Festoons of evergreen decorated
the roadway from the parsonage to the opposite house, and mother and
my sisters were stationed at our gate with an abundance of roses to
strew in the king's path.
From the steeple pealed the chimes, heralding his majesty's arrival.
He traveled in an open landau, which was drawn by six milk-white
Arabian steeds and surrounded by a select escort of young men who
were his subjects and served as his guard of honor.
They wore scarfs of the royal colors over breasts and shoulders.
A courtier sat on either side of the king for the purpose of advising
him and to direct his movements.
Poor man, he turned his sightless white eyes on us, bowing to the
ladies in acknowledgment of their curtesies and roses.
This king was very unlike his royal namesake predecessors, as he was
pitied by everyone and not envied or hated. I must confess to having
been sorely disappointed with this sight of royalty, for I thought a
king must be an extraordinary being, expecting to see a
double-header, as kings and queens are pictured on playing cards, the
kings holding scepters in their left hands and bearing a ball with
their right, but I saluted and shouted as everyone else did, and when
my sisters pelted the royal equipage with their roses I shied my cap
at his majesty, at which the people who saw this laughed as loudly as
they dared in the presence of a king.
Pages:
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151