The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-04
nornin' an found the old jerkin iyin'

an went away up the mountain pass,
where the eagle called to it's young.
AT last he came to the castle, an sat
down by the gate, an struck his harp,
till all the men an maids ran to see
who was there. An even Princess
chair, an went to the courtyard.
When she saw Conan, her eyes
laughed with joy, an she babe him en-
ter,-an' herself led him to King Muir
dough-
Here is champion. agin," she said.
Nay" answered Conan. II came to
: search for my brothers"
'They have gone to far countries, -
said the princess, ito find fortune. viii
you try your own? Have you a mind
| for f1ghtin' to be my fathers cham
pion?"
THAT have Though it has never
come TO me to fight with men, said
| Conan, an he bent down low and kiss
| ed her hand.
Then King MIrdough gave him lodg-
| in for the night; an by order o. the
| princess-'twas a small bare room. An
| in the mornin' he came into the court
yard an looked at all the men who
were waitin' there to fight with him.
did Dermond fight with these? ?" he
asked o. the King.
THAT he did," answered King Muir
dough, IAN won his fight for a day."
Then will do as well as he" said
Conan.
So Princess Maurya brought out a
sword an a shield an stood on the
| woll to see the fightin; an Conan beat
them all back, like a brave lad.
Then. when King Murdough made the
| feast, Conan sat beside the princess
in his old jerkin, that had taken many
a cut that day-an' after a while he
CHANGED to look up an see that the
maids were maxim jest of him.
why are We laughin', my girls?" he
asked: an the princess waited to see
what would come of it this time.
Because of the ragged coat you
wear" said Cleena. Have the sons
of Cormac but one jerken between
them?'
Let none scorn it," said Conan, cor
twill shame him in the end. For a
sign O. mournin do l wear it-an'
| fearto meet no man because of it,
though he be dressed in silks and sat
| in.''
An he turned to Princess Maurya,
| an thought no more of what had been
said. An all night he dreamed of her
| golden hair till the room shone with
| the thought of it.
In the mornin' he was ready for an
| other trial-an' when they brought him
| the bow, he bent it bravely an sent
his first arrow through the open win
| dow of a cabin that stood beyond the
| ford, an clipped out a candle that
! burned on the shelf within.
An for a second shot, he slew two
| great hawks that flew above the castle
tower-an' together they fell into the
river.
So that trial was passed, an Conan
went into the great hall, an sat at the
| feet o. the Princess, an played an sang
until all the noise O. the court ceased
for love of his song.
Yet in the evenin', at the feastin
the Kings men spoke scornin' words of
his torn jerkin.
"Will We go against the Danes in it?"
asked Feargus the Black. Then may
they see that you are put a poor mans
son, an no Prince"
ITO morrow shall you take that word
| back said Conan o. the Long Arms,
For I shall let no man make a jest
o. Cormac the King, while my arms
have strength"
dreamed O. the blue eyes o Princess
Maurya.
When the mornin' came, Feargus
stood waitin' in the yard for Conan
| to come to him-an' Princess Maurya
watched to see what should befall.
| Then Conan came from his bed, an on
his back was the green jerkin, an in
his hand the sword O. the Princess.
An there was no chance at all for
Feargus the Blaek-though he was the
best man in the court o. the King. Sure,
his sword went flynn through the air,
an fell outside the wall.
When they saw that, there was no
one left to dare fightin' with Conan
an the King led him into the great
hall with his own hands.
"Will We have Coma O. the White
Hands to be yer wife, an live here in
my castle, with ten pieces O. gold for
every day, an silk to wear; or will We
live in a cabin outside the wall, an
wear yer old jerkin, like poor kerne?"
Outside the wall it is, if Princess
Maurya will be there, too" answered
Conan. but my jerkin will I wear,
an none but her will wed"
NAY, If you take her, together shall
you wander into the world, for 1 give
no gold with her."
"Then out into the world we CO." said
Conan blithely, holdin' out his hand to
her; an she put hers into 1t gladly.
AN call we that wisdom?" asked
King Murdough Would we rule men
in that fashion,"
who should rule men but him that
rules his OWN" said Conan. An the
Princess said "Ay."
"Then have we won yer rule fairly"
said King Murdough, IAN shall have
her an this kingdom. An as for the
jerkin--tis a robe of honor at this
court-an' who says ill of 1t, to him
shame shall come"
So King Murdough made a great
feast, an gave his daughter to Conan,
calm him Conan O. the Kingdom, for
sign that he was the greatest man
in it.
An so great was the fear o. his
name, that neither Dane nor any other
enemy dared set foot in the land, lest
they might catch sight o. the green
jerkin which gave power to the long
arms o. Conan.
("But why did she put Conan in the
little bare room?"
"Ah, when we guess why she did that,
yen know all o. the tale that I've left
untold. An now be off with yees, till
1 water me green grassy
-s-$-
Nathan Church, man of scholar