The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-02-19


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
frowned. When, after time had passed,
he raised his regal brow, smiled sweetly
on the court and beckoned to an ancient
lord who stood well with his chief. In
whispered consultation the two old men
bent their heads together. while the
courtiers remained and wondered what
had happened to their ever ready king.
As time went on suspense became . po-
tent and growing pain. Why should
% simple question Of right and wrong
delay the throne 80 long? The proof was
positive that here injustice had been
done, and though defendant claimed .
handsome wife and most stupendous
child, the legal minds Of all who heard
his plea scoffed at such defense.
Surprise was therefore great when still
another counselor was beckoned by the
King. Surely this was trihing with all
precedent. The courtiers smiled, then
coughed, then shifted nervously. Each
one felt that his most honored lord
was growing very old At length the
silence - Of death fell upon the whisper.
ing throng. The emperor, dismissing the
gray haired men who had come to his
assistance, again fell to musing, and all
awaited his most fateful words After .
time he slowly rose
"Men Of my realm" he s0id, "and you
who bring your case to this, the court Of
last resort, listen to your king. have
heard the facts in this most foolish suit
and have been annoyed. There is not,
as It seems to NE, truly modest man
left in my domain. Tho egotist is all su-
preme. You boast Of your wealth, your
wife, your babe. My courtiers stand
about feeling proud that they possess
neither wealth nor wife nor babe. Our
young nlen boast of their strength, and
our old men claim to be wise. Homely
women think they are fair, and fair
women try to seem bright. Even
the children who play at our knees smile
In an egotistic way. Conceit in all its
forms Is rampant in the land love so
well. have held counsel with the truly
wise men If my domain. The tell me
to be firm. shall be. l assure you. The
egotist must go. There is in my vast
empire no room for him who feels in his
puffed up heart that he is greater than
the worm which wriggles beneath our
feet. Listen then, all of you, and let
the lord keeper Of the scrolls note care
fully my words. II hereafter any ono Of
my subjects shall express by word or
Haad or y,nannar oxys,vxt,aaninor aakisRao
ton In his achievements, his possessions
or his appearance he shall lose his head.
Any case which comes under this new
law shall be tried by me and my ad-
viserA You may go. The suit which
led to this command Is Of too trivial o
character to call for my decree. And
take heed, all Of you, how you give
voice to the egotistio thoughts that are
boiling In your brains"
One by one the courtiers fled from
the hall, casting dark looks upon the Last
counselor, the thin and evil looking
Ramek, the king he'd summoned to his
throne. But Ramek, the wise, needed
not their looks as he plucked o flower In
the garden and placed 1t in his bosom.
For well he knew that he controlled the
ear Of the king, and when he wished to
raise 0 storm the royal clouds would an
swer to his word And in this case he
had his ends to serve, for he loved the
daughter Of the king and feared that his
rival, Prince Hamassar, had already won
the hand Of the Princess Bru.
Then throughout the city spread the
news Of the emperor's decree. Over
mountains, plains and rivers Travelled
the words Of the new law, and In dis
tant villages the people groaned in fear
that their King was growing old and
harsh. The faces Of the women wore
sarcastic smiles, and playfully would
they enjoin their husbands to keep their
heads But the men murmured, and in
some place, the ever ready plotter saw
chance to raise revolt; for even in the
most peaceful kingdom there Il always
present the man who loves TO stir up the
people against their lord
30 the days went by and all men were
humble. No longer did the boaster free
his tongue, nor the dandy tell Of his tn
umphs In love. Tho lawyers and the
doctors, the soothSayers and the mer-
chants went about In silence, and when
they referred TO themselves spoke in q
deprecating way refreshing to hear.
Once more the face Of the emperor
took on its accustomed smile. He was
pleased with his people, for they seemed
10 him sufficiently humble to satisfy his
most exacting mood. The boaster no
longer appealed to the throne, and the
courtiers wore Q subservient air which
appealed to the heart Of the autocrat.
Seeing the monarch in this plant state
Prince Hamassar, q handsome and
wealthy youth whose difHdence had
often been noticed by the king, felt en-.
couraged to plead for the hand Of the
Princess Bru. It was no easy task
which he thus essayed. The man who
won the hand Of the emperor's child
would be king one day, and this fact
had been q potent motive in the unsuc-
cessful suit Of Ramek, the wise.
Thus It was that there was great ex-
element In the land when the emperor,
yielding to the blushing intercession Of
his child, graciously ecknowleded the
worthinesS Of Prince Hamassar and
placed In his the hand Of Princess Bru
The courtiers smiled and shouted In 90
claim, but Ramek, frowning, stole from
the hall in silence, and when he reached
the street breathed vow Of vengeance
to the gods. What II he were old and
thini Was he not wiser Who was this
HamAssar that ho should win Q king
dom and bride while better men must
bow before him and wander alone be-