The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-19

dIQ Olu.
 \ TALoROSO XXIV., king of Paha-
 N/ gonia, sat with his queen and his
 only child, a daughter, at the royal breakfast when letter was brought in announcing that Prince Bulbo. the son and heir of the king of Grim Tartary would soon pay visit to the Pafagonian court. The letter was from Padella, the Grim Tartary monarch, and Valoroso was so interested in it that he allowed his eggs to get cold and left his august muf- fins untasted.
 What, that delightful, wicked, brave Prince Bulbo?" exclaimed the Princess Angelica, when her father announced the news; that witty, accomplished fellow, so brave and so fascinating, who slew ten thousand giants at the battle of Rim bombamento?" 'What do you know about Prince Bulbo?' snapped the king. "Who told you?" "Oh, little bird,' re- piled the princess in her arch way. Poor Giglio,'' said mamma pouring out the tea with sigh. "Bother Glglo,' said An gelica. tossing up her pretty head. q wish,'' growled the king, T wish that Giglio was-' "Was better, my dear" in- terrupted the queen; The is; Angelica's little maid, Betsinda, told me so when she came to my room this morning with my tea" "You are always drinking tea" growled the king. Tt is better than drinking port and brandy and water like some people," retorted her majesty. "Oh, I only said that you were fond of tea" answered the king. Can't I say any thing? Well, well, Angelica, l hope you have plenty of dresses, you ought to-, your dressmakers bills are large enough. My dear queen, you must see to it that we have some parties and balls while the prince is here. I prefer dinners, but of course you do not. And for heavens sake go to the dressmaker's and get a new gown. That old green velvet of yours I am tired of seeing. And go to the jewellers and order yourself necklace not to cost over a hundred and fifty thou sand pounds. however" And Giglio, my dear?' said the queen. "Giglio may go to the-'
 "Oh, ohl" shouted the Queen and the princess in chorus. Your nephew, the late Kings soni' "Giglio may go to the tailor s,'' continued the King, frowning, land order himself a new court suit Give him couple of guineas for pocket money And while you are about it you might get a pair of bracelets to match that necklace" What could her majesty do then but kiss her royal spouse? She cid so, and left the breakfast room with her arms lovingly entwined about her daughters waist. When they had gone Valoroso threw off all disguise and show ed himself the ambitious, scheming, cruel person he was.
 The man was alone, and had no reason for disguise. Seizing one of the many egg cups upon the table, he rushed to a cup board and extracted therefrom bottle of prime old Cognac. filled and emptied the cup several times, and then threw him self back into a chaif with 'Ha, ha! Now Valoroso is a man again. But, oh,' he went on, still sipping, we are sorry to say, at the brandy, "ere was King I did not need this intoxicating draught. once I detested the hot brandy wine and quaffea no other fount but na- lures Till. It dashed not more quickly over the rocks than I did as, with blunder- buss in hand, I dashed away the morn- ing dews and shot the snipe, the partridge and antlered deer Why, why did I steal my nephew's crown? No, not steal; no no, I withdraw that word; took, and on my manly head have worn the crown of Patagonia. Could a poor boy, weak ling who but yesterday, as it were, cried for sugar plums, bear up the awful weight of crown. orb and sceptre? Gird on the sword my royal fathers wore and fight the tough Crimean foey And so xhe monarch went on arguing with him self and planning great and most am bilious things.
 He would marry his daughter to Prince Bulbo, the sole heir of Grim Tartary, and so unite the crowns of these two adjoining and frequently hostile nations. That would s,ss for Giglio and his aspirations, or syaims, or whatever he might call them, and he, Valoroso, would found one great nation upon the ruins of two small ones. Then he rang the bell for his prime minister and proceeded to the business or Lne udy- Ine e(ueen III lile meantime thought: ''Shall 1 go up and see Giglio (who had been sick)? Mo- business first, pleasure afterward. I will go first to the dressmaker's and the jewellers and see ~Giglio this afternoon" The princess went up to her own room and made Betsinda, her maid, bring out all hei dresses. They forgot Giglio as complete ly as if he had never existed.
 The Princess Angelica was a paragon in the eyes of her parents, the eyes of the courtiers and in her own eyes She had the smallest foot, the longes; hair, the finest complexion of any young lady in Patagonia and spoke a dozen different languages. She knew every historical date of any importance and could play the most difficult pieces of music at sight. Her governess and lady-in- waiting was the Countess Gruf- fanuff. Old Gruffanuff was naughty person who looked as if she had pedi- gree reaching back to the Deluge; but was. in reality, no better born than some other ladies who give themSeves airs. In fact, she had been 1ady'a