was
to keep those from speaking who had
not perfected plan in which they had
full confidence. This proclamation
the Emperor had announced annually
by the county crier on the morning of
the first day of the fourteen, and it was
this the people were so expectantly
waiting to hear at the time this story
opens.
Soon the crier climbed to the top of
mountain which ornamented the cen
ter of the square. and from there
shouted out his message. which was,
with the exception of the date. exactly
what it had always been. When he
finished reading, the citizens gathered
in little knots upon the street corners
and long and earnestly discussed the
dreary prospect before them; finally
dispensing to prepare themselves for the
afternoon at the square. At the ap-
pointed hour every Gobbletonian was
in his place. An excited, sorrowful,
hopeless multitude, they listened at
tentively to the wise dissertations of
the ministers, but their hearts grew
little lighter.
The discussion was very able, but
quite too long to record. Some of the
most impressive veins were as follows:
Minister Cromwell was very sure
that if he knew the ogre's language
and could gain his attention, with the
aid of his rhetofic and his elocution,
he could readily demonstrate to the
monster how disgraceful was his con-
duct, and persuade him to leave them
forever in peace This sounded very
fine and plausible, but as Cromwell
did not know the ogre's language, and
there was physical impossibility of
his ever acquiring it, his remarks were
of little practical value. &
Minister Sharpspur thought if the
knights would make sudden stimuli
taneous attack upon the fiend. that
they might compel him to surrender.
The knights received this proposition
with unbounded applause, and were for
imme liately organizing company,
that they might begin drilling at once;
but the others began to dissuade them.
Was not the ogre encased in armor
against which their sharpest weapons
were futile. and was not his face, the
only exposed part of his body, three
times their own height above them,
quite out of their reach? Then, too,
they must not only subdue him but
conquer his servant. They at length
saw the hopelessness of the case, but
they declared bravely that they would
try, and whatever fate was in store for
them, die fighting for their liberty and
their country.
Minister Longplume was of the opin-
ion that the monster must be suscep-
tible to the influence of beauty-when
he said this, all the mothers and sisters
and sweethearts present put their heads
to one side, Strengthened themselves
with a little conscious flutter, and
looked modestly down-and if several
of the handsomest knights, arrayed in
their gayest uniforms would wait upon
him-at this point all the mothers and
sisters and sweethearts exclaimed in an
indignant chorus: ''Hear the vain fell
low! No doubt he wishes to lead them"
who knew with what good fortune
they might meet. Minister Longplume,
by the way, was considered quite the
handsomest of all the Gobbletonians.
Then came the citizens turn to
speak, and an expectant hush fell upon
the assembly. Suddenly from the
densest part of the crowd, stepped a
tall. spare figure, slightly bowed with
age. 1t was Sage Longquill. Cheer
upon cheer burst forth, until the whole
place rang with huzzahs.
Hope rose within every heart. 'He
has not lived in seclusion all these years
for nothing" said one. "He has been
fastingr' exclaimed another, in awe
struck whisper. HE has something
to say, or he would not peril his life SO
rashly," thought they all, wisely.
Nor were they wrong. When all was
silent he thus addressed the crowd:
Dear Friends: As you know, have
given my life to the study of means to
forward your cause and rescue you
from pitiless enemy. have now
perfected means of escape, and hav-
ing thoroughly tested it myself, can as
sure you of its value. Can you go
without food seven days?" A dismal
groan rose from the crowd.
1--WE should die then, surely" said
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