"IF I WERE KING."

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 390, 26 August 1911, Page 5

"IF I WERE KING."

A charming insight into childish ideas of the duties and privileges of sovereignty is furnished by the publication of a number of essays on King George written by some pupils of an English school who are all about ten year 3of age. Natura'ly most of the essayists have allowed their little thoughts to centre rather on the privileges than on the duties of the monarch, and their highest conception of his privileges is that so distinguished a personage must enjoy a most enviable liberty in the ordering of his meals. "The King has liver and bacon for his breakfast," writes one of the children, "and he has his dinner at night not like us. I think he has veal and lamb and thick gravie, which is trimmed with parsley and i 3 on a silver dish, after that he has apple pie, strawberries and cream, after that he has forty winks before he goes to the theatre." Another little innocent declares that if the King invited him to tea he would expect to see "all kinds of confectionery and jam, peaches, proons and all kinds of frute." Perhaps as a delicate hint to his Majesty in case occasion should arise he adds, but there is something I should not like and that is kew kumber and onions." Some of the writers have realised that even the King must find something to do between meals, and they have made valiant efforts to sketch a suitable programme. In the morning," writes one, the King goes walks up and down his'garden path till his meals come again. Sumtimes he passes his time away siting on his throne reding. He has sum children who does not go to Sunday school so he spends his time singing hymns in the afternoon with them," Another young hopeful has his own sdea3 as to King George's duties and the way he performs them. George V. gets up at five in the morning," writes this boy, and makes his laws up out of his head, he has to think about them a great deal before he rites them down." The spirit of the immortal youth who had visions of his fill of fat bacon and swinging on a gate has not lost its influence.