Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-12-30

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him to love- Far be 1t from me to sug.
7 gest, but am told that my daughter Is
passing fair, and that the queen herself
hath looked with favor on herp
"What is your daughters name?n
. "Alida-n
"Alidap exclaimed the king, "the
queen has indeed singled her out as n
favorite. I'll think upon this sugges.
tion. No hurry you know, now that
: you've checked the marriage withY Dung
, Helmer.n
And so Old Henry bowed himself from
the royal presence, and rode home in an
} intoxication Of delight
Alas, now utterly the great men of the
earth, fail to realize the limitations of
their petty powers.
AS Henry rode homewartl congratulat-
ing himself, and trying to determine
just what would be his title after the
marriage Of Aida and Prince Meren. the
old king sat in his royal den and dream.
ed of his cleverness in getting out of en-
tertaining his brother monarch. There
was a knock at his door. Without open-
ing his eyes, he cried:
"His Majesty is engrossed with cares
OF state and desires absolute quieto
1t was voice Of thunder that spoke,
but for all that the door opened.
"Oh, you do, do you! Well 1t is cues.
ton Of state, that want to bring before
youp
"Why, my DEAR" replied the king,
arising, for IT was the queen who stood
before him, and the king was a chival.
rous man, especially when the queens
eyes flashed that way, "come in, of
course! didn't recognize your knock.
And the children too, WHY
"What want to know is the meaning
OF the rumors, that by royal proclama.
ton Christmas day and its observance
Is to be abolished in our Kingdom
Six pairs of royal little lips went up
into Fuckers, six pairs Of eyes began to
fill with tears.
why, my DEAR" began his Majesty.
"its only for this year, you know, YOU
see it's all owing to an unfortunate acci-
dent to the royal calendar. Christmas
day does not appear in 1t, and by rule |
OF court ceremony
"Court, fiddlesticks,n exclaimed the
queen. "pd just like to know what Won
and those fossilized hangers-on have to
do with 1t, anyway? Do you for one
moment imagine that you control the
universe? Christmas day will come, and
1t Will be observed, in palace and in cot,
SO you may just as well recall that silly
proclamation.n
And the queen began to wipe the eyes
OF the six little weeping princes and
princesses.
"But, my dearest one, it's impossible!
Don't you see"
SIX royal little mouths opened, and six
royal howls came forth. The queen
folded her arms, and iiles k,ng moved \
uncomfortably in his chair.
"oh, that's only the beginning,n said
the queen encouragingly, "you'll be
hearing that from one end of the king
dom to the other. Everywhere you 90
these walls will assail your oars. You
can't sleep for them, and you can't es-
cape them, for you can't leave your own
domains at this time Of year. Pleasant
prospect isn't it?" ''"i s"..,
The howls only grew louder. /,
"Why, by my royal sceptfe, I'll not
stand this! Look here, don't you see
those children are driving me crazyYn
"And 70 think that this is only the be-
Now king can hang traitors, can ban
ish conspirators, can ihcarcerate disturb
ers of the public peace, but the infantine {
rebels Of the royal family, especially ,
when they are urged on by the royal
spouse, are beyond the reach Of King and
law. More powerful than an invading
army, they carry everything before
them. The king, he of lightning temper
and laundering words, reached down 1
and took as many Of them as he conven-
ently could in his royal arms, and prom 8
sed that not only they, but every man,
woman and child in his kingdom should I
celebrate Christmas that year and every l
year, calendar or no calendar.
So the royal proclamation was recalled, o
md though the Most Noble Master Of 8
Etiquette shook his head with many v
over the irregularity, prepa- s
'ations for the Christmas festivities be- o
gan, and with them the preparations for r
he marriage Of Young Helmer and
Lady Aida, whom the. queen had taken Il
inder her especial charge and patron v
'ge. Even King Henry Golrox and all II
lis train, including the .devout arch u
bishop, was invited to the wedding, q
which assumed the Importance Of an sf- g
air Of state, and the archbishop assisted b
n the ceremony adding his blessing to IL
hat Of all the people. Old Henry was G
% delighted by the beauty Of his daugh- "
er and her great favor with court and II
,eople,, that he forgot all about Prince IL
deren, and blessed the day that Helmer Il
laimed his promise,
AS for the king, he Of lightning temper IL
md laundering words, he said there sc
lever was SO fair a Christmas day, and pl
rev really friendly and confidential D
With his old time rival, King Golrex, "a
md together the twain made merry o.
lntil midnight came and went, and the
ock in the royal court yard began to TT
erald the dawn Of the day after Christ OF
mas. aI
But 1t was the queen who enjoyed that W
christmas day the most, and after she u
lad visited the royal nursery and had
cen the six little beds with their six =,
title piles Of toys at the foot, and then h. h,
nd peeped into the drawing room where II
Ielmer and Aida were going over their In
again, and lastly had seen 81
he king and his royal guest in friend ia
Y adjustment Of numerous difficulties 10
hat had existed throughout their reigns, 70
he said.