And to honor him, the chamberlain made a great feast, and invited all his friends. There stood on the table a great variety of excellent viands, in gold and silver dishes, and costly vessels with ointment, together with wine of every kind.
And the rich man sat at the head of the table, and was hospitable to all; and his friend who had come from a distant country, was at his right hand. And they ate and drank, and were satisfied.
Then the stranger addressed the chamberlain of the king: Such splendor and magnificence as your house contains, is not to be found in my country, far and wide! And he spoke highly of his magnificence, and pronounced him the happiest of men.
But the rich man, the king’s chamberlain, selected an apple from a golden dish. The apple was large and beautiful, and its colour was red, approaching purple. And he took the apple and said, This apple has rested on gold, and its form is very beautiful! And he reached it to the stranger and friend of his youth.
And the friend cut the apple, and behold! in its middle was a worm! Then the stranger cast his eyes on the chamberlain. But the lord chamberlain looked upon the ground and sighed.
The Pretender and his Sister.
“The Pretender! What a curious title!—and pray who can he be, Mr. Merry? And who is the girl at his side, that you call his sister?”
I will answer these questions, my gentle reader,—and let me tell you now, that there is nothing I like better than to answer the inquiries of my young friends, when I am able.
Well, as to this Pretender—he was a personage that figured in the history of England, some hundred years ago. His name was Charles Edward. He was a grandson of Charles II., a king of England, who was driven from the throne about the year 1690; and, thinking that his father, James III., ought to be king of England, he determined to make an effort to set him upon the throne. He was born 1720, and when he was twenty-two years old, he entered upon this great project.