Show i s a 1 u ea FJ W THE KINGS KING'S CHOICE King Rupert lived lI In a a. a palace of gold an and l bad llad ad all alt that money mone could gl give but he he- was the 1 most 10 t unhappy man In ht his whole kingdom Years Tears ago his b beautiful queen and little son I had taken a walk in the forest one evening and had never been seen again T-he T The was kh was growing old now and as all he had no h heir lr to his I throne lt he theu thought lit t. t he he would ch choose ose one among his his' subjects He lie knew i very welt well that before him as their king each man man would promise to tomake tomake make the best ruler so the wise king thought of or a plan by which he br could I l I i Judge jUdg-e their hearts The king dressed 1 I as a poor h- h hg beggar g ar went throughout I his kingdom 1 First he camp came to the lord chamberlains chamberlain's palace and knocked gently at the door His Ills lordship was very en busy counting out his money and could not be disturbed disturbed disturbed dis dis- by beggars at the at-the the gate ate With his the the- gl slave VP rave his hla I Ii i friends would have known Indicated a I certainty on his part of holding most of the odd tricks I Miss Mis Heck came ame In the In-the the ugly Miss 1 Heck She shook hands in a businesslike businesslike businesslike busi busi- manner and sat down The rest of what happened was I such a surprise to her lieras as Betty told 1 th the girls afterward she couldn't couldn re remember remember remember re- re member distinctly But It was something something some sone- thing like this lm glad you are lIre better Miss Heck I 1 came to talk business Y Yes es When Vh n you came to me you rou recommended mended yourself as a time saver I 1 Ib b believe In the s same me thing and amI I 1 have havea a proposition to make to you right inow now 15 Very ivery VeT good Mr Tr Trowbridge Well Welly Betty if it you will Just run upstairs and take talce off ott all that darn foolishness and let down those pretty c curls rub off that grease and smash those spectacles Im I'm going to ask asit you Oll to marry me mp- But on second secondI thought I dont don't believe Ill I'll wait walt for Cor that I And Betty never would tell the rest of it majesty majest a kick which sent him tumbling tumbling tum tum- bling Into the highway highway- The good king somewhat disheartened by such treatment started again on his Jour jour- ne ney He lie went from door to door be begging bread and water but all he received rech d were rude kicks and aid ugly words I I i The king kins spent W weeks and weeks trying to find a person pernon whose heart was worthy of the Ute crown but as yet yet ct I be lie had not found one Finally heartsick heartsick heartsick heart heart- sick and discouraged he stopped Ht Rt ata i ia a woO woodcutters woodcutter's l house in a lonely ly for for- r est cst The Thc young oung woodcutter was bus busy j 1 but as soon as he lie saw the old man man coming he threw down his ax am ami I came to meet him The king asked i r him for tor some come bread and a cup up of cf I water pater as he had traveled a long longa a way SY i and was very vry hungry and thIrsty The young oung man at once took him Into his hll l house and shared with this old beggar beggar beggar beg- beg I gar his supper The beggar king no no- I heed as he came Into the house a poor woman sitting h by the fire weeping weeping weep weep- I ing bitterly Ills His kind heart was was was' I touched by the sad sight and he heI n asked the woodcutter the cause of ot of I her sorrow Some spell has been I cast upon her said the young man I sorrowfully For twenty years rears she sheI I has wept and not a word can sh slit slip speak The king listened with great greatt I Interest as the youth pleased him jI iI j i jI I Would that I had the magic ring continued the woodcutter that rests on our great kings king's finger for that alone can break the spell his enemy the Genii has placed laced upon her The king waited wafted to hear no more but threw off his beggar rags and and stood before the woodcutter in royal royall robes This Is yours said the king taking the ring from his finger i and more you OU have shown kindness to even a beggar and therefore shall wear my crown The young oung man could hardly believe his ears Like someone In a dream he t ok from his majesty the much longed for tor ring i and rushing up to his poor mother I placed it tm her trembling hand I In Instantly Instantly In- In t- t the he spell was broken and her j i weeping was changed to words of ot Joy and love She fell fen at the feet teet of the king to thank him for tor his great kindness kindness kind kind- nt ness ss but what was his astonishment and delight when he gazed Into her I beautiful face to find this was his his' t lost queen and th the young woodcutter his long lost t son on Copyright Un 1915 by Iy the McClure Newspaper Syndicate NewYork New I l York City Ct |