Western appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1885-18??, 1888-01-28


in his best purple and golden crown.
to exchange places with the happiest
man he could find.
On an almost deserted road, he
espied a little cabin under some large
trees that almost screened it from
view. As the carriage drew nearer,
the King saw the occupant Of the
cabin digging in a patch. He seemed
as happy as the birds that were sing.
ing on every limb; and he himself
sung, while he pushed the spade into
the ground and turned up the sof,
earth.
When the carriage stopped, the man
dropped his spade, and came to the
fence to see what was wanted.
The King stepped, down and asked
him some questions regarding the
prospect of good crops in the country.
and then said:
Il should be very well contented il
! were as happy as you are. !"
''And ]" replied the peasant,
should be very happy if ] were a
King
You are one," replied the King,
as he threw his robes about the mans
shoulders. and placed the golden
crown upon his head. THAT is your
carriage, and these are your servants,
who will bear witness that we have
changed places. and that / am the
peasant.
The joy of the new-made King knew
no bounds. He sat up in the carriage,
with all the dignity of an old King. In
his heart he fancied that he must be
dreaming, and pinched his arms,
and asked his attendants to stick
pins in him that he might be
sure he was awake. He thought Of
his great power with absolute glee,
and felt supremely happy in the
knowledge that he could make the
country go to war, and cut off the
heads of people who in any way dis
pleased him. What puzzled him most
was the fact that he had ever been
happy before, and he was at a loss to
understand it.
Whip up the horses" he said; 81
wish to reach the place before sun
down."
But, in reality, he feared that the old
King might have changed his mind,
and might be running along the road
to overtake them.
When he reached the place, there
was little excitement, as all the in
mates knew they were to have a new
King, having been informed of the ma
ture of the old Kings mission in the
morning.
That night he made up his mind to
have grand banquet, such as King
should have. So he ate a most inor-
dinate quantity of the richest dishes
he.could think Of, and he did not stop
until almost midnight, when he re-
tired.
He was awakened several times be-
fore morning with nightmare, and
passed so miserable night, that he
was tired and sleepy when it was time
to rise tor the day. While he was a
peasant and worked hard year in and
year out, he had never known any but
nights of refreshing sleep.
But this did not trouble him much.
He concluded that he would soon be-
come accustomed to royal banquets,
and that would be the end of sleepless
nights. No sooner had he disposed of
this trouble, than it occurred to him
that he had heard that it was a com
mon thing for Kings to have their food
poisoned. Perhaps his food had been
insufficiently poisoned the night be-
fore. In that case the servants would
make sure to put enough in his coffee
to kill him at breakfast.
This was a terrible reflection, and it
narrowed the Kings feelings in way
that they had never been narrowed be-
fore. But he went to his breakfast.
determining that he would not touch
the coffee. Then he concluded that
they might deceive him by putting the
poison where he would leastsuspect it.
When he was a peasant, he never
knew such fear as this. He finished
his breakfast in great alarm. His agi-
tation had been so great that it gave
him worried, pale look.
SIS your Majesty wellP' asked one
of the courtiers.
''Whyp" said the King.
Your Majesty certainly looks very
ill., replied the courtier
Then the King was satisfied that he
was poisoned. So he threw himself
upon a lounge, clasped his hands to
his forehead, declared he had been
poisoned, and ordered all the servants
to be beheaded if he should die.
Shortly after, he was satisfied that
nothing serious was the matter, and
he went out in the garden to take a
breath of fresh air. He hadn't pro-
ceeded far, when he noticed some one
following him. His follower was be-
tween him and the palace, and he
could do nothing but depend upon
himself in case of an attack. No mat
ter where he walked, this man fol-
lowed him, SO he sat down to see if the
straggler would venture nearer. But
the man did not; he stood still and
watched.
The King thought that he could
never be attacked if he allowed his
prospective assailant to know that he
was watched. So he shouted for help,
and in an instant dozen servants
were at his side.
THAT man yonder is following me
to kill mel" he cried, pointing at the
man. who stood near.
No, your Majesty. he is not, : re-