Year: 1873

IHE UnOEOA lSLhN


A RICH and benevolent man, wishing
to make one of his slaves happy, present.
ed him with his liberty and ship fully
equipped and loaded with costly mer.
chandise. Co." said he, " sail to for
eign country trade with these goods,
and all profit shall be thine" The slave
departed. He was but few days upon
the sea when violent storm arose, dashed
the ship against a rock and wrecked it.
The merchandise sunk in the ocean, all
OF his companions persisted, and with
the greatest difficulty he succeeded in
reaching the shore of an island. Hungry,
naked, without help, and weeping over
his misfortunes, he entered deep into the
country. From afar he perceived great
city, out of which, with great clamor,
came multitude of people to meet him.
Hail to our kingl" they cried, as they
accosted him; and seating him Npon a
magnificent chariot, drove him into the
city, to kingly palace, where they
clothed him with a purple mantle, placed
a diadem upon his brow, and caused him
to ascend a golden throne. The mobiles
gathering about him fell down upon their
knees and swore to him, in the name of
the people, the oath of faithfulness.


The new king, at the commencement of
all this splendor, believed it to be beau
tiful dream, until the continuation of his
good forttine no longer permitted him to
doubt that the wonderful adventure was
true. cannot conceive" he reflected,
what has enchanted the eyes of this
strange people, that they should make a
naked stranger their king. They know
not who l am; ask not from whence |
come, and place me upon their throne.
What a peculiar custom!'


So thought he, and became so anxious
to know the cause of his elevation, that
he determined to ask the solution of the
riddle of one Of the mobiles of his court,
who appeared to him to be wise man.
"Tizier," he added, "why have you made
me your kingY How could you know
that had arrived upon your shores, and
what will finally become of meS" "SiIe,"
answered the vizier, "this island Is inhab-
ited by spirits. For a long time they have
prayed to the Almighty to send yearly
son of Adam to govern them The
Almighty accepted their prayer, and
causes each year, upon the same day, a
man to land upon their island. Tho in
habitants hasten to meet him, and Joyfully
recognize him as their sovereign. But
his government lasts but one year. The
appointed day again appearing, they de-





clothe him in a mean dress. His servants
forcibly carry him to the shore, lay him
in a peculiarly constructed vessel, which
takes him to another island. The island
is desert and desolate. He, who was a
powerful king a few days ago, arrives
here naked, and finds neither subjects nor
friends. No one commiserates his mis-
fortune, and he is obliged to lead sad
and sorrowful life in this desert country,
if he has not wisely made use of his year
After the banishment of the old king, the
people go to this new one, that the
Almighty, in His providence, sends every
year without exception. In the custom
ary manner they meet and receive him
with joy, as the last. This, also, sire, is
an eternal law of this kingdom, that no
king during his reign can resign"


Were my predecessors" asked the king
further, "also informed of the short dura-
tion of their elevation?"


ITO none of them was the law of tran
sitorIness unknown; but some permitting
themselves to become blinded by the
splendors which surrounded their throne,
forgot the sad future, and spent the year
without acting wisely Others, intoxicat-
ed by the sweetness of their good fortune,
and out of fear to embitter the enjoyment
of the present, would not permit them
selves to reflect upon the desert island,
and so staggered, like drunkards, out of
one pleasure into another, until their time
was up and they were to be cast in the
vessel. When the day came, they all la
mented their fascination, but it was then
too late, and they were, without forbear-
ance, delivered to the misery which await
ed them, and which they had not been
willing to prevent through wisdom"


The narrative of the spirit filled the
king with fear. He shuddered with hor-
ror at the fate of the preceding kings, and
wished to escape their unhappiness
With feelings of terror, he saw that many
weeks ofhis short time had already flown,
and that he must haste to make bet
ter use of the remaining days of his
reign.


"Wise Vizier," said he TO the spirit,
"thOu has disclosed to me my eternal fate
and the short duration of my kingly pow
er, but | pray thee, tell me also what |
E.ust do if wish to avoid the misery of
my predecessors"


Remember, sire" answered the spirit,
"that thou has arrived naked upon our isl.
and, for even so shalt thou leave it, and
never return. There is, therefore, only
one possible expedient to prevent the un-
happiness which threatens in that country
of Punishment. Make il fruitful, and sup
ply it with inhabitants. This is perm tilted
by our laws, and thy subjects are so obe-
dient to thee, that they will go wherever
thou wishest to send them. Therefore
send workmen thither, and change the
barren fields to fruitful ones; build cities
and NIL their granaries with provisions.
In word, prepare thyself a new king
dom, the inhabitants of which, after thy
banishment, will receive thee with low.
But hasten, permit not moment to pass
idly, for the time is short, and the more
thou doest to the building of thy future
dwelling, the happier will be thy resi-.
dence there. Think, thy year is rapidly
passing, make use of thy liberty, as one
flying from destruction. If thou de-
spisest my advice or delayest, thou art
lost, and prolonged misery is thy fate"


The king was a wise man, and the
speech of the spirit gave wing to his res
olution and activity. He Immediately
sent thither a multitude of subjects. They
went with joy, and zealously laid hold OF
the work.


Soon the island began to be embellshed,
Before six moons had passed, cities stood
upon Its blooming pastures. Notwith-
standing which, the king did not abate in
MS zeal; lie continued sending thither
more lnha6itants. Those following were
SUN more Joyful than the first, since they
went 10 country wel cultivated and in.
habited by their friends and relations
Meanwhile the end of the year drew near
The last king had tTembled with fear ~
the approach of this moment. This one
awaited itwith calm feeling of pleasure
Tor he was going to country, where