The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-12-29
A FAIRY TALE.
ny ALEXANDER RIcI1nrrs.

4 ue King was lOSl IN gloomy renee
ton. His crown was pulled down over
his eyes until 1t rested upon his royal
nose. his mustaches dropped limp and
discouraged. and even his golden
sceptre dangled loose and disconsolate
from his listless fingers.
''IlI do i'll" he exclaimed. bitterly,
at last TN be beheaded If dont!"
He pushed his crown back deter
minedly, twisted up his mustaches
fiercely, and glared around defiantly.
III strike, that's what I'll co.. he
announced, banging his golden sceptre
vehemently on the onyx arm Of his
throne. If every hodcarrier and ditch
digger and laborer in my happy realm
has right to strike for what he wants,
why can't |. l won't stand 1t, ana
will strike.'
At these dreadful words the queen
shuddered, the little princess nearly
had convulsion. and her goyerness
grew rigid with disapproval.
AS the king observed the consterna-
tion his awful threat produced he re-
Tented sufficiently to explain why he
felt the way he did.
Its no use" he said apologetically,
Il really can't go on this way any
longer. It's nothing but spend, spend.
spend. without minutes let up, and
my beloved subjects won't stop paying
their taxes. They will pay EN-, moth
ing viii induce 'em to stop. You'd
think it was the only pleasure they
have. | don't see what fun there is in
paying taxes myself, but they seem to
think it's the only bliss there IS III
life. They won't even swear some of
'em off, or dodge 'em, or try to avoid
EN- in any way. but go right on year
after year cheerfully paying EN- up III
full, without any rebate even. Conse-
guenty it keeps me lying awake
nights planning and calculating. ana
figuring how to spend all the money.
I've got an army now 10 times bigger
than | have any use for, my navy is
so enormous 1t chokes up all the har-
bors so nobody else can use EN-, I've
built new palaces till they're planted
so thick you cant breathe on account
of EN- If you step out of doors; but
no sooner get the treasury empty and
think I'm going to have a little peace
and comfort at last, and maybe a few
days holiday, than new lot of taxes
comes pouring in and swamps me
again. ! can't, and won't and shan't
stand 1t any longer, and will strike.
II my subjects have to pay taxes to be
happy, let 'em get somebody else for a
king. I'm through; or else turn this
into a republic. and have to spend the
money themselves, and serve 'ein
right"
The queen gasped, the little princess
screamed. and the governess was al
most too shocked to spealS-but that
was too much to hope for.
sire" she demanded. fixing her eye
glasses more firmly on her nose and ey-
ing him severely. why do not you
promulgatean edict renting all taxes,
and forbidding anyone to pay under
penalty Of being hung. instead OF MAX
ing a--er-hem-of yourself?"
Because cant. blast the luck!' re-
torted the king, impauently. Il tried
10. but the Lord High Sprag wouldn't
let me. He says that taxation is the
foundation of all governments. lust as
all governments are founded on taxa
ton; therefore they are so interde-
pendent and correlated that If you de-
stroy either you put an end to the 9th
er. and the result must be anarchy pure
and simple, There" he added under
his breath. Il hope that'n squelch her.
1t did me-
But the governess only smiled a SUI
perior smile, fixed her eye glasses more
firmly on her nose. and began, dldac-
tieally, Doubtless, sire"
'Oh, excuse me. but can spare only
a moment" interrupted a thin. high.
musical voice. and all Immediately be-
came conscious that an unmistakab,e
fairy was addressing the king.
Il am your fairy godmother Whaa-
ferdew, otherwise known as the Mother
OF Invention continued the voice.
and come only to those in the dircst
necessity. Your majesty finds your
money burden? Then send your wifa
and family Immediately to that seaside
resort recommended by your friends as
the cheapest they ever knew to spend
the summer"
Thanks, thanks, thanks.p cried the
king. all his gayety returning. "Whatll
you have to-er-that is, how can re-
ward your"
But the fairly had gone. sun. the
queen was smiling joyously, the little
princess giggled rapturou3ly and only
the goyerness shifted supereiliously-
N. Y Times.
DEAD MAN IN FOUR coFFINS.