Wichita eagle., 1888-09-04

the departed monarch. Rex2
Then, indeed, would Regis melt to the
gracious. On this morning be was in a
particularly joxial mood, and ventured:
The butterfly a missr is,
With httle seems cortent,
He wearsShe same suit all the year
And lives upon a scent
'sHo! hoI DO! ha" he laughed, and
"Ha ha.-ho! ho!" echoed the cour-
tiers. dutifullv.
your majesty is disposed to be face
tious," exclaimed the candid knave.
''Fa-whatq' he demanded, SUSPECT
ously, for he was inclined to regard
unfamiliar words with disp}easure, they
might disguise something-vel an in
tent-masquerade a sneer.
''Oh, I simply meant" explained the
candid knave, hastily, '-that your ma
jesty is excrucia.ingly funny, and that
Just then the necessity of further
apology and explanation ives obviated,
for the venerable 0-co1nselor of his
departed father stood before him.
Your majesty said be, lone word, I
pray"
Regis paused respectfully, for the as
socia1e Of the departed king was entitled
Reconsideration, he thought.
Speak, he commanded. 'sWhat is
thy will?''
''Sire, look above thee exclaimed the
ex-coilnse!or, pointing to the ceiling.
''What seest thoET'
Not much, must admit, answered
the king, as his glance followed the di-
restirg finger Of the ex-counse3or; for
the ceiling was gloomy and somber, In
Vulnerable festousof spiderwehs draped
here and there, aaeernated with adooes OF
mud wasps and pendant bats.
Sire" continued the ex-counse3or,
''beneath that strata Of CRIME and dust
are most exquisite frescoes, executed In
the time Of thy father, before thou vert
born, rarely colored and bewi.dering.
Wouldst thou Ike to behold them?''
''Indeed would l." exclaimed Regis
But what state the ceilings are in.
The curtain of CRIME must be withdrawn.
Let me see how it can be most speedily
done"
Said the candid knave: 1Anow me to
sugg''-
.'Silence!" exclaimed the monarch,
'~@e would reflect" Regis was the SOW
ereign now.
Presently his face frightened and he
with startling abruptnesss
''Eto, ha! ha, hop for it was his sover-
eign way to 1nutoer Ia, no! 10, ha when
delighted. Il have an idea
] have an idea
And all the courtiers muInured, du-
biously, after: "He hath an idea-he
hath an idea"
Il viii have the gardener como ,hAher
with the hose and direct q stream Of
water upon the ceiling that viii clean it.
Great heal''-hegan the couftiers,
IN hor1fed chorus, whereupon the king
exclaimed: 1--WE have spoken; letft be
as l have said. 1t is as my father would
have done"
And sure enough the hose was intro
duced into the apartment and stream
Of water directed upon the ceiling as the
king had commanded, and then-what
mess he made Of it? Bats, mud, wasps,
cob webs, drowned spiders, dust, CRIME,
ali came spatter spat upon the carpet and
furniture; but the ceilings we're cleaned
and the freScoes were in view.
Presently the king came to inspect
them and stood aghast at the raxage of
the water.
Dear mew he exclaimed, there's
how dye dor
Your majesty ventured the candid
knave, IF thou hadst erected scafold-
ing and sent careful worsmen thereon,
this might have been avoided, and"-
Say no more" cried the king; II
never thought Of that" And he left
their presence and said to his faithful
servant: Please kick me-metaphor-
ically.' he added hastily.
At last, for long. long time, the roof
of the kingdom leaked not: and the golden
globe was always visible and grew 80 bot
that the DAISIES died, the violets hung
their heads. and the buhbling streams no
longer NoTe the land with their braids
Of silver.
-tAiast' cried the people, s'the clover
5 gone from the fields. the grass from
he meadows, and our cattle die"
Then said the king unto bis knares,
There is grass On the upland, but the
ascent is steep and crossed by rarines.
how may we get the cattle to it? How
nav we-ah! l have i'll have iti'
And all the knares echoed: He has il
he has it. Alas, it may be another
DEAF
But the king continued: IBID all my
% the heights. We can then draw the
attic thither and they can set the
,rass -
But cried the naves. s-why do you
,otT-
Silence" cried the king. ut is as
ny father would have DONE"
So the windlass was built and when il
lis ready me king ordered rope 70 Dc
lsrened about the neck of struggling
ow, and commanded his subjects u
ull. Presently the bewildered beast
not into the air toward the uplands; bat,
las, when the poor animal reached the
% it was dead.
BLESS met cried the king. when the
ss,llt was made known to him, this is
ad; the rope has choked the cow"
Your majesty" said the candid
nave. why not send hborers to the
Fights with scythes. that they may cut
ne grass and lower il hither:'
"Oh. cried the king. II never thought
{ that. I must hence and Illuminate,
u am ! not an aS-and do not asses
animated"
And as his courtiers were too polite to
ispute his royal word, he left them: and
, it came 70 pass that be began TO doubt
Is fathers wisdom; he saw that new
ccasions teach new duties" and that !