Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1899-01-26

Great sorrow reigned among all the
lords and danes and Queen GUM
evere, on bent knees, had sued the
kings pardon for the recreant
knight. At length, after many en-
treaties, Arthur's generous heaste~
relented, and he gave the doomes.
life into the queens hands to do
with it as she willed.
Delighted at the success of hey
suit With her royal husband, thu.
queen sent for the knight to appear
before her in her own bower, whers
she sat among the ladies of her
chamber. When Sir Uric reached
the royal lady's presence he would
have fallen at her feet with many
thanks for the dear boon she had
granted him, but she motioned him
to listen to what she bad to say -
Defer all thanks, Sir Knight"
said the queen, "until first / state
TO thee the conditions on which
thou yet holdest thy life. 1t is grant
ed thee to be free Of deasb, il with
in one year and day from She
present thou ars able 70 declare 70
me what of earthly things all
women like the best. III in that
time thou canst tell, past all dis
pute, what this thing be, thou shalt
have thy life and thy freedom.
Otherwise, on my queenly honor,
thou diest, as the king had 6rst
decreed."
On hearing this the knight was
filed with dismay, and in his heart
accused the king Of cruelty in per-
hitting him to drag out q whole
year of miserable existence in try
ing to solve a problem that he be-
lieved impossible. For who could
decide upon what would please all
ladies best when it was agreed by
all the wise men that no two Of the
uncertain sex would ever fix upon
one and the same ihing2 With
despairing thoughts Sir Uric pre-
pared to travel abroad over the
country, trusting to chance and IN
ceasing inquiry to find out the sn-
swer which would save his life. y
From house to house and froIs
town to town travelled Sir Ulric,
asking maid and matron, young or
old, the same question. But among
all no answers were alike, and d
each the knights heart sank in de-
spair, and be seemed as if he fol-
lowed IN ignis fatuus which each
day led him farther and farther
from the truth.
| One day as he rode through
pleasant wood, the knight alighted
and sat himself down under q tree
to rest and bewail his unhappy lot.
Sitting here, in loud voice he ac- .
cused his unfriendly stars that they
had brought him into 80 sad .
state. While he spoke thus no
looked up and beheld an old woman,
wrapped in a heavy mantle, stand
ing beside him. Sir Ulric thought
he had never seen 50 hideous bag
as she who now stood gazing at
him. She was wrinkled and tooth
less and bent with age. One ey
was shut, and in the other was .
leer so horrible that he feared her
some uncanny creature Of the wood,
and crossed himself as he looked
on her.
Good Knight" said the old
crone, before he could arise to
leave her sight. "tell me, pray
thee, what hard thing We seek. /
am old and have had much wis
dom. 1t may happen that I can
help you of the great trouble in
which you have come" The knight,
in spite of her loathesomeness, fslt
ray Of hope at her offer, and in q
few words told her what he vas
seeking. As soon as she had heard,
the old creature burst into % loud
laugh that between laughing and
mumbling Sir Uric feared she
would choke herself to death before
she found breath to answer him.
"You are but poor hand at rid
dies" she said at length, 'if you
cannot guess what is so simple.
Let me but whisper two words in
your ear, and you shall be able to
tell the queen what neither she nor
her ladies nor any woman in all the
kingdom shall be able to deny"
Then the old bag whispered in his
ear two little words which caused
him to leap upon his horse with
great joy and set out directly for
the queens court. When he had
arrived there, and given notice Of
his readiness to answer her, GUN
evere held a great meeting in he
chief hall, of all the ladies in tn
kingdom. Thither came old ALL
young, wife, maid and widow, 90
decide if Sir Uric answered arif a,
The queen was placed on q hiS,-
throne as judge if what he said DC
the truth, and all present waitst
eagerly for his time to speak.
mobile lady," said the kr CHE
when he saw all eyes and F. .-.
tent upon him, Il have So f..
and wide for the ars--cr -. 49,
sired. And I find that the thisg
of all the world that pleaseth wom- \
en- best, is to have their own way 1
in all things"
There was some flutter and COM ,
motion among the women when the
knight said this in q clear and
manly voice. which was heard allS
over the audience chamber, but the
queen questioned all thoroughly |
and at the end declared that the !