Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-10

i'll SNOW white palace of polished marble,
crowned by a central dome of FURNISHED gold
incrusted with diamonds and rubies and more
beautiful than pen tell Around this palace
rose mighty wall of smooth black marble, forty feet
thick and hundred feet high On top of this wall,
regular intervals fifty great armed giants kept watch
and ward and each giant had two eyes, in the
ter OF the forehead and in the back of the head,
all good sentinels should have At the four points of
the compass four strong gates of bronze guarded the
only openings through the wall Around the vail for
seven leagues every direction grew the golden forest
of the king marvellous wood wherein every tree and
shrub was pure gold from topmos leaf its bot
tommost root. In all the world there not another
forest like to this great wood of gold and because of
the king was called the King of the Golden Woods.
Through the forest four roads the four gates
OF the great wall surrounding the kings palace and at
the beginning of each road stood huge marble block,
cut deep with letters which read:
Il, the King of the Golden Woods, have daughter,
whom | love, but Therefore, before | die |
would see my daughter happily wed to fit to be
king over her heart and ruler the Golden Woods
This road leads, through the Golden Woods, to the
gate in the great wall surrounding the kings palace;
and l. the king invite all who would do their endeavor
to win this priceless guerdon, kings daughter and
kings throne, journey hitherward Let one in
whose heart dwes evil Wanting ambition, cruel
attempt the journey: for the king have beset the road
with manifold and deadly perils to all who have evil i'll
their hearts or lives fA
For three years had these marble blocks stood the
head OF the four roads yet the daughter of the King
of the Golden Woods remained urwed. Not because
there had been wanting to attempt the journey
through the woods of gold for then, loved
gold and beauty and power, and were ready to peril
limb and life for their winning; but of all the hundreds
who had ventured the quest and had bravely entered
the golden forest not prince or knight or peasant
had ever returned Men thought of the horror of this,
and the ardor of their hearts grew cold and longer
cared to venture beneath the somber shadows of the
trees of gold not wed kings daughter and to
sit on kings throne The grass grew long the road
ways, and the began to creep the white of
the marble blocks.
Then came the north road four brothers. of
powerful king whose kingdom years journey from
the realm of the King of the Golden Woods, and with
the four brothers rode their page, Yosuf 1t had taken
year for the proclamation of the King of the
Golden Woods reach the of the four brothers.
another year had gone they had their fathers
consent to depart quest SO distant and so uncer
tain and the third year had been passed in making the
journey
Prince Odoph the eldest of the four brothers. spurred
his horse to the side of the huge block of marble and
leaning forward read aloud what written thereon.
Then the tour brothers looked long ana earnestly at the
great wood of gold, sparkling in the bright light of the
morning Not sound. not movement, came from
within its yellow depths, and its shadows hung darkly
above the ground
q 60 forward" said Prince Odolph, without fear.
ready to peril all for the winning of great prize;
and seating himself firmly in the saddle he dropped his
gripped his spearshaft strongly, and rode down
the highway leading into the great wood of gold
follow my brother ready to share his peril, to fight
aud ~ he nd that he Shnu1f,
perish to continue the guest the end, fearing death
less than defeat said Prince Ormand the second of the
four brothers riding close after Prince Odoph
Il go forward until all Of rs be dead of a
king Ride NJ" called Prince .Armad, the third of the
four brothers touching spurs his horse and riding up
close to the side of Prince Orn,and
And ride forth bthely to win a bride and throne,
or grave" cried Prince lied. the youngest OF the
brothers. and like happy schoolboy. tossing high his
lance into the air and catching it, he dug the into
his horses tanks and galloped after his brothers
Their said Yosuff the page For love of the brothers
ride into these weird woods ready to face whatever
comes and caring not for death be it die like
a man. leaving my honor bright and my sword Clean.
No sound came to the ears of the FIVE they
tered the great woods save the footballs of their horses
oof and their own deep breathings Above their heads
the golden branches hung silent and motioness Not a
leaftrcnbled Around them like the pillars of mighty
temple lowered the great trunks of gold and the
ground the grass grew green Soon the grandeur and
the beauty Of the began work upon their souls
Their eyes sparked and their faces flushed Wealth.
boundess wealth was herewas theirs for the taking
There were no eyes to see and the gold was every
where, cenbsrng the earth with its massive weight.