The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-12
A Kansas Fairy Tale.

mords, and. pauSing moment, raised rs
jeweled hand. and the heralds bowed low
before him, their suits OF woven corn silh
ciirging softly about their beautiful forms
The king held in his hand a small pine
splintefs tipped with a red end. slightly
bu,g.ng.
The King cast his eye upon II and
groaned.
And the heralds upon their knees.
groaned.
For that which the king held in his hands
was the last match,
'Know ye." said the king in MS mighty
voice, as he stin held the last match on
high, "tha. we have decided to take impe-
rial action"
The heraids were silent.
1--WE have decided that the last match
shall burn
TIE heralds, one and all, groaned.
1--WE have decided the king went on"
to concede 1t every condition. to give it
everything favorable TO its desire, and still
make Il burn,'
Again the heralds, one and all, groaned.
''Ye may well be dolorous." sighed the
king. looking at the match. ''Ye may well
mourn, for in the long history Of mankind
no one has ever known the last match TO
burn"
True" echoed the heralds-
1--WE remember" the king went on, "thas
once we and our royal suit visited the be-
n:gn King Cowley. On our way there We
discovered that we had but one match. The
rjpe was filed and craved by US. There
was no wind. 1t was a deathiy calm. The
match looked all right. ] struck II across
our royal trousers. 1t spluttered and went
cut. For two days we were without our
customary bowl OF tobacco. Mankind has
had always the same experience. The last
match viii not burn"
The king paused, while the heralds moan
ed lowly.
Proclaim We now to all the people thar
the worlds supply of PHOSPHORUS has
given out; all matches save one have been
used, and that one remaining match King
Reno holds Proclaim that II Is his de-
sire, yea, il is his imperial WILL that this
match shall burn: that 1t shall burn IN
| unfavorable conditions, not in closed
room, or under a calm sky, but Il snaLi
burn when the wind is blowing not less
than forty miles an hour"
The heraids again groaned.
And then promulgate that all men snal
have their trial. provided that no man shall
| strike the match unless he is sure that II
will burn. And tell him that the king Is
| old: that he has no son-only his daugnter'
| Pkersonia; and that the man who snall
strike the match and make II burn ions
enough to light cigar from II in wind
| blowing not less than forty miles an hour.
and on the open prairie. shall thereupon
receive my daughter, Phersonia. as his
wife, and shall succeed me as King OF
! Ou:vari But II any man strike u and II
| does not burn, off goes his head. Thus we
| command
| so the heralds went out and proclaimed
/ II all to the people, who all thereupon
rushed to the capital Of Quivari to the last
/ match, to look upon II. Among them was
! Prince Barber, very strong, courageous
man. He said, in a loud voice:
at shall light the match"
! But in the days while he and the multi
! tude waited, poor sweet Phersonia wept,
| because she did not like the great brute
Barber, and she believed she should have
| him for husband.
The eventful day came. The official wind
| officer announced the wind at AZ miles an
hour. The king and all his train, Prince
Barber, Phersonia, and the ladies OF the
| court, and the great multitude went out
on the open prairie. And Barber took
the last match and went out on the open
floor and raised his leg.
| But suddenly he was seized with a trem-
bling. HIS huge frame shook with fear
The match would not burn. He was sure
of it. No one had ever known a last match
to burn, and this one certainly would not
Why risk his head? No. He would not
risk il.
So ne staIked over 10 the king and said
he was not ready TO make the trial.
Whereupon the king frowaed and Pier
sonia wept for joy.
Then others tried 1t. Each would go out
irto the oren space and get ready. ara
then his heart would fail him.
For days this went on. Months passed
and the trial of courage proceeded, al
though no one ever ATTEMPTED to strike
it. All the people in the kingdom were
living at the capital. After while no one
ever tried the match again. Two learneI
doctors got into a quarrel as to which
would be the better way to light it'd
stand facing the wind, or with the back
m the wind. One doctor said one thing
the other another. The people divided or
this rnomentous question. Everybody dis
cussed it. Books were written upon the
subject. Riots took place. People thought
! OF nOLllNS elSE. Aie itSi h-.'t-
poor and the king wished he had never
made the decree.
| After two years a stranger, the Prince
Of Ness, came TO the capital. he wa;
| Young and fair TO look upon, and Pher
sonia loved him at first sight.
"I VIII strike the match" he said. The
! multitude followed him out 10 the oper
space and wept. because they knew d.
could not light II.
The Prince OF Ness raised his leg and
struck the match. The wind blew II ou'
/ instantly.
"On with his hesd." roared the king.
The headsmen. all dressed in black. can'
| forward and arranged the block.
The Prince Of Ness placed his head up
on Il. The hesdsman raised his ak
Hold cried Phersonia. 1T was no'
| the last match. Here. Papa, 1 found on
which had worked through your yes
pocket into the lining"
'.TT be toshhggled." cried the king. And
putting a cigar between his Fps. from
sheer joy. he struck the matca and III th'
cigar
The multitude rosred its approval sut
fell at TIE kings feet.
Take her. Prince said The king. Eivinl
Phersonia 70 him, You have the cours ge
any way"
Memertsi Beu-rorer
A remarkable college memorial IL the be-
! tov-ar "a contain q chime cf eleven bells