The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1912-02-02
THE EMPEROR
AND FATE
By THEODORE BORL AND
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

There was once young man who
lived in a country that had long been
ruled by a line of profligate kings. At
hast the people. maddened by their
wrongs and by hunger, rose up in
their might. beheaded the king and his
queen and secretly made away with
the heir apparent so that no successor
might inherit the throne. Then they
killed all the mobiles on whom the king
" power rested and established q re-
public.
This young man, who was q soldier
by profession. stood by the palace and
witnessed the fury Of the mob. He
had not suffered himself from the roy
al tyranny. but could understand the
vengeance these people coveted. New
ertheless the scene impressed him with
the undesirability of anarchy. The
kings of other countries turned out
their armies to force the revolutionists
to put back the monarchy. and the
young soldier fought with the armies
Of his country against these sover-
eigns.
From the first it was apparent that
he had in him the elements of a great
general. He soon obtained the COM
mand of an Independent army and
fought battle after battle. winning ev-
cry one till his enemies retreated with
In their own borders and left him mas
ter Of the situation.
The young man. naturally ambitious,
was fired by this success to greater
deeds. Obtaining other armies he
went on foreign conquests. always re-
turning successful. This won for him
the plaudits Of the people. and when
they placed the government in the
hands of three associate governors
they made the general the first of the
three. But he did not remain long at
home. Fresh wars called him to other
fields. but he always conquered, and
whenever he did so he attached some
additional territory to his own country.
And so absorbing one territory after
another from what had been king
dom he established an empire.
And now. since he was appointing
his brothers to govern these countries
1t was necessary that he should have
for himself title even higher than
that of king. So the legislative body
conferred on him the title of emperor.
putting it to the vote of the people
whether or no this should be so. The
people confirmed the appointment. and
he was seated on an imperial throne.
At this time. when he was at the
height Of his glory and power. one
night he had dream. He drea med
that he was sitting on his throne, the
imperial crown on his head. the scep-
ter in his hand, and throng of cour-
tiers passing before him. bowling to him
as they passed. Among them the en-
per0r noticed a figure clad in unseen
~ apparel to wear at court. having
nothing about his or her fgurefor
there seemed to be no sex-only fow
ing robe Of poor material This per-
son passed the emperor without a bow,
keeping his strange eyes on the sover-
eign all the while.
"Who are your" asked the emperor.
"Fate"
"Ah. you are Fate. are you? What
are you doing here?"
Il came to implant within your brain
that which will accomplish my inten-
tons for you"
what are those intentionsY'
ut is not meet that mortals should
know what have in store for them"
lat least tell me what will be my
end"
The figure turned and looked up
ward. The emperors gaze followed in
the same direction. and he saw a pic
ture. toward which he seemed to be
moving. 1t was a rock surrounded by
water, the waves necessarily beating
upon it. Presently he stood on the
rock himself. 1t was a desolate place.
and with him were only few of those
whom he had ennobled. Soldiers Of a
foreign nation lettering about indi-
Gated that he was prisoner He en-
tered an unpretentious house. from
which he would never emerge.
The scene changed. and he lay dying
in this house. The few friends who
had accompanied him stood about him.
but no wife. no child. Then the pic
ture rolled away. and the emperor sat
g alone on his throne. He awoke with a
dreadful sensation and slept no more
till morning. when he fell into a trou-
bled slumber. When he awoke all
memory Of his dream had left him.
Not long after this he started on an
other campaign. Thus far he had
never failed and did not think it posi-
BILE for him to fail. He marched an
army into a northern country in the
dead of winter. The people Of that
country retreated before him. destroy
ed their granaries and burned their
cities. His army, cold and starving.
made horrible retreat. very few
0f his soldiers again regaining their
own country. - .zss 3 asss:s 1s%sa-"~
From this point the emperor's star
steadily went down. down. He made
desperate efforts to retrieve his failing
fortunes. but achieved no permanent
success. All those kingdoms he had