The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-02
Love Test of a Kansas King.

| The nuptials Of Princess Phersoria and
Prince Ness were soon to take place. A
| few days before the ceremony. King Reno
| and Prince Ness were sitting IN a room IL
the palace when the King suddenly stop
ped and taxing the hands Of Ness said
haIf-sorrowfully. half affectionately:
Tell me truly. yourg man. do you love
my daughler?"
The young man blushed and murmured
an affirmative.
Go ahead" said the King. 'T was once
young myself. Tell me how and why you
love her.
Tell your
.Yes, tell me about it. What is there
that attracts your
"Oh, sire, feel exalted in her presence;
my heart hghtens. l gaze with rapture
in her eyes. upon her fair brow. the meshes
of her fairy hair; she inspires me-"
Well queried the King. ''Why?'
Because she is Phersonia-'
"A poor answer. my son. Suppose she
were some other young woman-you would
love her just as well-you would have 10
love some one"
Impossible, sire. Had never met Pher-
sonia, 1 would never have loved at all"
''Bosh." sad the king
L mean IL, SAD the youth, coIorlIS.
Her only may love"
Bah" said the King.
you may bah and bosh all you please" T"
said Ness. ''It IS true"
"Balderdash." snorted the king.
"You can balderdash, too. II you please" "
SAID Ness.
Look mere, young man." said King Re
no. 81 am an old rooster. Don't monkey
a in,
Suppose 1 had never married.; Phersonia
had never been born. She would not then
be here for you 70 love. Do you mean to
insist that you would never have loved any
one?"
That is my contention. sire. Her pres
ence contains those spiritual elements so
mixed. that unless so mixed could not
adore. and being so mixed alteration is It's
necessity as much as night the compile
ment of the day
Hold" cried the King. You are yapor-
ing about spirituality! I'll look into this,
young man, 1 believe nothing l can not
see. / can not see spirit
You can see the outward manifesto
tons of it,
Outward manifestations, fiddle-sticks.
Phersolia's eyes are as any other woman's
eyes, except that hers return your ia
vor."
"Say not so, oh King" said Ness. 81
could tell Phersonia's presence, yea, 1
could feel her favor. yes. even II / were
blind
"Ha, Ha." roared the King. "We'l see
about thatt From this moment you are
barred from Phersonia's company until to-
morrow at this hour. You are prisoner
herel What Warders hor'
Two warders entered.
.-Post yourselves outside that door," sad
the King. 'The Prince Is not TO leave
here except when l accompany him. You
are to utter no word for twenty-four hours
on penalty of death. Begone."
Now. Prince said the King. "I'll put
you TO the test you have yourself pro-
posed
What test, sire?" asked the poor Prince
entirely puzzled.
The spirituality test The presence test.
The love test. All, ha, I'll erect a screen
in the dark. with a small opening. my boy.
with a small opening. Ha! hai And 1
VIII get twenty young women. twenty, my
dear boy. and one after another they shall
stick their little soft paws through that
opening, ard you are TO hold each paw for
five minutes, and then, there. in the
dark, dear spiritual Prince. you are to tell
when you feel her presence, Phersonia's
presence. and If you fail
The Prince grew pale.
''-if you fail, my bird. there will be no
l want no impostor for a SON
n-law''
With that King Reno left the room, leav-
ing the poor Prince pale to death, for to
tell the truth he did not like this love test
Oh, how would he tell Pherson!a? II she
nad even a little wart on her fair hand,
row he would love !. now! But her hands
were unblemished. So he sank into chair
and buried his face in his hands.
Meanwhile the King called the butler TO
c:m and gave him Instructions. concluding
With: Nineteen girls. understand. as near
he Princess size as you can get EN-"
Then King Reno went to Phersonla and !
said: You are not TO see Ness for twenty |
'our hours"
What is the matter. papa?
Nothing And with that he left the |
-oom.
The dark room was prepared with the |
screen and the small opening in readiness /
or the hand The King led the Prince /
here and seated him. Then he went into 4
cen of them, and told each to press the 1
land they felt in the darkness. Then be /
.huckled. Fourteen shall go through this |
igmarole." he said, ''and then wait mo-
nent." II was the Kings intention to :
make Phersonia the fifteenth.
The first girl went into the dark room
With the King. She grcped for the hand
nd held il. Then came the deep voice
T the Prince:
''It is not she.'
Fourteen times the sorrowful Prince re-
,eatei this. 1T Is not She
The King then rushed to Phersonia's
oonn. The lamp was burning low and she
vas weeping.
Weeping. my child" he said. Come
ow. I have a fortune teller downstairs. !
Ie works in the dark You give him your
and. Afterward he comes into the light
nd tells your fortune when no word has
cen spoken. Come along"
She went suhmissively along
That's the first time she ever did any
hing without asking questions" he said.
He took her into The dark room and seat
! her. Again came the Princes vosoe:
II IS not She
The King exultantly grabbed her ard
arried her out into the room with the OH
? nineteen girls.
Bring the culpri; in,'' he roarei.
TIE two warters bed poor Ness in.
''Ah, ha'' roared the King. You missed
All, ha!''
Then he started back This woman IN
is daughters cIothss-this was not h:s
aush,er.
What" he roared. tnarrlcuA.e with
lge
Papa. dear" said Phersouia- eo-ntng