Wichita eagle., 1888-09-04
KING PRECEDENT.


look, his domain extended, inclosed only
on It's 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 frescoes upon the
lofty ceilings, ever changing, ever new;
they began, in dawn, IS gray and rosy
red; they changed, by noon, to CLEANS Of
blue and white and gold; and ended, at
dusk. with all the radiance Of rainbow.
The floors OF this beautiful kingdom
were covered with a carpet of soft, vel
vety green; here and there dandelions
and cowslipS were woven IN its texture;
further on, DAISIES and daffodils, while
bubbling rills seemed to run IS silver
braid5 through It's delightful roof.
In the day time some one, they knew
not who, rolled a golden globe across the
azure dome, and at night silver ball
YVES suspended, surrounded by innumer-
able lamps.
As is 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 braid5
But, in spite OF all Le might DO. he had
not yet 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 twenkliDg lamps
were visible no more. st once the king
would command the fires 20 be ex-
tinguished over his kingdom, for
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
the silver ball, and the king was sorely
puzzled. But one day King Rex fell Ill.
He greeted not the golden globe at neon,
as was his wont, nor was he giaddened
by the silver ball or the countless lights
at night,
He turned his face TO the wall and
roancd, THE king and subjects suffer
alike; bat | shall die and reach at last my
Kingdoms edge, and get upon its lofty
roof. l shall see who rolls the golden
globe, who holds the silver ball. and the
endless multitude that lights the distant
lamps, and then. he sighed, 4 may stop
the leaks in the roof, and my subjects
viii be wet 10 more. and the golden
globe will always shine by day and the
silver ball By night"
So he called his son to his bedside and
said: Dear Regis, for that was his
name. - am about to die; have little
10 leave thee, as 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 filed the sea
with vessels? But when | was born nv
fairy godmother said | might leave my
brains unto ray son, ard he should have
the genius Of his father. So kneel till
give it thee" And the prince knelt be-
fore his august sire. The king placed his
hands upon the princes head and whiS-
pered, for he Was dying: 10, my power
! give unto thee; be thou with all my
mind endowed. sno see thou rulest nv
kingdom w,>ll.'' Then he Law peacefully
back upon his he'd and went to the realm
of the golden globe ard the silver bali
They buried the king: that day the
chimneys smoked. for the golden globe
WAS hid and the silver hall shone not,
while from the distant roof leaked down
upon them the drip and drop of gloomy
storm.
1T Is right, said they, ''for the golden
globe TO hide itself, for the silver ball to
don It's darkest shroud, the roof to drop
Its tears; the king is dead
One day they put the prince upon the
throne, and cried: Live, Regis, the
king and lol the golden globe ap-
peared and the silver ball came forth and
the day and night We're bright.
Regis was king, and wise king. too.
but for al that there were wicked knaves
about him And coed as one may be, if
be is In the midst of evil. he also viii be-
come evil. So these cunning knaves
said 10 the king: There is not enough
treasure in the vaults, thy father drained
il. nearly. FIJI it again. oh, king! for 4
sovereign without gold is but q counter
felt sovereign"
Il ar wiling replied the king, Ito
I'll my treasury: but how
him, proclaim throughout the land that
al thy subjects must give Of their store a
1.-THE"
II like not that answered the king,
''erill, If my father did it, thus let it be-
So King Regis consented, and it was pro-
claimed abroad that the subjects must +
brlng 4 portion Of their store to the
palace.
ALAS cried the people. gold have
we none. Thy royal father impov- /
erished u.s.
lis this true9" asked the king.
Il am afraid it is, or nearly So" an (
swered a knave. in whom cunning and .
candor were strangely allied.
"Wali'' cried the king. how may I .
extract water from q stone; something 1
from naught:'
Verify, the spirit of his father was
working in him, for was not this philoso-
phya
but stav," he exclaimed. Il have an
idea And al. the courtiers echoed:
'.ae hath an idea-he hath an idea"
..On the morrow" continued the
king. command al my people 10 cone
. MY palace door. and / viii give to
them enough gold to pay the tithes
GOOD gracious;'' exclaimed the COUP
tiers in chorus, ''what wilt thou gain BY
that WHY
''Peaoes'' cried the king. cit is as
my father would have done; / have