Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-10-21
. KING LIE A K :.
The Story That is Contained in
Shakespeare's Famous Play
By Chas. and Mary Lamb
A .s.A ses*A ss*A ss*A ss*A sessA sI.A 1854

the heart: insomuch, that with this
double ill-usage, and vexation for hav-
ing so foolishly given away kingdom,
his wits began to be unsettled, and
while ne said he knew not what, he
vowed revenge against those unnatur-
al hags and to make examples of them
that should be a terror to the earth!
While he was thus idly threatening
what his weak arm could never exc
cute night came on and loud storm
of thunder and lightning with rain;
and his daughters still persisting in
their resolution not to admit his fol-
lowers, he called for his horses, and
chose rather to encounter the utmost
fury of the storm abroad, than stay
under the same roof with these un-
grateful daughters; and they, saying
that the injuries which wilful men
procure to themselves are their just
punishment. suffered him to go in that
condition. and shut their doors upon
upon him.
The winds were high, apd the rain
and storm increased, when the old mar
sailed forth to combat with the ele
ments, less sharp than his daughters
unkindness. For many miles about
there was scarce a hush; and there
upon a heath, exposed to the fury Of
the storm in dark night, did King
Lear wander out, and defy the winds
and the thunder: and he bid the winds
to blow the earth into the sea, or swell
the waves of the sea till they drowned
the earth, that no token might remain
of any such ungrateful animal as man.
The king was now left with no other
companion than the poor fool, who still
abided with him, with his merry con-
ceits striving to outjest misfortune,
saying, it was but a naughty night to
swim in. and truly the king had better
go in and ask his daughters blessing:
But he that has a little tiny wit,
With heigh-ho, the wind and the rain!
Must make content with his fortunes
fit.
Though the rain it raineth every day:
and swearing it was a brave night to
cool a lady's pride.
Thus poorly accompanied, this once
great monarch was found by his ever
faithful servant the good earl of Kent,
now transformed to Caius, who ever
followed close at his side, though the
king did not know him to be the earl;
and he said, Alas! sir, are you here?
creatures that love night, love not such
nights as these. This dreadful storm
has driven the beasts to their hiding
places. Mans nature cannot endure
the affliction or the fear" And Lear
rebuked him and said these lesser evils
were not felt, where a greater malady
was fixed. When the mind is at ease,
the body has leisure to he delicate: but
the tempest in his mind did take all
feeling else from his senses, but of
that which beat at his heart. And he
spoke of filal ingratitude, and said 1t
was all one as if the mouth should tear
the hand for lifting food to it; for pa
rents were hands and food and every
thing to children.
But the good Caius still persisting in
his entreaties that the king would not
stay out in the open air, at last per-
suaded him to enter a little wretched
hovel which stood upon the heath,
where the fool first entering, suddenly
ran back terrified, saying that he had
seen a spirit. But upon examination
this spirit proved to be nothing more
than a poor Bedlam beggar. who had
Crept into this deserted hOVel for shell
ter, and with his talk about devils
frighted the foOl,-one of those poor
lunatics who are either mad, or feign
to be so, the better to eXtort charity
from the compassionate country peo-
pie who go about the country, calling
good. saying. "Who gives anything to
poor Tom?" sticking pins and nails and
sprigs of rosemary into their arms to
make them bleed; and with such hor-
rible actions. partly by prayers. and
partly with lunatic curses they move
or terrify the ignorant country folks
into giving them aims. This poor fell
low was such a one; and the king see
ing him in so wretched a plight, with
nothing but a blanket about his loins
to cover his nakedness, could not be
persuaded but that the fellow was
some father who had given all away to
his daughters, and brought himself to
that pass: for nothing he thought
could bring a man to such wretched-
ness but the having unkind daughters.
And from this and many such wild
speeches which he uttered. the good
Caius plainly perceived that he was
not i'm his perfect mind. hut that his
daughters ill-usagc had really made
him to go mad. And now the loyalty
of this worthy earl of Kent showed it
self in more essential services than he
had hitherto found opportunity to per-
form. For with the assistance of some
of the kings attendants who remained
loyal. he had the person of his royal
master removed at dayhreak to the
castle of Dover. where his own friends
and influence, as earl of Kent. chiefly
lay; and himself cmharking for France,
hastencd to the court of Cordela, and
did there i'll such moving terms repre-
sent the pitiful condition of her royal
father, and set out in such lively col
ors the inhumanity of her sisters, that
tl fc nj NNit
tears hesouGht the king her husband.
that he would give her leave to en-
bark for England with a sufficient
power To suhduc these cruel daughters
and their husbands. and restore the old
king her father t" his throne; which
being granted. she set forth, and with
a royal army landed at Dover.