The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-08

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Ing his coach to remain at a distance with
the attendants, held a long private con-
versatiop with the "man-mountain."
| Reldresal, after many complimentary
| fourishes, opened up the nature of his
| business, beginning by explaining to Gull
| liver the present state of politics In the
empire and giving a brief sketch of its
foreign relations. 1t appeared that for
| about 20 moons there had been two fac
tons in the cmpire-the high-heels and
the low-heels, the franciscan and the
Slamocksan. 1t was allowed that high
heels were more agreeable to the ancient
constitution of the empire, but his present
majesty had gone in for low heels, and
the heir apparent wore high heel on
one shoe and a lowe heel on the other,
which gave him a hating gait. The anil
mostly between these two parties was very
strong, and party feeling ran high. IT
was allowed that the high heels exceed
ed the low heels In number, but the pow
err was wholly on the side OF the low
heels.
Then as to the foreign relations of the
empire. There were only two great en-
pires In the world-Lilliput, which is on
the mainland, and Belfuscu. which Is an
island. For as to the stories which Gull
liver had told of other nations lying be-
You'd the seas and inhabited by such be-
ings as himself the wise men Of the en-
| pire put little faith in such relations,
rather being of the opinion that he had
dropped from the moon or one of the
stars, because it was absolutely certain
| that the earth could not support many
people of such huge bulk as himself.
| Now between Belfuscu and Lilliput there
had been intermittent strife for many gen.
erations. 1t grew largely out of the quar-
rel of the Littleendians and the Bigen-
dams.
In ancient times it was the custom Of
all people to break their eggs before eat
ing them upon the larger end. but the heir
apparent of the time once breaking an
egg upon the big end cut his fingers.
wbereupon his father, the then reigning
Emperor, ordered that thereafter all 10y
al subjects should break their eggs on the
little end.
The people of Belfuscu are Bigen-
QldIS, Wnllt tHc VI l<ili-
put are largely Littleendians. The rem
nants of the Bigendians in Lilliput
have been for more than thirty six
moons raising instructions and con-
cocting conspiracies, and their lead
ers, upon being discovered in their me-
farious work, have always sought shell
ter at Belfuscu, where they have been
i Mt RI inst bo
minister said, the Emperor of Relfuscu
was preparing an expedition against
the empire OF Lilliput. He had equip
ped a large fleet and was about to
make a descent upon the coast. His
Majesty, having great confidence In
the valor and good will of CULVER,
had ordered his minister to lay this
condition Of affairs before him Gull
liver replied that, being stranger
he thought it would i'll become him to
take any part in the domestic affairs of
the nation. but that he would willing
ly hazard his life to defend the per-
son of the Emperor.
Meantime the Emperor had shown
much courtesy to CULVER and had al
lowed him to see the sports and d.
versions of the court. One of the sports
which particularly interested him was
the rope dancing, which was per-
formed by candidates for great en-
pigments and high favor at court.
These candidates are trained in this
art from their youth and are not al
ways of noble blood. The rope dance
| tc o~T> all xrxl.it L =
stretched about two feet and half
from the ground and. though the dan
GERS are very expert, there are many
falls and sometimes fatal accidents.
When a great office is vacant by death
| or disgrace five Of six of these rope
dancers petition the Emperor to be
allowed to perform before him. and
whoever performs the hest gets the
office. Flimnap, the Lord Treasurer,
is allowed to be able to cut caper
on the tight rope at least an inch
higher than any one else in the en-
pire.
| Another court diversion which Gull
liver was privileged to witness is as
follows The Emperor lays on table
three fine silked threads six inches
long. These are the prizes and cor
respond to the orders granted by Eu-
ropean monarch. Then the Emperor
holds out a stick horizontally and tho
courtiers, approaching one by one. leap
over 1t, crawl under it. forward and
backward several times. according as
the stick Is elevated or depressed.
Sometimes the Emperor and the Prime
Minister hold the stick together; some-
| times the Emperor alone. and some
times the Prime Minister alone.
or course every winner of one of these
| colored threads, which are distributed ac-
cording to the agility in creeping and
leaping displayed by the courtiers, Is ex-
cessively proud Of the decoration. In orr
der to impress CULVER with the might