The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1917-05-19

in the kingdom. Nevertheless King
John adhered to his plan and had made
arrangements 10 ubdicate In favor or
his son-in-luw the duy after the we'd
ding. Such was the young couples dis
favor with the people that when they
rode In the royal coach to and from
the church not shout Of congratula-
ton was raised except by persons who
had been hired for the purpose.
The morning after the marriage
King John. surrounded by his minis
tiers and the magnates Of the kingdom.
was about to sign his abdication when
man hastily entered and. approach
ing the king. whispered In his ear:
Your majesty. a pretender to the
throne has appeared. has claimed to be
king, and all the people In the portion
of the city where he lives have risen
to support him."
ION what does he support his pre-
tentions:" asked the king angrily.
"He claims to be the true prince. the
son Of King Alonzo."
"But took the true prince from his
cradle with my own hands. commit
herents and have kept him under my
eye ever since"
1.-The pretendcr, your majesty. claims
that before you entered the royal
nursery the nurse placed her son In
the royal cradle and the prince In her
sons cradle. He AYERS that the prince.
your son-in-law. is the 50 Of the nurse,
while he. the pretender the son Of
King Alonzo."
that he had been enjoying the SOW
ereignty 1t had never occurred to him
that n mother could bring herself to
sacrifice her son for another. even
though that other were prince.
where Is this womnn!" he faltered.
''She is dead. your majesty"
dead. Then who is to prove that
this substitution was made?"
1.-The pretender claims that she fur
nished him with proofs; that he has
the infant clothes he wore the day Of
the revolution. and they are embroider-
ed with the royal arms"
The king cringed. He had not
thought when he took the. baby from
his cradle to examine bis clothes. He
had wrapped him In blanket he had
found OH the floor. He did not know
that 1t had covered Margaret's son and
she had dropped 1t In carrying him to
the princes cradle.
docs this would be usurper bear the
Iineaments of king?" he asked.
He is the image Of the late King
Alonzo."
rs he educated or ignorant?"
Fairly educated. He claims that
his foster mother was enabled to send
him to school. having saved all the
money given her by the king for fur
nishing his son with sustenance which
enabled him to live-a sum very large"
AT this point commOtiOn was
heard without the palace. The king
rose from the throne In which he sat
and was observed to tremble. Call
ing the general Of his armies to him.
he ordered him to quell the disturb
ance. The meeting broke up. each
person leaving to prepare for whatever
change might come. for the king was
unpopular even among his adherents
and II the story of this young claim
ant could be substantiated he was
sure to Will
The drums were beaten in the palace
court, and the kings bodyguard sprang
to arms But 1t was too late. A large
concourse of people. armed with all
kinds Of implements. headed by a
young man whom some who had
known the late king as young man
fancied to be Alonzo returned to life.
moved on the palace.
And so 1t was that similar scene to
that prncticed by John when he made
himself king happened again. only it
was John himself instead Of King
AlonZo who was attacked. and there
was no legitimate prince to be got rid
of. But the claimant was a very diff
ferent man from the usurper.r He had
the people all with him and could af-
ford to he magnanimous. On taking
possession Of the palace he forbade his
adherents to kill any one. Having pos
sessed himself of the person of King
John and his daughter and his son-in-
law. he thus addressed the fallen mon
arch:
You are my fathers murderer, and
by rights should avengc his death in
yours. But / prefer that you should
live to repent the deed. therefore
spare your life. As for this changelIng
whom you were about to make king IN
your stead. he and his wife shall go
into exile with you. May they console
you in your degradation"
At this those standing about protest
ed against such clemency and demand
ed the heads of all those who had
msurped the throne. but the conqueror
hushed the tuInult by raising his hands
und saying:
II do not intend to enter upon my
hvereignty by bloodshed. as the usurp
er did. You see the end to which he
is reduced. prefer to rule over you
with your consent. and the time will