Page:The Princess of Cozytown.pdf/81

 "Now," said the King, having disposed of the affair, "let us see who shall marry my daughter." So saying he banged loudly with his golden sceptre upon the marble floor. Into the room came a hundred black slaves staggering under the weight of a huge iron chest. Slowly and painfully they set it down before the throne and retired backwards from the room. The eyes of the hundred Lords fastened upon it greedily. They began shoving and pushing each other rudely to get a better view. "Well," said the King, "will the Lord who thinks that he can handle my daughter's fortune kindly step forward." At this the whole hundred or more of them made a spirited dash for the chest, tumbling over one another's shins and landing in a confused heap at the Princess's feet. "Ho, ho!" roared the King, "one at a time, one at a time, if