Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-01-09
ORIGIN OF THE HoBBLE SKIRT.
Made for Dissatisfied Queen Who Had
Nothinq to Wear.

NOIniHS ~ "SdI.
In the midst Of the Apartment
Mountains wnere the Dollar Bird
sweetly sings, there was a high build
ing called the Marble Palace. 1t -.s
wondrously built of marble and its
great bronze doors were guarded day
and night by liveried Ethiopians.
A powerful king of Commerce lived
on the turret floor Of this wonderful
palace, where he had twenty-three
rooms and twenty-four baths. And
he was so rich that no one could
count his money-no, not even the
tax assessors.
Every morning he breakfasted on
gold dishes. and a whole grapefruit
was nothing at all to him. He even
had cream on his cereals and it was
whispered about the palace that there
were times when he had two eggs
with his toast. He was, in fact, so
rich that it bored him and made him
tired.
His furniture was solid silver and
ivory. His window panes were sheets
of crystal. He had gold filigreed bas-
kets in which he kept the potatoes
and other family jewels, and wherever
he went the conversation died away
and every one looked at him and
whispered. There was not a person
in the land who did not envy him and
har
two ears to have been in his silken
hose. But in his heart of hearts this
powerful king of Commerce was sore
ly troubled because his wife, the
queen. who was very beautiful and
very proud, was always saying that
she had nothing to wear
Once upon time the king said to
her. Let us go to the opera tonight
For l am tired and the music may
soothe and charm me-" The queen
sent him away and called her maids
together, saying. Bring me all my
new dresses and let me look at them
So they brought them. The first was
embroidered too much. 1T will make
me look like tapestry portiere,' she
said. The next one had too short
train "It will make me look like a
bob-tailed horse" she said. The next
one was cut too high. Il do not want
to hide the tips Of my ears" she said.
Take them away" And ringing a
bell for a page, she sent this message
to her husband, the king. II cannot
go, because I have nothing to wear"
The king was angry when he receiv-
ed this news, and he clapped his
hands three times. The next moment
little golden fairy appeared before
him. His eyes were gold buttons, and
his nose was gold dollar, and his
head was a round nugget as large as
an apple. His hair was spun gold.
His cloak was of cloth Of gold and
every time he made the slightest move
he jingled in the pleasantest manner
possible.
What is the matter, o king?"
asked the little golden fairy. And
why do you frown?"
II frown." said the king, because
you are a three-flusher and. a fairy
who cannot make good. You told me
when 1 engaged your services that
you could do anything and make
everybody happy. But find that your
capabilities are joke and your en-
chantment is the sort of thing that
makes the donkeys laugh. You a
fairy! And here my wife, the queen,
has just informed me that she has
nothing to wear!"
Whereupon the golden fairy waved
his wand to the three corners Of the
earth and sang:
Come dresses Of silver
And dresses Of gold,
And dresses so rich
They can never be sold;
And if the Queen grumbles
Oh let her beware.
Or she shall not even
Have nothing TO wear"
With these words the fairy vanish
ed. and the king sent another mes
sage to his wife saying: Let us go to
the opera tonight. For / am tired
and the music may charm and soothe
me-" SO the queen called her maids
together and said: Have any new
dresses come in since l called you
last?" And they all cried Yes! Such
beautiful dresses as never were seen
before." The queen covered her
mouth to hide regal yawn and said
Bring them in" SO they brought
them in. But the queen was still dis
satisfied. The gold dress, she said. was
too heavy. 1T would weight me
down" And the silver dress was not
pleated to her satisfaction. II would
look like trump" The next one had
too much lace. 1T looks vulgar" The
fourth had not enough. 1T looks
skinny" And so on to the end Ring
ing then for a page, she sent this