The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18

thereupon offer you this gold piece for your crown"
 But" hesitated the King, tits my very all in make-belief, he handed the crown to Shom with admoniticn not to drop it, and took the gold piece. Shom pretended to walk off with his purchase, calling back gleefully over his shoulder, "Now look for the coin!''
 The King opened his hand and saw with amazement that it was quite empty. He ran after Shom, seized the purse, and there was the gold piece looking up at him as innocently as your dog, when he has been raising hob over the countryside ali day, and at suppertime walks nonchalantly in 1t the door, wagging his tail and saying, with a surprised air, Were you looking for mel"
 That was enough for Zoto. Ringing had become more complicated business than t used to be, and he immediately imagined himself taking vacation from the court, wandering about the bazars in disguise and buying any trinket that might catch his fancy, without having to explain his extravaganza to the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer. So he told Shom, quite affably, to name the title h, wished to bear.
 ''In return for this magical purse" said Shom, while his heart beat much louder than the peacock had screamed, 'I re- spectfully ask that you confer upon me the title of Son-in-Law."
 (Which is, indeed, most lrazen re- quest!' was the reply in tones of offended dignity.
 Doubtless" said Shom, "but think of the fun your majesty have at the ex- per- of the merchantsw
 This incontestable argument carried the day, and the King straightway set about devising feasible scheme. Intrigue of any kind being, as every one knows, second nature Gf not indeed first) to a king, while but seventh or eighth to goatherd, his mental exercises demanded neither the wrinkled forehead nor the tongue-in-cheek expression, but resulted almost immediately in right noble and kingly gesture, con sisting in pantomime which might have constituted Zotos coat of arms, to-wit, forefinger dexter couchant beside nasal ap- bondage gules, rampant, with eye sinister tombant! This ingenious maneuver seem ing to mystify Shom, the King, now in high feather, proceeded to amplify. He would advise the court that he was going on a journey of one week, alone. Shcm was to assume the royal robes and crown, sit ting daily upon the throne that the towns folk might not suspect the Kings absence. Once every day he was to see the Princess. And if, at the end of the week, the magic purse had not failed single time, the Kirg would return and the marriage surely be solemnized. This appearing fair enough to Shom, the Princess and the higher nobles were made acquainted with the externalS of the plan, and the King stt about getting ready. He got himself up as a strolling player, with the purse made fast by cord beneath his doub!et, and vanished hurriedly through a side door of the palace, singing merrily in a high, cracked voice. He had first turned over his various regalia to Shom, earnestly reminding him that he had no time to go through his pockets, and that, consequently, Findings keepin's" did not apply to anything that might drop out of the royal robes. Shom had replied that that was eminently proper under the cir cumstances, which evidently relieved the King, who was trying to concal under his clothing large, strong sack, designed to hold his loot of the unsuspecting merchant; and sweetmeat sellers, for he was inordi- nately fond of sweets.
 So the King took himself off, as we have seen, in great glee, and the goatherd knew the glory of costly robes and an imposing throne. Those oi the court accorded him