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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (April 4, 1908)
; . '.:.:'".'..,'' . . . ; "-.,--.-r v . - - - - ( - - - - 1 v - ' , . ; '7;;:yVj-Yni8--ORBGOy-SUyDAY; JOURNAL.: PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING,1, APRIL ' f-. -- U UJI.1.J1UJJLIJJ.LI MMIlltjIJIIHJIII II I LIU. . I . II . I . J . Ill .. II III l II II III l I'lf I 1 . - -urtBJla ; ' ! j i i -. t . : " . :.: ; y-: : . . . .... . . ,t..: , . ,n;ii :i:t vn, ,,., . i.iiiinuiHiu.ulijM mii.'ii mhi - ii i ii ' ' ' ? : .Hint';r"; ' r K 4 i A 5ft! r. 7" "L. , In this court. You Mr you are contented happy, un-' he motioned to the turnkey to throw back the bolt, selfish, and satisfied with what the gods have given and h entered the dungeon alone, you. Answer me thtat Why, then, do you scowl and "Why are yon talking to yourself, nun?" he atked. Jostle one another T Why do you want to marry any The man answered: one least of all. a princess with half the riches of a "Because, soldier, I like to talk to a sensible man, -eat kingdom as avowry, to spoil your happiness? and I like to hear a sensible man talk." reedy fortune-hunters! Do you call that content- . "Ha, ha!" laughed, the king.- "Pretty good, pret-ty ment?" good! They tell me that all things please you. Is It The contented men stood a moment In baffled si- true?" IBnce, then turned, one and all, and slowly marched "I think I can safely say yes, soldier." out of the room. As the door closed upon the last one "And Is there nothing that you want?" As the of the disappointed suitors, the princess picked up her king asked this question he looked at the man In a pretty kitten and, turning to her father and mother peculiarly eager way, nor did the answer disappoint said: him. "Would you have me marry one of those? Why, "I hare all of the necessities of life and many of they aren't half so contented as a common, erery- the luxuries. I am perfectly content. I know I have day pussy-cat. Good-by! And the laughed a merry neither land nor money, but Is not the whole world Young Masquerdders 3 5.,;. By Marian Burton. ONCE! upon a time, In a dainty little kingdom all parks and rlrers and cottages and flowers, there lived a Jolly, red-faced king named Rudolpho. Every one of his sub-. Jects loved him, the surrounding kings were hie loyal friends, and the neighboring kingdoms were on the best of terms with him. Tet, strange as It may seem, with all these blessings . rich kingdom, faithful subjects, and a loving wife thin good king was not happy. There was one cloud, a very pretty silver-edged cloud, but yet a cloud, which hung just In front of the sun of his happiness and cast a great big shadow. The king bad a daughter, the Princess Madge, his only child; and though she was obedient In every thing else, she Just wouldn't, wouldn't, marry. Of course there were plenty of princes and dukes sitting-room. Me held a tangle of golden hair In one hand and a sheet of blue note-paper In the other. "My dear, my dear, what do you think has hap pened? Here, written by her own hand, the hand of the Princess Madge, are the happy words which drive away all our fears. She will marry, my dear, she will marry; and listen: she cares not what may be his rank or age or condition he must be a contented man. that Is all. Oh. what a child, what a child!" "Oh, Rudolpho, my love, is It true? Why, why, I am so happy! Is it really true? Do give me my fan. Yes. thank you. Fan me, dear; a little faster. It quite took my breath away. Just to think of that! Now go at once and Issue a royal edict summoning every contented man In this kingdom and In all the surrounding kingdoms to a grand feast here in the palace. After the feast we will hold a trial, and the Princess Madge shall be the Judge." The day dawned brilliant and glorious. How the contented men Jostled each other, and frowned at each other, and scolded each other as they thronged DAXCINO THE MINUET, veJ A BEAU Of Tii OLD REGIME. laugh, threw a kiss at the astonished king and queen, and ran from the room. III. At lunrbeon one day many months after the dis missal of the discontented suitors, the prime minister entered the dining-room and announced to the king that a. man had been found within the palace gates without a royal permit, and had been immediately put in the dungeon. He was" a handsome fellow, the prime minister said, but very poorly clad. He made no resistance when he was taken prisoner, but earn estly requested that his trial might come off as soon as possible, as he rather wanted to make a sketch of the palace and gardens, and he couldn't see very well from the slit in the top of the dungeon; but he begged them not to put themselves nor the king to any in convenience, as he could Just as well remain where he was and write poems. "In sooth, your Majesty," Bald the prime minister. In conclusion, "from all wo have heard and seen, it geemeth that at last we have found a contented man." As soon bh the king finished bis royal repast he dis guised himself iu the long cloak and hat of a sol- mine? Can even the king himself take from me my delight In the green, trees and the greener fields, in that dainty little cloud flecking heaven's blue up yon der like a bit of foam on a sunlit eea? Oh, no! I am rich enough, for an nature Is mine" "And I am yours," said a sweet young voice. The man looked up in surprise, and there before him. holding out her pretty hands toward him, stood the Princess Madge, who had slipped into the cell un noticed by either the prisoner or her father. The man sprang to his feet, clasped the little hands in his, and aald: "I know not what you mean, sweet lady, when you say that you are mine; but oh, you are passing beau tiful!" "Papa," called the princess, "this is quite dreadful. Quick, take off that ugly soldier's coat and tell him who we are and all about it!" The king, starting as if from a dream, threw off the rough coat and hat and stepped forth into the beam of sunlight, resplendent in gold and ermine. "Thou dost not know me. my man ? I am the king . Hast thou not read our last proclamation?" and barons and lords who would gladly have, wedded the pretty princess for her own Bweet sake alone, to say nothing of the prospect of being king some day, but she wouldn't have one of them. A princess is a lonely little body you know, and custom vim so rigid in the time of the Princess Madge that she had, no one to talk to excepting Pussy Willow, the royal kitten. She had no brother, no sis ter, no cousin, and no dearest friend. She didn't even have ft chance to apeak freely to her own father and mother. It is trne, Bhe took breakfast with them every morning at eleven in the great breakfast-room, but the butlers and waiters and pages and flunkies were always standing about, with their ears pricked up and their eyes bulging out, so that no one dared whisper a secret or have even the Jolllest little family . quarrel. It ia true her royal mamma came at pre cisely ten o'clock to kisa her good night every even- , Ing. but there were always & doaen maids and ladies-in-waiting, and It was impossible to have a real good talk. But Pussy Willow was her constant companion, and to Pussy she told everything.. That friendly cat was the only living thing in the whole kingdom that really knew that the princess intended to marry some time. . . " , 1 - ' ' "I don't care whether he la prince or pauper, high or low,, handsome or plain; but he must in any case be contented.' You know what contented means. Pussy satisfied with what he has untjl he deserves and can gef something better. If he Is like that he will always be unselfish, and happy Oh, yes, and I shall, be happy, too. Now I am going to write a letter to papa and tell him that I will, marry If he will find me a contented man.? ,'-. "- r,', . , ; s) , . 7, . . ii. :-( : ; Half aa hourtater the king, with' his crown com- . fortably pushed back on his head, and a smile very; much all over his ruddy; face, burst lata the queen's through the palace gates! They all gathered in the banquet-hall, where a wonderful feast was spread Finally it was over, and five hundred and fifty con tented men assembled in the royal court-room. Tho king and queen were seated on their thrones, but the princess was nowhere to be seen. There was a mo ment of breathless waiting then suddenly a door at the side of the court-room opened and the Princess Madge, carrying Pussy Willow, entered and was fol lowed by her train-bearers and maids of .honor. She wore a wonderful gown all white and gold down the front, with the foamiest of sea-foam greeqjtrains hang ing from her shoulders away out behind her. Slowly, majestically, she walked across the room, and stopped before a table on which lay a golden gavel. A quick tap of the gavel silenced the little murmur that had arisen at her entrance. The king glanced at the queen, and they both smiled with pride In their stately daughter. The princess tapped again and began: "Princes, baronets, honorablea, commons- of this kingdom and our neighboring kingdoms, I bid you wel come. You have come to sue for my hand and my fortune. I know full well, my noble men, "-'that; If I asked it you would gladly give me some great proof of your bravery and goodness but I ask you to take no risk and make no sacrifice. I merely wish to - ; know whether I can find In any of you that secret of all true courage and happiness contentment : Now let every man of you who is contented, thoroughly . contented, rise. Remember, there are no degrees in contentment; it is absolute. , "The black-robed throng arose some eagerly, some- -Impatiently, some disdainfully, some few slowly and thoughtfully, but they all stood and waited in utter ; silence. -' , ' U : , - "As I put the test question, if there is aify one who , cannot answer It, let him go quietly out through yon der door and never again show bis discontented face ( 1 A COLONIAL DAME. J Jk J, J Mill Kftfm . 1 UlTntyt Vil, 'ft1'' i' tr P.: 1 , dier and went with the prime minister and the turn key to catch a glimpse of the prisoner. As they ap proached the dungeon they heard a rich bass voice singing: "Let the world slide, let the world go! f' A fig for care, and a fig for woe. , .-, ' . If I must stay, why, I can't go, r ' , And love makes equal the high and low."-' v The king drew nearer, stooped, and peeped through the keyhole. Just opposite the door, on a three-legged ' stool, sat the prisoners His head was thrown back end he was looking at the sky through the bars in the top of his cell. The song bad ceased and he was talking softly -'to 'himself.-. The king. In a whisper. told the prime minister to bring the princess and foave her remain hidden Just outside the door. Then . CoWM hM gl Cmmttmt Cwinii" -' . ; vyi " , "No, your Majesty; I never do read proclamations." "Then thou didst not know that the hand of the princess is offered to the first contented man who enters the palace?" ; ""No, your Majesty?-1 knew it not" , , "Then know it now, and know, too, that thou art ;the man. To thee, my son, I give my daughter in marriage, together with one-half my kingdom. No, no not a word. She is thlae. Thou deservest her;. Maf you be happy!" . '"' The prisoneralmost dumb with astonishment, at-, most dased with Joy. knelt and kissed the princess . white hands, then looked tnto her eyes and said: 4 "Ah, well it is for me that I saw you not until now, for I should have, been miserably discontented until you were jnlne!" , . v - '. v mitt '.'- 1 1 'rXCI.E 'HASH'S ( FORGETTING If')' 1.r,:, ; COAT IS)',- T JDKCLARI3 I'SH (.HiV . - - STIFF WITH RHKUVA'i ! I' VT I ;. , CALN'T STAN IT jSTUAIUliiT.' 'V.
