4 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [

humour, and quite prepared to forgive the Queen,
who had gone out driving, for being, as she certainly
would be, late for dinner.

But those who knew the monarch’s fondness for
his child, trembled with apprehension at the thought
of breaking to him the melancholy news. It could
not, however, be long concealed, and the disappear-
ance of the young Prince was announced by the Here-
ditary Grand Pig-feeder, a nobleman of high descent,
whose especial duty about the court was to super-
intend the supply of hams, bacon, and pickled pork,
of which large quantities were daily consumed in the
royal household. Entering the billiard room, he ap-
proached his sovereign with lowly obeisance, and
kneeling upon one knee, presented to him a silver
trough in which was deposited a note signed by three
of the ministers, narrating the circumstance of the
nursery-maid’s arrival, and report of the catas-
trophe.

Scarcely had the King read the missive through
when his countenance turned deadly white, and then
immediately flushed red with rage, as he flung his cue
at the Lord Chamberlain, and the silver trough at the
head of the Hereditary Grand Pig-feeder; then he
used violent words (which I shall not repeat, in case
any Kings should read this story, and be scandal-
ised at hearing what strong language some of their
royal race occasionally use, when their temper gets
the better of them) and bounced about the room
and the palace like a madman. Presently he gave
orders that the nursery-maid should be sent to
him, and after hearing all that she had to say, de-