LONG AGO STORIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 May 1933, Page 9 (Supplement)

LONG AGO STORIES.

ROBERT AND THE BLACK KING. Robert and his father were going to court to see the Black King, but the crowd round the palace was so great that they were obliged to get down from their horse and walk. Nobles, beggars, soldiers, merchants, girls and boys all pressed along together, and those who had invitations entered the palace, and those who had none crowded round the windows and doors, for the young king, Henry the Eighth, never objected to the public looking at him while he ate, danced, or entertained his friends and enemies. Dressed in gold and green, flashing with jewels, the handsome young king moved gracefully among his guests, and, if a beggar who had managed to push in through the guards plucked a gold tag from the king’s sleeVe, he only laughed. He considered himself the greatest king on earth and trusted to the love of his people, but, when his seamen brought a Black King from South America as a curiosity, Henry and his people were shocked, for they did not think it possible for a savage black man to be a king. “Will they kill the Black King at the end of the feast?” asked Robert in a great state of excitement. “It will be as the King’s Highness wills,” replied his father. “A black man cannot be a king.” Now in the crowd Robert became separated from his father and, being a small boy, he managed to poke his way through the guests tjll he reached the

room where the Black King sat. For a long time he stood watching the silent, dark man, who was wrapped in a fur cloak, and who held his thin brown hands clasped together in his lap. A number of dark men and boys crouched round this strange creature, and the people pressed about him, touched .him,, asked his questions which he could not answer, yet he kept quite still, like an idol. ! • . . "What think you, boy ? , Is he a king?” asked a deep voice suddenly, and, looking up, Robert beheld Henry the Eighth. The boy fell upon his knees, and gazed into the eyes of the silent dark man. ■ “Aye, Highness,” hemurmured, “I think he is a king.” “Why ?” asked Henry sharply. “I see royal courage in his eyes, sire. Who but a king could sit so proudly before the Majesty of your Highness ?” “We think alike, boy,” smiled the king, “yet out of the thousands who have come to view him thou alone hast dared to tell me that he is my equal. He shall return with gifts to his own land, and I make thee . a present of one -of these boys for thy slave.” Greatly delighted Robert took the dark boy home, dressed him in silks, gave him the richest food, and he lived happily with Robert—his pet and his servant. BOOTEES FOR BABY. TRIMMED WITH ROSEBUDS. Hut Dressmaker sends this pattern to all enquiring .Tinks, and hopes you will like it. She says you need one ball of 3-ply “Babyship” wool, one skein of pale pink Furida wool (that is “rabbit” wool, you know), and three No. 10 knitting needles, pointed at both ends if possible. If you are going to embroider the little rosebuds (and they add the finishing touch) you will need some threads of pink and green'embroidery silk as well. Now these little bootees are easy to make if you follow the directions exactly, and they are not a bit expensive! So shall we begin ? P. is for purl, K. is for knit. Cast on 42 stitches. » Ist Row: * K 5, P 1, repeat from * till end of row. 2nd Row: * P 5, K 1, repeat from * to end. • 3rd Row: As Ist, row. 4th Row: As 2nd row.. sth Row: As Ist. row. ' 5 6th Row: Knit the whole row. / These six row's form one pattern.Do two patterns more, then continue the fourth pattern, but decrease at both end of the 2nd, 4th and 6th rows, when the stitches will be reduced to 36. Now, this is the instep tab; K '9, take the spare needle and K 18 on that, leaving the remaining nine stitches on a safety pin. K 22 rows of stocking stitch (plain knitting on right side and purling on the back) on the middle 18 stitches, slipping the first stitch on every row. Fasten off wool. With' right-hand needle, which holds nine stitches, pick up 11 loops on the side of the instep tab, and K 9 of the 18 middle stitches. With another needle knit the remaining centre stitches, pick up 11 down the instep tab and knit nine from safety pin. There should be 29 stitches on each needle. Now, using a third needle, K plain for seven rows. Bth Row: K 1, K 2 together at beginning of row and when the end is reached K 2 together, K 1 on each needle. 9th Row: K plain. 10th Row: As Sth row. 11th Row: K plain. Cast off loosely. Embroider the rosebuds in alternate squares on the four rows of bootees. The rose consists of eight satin stitches worked in a circle with a few little lazydaisy green leaves around each rose. Press the work lightly and sew up each bootee down the back and under the foot. Do a row of double crotchet in pink, “Furida” rourfd the top of each bootee and work a pink crotchet chain; sew it at back of heel in position to tie round each ankle. TOE SEALED TUBE. A huge tube into which a railway coach or wagon can be run has been built at Swindon, where carriages of the Great Western Railway can be disinfected. When a coach has been run into the circular house the door is closed and the tube hermetically sealed. It is then raised to ” temperature of 120 degrees and is exhausted to a vacuum equal to 28 inches of mercury. These conditions have been discovered to be fatal to all kinds of. vermin, .and death is dealt to rats and' mice’ in .vans 'conveying grain or flour." '