A FRAGMENT. From the Chronicles of New Phadland.

Free Lance, Volume I, Issue 14, 6 October 1900, Page 14

A FRAGMENT. From the Chronicles of New Phadland.

NOW, King Scales died and was gathered to his fathers, and the people mourned for him many days. # • • There was in that day a mighty man called Ah Jay, surnamed Said-on, so called for his much speaking. He had knowledge of all such as dig for gold and make sludge channels. Moreover, King Scales had made him one of his chief counsellors. Now this same Said-on was chief of the Soothsayers, and drew away much women after him. • • • Now. there was in the land a faction called Unionists. These Unionists are they who teach that their hours of work should be decreased and their wages increased ; and, as this doctrine commended itself to many, much people joined them, and they waxed strong, insomuch that their voice was heard in the councils'' of the nation. Now, Said-on, perceiving that the Unionists were strong, said in his heart I will "uphold their cause, and they will cleave unto me. • • • And when the heart of the people was moved within them, saying, who shall rule over us ? Then arose Said-on and, beckoning with the hand, said in a loud voice, " Hearken all ye people, and come nigh unto me. Am I not your friend ? My heart yearns over you, and am I not your king, for did not my Lord King Scales, when abont to die, take records of the nation and deliver them into my hand, and charged me to see to them, and did he not therefore constitute me his successor ?" And, raising his voice and spreading his hands, he cried, " Look unto me, all ye people ; I will be your king, and ye shall be my people." And Said-on's voice prevailed, and all the people looked on him, and behold his countenance shone and his face was like the sun in his strength. * • • And the people were moved, and fell upon their knees and cried, " Long live Said-on. He shall reign over us. We will have no other king than Said-on." So Said-on became Chief Ruler of New Phadland. # * * Howbeit there were some who bowed not the knee to Said-on, nor clave unto him. Now, when Said-on perceived that they bowed not the knee, nor worshipped him, his face was changed towards them, and he said, " I perceive that they are of the sect of the Tories — a contumaceous rabble ; malcontents whom I will root out of the land. They shall not eat meat at my table, neither will I promote them to posts of honour, and they shall be as outcasts in the land. Now listen, oh ye people, and understand, when I point to a man as a Tory, let him be to thee as an heathen, man and a blackleg. Have then nothing to do with him — he is a pest. Nevertheless, if thou canst make a profit out of him and spoil him, verily thou shalt do it." And the people answered, "It is well spoken ; surely we will act according to thy word." • * * Now, when Said-on was established in the kingdom, he made friends of the people, and there was much feasting and rejoicing, And Said-on attended all the feasts,' and sang and danced before the people, and they rejoiced greatly and shouted " Long live Said-on." • • • Now, in the days of Said-on, many prophetesses arose and extolled him, and Said-on was pleased and looked favourably on them and found them office, and many he connected with lunatic asylums. Albeit for the discreet woman he was unable to find any place for the sole of her foot. * * • Verily, boys were nothing accounted of in the days of Said-on, and all but a very few were prevented by law from learning a handicraft, which raised great indignation among the Tories, but Said-on at the head of the Unionists overcame them. * # # Now, Said-on was like a father to his people, and he said in his heart I will watch over them, and he said let us appoint men who will go about and be as shepherds over their flocks, and he called them Inspectors, and they spread over the land like grasshoppers and penetrated into all the corners of the land, and their voice waß heard continually and they were an exceeding great army, so that nothing like it for multitude was seen since the world began.

And many more things did Said-on so that his name became famous in the world. # • • Now the Acts of Said-on, the speeches that he made, the armies he sent forth, the leagues he formed, the banquets that he ate, and how he raised his own salary, are they not written in the books of the Chronicles of New Zealand ?