San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-18
ROYALTY AND REPARTEE.
Court Fools Who Have Turned the Laugh
Oh Mighty Sovereigns.

Decidedly the worst of the exchange did
an eastern sovereign receive when, having
bought several horses from some mer-
chants, lac gave them a lac of rupees to
purchase more for him,
s IN after they had departed he in
sport,ve humOr ordered his vizicr to make
out list of all the fools in his dominions-
He did SO, and put his majesty's name at
the head Of them.
The king asked why
He replied, Because you intrustei lac
of rupees To men you didn't know, and
who will never come back"
"Aye, but suppose they should come
back"
"Then,' said the viZier, II shall erase
your name and insert theirs"
Very pointed was the answer Frederick
the Great received from one of his suite.
AS is well known the king was extremely
fond of disputatou, but as he generally
terminated the discussion by collariDg his
Antagonist and kicking his Sims few of
his guests were disposed TO enter into the
arena against him.
One day, when he was even more anxious
than usual for an argument, he turned to
n nobleman and asked why he did not ex-
press his opinion.
at is impossible, your majesty was the
reply, ito express an opinion before SOW
eregn who has such strong convictions,
and who wears such very thick boots"
In the answer which German prince
was given there seems TO be y rebuke for
his misgovernment implied Having in n
dream seen three rats-one fat, the other
lean and the third blind--he sent for eel
u a Don, laIu
explanation.
THE first rat, said she, sis your prime
minister, the lean rat your people and the
blind rat yourself"
A very good hint was also smartiv put
by Mr.. Coutts, the banker, TO the Duke of
York.
The duke having said Co Coutts, 81
think, sir, you have been my banker for
more than twenty years." the banker re-
torted:
"Your royal highness, | Ghink may be
said to have been my banker during that
time, as my money has been in your hands,
not your money in mine"
Perhaps, though, the richest piece of
humor ever told of royalty, in that one of
the principal actors in the scene was most
likely unconscious of the rapier keenness OF
his retort, will be found in the following:
One of the shahs Of Persia was more anx-
ious than able to acquire fame rs u poet.
He had just completed a new performances
in very peculiar meter, and summoned
the court poet into the royal presence to
hear the poem read.
The laureate was either an unusually
conscientious courtier or he was afraid OF
losing his berth if his master took TO rhym-
ing on his own account, and when his opin-
ion was asked he condemned the compo-
SitiOu
The shah, enraged at this uneourtly
criticism, gave orders that the court poet
should be taken to the stable and tied up
in the same stall with donkey. Here the
poor sinner remained until his royal rival
had pcrpetrated another poem, when he
was again commanded to appear before the
throne and submit to a second irhction OF
sovereign dizziness. He listened in silence
while the new poem was read, and at the
conclusion, his opinion being required, he
fell upon mis- knees and significantly eN-
claimed to the royal author. Send me
back to the donkeyp'-LondoI Tit-Bits.