Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-05-07
stop, as he would speak with the peas

sup, do Ac ,WOulu opcdh Will eno pSoAS
ant boy.
AS the coach stopped, the king call
ed to the lad: "Come hither, youth"
But the lad sat quite still beside the
bank, holding his fishing rod. Come
| hither, command you'll" So spoke the
king in imperious tones, reckoning to
the peasant boy.
But must not leave my rod, sill"
! explained the boy. II have fish nib
bling at the bait, and must watch the
line"
do you know who ann" question
| ed the king in a severe tone.
| Eyes, sir. You are the man the peo-
pie call king. I would not know you
but for your coach and retinue." The
boy spoke in the easiest manner pos
! sible, without the least show Of embar-
rassment. The coach and outriders
trembled for the child's fate, for they
feared he had offended his king and
would be made to suffer the penalty.
| But to their great surprise, the king
smiled-for the first time in months
and again spoke to the peasant boy:
IF pay you golden coin for the
fish you havn't yet caught, will you
come and speak with me? l, your
king, beg this favor" And again the
king smiled in an amused way.
"Oh, If you are willing to pay me
for my lost time why will come and
speak with you, SIR" greed the peas
ant boy. And he arose and approach
ed the kings coach. The outriders
opened an avenue so that he might
walk to the side of the coach. To their
utter establishment the king made
room for the boy inside the coach and
babe him be seated beside him. The
boy looked up and shook his head:
mo. sir peasant boy is not fitting
company for king I prefer to re-
main afoot on ground and talk with
YOU"
"You are a strange and bold boy"
declared the king, bit out Of temper.
'And why do you dare to refuse me-
your king?"
IF you are my king, then I am your
subject" said the boy. "And we each
owe the other certain liberty must
live my way and you your way"
Now it was the kings turn to be as
tonished and banishing the frown
which had begun to gather on his
brow, he said: "You interest me,
youth, and shall get out of my coach
and sit beside you while you fish. Will
that please you-my subject?'
II have no objection to your sitting
on the banks Of the river. for it is
yours as we'll as mine,' explained the
boy.
The king laughed outright why,
youth, don't you know that river-and
all the land about it-belongs to me,
the king and ruler over this land?"
The boy shook his head. THAT river
is not yours any more than it Is mine
even though you be king. You
cannot bride it or change its course
You cannot stop its waters, or cause
them to flow 1t is Gods river, and so
is to land all about 1t. And you the
&c allure as am Gods creature,
az n he bids us leave this life
you :. q as powerless to disobey as
am. SO, am as much king in Gods
yonder courtiers."
You have an old head on young
shoulders" declared the king, motion
ing to servant to throw his cloak on
the ground that he might sit on it.
"And shall chat with you an hour
Just as though I were peasant like
yourself"
"Or I king like yourself" smiled
the boy.
"Ah, you are strange YOUTH said
the king Come, tell me. Are you al
ways happy?"
always very happy, SIR declared
the boy. "In the first place, am very
busy all day long helping my father
and mother in the work of earning an
honest living. l am too busy to be un
happy, sir"
"Why do you not call me Your
Majesty" asked the king.
II like the plain title better, sir.
Only God is my king
The king knit his brows, then said:
Suppose I should command you to
call me Your Majesty?' And If you
should refuse suppose I should order
your head cut OFF,"
Then you would be cruel king,
and committing very grave crime,
sir, for In having me killed you would
be committing murder. My life be-
longs to my Maker, not man Of the
earth
The king sat silent for little while.
Then he said: TELL me, boy, where
have you learned all that you say?
There must be traitors in my realm,
and they must have talked in your
hearing
"A good king need fear no traitors"
said the boy, putting some bait on his
hook. "Only an evil ruler fears enc
mics"
"You are right, youth" said the king
fervently. And you have set me to
thinking Of many thinks new to my
mind shall beg you to come to the
palace and visit me. l can learn from
you though I be king and you a
peasant. But-do you angle all day
long?"
ooh, no sir; doing one thing all the
time would make me very unhappy.
Now, were you to have more variety
in your life, sir, you would be less dis
content. I have heard it said that our
king never laughs. That his subjects
are far happier than he. That Is be-
cause they find much beneficial EN-.
ployment. The king but rules. And
ruling is a heavy work. and thank