The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-03-05
BENNINGTON, VT, THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1881.
A ROYAL ADVENTURE.

Macmillan Joseph, the late King 0
Bavaria, was, one summer day. sitting j
plain civil costume in the garden of hi
palace at Tegernsee. The heat was in
deed great, and it was SO very quiet IL
. the garden that the king fell asleep owe
the book he was reading. He laid i
down beside him on the bench, and con
tinued to slumber. When he awOke hi
thought hewould drive away his .drowsi
ness by taking q walk. The road, which
took him farther and farther and farther
away from the garden, brought him al
last to the meadow which extended OF
both sides from the shores of the beauti
ful lake near which the palace stood. /;
Here the king remembered his book
which he had left lying ON the bench in
the park. Ii any one passed by they
might take the volume, which, being
rather rare one, the king did not wish
to lose, As he was unwilling to return
the same way, he looked about for some
one who would fetch the book to him,
but far and wide lie did not see a single
Human being, except a boy who was
watching flock of geese. The king
went up to him and said:
| "Listen, my boy; you can go and fetch
me book which have left lying on a
bench in the park, and you shall have a
ttOrin for your trouble"
| ~ am not the simploton you take me
for = said ,he, turning away ~, re--s }
| "What makes you think take you for
a simpleton?" asked the king, smiling,
pleased with tile open manner Of the lad.
because you offered me a flOrin for
such trifling service," replied the boy,
'money is not earned so easily. The peo-
pie down there" he added, pointing his
finger to the distant palace, "take us for
fools, and know you are one Of them. "
| "Well, what if amp" said the king.
HCome, here's half tlorin in advance.
Now go and fetch me the book"
"Well,'' asked the king, "and why
don't you go?' 10.
| The boy punched his cap on one side
and scratched himself behind the ear.
"YeS," said he, II will-but-I dare
not. If the farmers heard that left the
geese they would dismiss me, and l
should lose my daily bread"
81 will watch them till you come back
again"
"You," replied the boy, measuring the
stranger from top to toe; ''yOu don t
look to me like one that could take care
of geese. If they we're to run away and
get lost lost in these meadows | might
have to pay more than should earn in a
year. Look at that fellow with black
head, who belongs to the court gardener;
he is an awful old bird, deserter, a
good-for-nOthing, like all people who
have to do with a court; he would play
you fine trick whilst | was away. No,
no! that would never do
"But why should not be able to keep
geese in order as well as | succeed in
keeping men in order?" said the king.
You, u replied the lad, again eyeing
the monarch with a grin. n'fEhcy must
be fine fellows, indeed! All now ]
have i'll You arc a schoolmaster! j tell
you boys are much easier to manage than
geese!"
POSSIBLY; but come, be quick. Will
you fetch me the book? l will answer
for any mischief that may happen"
This decided the boy. He enioined
the king to keep watchful eye over the
goose which he called the court gardener
splendid gander, who might run off
directly lea ing the whole herd after
him. Then the boy gave him the whip
and ran off, but soon stood still, and ther
came back again.
"What does this mean?" cried the
king to him.
1 CldCh IL OllCt. lllG uOls
The king tried it, but it would mo-
crack at ALL
'"That's just what L thoughs9 : ex
thinks he can take care of geese, ant
can't even crack whipl'
Then he took the whip out of thu
kings hand and showed him how t.
crack it. His majesty could scarcely
repress his laughter; he tried all sht
could to learn how to crack it, and wheI
he had succeeded, the boy enjoined hin
to use 1T at the right moment, and theI
ran away. Now the king could laugh ~
much as he liked. But, in fact, it seemed
as if the geese observed at once that theil
young, but severe master no longer helt
the reins of government. The gande
VIII ch the boy had pointed out as tht
court gardener raised his long neck
looked everywhere around him, uttered
several "qDaek. quacksm and then al
the geese raised their wings, screa!neC
a'oud, and, before the king could -lOol
around, rushed off to all points of til,
compass in the meadows around thl
lake. The king cried out; it was of M
use. he wanted to crack the whip, bu
the whip gave out no sound; lie ran t.
the right, he ran to the lcft-all of II,
use whatever. Out of lTeath with laugh
ing, he sat down on tile trunk of a tTe,
where the boy had been sitting and lie
the geese go.
"The boy was really right he said t,
himselfc 'that it is easier TO govern
couple Of millions of men than to manag
herd of geese. Only it was that scoun
drel, the court gardener, was tile caus
; of all this mischief"
The boy meanwhile, had found th
the book and come merrily back. Blu
Iwhen he had seen what had happened h,
let the book fall out of his hand.
"There we have it!'' he exclaimed
sobbing with anger and grief. "Didn'
say you understood nothing about it
Just look now! | can't collect them to
gether by myself. Now you will have b
help mem ......... .g .... .
After the boy had instructed the kin
how he must lift up his arms, wave then
about and shout aloud, he ran off :
fetch the most distant of the straye
flock. The king did all that was in tn
power, and, after great exertiOns, hi
whole flock was at last assembled again
then the boy began to scold the king 70
doing his duty so badly, concluding wit
the words: "
newt III III iilS Will bluhl lnb Will
out of my hands again. | wouldn't eve
entrust it to the king himself, il lie trie
to persuade me to leave the flock"
"You are right, my brave lad" sal
the king, bursting into n loud Taught
''he understands no more about it than
do, for am the king myself"
"You? You may make silnpleto
believe that, but not mel" he exclaimed
+ Take your book and make haste and g
home. To pretend, indeed, that you N
the king after showing yourself 6
clumsyv'
Don't be ont of temper" said I'll
good-natured king, as lie offered him al
other form; 81 will pledge my wor
never again to take charge OF geese.
The boy thanked him. thought for
little while, then said: "WhOever yo
are, you are good gentleman; but don
deceive yourself that you are COOS
herder, Remember the piOyeTb, tShol
maker, stick to your last illustrate
Christian Weekly.