The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-01
KING PRECEDENT.


look his domain extended, inclosed only
ON lis sides. by a scarcely visible horizon,
and rooted with magnificent dome OF
azure SKY. But, strange to say, no one
had ever reached the kingdom edge, al
though there were many to try, nor was
any one able ever TO get upon the ROOF.
There were bewildering irescoes upon the
lofty ceilings. ever changing, ever new;
they began. ~ dawn. as gray ana rosy
red: they changed. by noon, To CLEANS OF
blue and white and gold, and ended, nj
dusk. with all the radiance of a rainbow
The floors Of this beautiful kingdom
were covered with d carpet OF soft, vel
vety greer: here and there dandeliohs
and cowslips were woven IN ITS texture
further on. daisies and daffodils, White
bubbling nils seemed to run a. silver
braids through its delightful ROOF.
I'm the day time some one, they knew
not who. rolled a golden globe across the
azure dome. and at night silver ball
was suspended. surrounded by innumer-
aide lamps.
As i, often the case with beautiful
things. there was something amiss with
this wonderful roof, for it sometimes
leaked and great drops of water fell upon
the king and his subjects, soiled the rare
carpets and muddied the silver braids.
But. in spite of all he might do, he had
not vet discovered one who could thatch
the cracks and stop the leaks.
And the days were dark at times; then
the beautiful globe the shining silver
bail and the millions of twsnkling lamps
were visible no more At once the king
vould command the fires 20 be ex-
tinguished over his kingdom, for,
said the cage ruler, lit is the smoke
from the chimneys that obScures the
golden globe and all the other pretty
things.
Still this measure did not tighten the
day nor bring forth the golden globe, nor
ihc silver ball. and the king was sorely
pnzzled. But one day King Rex fell Ill.
lie greeted not the golden globe at neon,
Us was his won't non WAS he gladdened
bv the silver ball OF the countless lights
at night.
He turned his face To the wall and
mO1icu. Inc hIiiH anu H'pJ'''' '~-
alike; but shall die and reach at last my
kingdoms edge, and get upon its lofty
roof | shall see who rolls the golden
Globe. who holds the silver ball, and the
endless multitude that lights the distant
Iamps. and then, " he sighed, 81 may stop
the leaks in the roof, and my subjects
will be wet 10 more. and the golden
globe viii always shine BIZ day and the
silver ball by night.
So he called his son TO his bedside and
said: Dear Regis" for that was his
name. 81 am about 10 die; | have little
10 leave thee. a. my treasure Is almost
gone. For have | not spanned the
streams with bridges, pierced the noun.
tains with tunnels, reared beautiful
structures in the cities and filled the sea
with vesselsl But when j was born my
fairy codmother said might leave my
brains unto my son, and lac should nave
the genius Of his father. So kneel TIL
give il thee And the prince kneit be-
fore his august sire. The king placed his
hands upon the princes head and wills
pcred. for lac was dying "Lo, my power
/ give unto thee; be thou with all my
mind endowed. and see thou rulest my
kingdom well" Then he lay peacefully
back tpon his bed and went to the realm
of the gollcn globe and the silver ball.
They buried the king: that day the
chimneys smoked, for the golden globe
was hid and the silver ball shone not,
while from the distant roof leaked down
upon them the drip and drop of q gloomy
storm.
1T is right, said they, 'for the golden
globe TO hide itself, for the silver ball to
don its darkest shroud, the roof to drop
its tears; the king is dead.
One day they PIT the prince upon the
throne. and cried: Live, Regis, the
king and 10! the golden globe APP
pearcd and the silver bali came forth and
the day aud night were bright.
Regis was king. and wise king, too,
but for all that there were wicked knaves
about him. And good as one may be, II
he is in the midst of evil, he also Will be-
come evil So these cunning knaves
said to the king: There is not enough
treasure in the vaults, thy father drained
it, nearly. Fill it again, OH king for a
sovereign without gold is but o counter
felt sovereign
II am willing" replied the king, ito
fill my treasury; but liowg'
'Do as thy faaher did," they answered
him, proclaim throughout the land that
all thy subjects must give of their store a
1.-THE
81 like not that, answered the king.
''still, If my father did 1t, thus let it be. "
So King Regis consented, and it was pro-
claimed abroad that the subjects must
Lring portion of their store TO the
palace.
"Alas!' cried the people, ''gold have
we none. Thy royal father impov-
crished us.
lis this true2" asked the king.
II am afraid 1t il, or nearly So" an
swered a Enavc, in whom cunning and
candor were strangely allied.
WELL" cried the king, chow may I
extract water from stone; something
from naugbtg'
Verify, the spirit Of his father was
working in him, for was not this philoso-
phy2