Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-16
When a Little Lad Became a King.

possible let them feel the pulse, so to
speak, of the youth of my realm. For
from among the youth they shall surely
find one lad who is wholly unselfish.
When one is found he must be brought
to me at once
The good kings command was obeyed,
and that same day twenty of the wisest
and best men of the kingdom were sent
into the various corners and byways of
the realm to find one wholly unselfish
youth that he might be taken to the king
The search lasted for many many
months, one by one of the wise men re-
turning to the king declaring they had
not Yet found one wholly unselfish youth.
And after the last of the twenty wise
men had returned disconsoiate to his
king, declaring: 9! have failed in the
search, sire the king was very sad. But
his duty said: go you yourself and
search for the wholly unselfish boy. You
will surely find him..
Without a word Of his intention to his
councillors, the king retired to his private
chamber, where he dismissed his body
servants. saying: II am, very worn with
cares of state and wish to have complete
rest for a few days. Let my food be
brought and placed at my door, but allow
one to enter my chamber till | ring for
him. Send me my staff bearer and the
minstrel. Then allow no one to approach
my door.
The servants FASTENED to obey their
king. and soon the staff bearer and the
minstrel were with him. From one he
took his long staff. then dismissed him
with the same strict injunction with
which he had dismissed his body servants
When alone with the minstrel the king
said: ut is MY will that you play king
till / return. Do not ask single ques-
ton. but do as | instruct you. | can trust
you. for you are good servant. This
day it peases me to wear your garb and
to pass out of my own palace min
strel. Disrobe and exchange garments
with your king. Stay you here in this
chamber till l return which may be to-
morrow. or within a week.
Within a few minutes the king was ar
rayed as a poor minstrel, leaving off the
minstrels insignia which proclaimed the
fact that he was of the royal household.
Thus he resembled any ordinary rowing
minstrel one might meet any day on the
highway.
As the king approached a little bridge
which spanned a tiny brook he behld
young boy kneeling on the bank. Beside
the boy sat an old man in rags. and his
face and head were dust-stained from
long and constant travelling on foot. The
kneeing boy was laving the old mans
bare feet, rubbing them softly with tufts
of grass to remove the mud stains.
"Ah, / must stop here murmured the
king. Then, in feeble way, he descended
the sloping little bank to the spot where
the young boy knelt, washing the ragged
mans feet.
'Ah. som said the king, what have
we here-a sick MANI
The boy looked up, replying: Yes. good
minstrel poor old beggar. He came
along just now, very feeble and i'll. / was
sitting down here to eat my bit of crust
when | saw him. I helped him down the
bank to this spot where he might rest
But is he no relation to your asked
the king, himself sitting down on the
bank beside the old beggar.
"Oh, no, good fellow l never saw the
poor man before. But-yOu do not seem
very well yourself my good man. s.
your back cripped?'
Much worry cripples the strongest
back" replied the king. But what is
the old man eating?'
II gave him my bread said the boy.
now drying the old beggar's feet with his
kerchief. 1T isn't very much. but it will
help to give him a little strength till l
ca n take him to my masters place.
And why do YOU take him to your
masters place lad?" asked the king