The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-22

thing or two. he was great I
worker and laid up every cent that !
he earned: and. long before he was /
half as tall as gray goose he mad /
saved a hundred dollars in gold. |
The king of the country, who never |
did anything but spend money, heard !
that Drakesbili had some gold pieces, /
and he made haste to borrow them. !
How very kind and gracious he was
until he heard the little yellow coins
| Jingle in his pocket, And how proud |
1t made Drakebill feel to have it
said that he had lent money to the
king!
A year went by--two years, three
lyears--and the king seemed to have /
| forgotten him. He did not even
| offer TO pay Drakesbill the interest
and the little fellow was very uneasy
I lest he should lose all his money
At last he made up his mind that
he would go and see the king and
| tell him that he needed the gold
pieces very much.
So. early one morning, Drakesbill,
as spruce and fresh as young robin,
went down the highroad toward the
kings palace. singing, "Quack,
tQ0Aths uudShr WhCh phdii got my
money back"
He had not gone far when he met
friend Fox coming home from his
rounds among the farmyards.
Good morning, my good neigh
bor." said friend Fox: where are
you going so early in the day.
Il am going to the king to ask
him 20 pay me what he owes me"
"Oh, take me with you'll"
"One cannot have too many
friends" thought Drakesbill. Then
he said: Certainly will take you:
but you walk on four legs, and you
will soon get tired. So make your
self very small. get into my mouth,
creep under my tongue--and ! will
carry you"
Friend Fox thanked him very
kindly. made himself very small, and
was out of sight like a letter in a
lletterbox.
Then Drakesbill was off again. all
spruce and fresh as a spring morn
ing. and still singing. "Quaek. auack
quaek, when shall | get my money
back
He had not gone far when he met
his lady friend Ladder leaning
against her wall Good morning,
ducky darling" said the lady friend,
whittier away, SO bold and gay. this
fine. new day."
Il am going to the king to ask
him to pay me what he owes me-"
"0h, take me with you!
Zone cannot have to many
friends" thought Drakesbill. Then
he said Certainly l will take you;
but you have such long wooden legs
that you will soon get tired. So
make yourself very small. get into
my mouth, creep under my tongue
and will carry you"
The Ladder thanked him, made
herself very small, and went to keep
company with friend Fox.
Then Drakesbill was off again,
spruce and fresh as any dapper little
dandy, and singing, "Quack quack.
auack. when shall ! get my money
back"
He had not gone far when he met
his sweetheart, laughing River, wan
T dering quietly in the sunshine.
Good morning. my spoonful, she
: said. whittier do you go, so happy
and slow, while the soft breezes
blow"
81 am going to the king. you know,
for he owes me money, and l want
him to pay me back
/ .'Oh. take me with you"
lone cannot have too many
. friends" thought Drakesbill. Then
. he said: Certainly ] will take you;
but you must always sleep while
, you run, and you will soon get tired
/ So make yourself very small, get
into my mouth. creep under my ton
gue-and I will carry you"
, The River thanked him very
kindly, and then, glou, glou! glou!
she went to take her place between
friend Fox and friend Ladder.
And Drakesbill was off again.
| spruce and fresh as a busy bee. and
singing, "Quack. quack, quack, when
/ shall get my money back"
A little further on he met neighbor
Wasp-nest, taking his wasps out for
some fresh air.
Good morning, neighbor Bill, 4"
' said wasp-nest; whittier do we run,
: so full OF fun. in the bright warm
: SUM"
, "Oh, don't you know that the king
, owes me money? And 7 am going
down to see him and make him pay
me-" answered Drakesbill
! "Oh. take us with you,
Zone cannot have too many
friends" thought Drakesbill. Then
: he said: Certainly will take you:
= but there are 80 many of you that
you will soon get tired. So make
yourself quite small, get into my
mouth, creep under my tongue-rand
will carry you
Neighbor Wasp-nest thanked him
9 very kindly, and then buzz, buzz,
E buzz, file right! march. There wasn't
r much more room, but by getting
5 close together everybody was made
i. quite comfortable.
And then Drakesbill went on sing
a ing.
In the afternoon he came to the
great city where the king lived; and
as he marched straight UP High
, street he sang as loud as he could,