The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-01-04

LISTEN THEN ALL Ok YOU
Many centuries ago there lived In the
east an emperor who loved his people
and was beloved by them. He had
grown old happily, and no wasteful wars
had reduced his Golfers nor whitened the
hair upon his majestic head. Strong,
calm and dignifed. he welded pater-
nal scepter above his subjects, and when
he went among them they bowed before
him in affection. 1t had come about as
the years went by that his people con-
suited him upon all kinds of curious
problems, and if mother doubted the
vigor Of her babe she sought audience Of
the king. Merchants and lawyers, doc
tors and soothsayers. took much stock in
his royal judgment, and when his eye
beamed hopefully there was JOY through
out the land
Thus it happened that the emperor
was nearer to his people than are his
kind in modern days, and he felt the
pulse OF bis race and knew the health,
SO to speak, Of his kingdom at large.
Watching closely, therefore, the temper
Of those about him, the aged sovereign,
as time went on, became convinced
that the besetting sin Of those who
called him king was self conceit. This
worried him, and in the dark watches
of the night he would toss about upon
his royal couch. crying. ssEgotists, oh,
egotistsm
As the conviction grew upon him
the peace of bis earlier days fast fed
from him. A simple man himself, he
held inmodesty abhorrent. and prayed
to the strange gods whose presence filed
his mind to keep his people humble in
his sight. It may be that this itself was
proof that he was not as modest as an
earnest king should be. but still the fact
remains that they who make obeisance
to monarch should hold their pride in
check.
There was one strong reason why the
emperor should be so firm in this regard,
for he possessed no heir, and in the course
Of nature his throne would descend to
his daughter and her spouse Thus was
it that he wished to leave a modest
kingdom and one easy to be ruled
One morning, as the emperor paced
his audience hall. these thoughts were
thick upon him. Why should men hold
their heads so high and women plume
themselves upon their beauty Was not
death the end Of all? The rainbow faded
and the flowers had died. The bloom
upon the forest must depart, and the
golden glory that made the sea SO fair
must pass away with night. He HIM
self had once been lusty, and soft, white
hands had srnoothed his face and called
him beautiful, but now old age had
creased his face and crowned his head
with snow. Why should men walk SO
janntily, and women talk as though they
held the secret Of immortal youth? Sure
II, Of all the sins that tempt the human
race. none is so foolish as that of self
conceit. Thus thought the emperor as
he looked about upon his court and won
dered why his advisers were SO richly
dressed.
AS the morning passed the good old
potentate grew grave. Case after case
came before his notice, and in every in
stance the conceit of man had made es-
sential protest to the throne Never be-
fore had the passion of self conceit
seemed to him SO hateful, and as the day
went on his royal brow grew black. His
courtiers, grouped around, looked up at
him in dread, for they knew his heart
was kind, and feared to see his gentle
face SO strangely overcast.
.sWhat thinks the king that he should
speak so sharp they whispered to each
other In tones Of dread, and when he
turned his rowing eyes upon them they
shuddered through and through and
pulled each others robes and coughed.
At length there came before the king
man whose dress betokened wealth.
Raising his voice he spoke in tones that
thrilled the throng and boosted of his
wealth. Then asked he of the emperor
revenge upon a man who. as he claimed,
had wronged him Of his gold.
The man who was accused stepped
forward then and loudly claimed that
he himself was rich, and of his mental
force had made his wealth. And fur
Their still he boosted Of his probity and
pulled his wife and said that his child
was fat. The courtiers laughed, but on
the brow Of him who ruled the land a
growing cloud was seen What meant
this strange emotion of the king? Full
many time fools and their fancies had
stood before his throne. Why was it,
then, that as he gazed upon the men
who argued heatedly before him now
his countenance, so gentle in its mold,
should grow 90 stern and set? What If
this one boasted Of his gold and anothes
Of his wife and child? Was that causS
for him who sat upon throne to lose
his poise and scowl as though his royal
head throbbed from painful thoughts?
So thought his courtiers as they
watched their king and listened to the
foolish prating OF the men who made
the fight. After time there was 81
Ience Id the hall; and o verdict in the
case was hoped for from all who had
listened to the nonsense Of the same.
But still the king looked black, and
leaned his head upon his hand and
fr0wned When, aftes time had passed,
hs raised bis regal brow, smiled sweetly
- thA oass~t ami haokanad tn an aneisrt