Evening star., 1933-08-06

1t consists Of a crate like cable car and wire
pulley contraption that Is a model Of ingenuity.
It connects With Prnkin HolloV on the main
land.
The cable car was built of scraps Of wood
and pieces Of tin and iron. When you enter 1t
you hope for the best and expect the worst 1t
Is maintained for the exclusive use OF KING
Jetherow his people, their live stock and the
few visitors allowed to set foot upon the island.
Rusty wheels creak and groan and taut cable
wires reach . high-strung falsetto whine when
the car Is in motion.
The entire system is no more than patched
I'D affair, but its sturdiness is well atteSted.
This feat Of engineering looks as though 1t will
collapse ut any second, but it never does. It
has stood the test of time and many crossings.
LING JETFIEROw himself never makes more
~ than two excursions to the mainland . year.
and several years have passed during his SOW
ereignty with only a single expedition from his
realm.
Persons visiting the island are subjected t0
extensive diplomatic negotiations before their
credentials receive q final approval and the
cable is sent whizzng from the island to
Punkin Hollow to carry them across the river.
Punkin Hollow is a nondescript stretch Of
land lying to the south of the island and in
habited by several squatters' families and in
Vulnerable homeless dogs. 1t is Uttered with
tin cans and broken bottles.
Punkin Hollow IS King Jetherows base and
there . trusted ally interviews prospective
visitors and acts with the acumen of a Sec
retary Of state.
As a rule these negotiations take several
hours and are brought to an end only when
King Jetherow himself inspects you from afar
(about mid-channeD and either gives or re-
fuses his sanction for the impending visit
If the king gives his approval which he
seldom does, visitors Chamber into the cable
car and fash across space until the contrap-
ton comes to a wheeling stop on the island.
If sanction to visit the island is denied, as
it is at least 95 times in 100 King Jetherow
Immediately calls upon the royal navy to stand
by for any eventualties.
THE royal navy is an unpainted rowboat.
Besides the king it is usually manned by
a member of the kings household and two
yapping lop-eared hounds. These hounds are
trained to indulge a rabid dislike for strangers.
Land troops" consist Of three very wild
billy goats.
In his spare time which is something like
hunts, fishes, plays with his numerous dogs,
directs the cultivation of his land and basks
in the sun.
The soil on the island is unusually rich and
produces bumper crops.
"Once upon time used to sell few
vegetables or a little corn" the king relates
with a wry smile, but now need it all for
my relatives"
OF live stock he has pigs, hogs, numberless
chickens, the three wild goats, milk goats and
a team Of white horses which he keeps as neat
and curried as pair of pampered riding acad-
emy mounts.
Rabbits supply game meat and in the Winter
time the Island of Can abounds in quail and
water birds. Fishing In season appeases both
the appetite for sport and the appetite Of the
palate.
Everything would be all right if it wasn't
for my people," King Jetherow says. They
want to change things too much. Some OF
them won't even do what tell them. What
did make myself king for if 1T wasn't to
have peace and comfort and obedience in my
old age?"