StNicholas . is years, the King encouraged him to talk. The old man then told His Majesty about a com-mon near his home, which had been unjustly shut up from the poorer people. And the King was so much interested in his account of the affair, that he ordered the ground to be thrown open to the public at once, and created the old uncle bailiff of the common, with a salary of twenty pounds a year, which in money of to-day would be a very comfortable income. In those early times, jesters appeared on all oc-casions. They bustled about at the tournaments, and were busy with sharp remarks on the pro
StNicholas . is years, the King encouraged him to talk. The old man then told His Majesty about a com-mon near his home, which had been unjustly shut up from the poorer people. And the King was so much interested in his account of the affair, that he ordered the ground to be thrown open to the public at once, and created the old uncle bailiff of the common, with a salary of twenty pounds a year, which in money of to-day would be a very comfortable income. In those early times, jesters appeared on all oc-casions. They bustled about at the tournaments, and were busy with sharp remarks on the proceed-ings— now full of pity, now exulting, ready to help the fa\orite knight to victory or to lead from thefield his fallen foe. A jester once complained to his king that anoffended noble had threatened to kill him. If he does, said His Majesty, I havehim hanged a quarter of an hour afterward. Ah, but that would not save my life, said theFool. Could nt you have him hanged a quarterof an hour before ?. YOKICK AND ^OL Nti HAMLET. Jesters filled, in their time, a humble but impor-tant place, telling the truth to those who would nothave heard it from any one else. And they some-times acquired such great influence that manypersons found it safest to treat them with consider-ation, or learned to their sorrow that to offend the 92 A MISUNDERSTANDING. [December, kings favorite was to place an obstacle in their own longer needed, and the theater and the production road to advancement. of books and ballads gave a new field for the But as intelligence became more general and talents of those who in ruder times would have reading more common, household jesters were no worn the cap and bells. J^ AVisunderstandinG ^ I i1tle Y^&v]C ^ Tea-n-neI ney wenT oiCt to dine • But They coiJdnT agreeV ov when she said [jui He always woulci answer |\|eiia
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