Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-01
DOPEY DAN AND LON
The Magma Charter:
BY W. H. CLAGETT.

"Please don't think me dense, boss
but what's this Magma Charter that
tn molders of world peace are everlast-
in'ly referrin' tor" asked Lon of Dopey
Dan. as he glanced through the paper.
why, Lon," drawled Dopey Dan,
9TH Magma Charter is document
that was forced on King John o
England by a bunch of disgruntled
barons. who'd become thoroughly
sick at tn way things was bein' run.
an after a turrible rough-house fight
at Runnymede on January II, 1915,
was granted an sealed by tn weak
kneed old monarch. an marks tn
first blow delivered in tn long
drawed- out fight against tn absolute
power of reignin' sovereigns, which
come to such sudden an glorious
| end few months ago when Willum.
Frederick. August, Oscar. Genevieve
an king Of all tn 'weinerwursts. was
deprived of his scepter an sneaked
over to Holland.
| It's one of tn strongest worded
scraps O. paper ever displayed to tn
readin' public, an begins with, John.
| know We an we for tn health Of our
] soul-have granted an confirmed for
US an our heirs forever an so forth.
| an so forth.
THE big feature article, in this
truly wonderful instrument. contains
numbered 45), which runs along like
| this: No freeman shall be taken or
SWITCHED, or imprisoned, or outlawed.
or disseized, or ketched-up. or any
ways injured. nor will we pass upon
him, nor send him down, unless by
4 L. HNrpk HxS
! law of tn land
"Ya see, lad, up to tn signin' Of
Magma Charter tn king was tn great
| big Settin' Bull Of all he surveyed
| everybody paid him. His dooce-spots
! always win, which naturally caused a
| turrible amount o grumblin' amongst
| them with good hands.
90 course, tn mobiles was workin'
! three shifts day tryin' to concoct a
scheme whereby they'd get look-in
| for their liz white marble, but they
| never got peep until along about tn
thirteenth century. Then. OWN to tn
| sudden death of Richard I of Eng
| land, who died without issue, his
! brother. John SWITCHED his royal rail-
ment an called himself 1t. -
This birds right to tn throne was
questioned by a whole mess o. folks,
especially by a flock O. French lords.
| who declared that Arthur. a son OF Z
legitimate heir to tn big job an
oughta be made king. But, ruther
than have any extended controversy
on tn subject, John straightway
| slipped lil Arthur pill, an tn poor
kid amt been heard Of from that day
to this Twelve hundred and three
was tn season tn youngster was give
his farethewell, tn foul deed so en-
ragin' King Phillip O. France that all
of Johns French holdin's was de-
clared null an void an took over by
France"
What kind O. holdin'a did John
have in France, boss?" asked Lon, as
he got up to let tn dog in.
VA got me there. lad" came back
from Dopey Dan. But tn bold move
on Phillips part sure got tn English
mans goat an quick-Hke formin' a
alliance with Emperor DITTO Nv, tn
Flemish, an one or-two others, he
| went hot-foot after tn Frenchman
with vengeance in his teeth; but,
strange to relate. for once tn allies
got tn livin' daylights knocked outa
them, an after sufferin' turrible losses
at tn battle o Bourvines G2l4) they
throwed up tn sponge an beat 1T back
home. -
"WhiIe all this was goin' on: tn
barons got their heads. together, an
durin' Johns absence drawed up set
| o. reforms, quietly waited for him to
return, showed him tn Magma Charter
an told him to sign here"
Naturally, John throwed eight diff
| ferent kinds o. fits when he first seen
tn paper, but, realizin' that tn breaks
! was against him; he signed tn petit