The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-02-25
Our Mons ano Girls.
A Royal Adventure.

Bavaria, was, one summer day, sitting
in plain civil costume in the garden OF
his palace at Tegernsee. The heat
was indeed great, and it was so very
quiet in the garden that the king fell
asleep over the book he was reading.
He laid it down beside him on the
bench, and continued to slumber.
When he awoke he thought he would
drive away his drowsiness by taking
walk. The road, which took him
farther and farther and farther away
from the garden, brought him at last to
the meadow which extended on both
sides from the shores of the beautiful
lake near which the palace stood.
Here the king remembered his book
which he had left lying on the bench
in the park. If 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 he
did not see single human being, eX-
cept boy who was watching flock of
geese. The king went up to him and
said:
Listen, my bow; you can go and
fetch me a book which | have left lying
on bench in the park, and you shall
have form for your trouble"
81 am not the simpleton you take
me for" said he, turning away.
What makes you think l take you
for a simpleton2" asked the king,
smiling, pleased with the open manner
of the lad.
Because you offered me a form for
such a trifling SERVICE" replied the
boy; money is not earned so easily.
The people 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 1 amp" said the king
"Come, here's half form in advance
Now 90 and fetch me the book"
"Well," asked the king, "and why
don't you go?"
The boy punched his cap on one side
and scratched himself behind the ear.
eyes," said he, 81 will-but-I dare
not If the farmers heard that l left
the geese they would dismiss me, and |
should lose my daily bread"
4" l 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 were to run
away and get lost in these meadows |
might have to pay more than L should
earn in a year. Look at that fellow
with black head, who belongs to the
court gardener; he is an awful old bird,
a deserter, good for-nothing, like all
people who have to do with a court: he
would play you fine trick whilst l was
away. No, mol that would never do"
But why should not l be able to
keep geese in order as well as | sue
coed in keeping men in order?" said
the king.
"You," replied the lad, again cycling
the monarch with grin. "They must
be fine fellows, indeed! All! now !
have it, You are a schoolmaster
tell you boys are much easier to man.
age than geesel"
Possibly; but come, be quick.
Will you fetch me the book? | will
answer for any mischief that may hap
pen."
This decided the boy. He enjoined
the king to keep watchful eye over
the goose which he called the court
gardener, a sp endid gander, who might
run off directly leading the whole hero
after him. Then the boy gave him the
whip and ran off, but soon stood still
and then came back again.
What does this mean?" cried the
king to him.
"Crack it once! " ordered the boy.
The king tried it, but it would moi
crack at all.
That's just what l thought" ex.
claimed the boy. "The schoolmastei
thinks he can take care of geese, anC
can't even crack whip!"
Then he took the whip out of the
kings hand and showed him how tc
crack it. His majesty could scare Jy
repress his laughter; he tried all he
could to learn how to crack it, anC
when he had succeeded, the boy en-
Joined him to use it at the right mo-
ment, and then ran away. Now the
king could laugh as much as he liked
But, in fact, it seemed as if the geese
observed at once that their Young, bu
severe master no longer held the reins
of government. The gander which thu
boy had pointed out as the court gar
dener raised his long neck, looked
everywhere around him, uttered sew
eral "quack! quacks!" and then al
the geese raised their wings, screame,
aloud, and, before the king could looI
around, rushed off to all points of th
compass in the meadows around th
lake. The king cried out; it was of NJ
use; he wanted to crack the whip, bu
the whip gave out no sound; he ran t.
the right, he ran to the left-all of n
use whatever. Out of breath wit
laughing, he sat down on the trunk a
tree where the boy had been sitting
and let the geese go.
The boy was really right" he sal
TO himself, that it is easier TO govern
acouple of millions of men than t
manage a herd of geese. Only it wa
that scoundrel, the court gardener, wa
the cause of all this mischief
The boy, meanwhile, had found tn
book and come merrily back. Blu
when he had seen what had happene
ne let the hook fall ont of his hand