El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-06-04
THERIGHTFULKING;
He Was a Mental Wreck, but He
Gave His Life For Another.

Not even the hideous pile of red
brick could spoil the beauty of the asy-
iUm gardens upon an evening in June.
The huge house stood on a hillside
In one of the fairest spots that ever
man helped nature to make. Roses
were opening on all sides, and here
and there late daffodil still fingered
to make the red roses jealous with it's
simpler beauty.
Among the trumpets Of the convolvu-
lus sat the rightful king. He was not
in state robes, nor did he wear any
outward insignia of royalty. Indeed
he wore a suit of decent and servicea-
biz corduroys and a soft felt hat, which
he found more comfortable than a
cravR. On the bench by his side was
n pile of parchment deeds and legal
booking papers.
The Fightful king sat with his hands
aanging loosely and a vacant, soulless
stare in his watery old eyes. His low
er lip had dropped, and his whole face
was absolutely destitute of intelli-
gence. For the moment one saw a
mere statue of flesh and no more.
Suddenly footsteps were heard ap-
preaching, and there was a tinkle of
feminine laughter coming through the
aoYers. A light began to flicker back
fafs the lunatic's face, making it weak
indeed, but not mere brute, as 1t had
been before. Two young ladies, in
cool summer frocks, accompanied by
a tail young man in tweeds and with
the ribbon of an Oxford college on his
hat, came walking down the gravel
path, laughing as they came.
The rightful king became violently
agitated. He shook with eagerness,
and a yearning came into his eyes like
the pleading look of an unfondled dog
would Miss Bremmil notice him."
That was the great question. His posi-
ton as rightful king was, he well
knew, one which was not well estab-
iished.
Many of the other inmates of the
asylum resented it and wished to at
tract notice for themselves and their
foolish whims by minimizing his i'm
portance.
The visitors came up. "This, Lucy"
said Miss Bremmil, the chaplain's
daughter. to her friend, this, Lucy, is
the rightful king Of England"
IF L had my rights, miss" said the
old man, II should be a-sitting on
Queen Victoria's throne now
incidentally" said the young man
from Oxford, 'he fills up his time doing
a little gardening. Your majesty is
fond of fiowers?"
THAT 1 be, sir,'' said the rightful
king, touching his hat. forgetting his
dignity or perhaps finding the habits
of his former life in the world without
the walls too strong for him.
when 1 comes into my own, MISS"
he went on, you shall have all the d.
mons out of the Tower Of London. I
shan't want 'emr'
His voice sank a little and grew thin.
The nomentary animation died away
from the foolish face. He could not
think of anything more to say. He be-
gan to whistle.
The three young people looked at him
pityingly, and then, with word Of
farewell, passed on their way.
Il am coming as far as the end Of
the gardens, dear" said the chaplain's
daughter to her guest. 1--WE no doubt
Mr.. Fraser will see you over the
fields"
The young man gave her a look of
deep gratitude. Wonderful TACT he
thought to himself.
Il hope you've not been made miSer-
able by going over the asylum" said
Miss BremmiI. ''Of course, am quite
used to it, and it doesn't affect me as it
must affect others
"It is rather depressing" said the
Girton girl. Il dare say you'll think
ne unfeeling and horrible, but if per-
sons become hopelessly insane-really
hopelessly, you KNOW can't help feel
ting it would be better for them and for
everybody else if they were painlessly
put out of the way"
You haven't lived among mad peo-
pie, as L have" said the chaplain's
daughter quietly. You'd be surprised
how sensible many of them are and
low good also. 1 don't suppose that
poor old rightful king ever had an I'M
kind thought in his life. He's a dear
Old thing and is always bringing me
flowers. He's devoted to me-"
Aren't any of the lunatics violent
sometimes?" inquired the young man.
"Oh, none on this side of the build
ing. They are harmless. Dangerous
cases are kept in a separate wing. You
can just see the roof over the trees.
OF course I'm never allowed to go
there
How terrible it all seemsv' the Cir
ton girl said as they entered the last
long avenue, which led them to the
hillside beyond.
Fhe sun began to make ready to slip
behind the hill, and it was now what
tie Tennyson student called BLOW,