THE JURY FETISH.
BY ENOCH
ЛХСЕ there was a king—so runs the story
"—who had an inordinate passion for
fine apparel. There were a number of weav
ers and tailors to his majesty whose ingen
uity was constantly taxed in devising cloths
and cuts to gratify this passion; and any per
son who had any new ideas to offer on the
subject of kingly raiment was accorded a
ready audience at court. One day there
came to the palace a pair of precious rogues
who had themselves announced to the king
as weavers, who, if provided with the requis
ite gold and silver, could produce a cloth of
marvelous richness, and fashion it into rai
ment for the king that would fairly dazzle the
eye with its splendor. The king was de
lighted. The self-styled weavers were royally
entertained. They were given apartments in
the palace, and dined sumptuously every day.
A loom was put up for them for the weaving
of the cloth, and they were provided with
the necessary melting pots and other imple
ments required, and their large and repeated
requisitions for gold and silver were prompt
ly honored. In the course of a few days the
king came to see how they were progress
ing with their work. He found them appar
ently busy at the loom. Shuttles were pass
ing and repassing, the batten was rattling, the
thread-beam moving regularly, but not a
particle of cloth was to be seen upon the
cloth-beam. The cunning knaves, prepared
for this emergency, explained to the king
that so fine and resplendent was the woven
cloth that it could be seen only by an artistic
and appreciative eye, adding, that he, of
course, could see it; and then, tenderly pass
ing their hands over the imaginary cloth,
they called his attention to its rich texture
and coloring. The king, doubting his own
senses, and fearful of lying under the imputa-
JOHNSON. tion of being blind to the highest beauty, pre tended to see the cloth and to admire it greatly. He called in a number of his cour tiers and explained the case to them. The king having taken snuff, the courtiers were in duty bound to sneeze, and they likewise pretended to be profoundly impressed with the richness and beauty of the cloth. And now, the knaves having set a time when the weaving would be completed and the cloth ing ready for the king to put on, the king is sued a proclamation that on a certain day he would appear in public dressed in new and magnificent robes. On the day appointed the king repaired to the weavers' room, was divested of his outer clothing, and the knav ish imposters went through the motions of putting the new raiment upon him, stopping every now and then to clasp their hands in silent wonder and admiration at the splendor of the garments. A procession was now formed, and at the head of this, under a gor geous canopy supported by rich-attired bearers, the king marched from the palace down through the principal thoroughfare of his capital. It had been given out that the kingly robes were of such fineness and splen dor that only those possessing keen eyes for beauty would be able to perceive them. The populace observing the king walking with stately and self-admiring pride, and his cour tiers following in obsequious admiration, raised their voices in huzzas and loud acclaim as he passed by. But a little child held aloft in the arms of its mother that it might the better behold the spectacle, cried out as the king came by: "Oh, mamma! the king hasn't anything on! The spell was broken. De risive laughter was now heard on all sides. The king came to his senses, and hurried incontinently back to the palace in deep hu miliation, to find, of course, that the rascally
