By Adele Barney Wilson.
Some ages ago,—a dozen, perhaps,—
In a far-away land that is not on our maps,
There lived a young king whose riches and greatness
Were only surpassed by his youthful sedateness:
He read and he studied when his work was all done;
His wisdom and justice amazed every one;
And money he spent with such careful intent
That the national debt was reduced to a cent.
But in the whole kingdom complaining was rife,
Because the young king had ne'er taken a wife.
In a far-away land that is not on our maps,
There lived a young king whose riches and greatness
Were only surpassed by his youthful sedateness:
He read and he studied when his work was all done;
His wisdom and justice amazed every one;
And money he spent with such careful intent
That the national debt was reduced to a cent.
But in the whole kingdom complaining was rife,
Because the young king had ne'er taken a wife.
“It’s all very well while he lives,” the folk said,
“But who will rule o’er us when once he is dead?
Perhaps his proud cousin from over the ocean
Will make us his subjects—we don’t like the notion.
We want him to give us a son for his heir,
To whom our allegiance forever we ’ll swear.”
And one day they vowed they would go in a crowd
To make known their grievance that hung like a cloud.
And so they drew up a petition to carry
To the popular king, to persuade him to marry.
“But who will rule o’er us when once he is dead?
Perhaps his proud cousin from over the ocean
Will make us his subjects—we don’t like the notion.
We want him to give us a son for his heir,
To whom our allegiance forever we ’ll swear.”
And one day they vowed they would go in a crowd
To make known their grievance that hung like a cloud.
And so they drew up a petition to carry
To the popular king, to persuade him to marry.
The petition was penned by a learned committee,
And signed by his subjects in country and city;
And when to receive it the king had consented,
The ponderous scroll was duly presented.
He read it all once, then read it once more:
The force of its logic he could not ignore.
“Good people,” he said, “to please you I ’ll wed,
And soon to the altar the bride shall be led;
A wife and a queen I ’ve no cause for refusing,
But I ’ll have my own way in the method of choosing.”
And signed by his subjects in country and city;
And when to receive it the king had consented,
The ponderous scroll was duly presented.
He read it all once, then read it once more:
The force of its logic he could not ignore.
“Good people,” he said, “to please you I ’ll wed,
And soon to the altar the bride shall be led;
A wife and a queen I ’ve no cause for refusing,
But I ’ll have my own way in the method of choosing.”
With satisfied smiles the people withdrew,
But how he ’d select her they did wish they knew,
Like fair Cinderella, because of her beauty?
Or the poor Sleeping Maid, whom to wake was a duty?
’T was thus that they chattered as homeward they clattered,
Until the whole crowd different ways had been scattered;
While the king took his journal and found a blank page,
To fill it with comment instructive and sage.
But how he ’d select her they did wish they knew,
Like fair Cinderella, because of her beauty?
Or the poor Sleeping Maid, whom to wake was a duty?
’T was thus that they chattered as homeward they clattered,
Until the whole crowd different ways had been scattered;
While the king took his journal and found a blank page,
To fill it with comment instructive and sage.
