The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-10
RATHER LESS ALFRED.

What do you think" said the inter-
viewer to the small boy, 'on the sub
ject of King Alfred and the coming
celebration ''
so you're another of them" said the
small boy bitterly. What I want is
into me in school and never complained.
suppose it's the kind of thing
they're paid to do. We had him in the
sermon on Sunday; I've bumped up
against him in every blessed paper that
I've opened in the reading room; I'd a
letter from the only girl I really care
about seriously, and she asked me if l
didn't want to be truly great like King
Alfred. NO more Alfred for me, thanks
I've had all 1 can eat. l don't want to
be noisy, but if 1 get much more of
this Alfreding, as sure as my name'S
James Robinson there'n be a row."
Then you diSapprove of the mile
nary celebration and the unwilling OF
the statue?"
Il disapprove of all millinery ex-
hibitions. AS for the statue, that seems
to me a bit serious. I've marked down
the name of the man who did it, and
it's Thornycroft. L should like to put
a few plain questions to that Mr..
Thornycroft. I think he'd look silly.
Did you ever see this King Alfred? p
/ should say to him. Did you ever see
his photograph? Did you ever so much
as see drawing of him from life?
He'd have to say that he hadn't. He
couldn't get away from it. Then, l
should say, how do you know that
statues any more like King Alfred
than it is like my aunt?' Why, if that
sort of thing is allowed, it may lead to
anything He might do a thing out of
his own head, and then call it me
that is. James Robinson And 1 warn
him that if he does, he'll have my
fathers solicitor to deal With,
Have you anything else against Mr..
Thornycroft?
Yes, 1 have. He wouldn't get off
yet. There's another point 1 should
say. I see from the newspapers that
you've made the figure of King Alfred
eighteen feet high. Is that true?
want a plain yes or no. Knowing
that I'd seen it in the papers, he'd prob
ably confess. Very well. them L
should go on. Was King Alfred a
man or wasn't hep He'd have to own
that King Alfred was a man; he
was coming, but he d have to do it
Now them I should go on, did you
ever see man eighteen feet high?
don't want to be hard on you. I'll
see one there? You can measure from
the bottom of the heels to the top of
the hat of the biggest giant known, and
then you wouldn't get it or anything
near it He'd have no excuse to make.
There is no excuse for eXaggeration ex-
cept that you did it in a moment and
didn't think. You can't do a statue in a
moment, and you Oughtn't to do it with
value for your money. / think things
look pretty bad for Mr.. Thornycroft,
and wonder the papers haven't taken
it up. / suppose, because he's a great
sculptor. they're afraid to speak their
mind. But I'm not"
Are you going to do anything about
it?'' inquired the interviewer.
mo. What do / care about King
Alfred? When L was younger, L was
stuffed uD with a long story about his
having burned some cakes. Fool of
thing to do with cakes, if they were
usual history stories-one of the things
that show what a little boy can do,
suppose. Now I'm told that that story
is probably lie, and read it in d
book written by a parson. ooh, there
are lots of things want showing upD
I've got no time to learn things that
get struck out afterward."
8 Has it never occurred to you how
much We all of us. including you, owe to
our great King AIfred?"
Suppose a butcher throws down cart
load of mutton chops which you've never
ordered at your door. Do you owe him
for them? OF course you don't. I never
asked King Alfred to do anything for me.
l never ordered anything. All that he did
he did on his own responsibility. and he
must take the consequences and pocket
the loss. if there is any. I was told when
we were doing history the other day that
have existed. Wen. sometimes wish I
never had. Why should l be thankful for
his interference"
II can't stop here discussing it. I've as
good as promised to act as umpire in a
g9t Two here s nn a OF tbnT re
chuck it up and go away and there won't
be any fight. could see they were both
looking out for an excuse for backing
out of it.'-Black and White.