Show port ort of tb Day 1111 J I THE TIffi LAST BOTTLE ot hB i Ohe Isle Beyond h had much which might have excited the en- en careless and unreflecting It t would be Idle to attempt to BOf f those Particulars in which this handsome young despot blest Suffice It to say that he had power Dower a new nev ew butOr buto butor but- but o or s self belf th the esteem ol ot his subjects and one bottle Dottie ot of Madeira deira I I l Was so now new that he still sun did his utmost to create a good Im- Im Madeira elra was the last bottle of a little lot which a remote ances- ances I g had hd laid down It was so old that Its exact history was forI for- for l I IMa it belonged rather to poetry than to history When the King I in the opinion of some me he did with a fond and unreasonable S 3 dl so with closed eyes and a reverential expression He lIe longed t 1 Occasion of sufficient Importance to justify him In sharing that t Ith hIs hs Chief Counsellor At the same time his longing was wash h certain fear anticipation Is a joy that wears well but after t f fruition memory is apt to be short His Ills fevered imagination ni 1 the possibility of days when he might not care to speak with withof Ith magnificence of that Jast ast bottle It was at this time that he hein In gold on vellum this observation observation between between the Ideal place there This he had is but a corkscrew neatly framed t gue t chamber presented the opportunity which the King had alternately der derea dered de- de r red rea The Chief Counsellors Counsellor's wife became tlC the mother of twins twins- l land The Chief Counsellor went along the terrace y O on his hll face dud and self satisfaction In his eye I will King Ring that twins are tire not everything And he went out ut ICh et Counsellor about that one last bottle of grand and anti mon mon- lra The The Chief Counsellor lost his alertness and looked tired he at so often otten before he even ventured to hint that pos- pos d Overestimated Its qualities t tUVe eye Ye flashed but he remained courteous though a little sar- sar ear sar- drink it tonight ho said to the health of your styled self severe vere conveyed to the new butler who trembled with nervous nervous- s flashed th through h the th pI palace that the tho last bottle of 0 the no ancestral rh k Madeira was to be opened The rhe poet laureate thrashed out a suitable poem on his typewriter The chef wrote a special menu The leader loader of ot the royal or orchestra orchestra orchestra or- or chestra composed Incidental music for the occasion The court chaplain worked a a. graceful allusion to old Madeira Into nto the Latin grace The new butler put on ona ona ona a new livery composed entirely of cloth of gold The town was Illuminated The King Ing and the Chief Counsellor dined alone together they said little and ate little the ex excitement was vas teas too tea intense The cloth was removed and suddenly sud sud- denly a bright decanter stood In a silver sliver coaster on the dark mahogany The new butler took a a. step back and the great fear tear that had posse possessed sed him passed away In his sleep he ho had seen himself dropping that decanter and he had not dropped It It was all right he was safe sate The King and the Counsellor filled tIlled their glasses The orchestra plunged Into a very creditable Imitation of a storm at sea sea this being an allusion to the many v voyages of the Madeira They took the their r first sip and began a litany of f ecstasy 0 What a character What hat majesty All Mi the beauty of years t throbbing robbing In its golden heart I Si And nd to think that there Is not In all the world on ona 1 other such bottle and there never can be never will be I had thought that I knew what vas vas good goodwine goodwine wine but this Is a revelation The world was made t to td produce this bottle and when It Is finished the world may die to fill Permit me your glass i And in this way they continued until the decanter was empty and they went solemnly to bed Now that night the hew new butler got no sleep at all He moaned with anguish as he tossed upon his bed He had discovered what he had done and he realized the awful alternative that was before him Either he would have to confess his blunder and be beheaded or he lie would suffer all his life from a guilty secret ecret and the pangs panga of ot conscience His conscience was peculiarly delicate Next morning he sought audience of the King Ing and conf confessed Your Majesty 1 he said I have to tell you ou that last night when Majesty had retired I discovered that I had made a a. gross blunder Th The your vIne which I served to your Majesty was not the last bottle of the Madeira h but J a bottle of the cooking sherry at 3 per dozen T The e bottle were accidentally and the last of the exchanged ex- ex changed famous and monumental monumental has gone to flavor soups and jellies For a time the King was silent Then he lie said You will be beh beheaded of course Quite so said the butler For the blunder No o but for lot telling me about It Though ph physiologically I drank cooking sherry last night psychologically I j thoroughly enjoyed the finest Madeira the world You have deprived me of that enjoyment and must inus thErefore in m I had expected nothing el else e. e Indeed an account of wim die will be sent to the press as soon as my head falls my mv guilt On second thought said the King Ing you are reprieved But Dut-cr-don't Dut t-cr t or don t get set talking about it iL Cincinnati Enquirer |