The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-03-08
Tbe Feots Of Mucbslosb.
BY JOHN WALKER HARRINGTON.

of wood, bound with hoops. of steel, were nred every minute, and, in spite of the ef- forts of the garrison, the army of the King of Freakland pressed. nearer and nearer to the walls. The supply of food became so low that the Duke was in despair. The roast fowl and the wines which had been in the castle in. such abundant store were Ao more, and the garrison, which had lived on cake. was reduced to bread, and then the cry went through the ducal kitchen: There Is no fouri
 The ammunition of the armyof the Duke of Winchester became exhausted. The stones which could be spared from the'wals were thrown from the battlements, and all the silYerware in the castle. to say nothing of the pewter spoons and q lead statue of King Lnd. were melted into cannon balls and bullets The furniture. bearing the ducal crest was split into arrows. The army of the King of Freakland increased in size and daring. The Duke called all his captains to council of war and explained to them that further resistance was useless.
 Tt is foolish," said one, ito keep this Ambassador Muchslash. All of us will lose our lives, and to no purpose. Let us give him mp to the King, and save ourselves and the castle"
 "I hestate to do so," replied the Duke flor account him worthy of kinder treat ment."
 His remarks were drowned by mighty shout outside the walls, and the violent knocking of battering rams against the portcuIlls.
 .-The Globe of Calcasr cried the be- siegers. "St. Galba and the Globe of Cal cas! Down with Muchslash"'
 "If this Muchsash, whom you so warmly champion" said the Chief Captain of the Ducal Horse, 'is indeed such a wonderful person, why not set him to work to find the globe?"
 "A bright dca," exclaimed the Duke.
 He sent a messenger to find the tailor, who. In the midst of all the din, was busily engaged in smoking long pipe.
 Machslash when he was told that he had the choice of finding the missing Globe or of being handed over to the enemy, said that he was driven to sheer desperation.
 At his request the Duke called for all the retainers of the castle and had them pass Muchslash one at a time. The Black Dwarf, the Court Jester, the Major Domo, all the serfs and men-at-arms were carefully watched by the shrewd and ancient tailor, but in none of their faces did he observe signs of guilt.
 .'There are certainly two more persons. I saw them today in the courtyard of the castle" cried Muchslash yet see no trace of them now" tt
 Six men-at-arms were sent to make thorough search of the building, and finally in the wine vaults were found two nimbie knaves known as the Handspring Twins. Balancing on their hands and their feet, and smiling the while as though life were joke. the knaves came into the presence of their Duke.
 "Have you," asked the shrewd Muchslash, "seen anything of the Globe of Calcas, which until recently was in the treasury of the King, who is now paying such delicate at tention to the barbfcanT'
 The Handspring Twins turned over sey- eral times in the air, and then said that they had never heard of the Globe for which Muchslash had earnestly inquired
 There was, however, something in the ex- nression of the knaves which aroused the suspicious of the tailor.
 Taking from his glrdle the magic shears, Muchslash whirled them thrice about his head, and then, before the assembled spec tators, slashed the Handspring Twins in three directions. At the moment when Muchslash gave them this seemingly mortal wound the acrobats were bent over with their backs to each other and their hands on the floor. When the cut occurred their bodies fell into three pieces apiece Cath erlng up the fragments, Muchslash calmly put the acrobats together again, so that they stood upright before the world, and be- hodi on the floor al their feet were the two halves of gigantic globe. ''The Globe of Calcas!' cried the astonished spectators, as the tailor joined the two halves, while the Handspring Twins, furious that the tailor had discovered their theft, leaped upon the globe and tried in vain to ron it from the room.
 The sphere proved indeed to be the lost 1 Globe of Calcas, which had for more than a l year been sought in the remotest corners of the Kingdom of Freakland How the tailor