The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-10-23
GINGER NUTS.

sock was hole. The king was won't to
pay more attention to his beautiful
boots than to whole socks. However,
the hole did not escape his sharp eyes.
I'm disgust he took the sock out of the
minister's hand and pushed his fore
finger through the hole clear up to his
knuckle, saying:
"Of what use is il that / am king
since I have no wife? What do you say
to my marrylng?"
"Your majesty, that is sublime
thought, thought that would certain
~ have occurred to me, If / may make
SO bold, had l not felt that your maj
esty most assuredly would deign to
utter it for yourself.
Beautiful replied the king. "But
do you believe that / shall be able to
find wife suitable for mep"
+ "Poohi Ten where others could find
but onep' said the oourtier.
"a princess to please me must be
clever and beautiful, and there is one
point on which l lay especial stress:
You know how fond am of gingernuts-
In my whole kingdom there is not a
person who understands how to bake
them exactly right, and the princess
whom choose must know how to do
this to perfection.
When the minister heard this, he
gave whistle of dismay, but quickly
collecting himself said:
IA king like your majesty will with
out doubt find a princess who UNDER
stands how to bake ginger nuts"
1--WE shall see, we shall seel' said
the king, and on the very same day, ao-
companied by the minister, he began a
tour of the Kingdoms of his different
neighbors whom he knew had prin-
cesses to give in marriage.
Only three princesses were found who
were beautiful and clever enough to
suit the king, and of these not one could
bake ginger nuts
81 really cannot bake ginger nuts, !"
said the first princess in answer to the
kings question, "but can make beau
tiful little almond cakes. Wouldn't
those suit youP''
J "No," replied the king. Unjust have
ginger nuts. -
The second princess in reply to the
same question Knocked at the king and
said angrily:
"What nonsensei Princesses who can
bake ginger nuts do not existi'
The king Jared worse at the hands of
the third, who was the most beautiful
and the most charming
She gave the king no opportunity to
ask his question, but took things into
her own hands and demanded whether
he knew how to play on the jews harp,
and when he said he did not she sent
him away. He pleased her very much,
she admitted. but she was SO extrava-
gantly fond Of the music of the jews
harp that she would never marry man
that could not play it.
The king and his minister returned
home, and as they alighted from their
carriage the king said:
'sNothing has come Of all thisp'
Nothing, your majesty" said the
minister mournfully.
"What shall DOR signed 5ne King
81 must have wife. F"
eff you would only give up the ginger
nuts, I" ventured the minister timidly.
"For the good Of my people will p
exclaimed the noble king, and he re-
solved to marry the princess whom he
had first sought.
ssShe is the one who knows how to
bake almond cakes" he said. go and
ask her if she will be my wife. -
The minister went, returned the next
day, and said she was no longer in the
matrimonial market, for she had mar
ried the king of the Land of Capers.
"Then go to the second princess, !"
said the king. Again the minister re-
turned without having accomplished
anything, for this princess had died.
Then the king thought long time.
He absolutely must have wife, SO he
ordered the minister to go to the third
princess and see if she had changed her
mind The minister obeyed, though he
did it unwillingly, for his wife assured
him that his errand was useless one.
The king anxiously awaited his re-
turn. His mind was on her question
concerning the jews harp, and the re-
membranoe of it was most annoying.
The third princess received the min
lister very cordially. She said she had
changed her mind about marrying a
man who could play the jews harp.
Dreams are but vain and empty
things, especially those of youth. "
She realized that her wish could not
be fulfilled, and as the king pleased
her she had decided to marry him.
The minister rode home as fast as his
horse could go, and the king embraced
him, and conferred SO many decorations
on him that he had to wear some OF
them on his head.
The town was trimmed with bunting,
garlands were thrown across the streets
from house to house, and the marriage
was SO splendidly celebrated that tht
people could talk of nothing else for G
fortnight.
All went we'll with the king and
queen for year. The king had quite
forgotten his ginger nuts and the queer
her jews harp.
However, the king got out Of bed ont
morning with the wrong foot foremost
and after that, of course, all wen
wrong. 1t rained the entire day; th'
imperial globe fell down and the LITTLE
cross on the top broke off; the cour
painter brought new globe on which
Macronia was painted red instead O
blue, as he had been ordered, and to cal
the climax the queen had headache.
It came to pass that the welded paii
quarreled for the first time; why O
wherefore they knew not In short, thu
king was cross and the queen was snap
py, and would have the last word. Aft
er the quarrel had gone on for SOM
time the queen shrugged her shoulder
disdainfully and said:
you've found fault the entire day
And why, pray-you. who can't q
much as play the jews rarpi''
lie retorted sharply:
you've nothing to say. You can
even bake ginger nuts. F"
For the first time the queen did no
reply, but remained quiet, and withou
exchanging another word they went &
their respective rooms.
The queen seated herself In corne
of the sofa and wept and thought sadly
"What foolish wife you are HAY
You lost your reasons Yop should no