THE KING OF NO-LAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4305, 7 January 1875, Page 3

THE KING OF NO-LAND.

Christmas stories are noted for their strange titles, and Farjeon's tale of "The King of No-Land," nowpublishing in the Sydney Mail, is ho exception. The tale runs thus : —An old king reigns in his palace, and his courtiers take care to keep, up au artificial state of things around him ; he dies, and is lamented, of course, by the nation ; his son is called upon to succeed him. The people avail themselves of the change, and send forth their lamentations of distress ; the boy king, a sensible chap, wishes to hear and see beyond the limits of his palace, dispenses with the courtiers and retainers of his too-indulgent father, and endeavors to ascertain the true state of affairs. The king travels about his kingdom to hunt up facts, and thus incog, obtains a store of knowledge, not only as regards the works of nature, but ako concerning the art of misgoyernment. After his majesty returns to the routine of regal affairs, begins by receiving addresses from bodies corporate, presidingat learned societies, making speeches, and laying the corner stones of no end of institutions ; and as a reward for his royal services to the nation, is fired at by "one of tho people." Tho king wants to know the meaning of this piece of fanaticism, and interviews the wouldbe assassin in prison ; here the king at once ascertains the cause of tho attempt upon his life. A deputation is formed to appear in the royal presence to state the nation's grievances, and a long array of tyranny and oppression iB put forth by the deputies. It is met by the pooh-poohs of the courtiers; but his majesty sees the true state of the case, and the next day determines upon his course of action. He abdicates. The courtiers look foolish at being out in the cold. The people are governors. A republic is declared. Rewards and disappointments follow in their train. The nation, by the popular voice, pronounce that the promised "liberty, fraternity, equality," are mere claptrap, and that the petted demagogue is merely a wordy tyrant. Tho king now is wanted. During the interregnum tho king earns his bread by his labor as a woodman, and of course marries for love. By mere chance ho is discovered. Tho discovery was made at the bedside of a dying child. The people hold meetings, an address is indited and I engrossed, and the faithful subjectß wait upon his majesty and beg his return to the throne. Great joy is felt throughout No-Land; the king and his amiable and beautiful queen are tho pets of all nations, and likely to have a happy and peaceful reign. The tale is well

told, and in it are many passages which contain much instruction and bear a moral. The engravings are in a style both natural and artistic, totally free from the sensational. On the whole, it is an. interesting story for both the old and the young.