Evening star., 1928-05-04
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
BY EDGAR ALLAN POE.
THE KING PEST

:. fEdgar Allan Poe. 1soa-l sac is one of
ne most outstanding names IN American
nsser3aaiufe Anlone his hesl known tales are
BaE Maseue Of the Red Death" etc.l
At the time of this story all England
resounded With the fearful cry OF
''Plague!" The city was in a great
measure depopulated-and IN those llor-
rlble regions In the vicinity Of the
Thames. where amid the dark narrow
and filthy lanes and alleys the demon
Of disease was supposed 10 have been
born. Awe, Terror and SupeTstitulior
were alone 10 be found stalking abroad.
By authority Of the King such dis
trlcts we're placed under ban" and
al persons forbidden under pain of
death. 10 intrude upon their dismal
solitude. Yet neither the mandate of
the monarch. nor the huge barriers
erected at the entrances of the streets.
nor the prospect Of that lOathsome
death which. with almost absolute GER
tainrv overwhelmed the wretch whom
no peril could deter from the adventure.
prevented the unfinished and unten-
anted dwellings from being robbed Of
every article. such as iron. brass or lead
work, which could in any manner be
turned 70 a profitable account
~ u
the annual opening OF the barriers every
Winter. that locks. bolts and secret Gel
lars had proved little protection for
those rich stores Of wines and liquors
which many Of the dealers had decided
u leave These stores seemed. somehow,
always To be broken into, though no one
knew by whom.
Few OF the terror stricken people
thought these robberies were done by
human hands. They believed rather in
pegt-spirsts plsgue-goblins and fever
demons. as the probable imps Of mis-
chief Tales so bIooG-chillIng were
hourly told that the whole mass Of for
bldoen buildings vas at length envel-
opec In terror as in a s1roud. and the
plunoeger himself was often scared away
b. the horrors his own depredations
created Thus the vast circuit Of pro-
hlbite6 district was often left TO gloom.
silence, peStlieTce and death.
i Is a tale Of q monarch Of some
Of these supposed pest-spirits-n such
they weEe--t1at ! have 10 relate 10 you
The room belonged. by rights 70 the
sa0p Of an undertaken. w1o had de-
serted his place Of business with the
rest cf the people under the Kings or
GERS 30 one could say how long it had
been abandoned. An open trapdooT. IN
q corner Of the floor looked down upon
long range Of ne-ceIlaEg, whose
depths the occasional sound of bursting
bottles proclaimed 10 be well stored
with tlle4r appropriate contents.
In the middle of the room stood a
taDlc 70 the center Of which again
arose huge tub of what appeared TO
BE- punch. Bottles u various wines and
g9fclals together with jugs, pitchers and
1agoDs o1 every shape and quality, were
"a R4gn -
Around u, upon cDf1in-trestIes, was seat
&C company ri SIZ.
Fronting me entrance. and elevated
l4tle aDgFe Gas companions sat 4 per
souage 8'n0 appeared ~ " the president
q lhe table. His stature WaB gaunt and
tai and emsciatec. Hls face was as
%el4o& as GaHrcp--Dut no feature ez~
cepUnR one alone X2s sufficiently mark
ec ~ deserve description This was his
forehead. 10 unusually and hide0usly
}Ofty As ~ logk ike bonnet or crown
o. flesh on up u the natural head
His mouth MAS puckfTed and dim
pee into ar expression of CHASTITY az
fabillty, and his eyes. as were all the
eyes al that table. were glazed over
with the fumes ~ int0xication. This
gentleman was clothed from head ~
foot IN 8 ficnly embroidered black six
velvet pail wrapped negligenIy around
his form after the faSiOn " q 8panigh
CLOAK j5le head VAS stuck full If sable
heafae plDmes which he nodded ~ and
fiG with 1aflnty and knowing ait III
b3s g1ghs hard ne held Il huge human
tblgf Dos4e ailH which be- appeared n
have bern just knocking down some
DleInter ~ tpf company for 5ong.
Cpg08D nim AID With beF bach
~ lHe cDDf a&S lady quite - tai
~ the pefon Just descTibed. bit evi'
Gfut3y lu fl4e lass stage " dt0psy fol
her figure rsaembitd nearly that of 4
l4gt D@gnche0l " beer Her fsGe Wal
very round. fec snc fun, and fiLe ssm'
LrcUliaFsty. ~ rather want of psCu
Eaf1iy col!c ~ found Ii beF facs~
U4at II, one feature vas more pro
nyuneed fllau any ~ me others Tin
ieadef hSo remarkably higA fore
bea0 ftl.s }aoy had sp euofmou
mouth Commencing st the right HsG
? aAfgf ~lfh d fsrilfe ttasfn ~ th
lef' tie ghgu earrings sir wore cDn
ilu9ai}Y be5D.ng into the SIDES u he
mouth ffs-f dress Ma nrWl
g'sres4ed and lfolee shyolG coming ul
c30se under HFf chin with . efimDie'
T0ffje ~ ceniHlc muslin
A. he9 Ts9ilt S9f a aiHtnuilye y0unt
lady Aus cs}ieale il1is creature. u
tie trembling ~ her wasted fingers. u
the liylc lle ~ hef lips and 10 M
Fligflt hectic spof which tinge1 hH
etherW.se lescen complexion, gave eyi
cenee u a RellopiuR consumption. En
wore In graceful manner large anl
besUUfJ winding sheet of the ftnes
Lsdlsn lsBps AeI Asix hung Ia TtDE.sl